Photo Courtesy of Susquehanna Athletics
By Marquis Frias, Assistant Sports Editor
In August, it was announced that 2025 Susquehanna Graduate Seth Sidle was selected to play for the first ever Marshall Islands national soccer team, and that the midfielder/defender was also named as captain of the team.
Sidle’s international career began just three months after finishing his time at Susquehanna University as a graphic design student.
Sidle started playing soccer when he was 5 years old. From 9 years old to high school, Seth played soccer for Northeastern Senior High School and FC Ballyhoo.
“Some of the most fun I’ve had playing soccer was when I was playing in high school,” he said. My high school team felt like a second family,”
Susquehanna coach Jim Findlay had seen Sidle play at a tournament. Seth already knew that he wanted to attend Susquehanna for graphic design, and so he was recruited by Findlay for a spot on the SU soccer team.
Seth played on the soccer team for all four years at Susquehanna, appearing in 17 games. His most prominent season came in 2022, when Seth started in two of the nine games he appeared in that season, and also scored a goal in a 2-0 win against Penn College.
“Susquehanna’s soccer program will forever hold a special place in my heart,” he said. “We’ve definitely had our ups and downs, but the team always felt like a family, no matter the outcome.” “The friendships that I’ve made through my four years are unforgettable and the sense of community that Findlay has built is incredible,” he went on.
After his time at Susquehanna, an old contact of Sidle’s was what ultimately helped him to earn the chance to play for the Marshall Islands team.
When Sidle was younger, he and his family would attend the Marshall Islands Reunions, where Marshallese families would come together and celebrate their culture. A boy of one of those families, like Seth, also had an interest in playing soccer, and had the contact of Lloyd Owers, who is now the head coach of the Marshall Islands national soccer team.
Throughout the years, Sidle and Owers stayed in connection, and when the team was created in 2024 and Owers was named head coach, Sidle was recruited to be a part of the team.
“I was incredibly proud to get the opportunity to represent my country,” Sidle said, remembering back to his feelings when he had first found out he was selected to play. “I try my best to always give 100% when playing soccer, and getting selected for the national team felt like the hard work finally paid off.”
The Marshall Islands team played its first game in August, a 4-0 defeat to the U.S. Virgin Islands. Even though the scoreboard didn’t favor the newcomers, Sidle said it still was a surreal experience.
“As soon as our team walked out of the locker room and onto the pitch, I was speechless,” he recalled. “Hearing the Marshall Islands fans cheering us on as we walked onto the field, filled me with a huge sense of pride for my country.”
Now, Seth and the Marshall Islands national team are striving for bigger achievements in the future, with the hopes of one day being recognized by the Oceania Football Confederation or FIFA.
“Those confederations would provide the money that we need to ensure that our national team plays more games,” Seth said. “These games were definitely huge first steps in the right direction and I am proud to be a part of it.”