Allie Long is contributing her expertise to the Barca Academy. (Andy Mead/YCJ Photo)

U.S. international midfielder Allie Long Friday was named the first professional athlete to be a technical advisor of the Barca Academy Pro NY project on Long Island.

The Seattle Reign FC player has giving her expertise to the project for several weeks, a press release stated.

The Northport, N.Y. native began her relationship with the Barca Academy Pro NY late last spring, when she became an ambassador and advisor for entrance trials for girl players. She also had an active role on both the Girls ID Clinic and at a camp held on school premises in July 2017.

For the remainder of the season, Long will continue working with the academy as long as her club and U.S. national team commitments allow. She is scheduled to attend at the Girls Welcome Practice in the coming weeks, the opening ceremony of the academy’s season and at a girls clinic this fall.

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.