Several years ago, a refugee student arrived at North Delta Secondary.
Their first days at school weren’t easy. They were bullied.
One day, as the student ate alone at lunch, something changed.
North Delta’s star athlete, one of the most popular kids at school, came to sit next to them.
That star athlete was Brandon Bassi, a true leader in every sense of the word.
To say that he was destined for great things in life would be unjust, because the impact that he made in his young life, alongside his brother Derrick and their family, is already special.
A brother is born
The Bassi family was always passionate about sport.
Kulwinder Bassi played high level volleyball in India, traveling around the country for tournaments.
When he moved to Canada, he and his wife Pam instilled that same passion into their three children – oldest daughter Dalbir, son Derrick, and youngest son Brandon. But that came with one very important caveat.
“You have to always be a good person first, before an athlete,” remembers Derrick. “If you are a good human, then being a soccer player will come.”
When Derrick was eight-years-old, his baby brother Brandon arrived. He was thrilled.
The competitive drive between them came early. Who was the better athlete? Who was the better soccer player? Through it all, no matter what, their parents were always there to cheer them on – rain or shine.
“My dad would say, if you’re getting wet, I’m getting wet too.”
Derrick’s journey
Derrick always loved soccer, and he was driven.
At 12-years-old he was one of four players from British Columbia selected for the Danone Nations Cup, traveling to Paris to represent Canada at the prestigious international youth soccer competition.
“Having your parents watching you at Parc des Princes with a huge crowd was pretty cool.”
He was hooked.
A few years later, his coach David Shankland helped him get an opportunity to join the ranks at Middlesbrough in England.
He spent time being coached by Gareth Southgate, and for two years played alongside players like Stuart Downing and Adam Johnson.
Eventually he ended up back home playing with Simon Fraser University, first with Alan Koch and then under Clint Schneider.
He had an amazing time, excelling as an imposing centre back. Schneider remembers their first preseason trip to Germany, where he drew the attention of TSV 1860 Munich.
Derrick would go on to play and score for Canada’s U-20 national team, with other Canadian names such as Russell Teibert, Doneil Henry, Jonathan Osorio, and Lucas Cavallini.
All that success brought him into the fold at Whitecaps FC, pushing onto the second team at the time during the early days of MLS for the club.
“Derrick was always a leader, as a player and a person,” remembers long-time Whitecaps FC academy coach Steve Meadley. “He was committed, honest, and intelligent.”
He knocked on the door of the ‘Caps MLS team, regularly training and rubbing shoulders with the likes of Eric Hassli, Jay DeMerit, and Davide Chiumiento, among others.
It would not be an easy act to follow.
From brother to coach
If Derrick paved the way, then Brandon sprinted right down it.
As Brandon grew up, Derrick became his soccer coach at Coastal FC.
“I’m his brother in the car, but on the pitch I’m his coach now,” recalls Derrick. “We were very good at separating the two. When we got back in the car, we’re back to brothers. Those memories are very fond and very close to me.”
Brandon thrived. He captained his team to two youth provincial titles.
“His ability as a soccer player, for his age, was phenomenal.”
As one of the best young players in the province, he joined the Whitecaps FC BMO Academy program, making the regular commute from Delta to Burnaby.
Caption: A young Brandon Bassi goes up against future Canadian national team striker Jonathan David
However, when it was time to move up age groups, Brandon was faced with a decision.
At that time, Whitecaps FC academy players all attended Burnaby Central Secondary to allow for a custom school and training schedule together.
This was a chance to put one foot onto the professional soccer pathway, an opportunity that many of his peers were fighting for.
But Brandon wasn’t quite ready to leave what he was building at North Delta Secondary. He had his own vision for his legacy, in sport and community.
“The Whitecaps program and the way it’s run is fantastic,” tells Derrick. “Brandon had a great reputation at his school, so I respected his decision to finish what he established at North Delta Secondary.”
As a multi-sport athlete, legendary local sports writer Howard Tsumura eloquently details Brandon’s impact for the Huskies.
“Basketball may have been his second love after soccer, but when you were talking about who Brandon Bassi was as a person, his true personality transcended any one particular sport,” he writes.
Former coach and teacher Jesse Hundal remembers fondly Brandon’s time at the school, where he helped him as a peer tutor for younger students and coached him for five years as the captain of the basketball team.
“He was everything you wanted in an athlete. He was coachable, personable, and super fiery and intense. But more than that, I remember his ability to always stand up for what’s right. After he graduated, he came back to see me. He told me that when he first arrived in grade eight he was super nervous and anxious. He said that he wanted to create a mentorship program where our senior students would connect with elementary school students, so that when they arrive it will reduce their nerves.”
The next steps
While Derrick is 6-foot-2, Brandon grew to be 6-foot-4.
When the younger Bassi graduated high school, he was recruited to play soccer at SFU – following in brother Derrick’s footsteps.
After redshirting his freshman season, he was preparing to take the pitch for the first time in the fall of 2019.
SFU head coach Clint Schneider described the high hopes that he held for Brandon, but also something different about him.
“Brandon was certainly a footballer, someone that had potential to play professionally. But he always had the mentality to see well past that, what would life be beyond football. He wanted to be a teacher and wanted to help people, so he was really focused on his academics and doing the right things off the field. A terrific person.”
Teammates at last
With eight years between them, Derrick and Brandon had never played on the same team.
That was until 2018.
Finally, they were brought together to play for CCB United.
Continuing their track record of success, it was no surprise when the squad captured the provincial men’s soccer title in Nanaimo.
And as usual, mom and dad were there to celebrate with them.
“It was like we won the World Cup,” tells Derrick. “When you are standing side by side with your brother, lifting a trophy together… I get goosebumps just thinking about it.”
Never forgotten
Only two weeks after that special moment, tragedy hit.
Brandon, 19, died in a car crash in Surrey.
However, his legacy endures.
CCB United would go on to win the 2019 national championship in St. John’s, Newfoundland, inspired by Brandon. Kulwinder traveled across the country to celebrate his sons.
Following that achievement, they would permanently rename the team in his honour – BB5 United, forever remembered.
At North Delta Secondary School, Brandon's All-Star Mentors (BAM) was established – a program that helps elementary students feel more comfortable entering high school and provides them with valuable leadership skills.
“After that conversation I had with him in 2019, two weeks before he passed, I told Derrick that I’m going to make sure I fulfill it,” says Hundal. “Five years in and the program is thriving. It’s such a vibrant part of our school, and it took a 19-year-old kid to show me that.”
For Derrick and his family, they started the Brandon Bassi Legacy Scholarship, awarding $1,000 annually to a student who demonstrates leadership both in and out of the classroom.
March 29 was Brandon’s birthday. He would have been 25-years-old.
It never gets easier, but Derrick knows that his brother will never be forgotten.
“This time of the year is tough. We should always celebrate him. He impacted people both younger and older than him, on and off the field. His legacy is something that we want to always keep alive.”
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