Steven Ramirez's UPSL SoCal Rankings - Round 2

So it’s been a month since the last issue of the SoCal Power Rankings and a lot has changed. I rank these teams with a few topics in mind: results, strength of schedule and goal differential. Just because a team may be in second place, doesn’t mean they are the second best team in my power rankings.

Pro Premier

1.Cal FC: 5-0-0

Goals for: 25 Goals against: 7

Change in rank: -

Cal has continued to dominate each opponent they have faced in the UPSL spring season. Keith Costigan’s men have been one of the few sides to take on an opponent from the other Pro Premier division, recently beating Santa Ana Winds FC in the fourth round of US Open Cup qualification, and still stay undefeated. The bigger challenges within the league will come up at the beginning of May, but I don’t doubt that Cal will be able to put away its opponent with the same ease it has during this season.

2.Newcastle United FC: 5-0-1

Goals for: 14 Goals against: 8

Change in rank: ⇧ 2

The South Pro Premier has been full of surprises, including NUFC sitting on top of the table. During the season Newcastle has managed to put away every rival except for Cuervos FC. What has been most impressive about the club is its strong defense that has only allowed 1.33 goals per game, one of the lowest in all of the Pro Premier. The big rematch against Cuervos FC will be on May 11th, just in time for the next update.

3.Cuervos FC: 4-1-2

Goals for: 23 Goals against: 18

Change in rank: -

The crows are standing strong in second place in the South Pro Premier. They have gone on to beat league leaders Newcastle United FC and average over three goals a game. Cuervos are currently on a two game losing streak, with losses against Santa Ana Winds FC and Gremio FC SD, but enter a softer portion of the season where they should be able to push towards first place in the division.

4.Gremio FC San Diego: 3-0-2

Goals for: 9 Goals against: 9

Change in rank: not listed previously

Another big surprise in the south is the Brazilian inspired club from San Diego, Gremio FC SD. Gremio makes the jump onto the power rankings after not being listed last month. Since the initial 2019 rankings Gremio has gone on to beat Inland Empire FC and Cuervos FC. While they have shown a bit of success through the first half of the season, they must prepare to play each squad again and hope to earn results against clubs they lost to previously.

5.LA Wolves FC: 2-2-2

Goals for: 15 Goals against: 9

Change in rank: ⇩ 3

The Wolves are conditioned to being at the top of the table and fighting for playoffs. And while the latter is still a reality, the results have not swayed in the Wolves favor. The club managed to only grab one point in two matches against Sporting San Fernando and go on face some of the stronger clubs in the division over the next two weeks. The Wolves did manage to put three goals on Cal FC, but still lost the match. If the Wolves want to make the playoffs they will have to turn its form around as soon as possible.

6.LA 10: 2-1-2

Goals for: 9 Goals against: 6

Change in rank: ⇧ 3

The newly promoted Los Angeles squad is making a splash this UPSL spring season. The club recently announced a new co-owner in the Italian legend, Alessandro Del Piero, and have begun developing the brand. Not only has the club been successful off the pitch, but on the pitch the squad has allowed only 1.2 goals per match, the lowest in the SoCal Pro Premier. This is stalwart defense has helped lead the club to big results such as the 1-1 draw against LA Wolves FC and a big 4-0 blowout victory against FC Santa Clarita.

7.Santa Ana Winds FC: 3-1-2

Goals for: 16 Goals against: 11

Change in rank: ⇩ 1

The Winds have been a staple in the SoCal UPSL scene. The club often fights for top of the table, battles in the US Open Cup and is often seen as the poster club for the league. The clubs successes has led to the development of players, some of which have moved on to the next level of play. Enter Jordan Gorman, the dangerous goalscorer who left the Winds to join Milwaukee Torrent in the NPSL professional division. Gorman’s goals could be what is missing from this Santa Ana side, but the club has still manage to hold a positive goal differential. The next step for the Winds is to continue to strive for consistent results throughout the season to put themselves in a position to make the playoffs.

8.FC Santa Clarita: 3-1-3

Goals for: 5 Goals against: 13

Change in rank: ⇧ 2

Currently in second place, this FCSC side has played more matches than any other in the North competition. The club’s three losses came from some of the stronger opposition in the division: LA Wolves FC, Cal FC and LA10, all of whom earned clean sheets against FCSC. If Santa Clarita wants to continue to maintain its current position it needs to find a way to tally in more goals.

9.Sporting San Fernando: 2-1-2

Goals for: 9 Goals against: 12

Change in rank: ⇩ 4

This club has stumbled quite a bit from the previous seasons. They went from being a powerhouse in the North, with a reserve squad, to just a first team with lackluster results. San Fernando’s lack of success is one of the biggest surprises of the spring season, but not all is lost. While the club has a challenging schedule ahead of them, they have shown a capacity to score goals, only being shut out once during the season. The club will need to continue to build upon that goal scoring success, if it wants to propel itself back up the table.

10.City Legends FC: 2-0-4

Goals for: 13 Goals against: 15

Change in rank: ⇩ 2

This newly promoted side has scored in every match that they have played in this season. The club’s biggest win came in the Inland Empire derby, where they dismantled IEFC 3-0. While the club did lose to the divisions top squads such as Newcastle United FC and Cuervos FC, the club managed to tally a few goals and show its fighting spirit. That spirit will need to continue to develop if they wish to make a push for top of the table.

Inland Empire FC was previously listed at 7, but have gone one to lose three out of the four matchups this month, with the strongest portion of the schedule still ahead of them.

Championship

1.Alta California Sol: 8-0-0

Goals for: 27 Goals against: 4

Change in rank: -

1st year club and the easy bet for automatic promotion. Not only has this club ran perfect so far, it is showing dominance in the division, similar to Cal United FC II and Cal FC of the Fall 2018 season. Four of the club’s eight matches have been clean sheets and they have never given up more than one goal in any game. Alta California Sol still has some tough competition remaining, with the likes of USA Soccer Stars FC and Santa Monica United, but I have no doubts that the club will finish with a perfect record. Watch this club as it is building a great brand on and off the pitch.

2.Injen Total Futbol USA: 7-1-0

Goals for: 29 Goals against: 13

Change in rank: ⇧ 5

2019 looks to be the year of expansion squads in the Championship division and leading this charge in the South division is Injen TF USA. The club averages 3.5 goals a match and is heading into its easiest portion of the season. While this new club looks to be heavy favorites for automatic promotion in the South, its inability to shut out opponents could lead to a big loss if the club doesn’t bring its shooting boots to a match. Either way any loss from the remainder of the season would be a major upset that could shift them off the top of the table.

3.MAFO Inland Wolves FC: 6-1-1

Goals for: 36 Goals against: 13

Change in rank: ⇧ 7

Another Wolves franchise in the UPSL at the top of the table? Yes, indeed. The new expansion to the Inland Empire has gone on to put up some big wins by big margins. The Inland Wolves beat top contender Anaheim Legacy FC 6-1, then went on to demolish AC Miracle Hill 7-1. The club averages over five goals a match, the highest in the SoCal UPSL. Similar to Injen TF USA, the Wolves are entering the easiest portion of its schedule.

4.Santa Monica United: 5-1-0

Goals for: 23 Goals against: 4

Change in rank: ⇧ 5

One of the four undefeated sides remaining in the Championship tier, SMU have not only won by big margins, but have earned three clean sheets out of its six matches. In the clubs remaining seven matches SMU faces some of the strongest competition in the North. If the club can stay defensively stout it may find a way to hit the top spot in the table. April 13th against Alta California Sol, will prove to be the biggest matchup for SMU and if the club can earn a result they will have positioned themselves for the automatic promotion slot.

5.USA Soccer Stars FC: 6-1-0

Goals for: 26 Goals against: 11

Change in rank: ⇩ 2

Another one of the undefeated squads in the Championship division. Even though the Soccer stars have earned a few big results they have shown to have a few leaks in defense and have yet to face one of the top 4 squads. The real test comes in the next few weeks as the Soccer Stars face off against Santa Monica United, Red Sharks FC and Alta California Sol. Its uphill the rest of the way, but the high scoring Soccer Stars can make a run into first place if they perform well enough.

6.California Rush SC: 6-0-2

Goals for: 19 Goals against: 13

Change in rank: not listed previously

One of the biggest national brands within the UPSL, the Rush have gone on a march up the SoCal South table. The clubs only two losses came at the hands of top ranked sides: MAFO Inland Wolves and Injen TF USA. The Rush have only been shut out once and have gone on to score as much as five goals in a single match. The next two matches will prove to be another challenge, but if the club can get past Disciples FC and Anaheim Legacy FC, they will be sitting in a good spot to battle through the promotion playoffs.

7.Warriors FC: 4-0-2

Goals for: 19 Goals against: 17

Change in rank: not listed previously

The Warriors were so close to promotion last season and after a few early season roadblocks, against two of the strongest clubs in the division, the club is back on track to earn what they didn’t last season. Out of the clubs 17 goals allowed, 12 came from those first two losses. Since then the Warriors have gone on to produce great results including a 6-0 victory over Lobos FC.

8.Red Sharks FC: 4-1-1

Goals for: 16 Goals against: 11

Change in rank: ⇩ 4

This rebranded club has gone on to earn a few strong results this season, including a 4-0 victory over Valley Lions FC. Currently the Red Sharks look to be swimming in the middle of the table, which looks like an appropriate spot for the club. With half of the season left, the club still has to face the likes of Alta California Sol and USA Soccer Stars FC.

9.Anaheim Legacy FC: 5-2-1

Goals for: 33 Goals against: 18

Change in rank: ⇩ 7

Anaheim Legacy FC started out as one of the hottest clubs in the championship. From the start of the season this club was all about scoring goals. They have the third highest goal tally in the Championship division, this season and average over four goals per match. Anaheim started the season with five straight wins, but since than the club has been unable to find that winning form once more. Anaheim now has an uphill battle as they go on to face three of the toughest squads in the division.

10.Disciples FC: 5-1-2

Goals for: 29 Goals against: 14

Change in rank: ⇩2

Rounding off the top ten is Disciples FC, a well balanced side and my original pick to with the South Championship. The club’s biggest margin of victory was a 9-0 beatdown of Fontana International SC. In the club’s five remaining matches they face off against a few squads at a similar skill level. The Disciples will need to continue to bring that goal scoring prowess as well as sure up the defense against the other high scoring clubs like Anaheim Legacy FC.

SoCal Troop was previously listed at 5, but have been unable to earn a result on any of the top teams. Also no longer listed is Lionside FC, who have been on a match hiatus as they played through the Cal South State Cup. The club recently lost to SoCal Premier League side Caligators FC and will now focus on the UPSL and makeup its matches from throughout the season.

- Steven Ramirez

The Professional Underdog

For fans of the National Premier Soccer League, nothing is sweeter than the Founders Cup and the launch of the professional division. We wait for every detail to hit our twitter feed and while there hasn’t been much information put out to us fans, we lurk around the eleven clubs who will be making the jump: ASC San Diego, Cal FC, California United Strikers FC, Chattanooga FC, Detroit City FC, FC Arizona, Miami FC, Miami United FC, New York Cosmos, Oakland Roots and Milwaukee Torrent.

Many of these clubs share characteristics that the soccer world would deem pro-worthy: promising academies, large investors and/or a history of strong competition. There is one club that stands out among the rest. One club who has no academy, no large investor and is only entering in its third year of competition: Milwaukee Torrent.

“I’m a little bit different than other owners.  It would be great to [invest] like some of the other owners, but I can’t. We will be the underdog in the east region, so we have to do everything possible to be successful.”

— Andy Davi

Andy Davi created the Torrent back in 2015, after spending multiple years working with the Milwaukee Bavarian Soccer Club. The Torrent started in the NPSL in 2016 and won all six matches in its inaugural competition. Since joining the Great Lakes Conference in 2017, the club has only managed to win six games in two seasons. While this club hasn’t hit its stride on the field, it has an ambition to change the way grassroots soccer is looked at in its community. Andy knows that his job is tough and that he may not have the full support of his community, but he said “as long as we have one person in the stands, it's worth what we are doing. And as long as I have one kid asking me to teach them soccer we are going to continue to do what we do.”

Unique Leadership

Andy moved from Germany to the states nine years ago. He has over forty years of soccer experience thats starts with his time playing in the Bayer Leverkusen youth academy, to coaching youth clubs in Milwaukee and even coaching with the Milwaukee Bavarian Soccer Club. And while his resume should speak for itself he is still met with resistance. “ People tell me that I think I know everything because I’m from Germany, but I've been connected to this sport since i was three years old. From a player, to a coach and to a manager,” said Andy.

It is perplexing that we all partake in a soccer community that demands to have a system like those abroad, but when someone steps in to make those changes in their own community they are met with hesitation. Yes, Andy’s net worth may not rival other owners, especially the ones within the Founders Cup, but his ambition and dedication to creating a powerhouse soccer community is unlike any other. “I am one of the professional teams that doesn’t have a big check book. Every cent that we need, I have to go out and raise,” said Andy and even without that checkbook he has paid his players, offered workers comp insurance, launched a women’s team and offers free training camps to local youth organizations like the YMCA.

A new leader has joined the Torrent ranks, ahead of the 2019 Founders Cup season. Carlos “Cacho” Cordoba was named the new head coach of the NPSL side. Cacho makes his marks as one of the most experienced coaches within grassroots soccer. He played his entire career with Boca Juniors. During that time the club won three league titles, an Intercontinental Cup and two Copa Libertadores. He even spent time playing with legendary players like Diego Maradona. Cacho has a bit of U.S. soccer coaching experience as well. He was the assistant coach for the Dallas Burn in 1996-97 where he coached players like Jason Kries and Hugo Sanchez. Then in 1998 he coached the Miami Fusion who had great players like Pablo Mastroeni and Carlos Valderrama. Like Andy says “Cacho is the jackpot.”

“We have signed fifteen players. There will be players coming from out of the country who have played at a high level and players who have played previously for the Torrent. We are excited to build this roster over the next few months.”

The Mighty Dollar

Launching a soccer club always takes money. As the club elevates in quality so does its operating costs. For any club it’s important to take advantage of all the various revenue streams possible and with the increasing costs of the Founders cup and the NPSL professional division, the Torrent will be looking to to do just that.

The Milwaukee sports market is dominated by MLB, NBA and NFL. And while sponsors may want to cling to the most popular sports, those deals could cost a company hundreds of thousands of dollars. Enter in the Milwaukee Torrent. “There was never anything on a lower level that was professional,” said Andy about gaining sponsors. Andy understands that going professional will help gain more sponsorship opportunities, he said “this is for visibility. When you play against the New York Cosmos and Chattanooga FC, you play against the powerhouses in US soccer. What more do you want?”

Having your product shown nationally, whether it’s on TV or streamed can increase the exposure of a team dramatically, making the professional division of the NPSL more appealing for smaller companies, and those are the partners that Andy hopes to continue to attract. The club currently has 19 sponsors, but the clubs expenses are about to skyrocket. “ My [expenses] from the NPSL to the Founders Cup have quadrupled and in the pro division it will be seven times higher,” said Andy. “You have a ton of teams that play regionally just to keep the cost down, but that's not what I want anymore. I want to go out and play the Cosmos, Chattanooga, FC Arizona, Cal United and Miami FC. But you have to work for it.”

Of course we all understand that going pro was going to bring in more costs on to each participating club, but it also brings on new revenue streams. Andy opened up about a few for the Torrent,  “you get new sponsors, you get more season tickets. For the first time, we are in charge of the gate and the concession sales, which was not the case in the last two years. We can get $5,000 to $15,000 a game and when you have 15 home games that is going to help.” The math adds up as well. The NPSL side averaged 1,130 fans per match last season and WPSL side averaged 641. With almost six months until the Torrent kickoff in the Founders Cup, they have already sold around 300 season tickets.

Going pro will increase the spotlight on this club, most likely seeing the average attendance of both teams rise. Fans will be able to watch their squad during away trips, through streaming platforms such as YouTube and Mycujoo. The streamed product will help keep fans educated on their favorite club and through that process they will become more passionate. The more passionate the fan the more willing they will be to purchase merchandise. It’s all of these different revenue streams that help a club like Milwaukee Torrent thrive and by proving this concept, Andy and the Torrent can be an example to future clubs who may be in a similar situation.

Disconnected From the Youth

“It doesn’t matter if it’s the first, second, third, or fourth tier of U.S. Soccer. Just make it accessible to the kids, so they get excited about soccer. If they get excited about it they will want to play more soccer. Sometimes I get the feeling that [youth clubs] don’t want the $10 to go to the Milwaukee Torrent, because they think they need to find a way to get those dollars into their club.”

— Andy Davi

The ideal situation for a soccer community is to have each kid participate at a youth club and make their way to the top professional or amateur club in the community. Some organizations achieve this by running their own youth organizations. In the Founders Cup, organizations like ASC San Diego own and operate multiple academies, some of which are in the U.S. Developmental Academy. Other teams like Detroit City FC have youth affiliations with prestigious academies in the community. But a connection to a youth club doesn’t always come easy.

Speaking with other club owners, relationships between amatuer/ professional sides and youth organizations are often strained. The amatuer/ professional side want to incorporate that youth market, but the youth sides are unwilling to support the club. This leads to organizations competing for market share. Established academies create their own clubs and established clubs create their own academies. It’s a ruthless cycle that could be a detriment to growing soccer in a small community. Currently there aren’t any connections between the Torrent and local youth organizations, but that doesn’t stop the club from doing things for the children. “I go every day to host [sessions] at the boys and girls club of Milwaukee. We are even doing this for seven Milwaukee public schools,” said Andy, about his contribution to the development of youth soccer. “We’ve served over 3,300 kids in the community this year. That’s 3,300 individual kids that we taught soccer.”

“We are going to move forward. We aren’t looking left or right. We are just doing our thing.”

— Andy Davi

One powerful connection that the Torrent have made is its partnership with the Bayer Leverkusen youth system. The same system that made Andy the player he was and the coach he is today. “For 8 years now, I have taken a group of American soccer players to Bayer Leverkusen. We watch Bundesliga games and they go into practice with the youth academy.  So far I have taken over 200 American players to do this. We are finalizing the next trip and we have a group over 33 so far,” said Andy about his relationship with the Bundesliga youth system. “This is another thing that we offer and the other clubs don't jump on it,” he added. This lack of outside participation is an example of the meaningless rivalry held between organizations.

“First of all we are open to everybody and we know so many people that are committed too. We have approached multiple clubs to meet and resolve these issues. Four clubs have agreed, while others just don’t answer,” commented Andy when asked about organizing the soccer community. This disconnect from youth academies should be the most troubling for any grassroot club. With no support from the youth in the city, you lack the ability to create generational fans. You lose sight of the dream that every kid playing the sport should have, the ability to play for their local club in front of their friends, family and the community that helped raise them.

Hopefully going pro gives the Torrent organization an ability to step out and correct the issues within its soccer community. Hopefully going pro helps show the U.S. soccer landscape that developing a club with a community ethos can be financially profitable. Hopefully this local club can produce talented players, earn results and win championships. Either way this professional organization will be the underdog, but it’s a role the Torrent are willing to embrace.

- Steven Ramirez

XSL: Regional Growth of the Game

At Protagonist Soccer we have discussed the importance of regional competition. Regional competition builds rivalries which bring in more fans. Regional competition uses its own talent without promoting other areas. Regional competition doesn’t force clubs to pay for high travel fees. Soccer fans often talk about how big our nation is and the amount of players that fall through the cracks, and it’s regional competition that helps place lower division clubs in smaller markets all over the nation. One owner saw these benefits to regional competition, so Fernando Macias created XSL of San Gabriel Valley.

The San Gabriel Valley resides in Los Angeles county and is the home to over 40 cities and neighborhoods. Over 1.5 million people, from a multitude of ethnic backgrounds, live in this dense area. The region also plays host to multiple colleges and universities. The San Gabriel Valley has all the ingredients for a regional soccer league.

The XSL was created in mid 2018 and launched with six teams in their inaugural season: Malex FC, Mafran FC, Nopaleros, Rowland United, Simon Bolivar and Soyatlan FC. Each club plays on Sundays at Gladstone High School in Covina, CA, where the XSL sets up two fields for one big soccer fest.

With the variety of league options in Southern California, I wanted to know what inspired Fernando to create the XSL. “ I played soccer in the area all my life and I noticed that most soccer leagues are very simple. All the leagues provided was a place to play, some referees and maybe some prize money if you won the championship. I know the kids that are playing these days are all millennial and there is no online presence for those other soccer leagues. Not even facebook, not even something with the schedule or the points. When I used to play I had no idea what place we were in. I had no idea how many points the other teams had. I had no idea how many goals the other players had. I decided to start a soccer league and bring it into the 21st century.”

While the league is small in size they have began to make big impressions with their branding. Along with running the league with his partner Ismael Sanchez, Fernando Macias is a talented graphic designer who has helped the league and each team with strong branding. Fernando wears many hats to help develop his league, but he is working towards some very big goals. When asked about the branding of the XSL he said  “Initially I had an idea to hire aspiring photographers, web developers, journalists from local colleges and high schools to help with the work. I’m still in the process of acquiring that, because I would like to focus on the branding. What you see online, isn’t what you’ll see next year. Next year I’m planning on stepping away from taking pictures and writing about the games and focus solely on the branding of my teams, players and coaches.”

Part of the incredible branding and that 21st century model, the XSL offers its fans a website with updated stats and standings. Their social media platforms show video highlights and player cards. They are continuing to grow as they enter their 2019 season and are looking at options for streaming, he said “next season we will have full games on our YouTube channel. Again, I will be looking for volunteers to provide commentary and analysis on the games.”

Currently the XSL is just a regional league, and while Fernando has ambitions to promote players and staff to better career opportunities, he also has ambitions of becoming a well recognized and respected league amongst the fans of lower tier soccer. What is the future for the XSL? “ I want to get as high as possible [within the U.S. Soccer pyramid], maybe third tier. Eventually that is my goal. Maybe even trying to form a California League, something regional or West-coast. Getting more marketing, getting online and even getting a news service, like ESPN, dedicated to our league. The journalists will be aspiring volunteers from High School and College. The league will help them develop their resume to later on apply to an ESPN or Fox Sports. At the same time they can help build my league. I want to be independent. I want to promote my teams, promote my players. I want to give them soccer cards, highlights, photos of their games so they can see themselves in action.”

While the XSL started out small, it has begun to make an impact on social media. Fernando has shed a light on soccer within the San Gabriel Valley and wants to continue to develop his business over the next few seasons. “I look forward to growing next season. This first season, like any first year in business, you take your bumps and bruises. Next season expect us to be exponentially better.” Fernando also added, “I’m not getting in this game to compete with these other leagues. I am getting in this game to dominate. There is no point to just get in to stay even or catch up. I see myself ahead of everybody. I see my league as the gold standard and for everybody else to catch up.

To reach the heights Fernando Macias wants the XSL to reach, he will need to show: hard work, dedication and a will to win. He has already shown those three qualities within one season and has proved that the sky's the limit, for this now small regional league.

“It’s the X Soccer League. The next level soccer league.”

- Steven Ramirez