My Best Ten and Me: The All Time Greatest From El Farolito

Founded 35 years ago in the San Francisco Soccer Football League (SFSFL), El Farolito have since won that league five times, won the prestigious US Open Cup and have moved up to the NPSL, only to win their Golden Gate Conference at the first opportunity in 2018. “El Faro” is perhaps one of the most underappreciated, and understated grassroots soccer clubs in the country - you won’t find them bragging and boasting about their accomplishments. When I reached out to see if somebody would like to play the My Best Ten & Me, there was only one anonymous taker and he threw out our rules…

1. You are the Player/Manager and you have to plug yourself in

2. Any player selected must have been active in your lifetime…

Instead, we got a list of the most accomplished players from the history of El Farolito - whether they played in that remarkable 1993 US Open Cup season as a member of San Francisco CD Mexico (originally El Farolito and eventually changed back to El Farolito) or a member of the side during its run in the California Premier Soccer Association (a sort of, California super-league). Our mysterious club contact set up the All Time Greatest El Farolito squad in an attacking 4-3-3 that their aptly named Burrito Brava would die for.

(Manager) Salvador “Chavita” Lopez
Founder of the club that lead the team to promotions to the top division in the San Francisco Football League and other regional Championships.

(GK) Guillermo “Grillo” Valadez
Played for Atlas FC in Mexico before being a fundamental piece in the US open cup championship.

RB) Arturo “Cuate” Ramirez
Strong defensive player with great tactical intelligence.

(CB) Jose Gutierrez [Captain]
Our leader, was one of the top players to ever wear the Farolito shirt. 

(CB) Guadalupe Fonseca
Very technical, strong player and great reader of the game. 

(LB) Jesús “Chuy” Cardenas
One of the youngest players in the Open Cup Championship team, Know for his stamina and long box to box runs for 90+ minutes. Eventually went on to play in Liga Ascenso Mx for Gallos de Aguascalientes and Zacatepec. 

(RCM) Elias Fonseca
Extremely smart central player who knew how to contribute defensively and offensively. 

(LCM) Samuel “Abuelo” Cid del Prado
Great distributor of the game with amazing technical talent. 

(CAM) Luciano Guiñazu
Played for many years in El Farolito San Francisco Football League squad, over 35 and over 40 teams. Played 2nd div in his home country Argentina and was champion in Liga Ascenso Mx with Gallos de Aguascalientes.

(RW) Jose Ángulo
Played international friendlies with the Colombian National team in the early 90's, a leader and always a threat offensively in a any moment of the game. 

(LW) Jose “Cachas” Segura
Smart in short spaces and fast in large spaces,  played for many years being the top goal scorer in San Francisco Football League. 

(CF) Mariano Laurean
A complete player in the 9 position with speed, technique, character, intelligence and lethal in the air.

Business Spotlight: Stimulus Athletic

For 12 years, Geison Moura led the line with at least 146 appearances and 89 goals, for clubs all around the world. Starting in Brazil at Esporte Club Bahia and making stops in Singapore, New Jersey, Ft. Lauderdale and Minnesota - Geison led the life a professional footballer and knows what players and clubs need to look good and feel good. His company, Stimulus Athletic, is now one of the leaders in customized sports apparel and is our Business Spotlight of the week…

Everyone loves a good origin story; can you tell me why you wanted to start Stimulus Athletic and how that came about?  

Back in my playing times, I was always very active in the community coaching camps and doing team appearances and I remember hearing from coaches how they always struggled with uniform providers. So, I decided that the day that I retire from playing I was going to create a brand that would offer easy to order high-quality custom uniforms at affordable prices. And that's what we did! 

An interesting story about my first order. From the get-go giving back has been at the core of who we are and what we do. So, before I had made any sale, I went to a local store, bought 400 dollars’ worth of sports equipment, and took it to a very underprivileged community in Brazil (where I was born). I ran a full-day of soccer camp and distributed the equipment as our first give-back initiative. Then when I got back to the house, I had a message from a very close friend saying that the school he coaches for had approved him to buy their uniforms from Stimulus. It was our very first order! We didn't have our factory fully lined up yet. I have jerseys coming from one place shorts from another place it was crazy. But we managed to deliver all the uniforms. Fast forward to today we have provided uniforms for thousands of athletes and had the privilege of helping a lot of people along the way. 

Geison has made it a point to Give Back to his home country of Brazil, where he distributes soccer equipment and hosts soccer camps for underprivileged children.

I'm most familiar with your work for MPLS City, what are a few of your favorite shirts you've done for them and what other clubs have you worked with? 

My favorite designs from MPLS City are always their latest. Their ability to show who they are where they’re from and what they stand for through their amazing designs it’s unbelievable. We are really lucky to work with them.

What aspects of style and design influence your work? While some clients may have some creative ideas of their own, how often do teams say "I dunno, what do you think would look cool?"

We have a very creative designer that has implemented a great process to help clients formulate their unique designs. 

From MPLS soccer kits to warm-ups for Karen Football Association, Stimulus provides a large selection of apparel for customization.

Do you cold-call soccer clubs to see if they need a shirt done, or do they come to you? What has been the most effective way of generating new clients?

Most of our clients have come to us from word of mouth.  

Aside from shirts, what other articles of apparel do you produce? Do you make items outside of the soccer world?

Aside from game uniforms (jerseys, shorts, and socks), customers can choose from a variety of custom products such as jackets, hoodies, pants, backpacks, and more. My background is soccer and that's the reason I got into this business, so naturally, most of our clients are soccer clubs. However, we have been growing in other sports as well including Basketball, Baseball, and Ultimate Frisbee.

What is Stimulus up to next – are there any innovations we have to look forward to?

We are currently working really hard to develop one of the most innovative kit designers. Our easy to use platform will allow customers to create stunning uniforms exactly the way they want. By adding as many logos as they wish and choosing from a huge variety of cool patterns, styles, and colors, our kit designer will make any team look like pros! 

No more emailing that one guy you know who can do 3D .ai renderings - you can do this on your own!

To check out more gear from Stimulus or to get a quote for your club, check them out here: https://www.stimulusathletic.com/

Crescent City Fundraiser

When I first heard of Crescent City, it was that slick logo that caught my eye. Just a beautiful work of art in sports logo, that crescent moon and the bank of stars, surrounded by a roundel and those two fleur-de-lis to indicate the french heritage of New Orleans, it was perfect. The expansion side for the 2020 GCPL season, which was unfortunately cancelled early in May, was fired up to kick off their participation in the league. PJ Lynch, club president, felt like the club could be competitive from day one due to local talent. “New Orleans is loaded with players and fans that we’re wanting to engage with and we feel the GCPL allows us to do just that.”

But the club’s connection to their hometown is much deeper than just the onfield talent. When the pandemic hit earlier this year, the club decided to get involved in helping locally and, according to club GM Jonathan Rednour, it was a simple decision.

“We love our city and the people that make it what it is. We looked into a few ways we could help with and we felt that this fund, which helps our gig industry, was the right cause. Our gig industry plays a huge part in the economy of New Orleans and majority of those workers are contract workers with nothing to fall back on. So we felt that was the right approach. Also, working to help out an organization like New Orleans Business Alliance, who’s [sic] sole purpose is to grow our local economy, seemed like the right thing to do.”

The club had already planned on releasing their newest t-shirt later this year, but decided to put it on sale early to help raise money for the local gig industry, in partnership with New Orleans Business Alliance. The 504 t-shirt became the fundraising tool. Rednour explained the concept of the shirt - “504 being our area code, represents the city of New Orleans, so we felt the meaning behind the shirt fit with supporting the cause for the very people that help make New Orleans what it is.” The fundraiser, which ran from early April to May 4th, raised $650 as the club sold 60 shirts.

“Being that we are a brand new club, we really wanted to test how far our reach went with doing something for our community. So we searched for a cause that we wanted to support along with seeing how much we could help by doing our part in promoting it…We can't thank everyone enough for their support.”

While the fundraiser has ended, the shirt is still for sale, and buying one will help support the club during a difficult time for soccer clubs all over the country. It’s available at the club’s online shop and if you can, buy a shirt for a club that prioritized the needs of their community over their own.

You can follow Crescent City on twitter.

An Interview with DCFC's Sarah Huge

So tell us about yourself!

Sarah Huge (actually pronounced like Hugee and not just huge haha though I definitely respond to “huge”). I grew up in Northville, MI as Sarah Stern and played locally with MI Rush and Hawks. I earned a scholarship to play at Michigan State University for the 2008-2011 seasons. I met my husband there, Cody Huge (always called ”Huge”) who played baseball for MSU. I earned my Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and eventually my Masters. I taught 4th grade for 5 years in Ann Arbor. While I did my student teaching, I began coaching youth club soccer. We moved to Canton and I fell in love with the Canton Soccer Club which is the DCFC Youth West program you see today! I never stopped playing soccer. I played for a couple women’s club teams, Motor City FC, and Ann Arbor Lumberjills. My times off were to have our daughter in 2017 and son in 2019. I was super motivated to get back in shape for the forming DCFC Women’s team. I just celebrated my quarantined 30th birthday in April. 

Can you describe your game?

I’ve always been an attacker but I’ve played defense for teams that needed it specifically. I have scored a lot of goals in my day but assists have always been as important to me. I was the youth player that after I scored multiple goals, I’d hold the ball in the opponents box and wait for a teammate to get there. Most of my coaches didn’t like it. 

What was your experience/knowledge with DCFC prior to trying out this year?

I would say I have a pretty good soccer IQ and see the field well. I am very vocal on the field and am sure you will never hear me shut up in the center back position. 

You were named the first women's captain of DCFC, how does that feel?

I am honored for the opportunity and will take the role seriously. I know several of the players through playing with them at some point in my career or know them from coaching youth soccer. Hopefully I am a good link to keep everyone motivated in this weird time.

Have you been captain on previous clubs?

I was captain of my youth and women’s club teams, high school soccer, high school basketball, and I have been given the band for games with my previous semi-pro teams.

What's the experience with DCFC been like so far (barring the pandemic, obviously)

The DCFC has given me an experience that I’ve never had before! I’ve never experienced this type of fan support, hype, or excitement with a team I’ve played for, and that’s saying something coming from Big10 soccer. The organization and professionalism is so amazing as well. 

The pandemic sort of shut everything down, how have you been coping?

It’s been interesting. Luckily my kiddos are young enough they won’t remember this and our schedule didn’t change all the much besides activities we would go to throughout the week. We all really miss our frequent visits from my mom, GiGi! Who with her help and my husband’s makes playing even possible!  Trying to stay in shape in the sometimes 40 minutes of nap time is tough, but my husband has been doing an amazing job taking the kids for me to do stuff as well between his busy and demanding schedule running a heating and cooling business. Shout out to Crain Heating and Cooling!  

Will the club be getting in any soccer in 2020?

The club is very committed to getting us on the field in some fashion but obviously changes have already been made to the season and more will come I'm sure. I am very hopeful, though! 

What kind of formation/tactics/style will the club bring to the field?

I’ve worked with the legendary Coach Sam Praine, for several years now and he actually coached me in my first travel club soccer year at U10! He knows how to take talent and put us in the best position to win. We have so many amazing attacking players that it will be a fun challenge putting together the right combination and formation. With the help of the rest of the awesome staff, Charlie Bell, Kyle Winningham, and Jon Evans, it’s going to be fun to watch! Defensively, we will be organized and disciplined but we have a ton of skill and speed to contribute on the attack as well. 

Any hype music you listen to every match?

At MSU it was anything we could dance to and the dance parties before games in the locker room were pretty epic but otherwise I am one that plays best when I am relaxed and having a great time with the laser focus starting with the whistle, so I’ll jam to anything up until that point! 

Chips Ahoy: original or soft baked?

Original I guess, though I’m much more of an ice cream gal!

Anything else we should know?

Thanks to all the supporters that have continued to stay engaged and excited with us!  Cannot flipping wait to get going!!! Mama needs some soccer in her life again!!! Lol 

My Best Ten and Me: Featuring Joey D of Monmouth Light FC

This week’s player/manager for My Best Ten and Me is none other than Monmouth Light FC’s own Joey D, who hones in on his Italian heritage, and loads up his 4-3-3 with brilliant players from Serie A’s recent past… plus a little English surprise! But first, we had to remind him of the rules.

1. You are the Player/Manager and you have to plug yourself in

2. Any player selected must have been active in your lifetime…

As the first time ever truly pondering what my ideal starting XI would be in my lifetime, it is interesting seeing it written down. These players were chosen through the lens of a first generation Italian America, who’s immediate family immigrated from Rome. The genesis of my footballing love was during the 2006 World Cup, where I was introduced to the concept of a massive, singular force that could unify an entire nationality - even if you didn’t physically reside in that country. The rest for me, is history. (And gladiators and very feathery hairstyles) 

(GK) Gigi Buffon
Who other could you want between the sticks besides the living legend himself? More clean sheets than a 5 star hotel. 

(RB) Alessandro Florenzi
One of the last gladiators in Rome. I can already see the overlapping runs to the outside, while the rest of the defense hold’s down the coliseum.

(CB) Marco Materazzi
The only guy I’d really want to be in the box going up in the air for an in-swinging corner. Especially after somebody talked bad about his sister. 

(CB) Fabio Cannavaro
The only Berlin Wall I support is the one erected by Cannavaro in 2006. Buffon’s only potential for unemployment, because we know age certainly isn’t doing it.

(LB) Paolo Maldini
There’s truly only one footballer that is so synergistically tied to this position, it felt wrong giving it to any other. When even both halves of Milan respect you, you’ve done something right.

(RM) Gennaro Gattuso
Gattuso - If there wasn’t enough defensive panache on this side already - lets add a man who would literally swipe at your legs whilst on the ground himself with metal studs on. Will be taking all press conference duties after bad performances due to too much Malaria.

(CM) Andrea Pirlo
As If I really have to go beyond saying “Il Maestro”. Match winning celebratory drink of wine in his NYC penthouse while discussing his hairstyling secrets. 

(LM) Daniele De Rossi
In my opinion, often overlooked as the previous one club legend that he was by being in Totti’s shadow - I know he’d be keeping the heart of the team beating on and off the pitch while keeping any attacking threats safely nullified…or unsafely according to his appropriate leg tattoo. 

(RF) Joey Dico
If I can possibly in this lifetime be able to keep up - I will be charged with making decoy runs at the defense and The occasional cross into the box. Actually getting an assist on a Totti goal sounds really quite nice. Hopefully he can let me be in his selfie after it hits the back of the net

(CF) Francesco Totti
Il dio himself. Il capitano, Er Pupone, The original roman gladiator. ( Sorry Spartacus.) My absolute number one footballing hero, the first player I was ever told about in depth by my mother. The embodiment of what the No. 10 shirt means. His loyalty to his people, his city, and his club are aspects of larger than life footballing lore that can make  anyone fall in love with the beautiful game. If I ever garner the power to intimately connect with people the way he has with his constituents, I would consider myself successful. Oh, yeah he’ll be charged with being the main target man and post - goal TV camera takeovers.  

(LF) Jamie Vardy
Goes from working in a steel mill to leading Leicester City to the greatest statistical sporting upset in human history, to playing on my fantasy club. Really can’t script these things huh? Will be charged with making every deep run into the box once Pirlo or Totti gain possession. 

Joey Dico hopes to keep up with this squad and make decoy runs from the right forward position…

Business Spotlight: Legend Soccer Co.

Our Business Spotlight series continues as we reach out to the businesses which not only work with lower league soccer in the United States, but also continue to think outside of the box and develop undeniably unique products. We first came across Legend Soccer Co. when they were posting videos of seemingly indestructible bamboo shin guards back in 2017 (link to video at the bottom). We wanted to let them tell us more about the product so we reached out to co-founder and former soccer player himself, Sean Person.

Who started Legend Soccer Co and why? What's the mission of the business?  

Roland Benedict and I started Legend, with a goal to bring new ideas and innovation to the game, while injecting principles of sustainability and social responsibility. We both played our entire lives and eventually into higher levels of the game. We noticed that the products surrounding the game hadn’t changed that much and didn’t represent the game that well. A majority of the largest brands outsource all production overseas to capture cheap labor and increased margins. I could go on-and-on downside of production of products in the 3rd world, but simply put, we take pride in supporting the manufacturing industry in the USA.   Mission: Legend Soccer Co. is a soccer specific company, whose goal is to progress the game through high-quality, innovative, & eco-friendly products.

The shin guards in different phases of production, from parts to assembled and packaged

Your product is simply stunning and has been seen all over the place, including the pages of Howler Magazine; what are the shin guards made out of and how long do they last?
Our shin guards are made from bamboo and are guaranteed for a lifetime. We pride ourselves on making a quality, eco-friendly product, which are manufactured in the USA.

A player could go to Amazon and pick up a pair of shin guards for under $10 - tell us why somebody should spend a little more and get your product?
There’s a lot of shin guard choices out there, but ours are one-of-a-kind. In addition to all of the sustainability characteristics, bamboo is simply a better material to make a shin guard. They’re lightweight, ridiculously strong, odorless, and has a patented tear-drop design, which helps keep the shin guards in place during the game. On top of that, we can customize a player’s guards with any design. Player’s enjoy a lifetime product, which represents their time with the game. It acts as a functional memento, which they’ll have forever. It’s a real pleasure hearing stories of players putting them on and the whole team being jealous. They’re so unique, you can’t help but to check them out.

Lastly, there’s been an estimated 200 million pounds of plastic shin guards produced in the last 40 years. With so many negative effects of plastic production, we hope soccer players will see the benefit in supporting our product.

Various clubs from around the world have had their badges carved into these wooden gems, which are nearly indestructible and ecologically responsible

Legend Soccer Co has worked with a ton of teams and players at this point; are you able to name some of your favorite designs and maybe most famous clubs or players you've made custom gear for? 
We have pro players around the world wearing them, but our recent partnership with the Forest Green Rovers, in the UK, was a special one for us. We recently teamed up with FGR to help them continue the reign as being the world’s most sustainable football club. Every new player gets welcomed to the club with a fresh set of customized shin pads. We’re excited to see football start-up again and follow the excitement around the innovative club.

Not that we don't adore the shin guards, but are there any other products in Legend Soccer Co.'s future? Has any thought been given to making bamboo screw in studs or teaming up with a glove company and creating bamboo inserts to protect goalies’ fingers? 
Those are good ideas and yes, we have more products to come! They don’t necessarily involve more uses of bamboo, but all are specifically designed for the needs of a soccer player and always have sustainability and socially responsible foundation to them. The innovations in the next products are really exciting and we can’t wait to share them. More to come!!

For the most part, you’ll have to order your pair online, but Legend’s shin guards can be found in select soccer boutiques (Photo: Possession FC in Portland, OR)

Check out Legend Soccer Co. and order a pair, here: http://www.legendsoccer.com/

Legend’s strength test video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6os7DOZ85s

The NISA Season that Wasn't

 Note: This is for funzies, so take it with a grain of salt and a large alcoholic beverage. Or chocolate if you’re living a sober lifestyle.

 NISA’s 2020 Spring Season has been shut down, another sports league brought to a grinding halt by COVID-19. We’ll never know how it would have played out. Frustrating, I know. And in frustration, perhaps you shout out something like…

 “Isn’t there anyone who can tell me who would have taken the NISA trophy this spring?”

“Sure – I can tell you who would have taken the NISA trophy this spring.”

Lights, please.

And yes, those are clouds. We are heading into a dream sequence, so keep your arms inside the vehicle until the ride comes to a complete stop.

Going by the alphabet, let’s start with Cal United Strikers. With plenty of firepower, aggressive midfield play, and a solid, competent backline, Cal United would find a way to struggle every week. Enough results would go their way, yet at times they could frustrate the heck out of you. During one of these performances against LA Force, the usually happy and joyful play-by-play voice of the Strikers Simon Allen loses it in midstream, runs onto the field and starts yelling maniacally at the Cal United forwards, “Surely he’s going to shoot now! SURELY HE’S GOING TO SHOOT NOW!” The ref finally stopped play and surely showed Allen a red card. 

Chattanooga FC enjoyed a very sold first season as a professional club. Staying in the top half of the table for most of the spring season, playing in front of crowds that most lower league teams would be jealous of, CFC would punch a ticket to a playoff spot with a home win over 1904 FC. Good times, right? So why were the locals annoyed? In a word: Nashville hot chicken. OK, three words. If the members of the Chattanooga faithful got a nickel for every time visiting fanbases asked where to get the best hot chicken, they would hate the Red Wolves just as much (hah – didn’t see that coming, did ya?),  

Just fill in any gaps with imaginary friends. (Image courtesy of Youtube)

So yeah - Detroit City FC won lots of games, ran away from the rest of the league, blah de blahblahblah.  The more interesting aspect of the Spring Season was in the stands at Keyworth. Limited by a seating capacity of just under 8,000, the Northern Guard schemed up a way to increase this number: imaginary friends. First it was Invite an Imaginary Friend Night. Then those imaginary friends brought their friends. And so on. And so on. When the announced attendance was 27,394 for the Cal United Strikers game, things had gotten pretty weird – even by Northern Guard standards. So the decision was made to ban imaginary friends for the rest of the season. A few invisible tears were shed.   

So the LA Force crowds were practicing social distancing long before COVID-19, evidently. I know – low-hanging fruit. But the club would struggle for points and fans in stands during the spring season. And that’s a shame, because this is how many fans of lower league soccer want to see clubs built – from the ground up. This is an academy club that added a pro team at the top. The hope here is that the club can develop a following of a corps of passionate fans that can spread the word. Hey – they’re not all going to be funny.   

The Michigan Stars would continue to be a collective pain in the butt to play against, challenging offenses with their ability to take away each team’s best players. When Cal United came to Pontiac, the Stars put three men on Christian Thierjung right from the first moment. No, not the start of the game – as soon as he got off the bus. And in the parking lot. And into the locker room. Thierjung never actually got onto the pitch, and the Stars went with the rarely-used 7-1-0 lineup. But Cal United could only manage a nil-nil draw, as Gustavo Villalobos was swallowed up by Zanin Mahic’s hair.   

Only the first of many moments that ended up on tshirts.

Laney College Stadium would finally become that fortress for the Oakland Roots, and the club would make any opponent’s trip to Oakland a tough one. The road would cause some issues, but the club would keep themselves in the top half of the table throughout the spring. And the quick release of T-shirts to capture celebrated moments (like the Jack McInerney game-tying goal on opening night) would continue. A Matt Fondy wonderstrike against Detroit City – on a T-shirt. Taylor Bailey saves to PK against Cal United – on a T-shirt. Ariel Mbumba being subbed on in the 67th minute against LA Force – on a T-shirt. David Abdor taking a point blank shot to his junk – considered, but ultimately not on a T-shirt.

 The move from San Diego State’s stadium to Lincoln High School did not have the effect that 1904 FC – sorry, Ought Four – wanted as far as crowd support. As the season went on, the club would try different venues to get that intimate feel. Local parks. Parking lots. Mini golf courses. Against the Michigan Stars, they tried playing in a bowling alley. Didn’t manage much on the scoreboard (Tito Ramirez was bottled up at the snack bar by the Stars defense), but midfielder Christian Enriquez did bowl an impressive 187. Through it all, the Black Plague kept the faith - except when Enriquez missed an easy spare in the 9th frame. That almost broke them. 

In Stumptown, chasing a playoff spot would be a constant throughout the season. It would ultimately be not in the cards for the club, but they would be there right to the end. A home-and-home series with Detroit City to end the season would be Stumptown’s undoing. But here was one other storyline that hung over the season: the progress of the building behind one of the goals at OrthoCarolina Soccer Complex. When the Michigan Stars arrived, the siding had been completed. By the time of the Cal United game, some landscaping had been placed. Things looked good. Then came the Detroit City game, and an errant shot from George Chomakov sailed over the fence, crashed through an upper-story window, and blasted a hole through the roof. Deemed unfit to occupy, the building was razed – with new construction to start at the beginning of the fall season.

When the season ended in June, the table stood thusly:

Team                            Pts

Detroit City FC              987

Cal United Strikers         34

Chattanooga FC             31

Oakland Roots SC          29

Stumptown Athletic        24

San Diego 1904 FC         18

Los Angeles Force          16

Michigan Stars FC            9

(My math is impeccable, by the way).

 Since Cal United had already qualified for the playoffs due to the Fall Showcase, they somehow ended up having to face off against themselves in the semi-finals – much to the chagrin of the Oakland Roots! And that chagrin found its way onto a T-shirt. Playing itself to a nil-nil draw, Cal United managed to get past themselves on penalties.

In the other semi-final, it was Detroit City and Chattanooga FC hooking up for tense battle between old NPSL rivals. Evenly played throughout the first half, things got unraveled in the second half when the Northern Guard started chanting “Where’s your hot chicken?” which seemed to unnerve CFC. The floodgates opened, and DCFC was going to the finals!

Now it was down to Detroit City and Cal United. And in the final, the Strikers would pass and move with a veracity and determination that was impressive and almost led to a goal. But the final whistle would come, and both teams were without a goal. Extra time would be needed. For the Northern Guard, this meant extra extra smoke. A billowy blast would emanate from the stands, and slowly cover the entire field. Nobody could see a damned thing. Industrial fans would quickly be brought in to blow the smoke off the field. And when order was restored – the NISA trophy had disappeared!

Who’s laughing now? (image courtesy of Forbes.com)

Suddenly, the sound of wheels peeling out could be heard as a black limousine sped away. And leaning out the back window, Rocco Commisso held out the trophy, laughing.

So who took the NISA trophy? The New York Cosmos, of course.  

- John Howard-Fusco

If you enjoyed John’s approach to NISA in this article, you should check out his NISA podcast, the Knights Who Say NISA - available on the Protagonist Podcast feed on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever else you get podcasts.

Another Perspective on the Situation Facing the WPSL

This weekend we ran an article with one WPSL owner who was extremely disappointed in the WPSL’s approach to the cancelled 2020 season. In an effort to protect this person’s identity, the interview was posted anonymously, though we vigorously vetted the person to ensure accuracy. The league contacted us with a list of owners who they believed offered a counter to this viewpoint. In the interest of fairness, we reached out to one, John Saeger, who owns South Star FC (which operates in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area). We sent him the exact questions we use when interviewing our previous owner, though in John’s case, he didn’t want anonymity.

We aren’t picking a side in this fight, because that’s not our goal or job. However, allowing multiple voices at the table and encouraging those that whistle blow is a priority for Protagonist Soccer. So here’s a second voice of someone directly affected by the WPSL’s decisions, who sees things differently.

---

So how long have you been involved with women's soccer? 

I’ve been involved in youth soccer in North Texas for roughly 20 years, had my own club (all girls) and then merged with D’Feeters (all girls). Last year was my first year with a WPSL Team. This year, I planned on fielding (2) teams as FC Dallas decided not to participate. North Texas is a hotbed for soccer, especially on the girls/women’s side. There are plenty of players who just want the opportunity to play.

How has your club been doing financially, before the pandemic?

We were doing fine. Sponsorships were heading in the right direction. We’re a 501(c)3 so 100% of our funds are applied to the players, coaching staff and playing/practice expenses. The Board (myself included) are all volunteer.

How do you get funding? What's a good year look like for your club? 

100% of our budget is from sponsorship. Our budget for just the single team was in the $75,000 range, with (2), we were looking at $100,000.

With the pandemic happening, what has your club been doing?

Not much right now. With the season cancelled, we will be having training sessions, starting soon. We’ll have camps throughout the summer for the players to participate in and also help run on the youth side.

What was your view/experience with the WPSL prior to this season?

I had 1 season (last year) that we played under my belt. I had an amazing time. We have such a great group of players and coaches. We play our home games at TCU and Coach Bell, Coach Higginbotham and all of the TCU staff are fantastic and supportive. I’m probably more disappointed than the players and coaches that we can’t play. And working with the league was great too. They are great people to work with.

Do you agree the season should be cancelled?

I don’t think they had a choice. Yes.

How did you expect the league to deal with the league fees?

Being familiar with the youth side, there are expenses which you can’t get out of. I wasn’t surprised at all when they announced what they were going to do.

When the league revealed their budget constraints, did the fact that the league funds the buyout loan (which they used to purchase the league) bother you at all?

I look at my League Fee as an investment into the league. There are things I can use (branding) that add to my brand. The WPSL is working to raise the standards for the women’s game. I get it that there are some teams are upset but I’m personally looking at the big picture and I knew the risks going in.

How could the league have done better?

I think the league handled things as well as they could of. They waited until the last possible moment to make the decision. This pandemic hurts everyone, no one is immune. It sucks!

What's the outlook for your club this year?

Our coaches are in touch with our players year around. Helping them with their fitness and getting them ready for their college season. If they don’t play this fall, there’s a possibility that the WPSL may have a “1 time” fall league and we’ll be right there.

Will you continue to play in the WPSL?

Absolutely!

An Interview with a WPSL Club Owner

When the news broke earlier this week that multiple leagues planned to keep the league fees and only offer partial credit for 2021, there was a massive uproar. For many clubs, this felt unfair. We were contacted by many owners/operators who felt ripped off and unsure how to manage their finances without income due to no matches and pulled sponsorships. One such owner from the WPSL offered to be interviewed anonymously, this is their story, but it could be the story of any one of the hundreds of clubs across the United States in dire straights.

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So how long have you been involved with women's soccer?

I coached a team for one season, but then they folded because of financial reasons and I started my own team the next year. We've played in the league over 5 years.

How has your club been doing financially, before the pandemic?

We are a non-profit that also partners with other non-profits helping to provide access and programming to underserved communities. Any "extra' money we have after our WPSL expenses go towards this end.

How do you get funding? What's a good year look like for your club?

We struggle a bit because we aren't funded by a big youth club. We solicit sponsors and also offer a few programs that help fund our WPSL team. Every single sponsor we had for 2020 pulled out before March.

With the pandemic happening, what has your club been doing?

Nothing soccer related so to speak. We have had a stay at home order since mid-March. We keep in touch over Zoom as a lot of our players are spread out.

What was your view/experience with the WPSL prior to the this season?

The new ownership has done a good job of keeping things "professional"...making sure teams maintain minimum standards, fining teams that don't, making sure teams pay fees, etc...

The league under Jerry Zanelli had a lot problems and there was no consistency in many areas including teams owing money.

Do you agree the season should be cancelled?

Absolutely

How did you expect the league to deal with the league fees?

I expected them to roll 100% of our 2020 fees paid to go towards 2021. And I expected them to cut their expenses in order to do it. If nothing else, this pandemic has proven that we are ALL capable of working from home. The $40k spent on the AGM is a frivolous expense. That meeting could be done over Zoom. It could be done at the United Soccer Coaches Convention. Also, they spend $30k on social media which last time I checked was FREE! Even if they're paying someone to write articles, that could be done by a few interns or way cheaper than that! The only person worth a salary at the WPSL is Beth Patterson the administrative assistant. She's amazing. In every other position, I know people would volunteer their time or take a break in league fees. There's a lot of great owners and coaches that care about the future of the women's game, but not at the expense of padding someone's pocket or paying off someone's loan!

When the league revealed their budget constraints, did the fact that the league funds the buyout loan (which they used to purchase the league) bother you at all?

That's what bothered me the most. Esp the fact that they listed that as a line item expense in their justification for keeping $2500 from each team. That's like buying a lake house vacation home and asking people to pay for vacation stays they didn't receive just because you have a mortgage. 

How could the league have done better?

I think we all saw this coming and I personally wish they would have made a decision to cancel earlier. They didn't do a good job of reaching out to individual teams. They reached out one time during all of this. I would have liked weekly communication. I would have liked to speak with other owners about their issues (sponsors pulling out, facility rental problems, player problems (getting internationals into the country) etc).

What's the outlook for your club this year?

We will just ride out this season of uncertainty and hopefully be back playing next year, not necessarily in the WPSL. 

Will you continue to play in the WPSL?

We are currently looking for other alternatives...alternative leagues that actually care about their clubs.

Player Profile: Victor Parra

For many of us, soccer is more than just entertainment, its a lifestyle. Victor Parra knows this firsthand and was generous enough to share his experiences in the soccer world with us at Protagonist Soccer in our latest Player Profile…

Where did you get started playing soccer? What's your origin story and when did you start to imagine playing soccer at a higher level?

I was born in Providence Rhode Island. I grew up in Central Falls, Rhode Island which is the smallest city in the smallest state in the United States which is pretty cool. I started playing soccer at about 8 years old when my uncle got me to play in the local recreational soccer league. From that moment on I fell in love with the game. I was playing everywhere and anywhere I could. Street soccer outside, practices, games, etc. As I got older, I began to really excel on the field and ended up playing club soccer for a state club called Bruno United. I had a great season which followed by joining the US development academy and playing for the FC Greater Boston bolts. I think I really started to imagine playing soccer at a higher level when I was a part of ODP (Olympic Development Program). I made the state team, as well as the region 1 ODP regional team. I was then chosen for the United States Youth national team Player pool and attended a few camps with the youth national team. Friendly games and training. We also played in an international tournament in Italy. I was about 13 years old at the time playing U-14. This along with playing with the Boston bolts really proved to me that I had the talent and passion to continue to play at higher levels in college and professionally.
 

You made a big move, from the East Coast to the West Coast when you transferred to San Jose State - what inspired that move and how did you end up playing for East Bay Stompers?

Growing up with a single mother and no father it was tough to get to practices and games growing up. My mother did not drive. I would rely on teammates or public transportation to get to training for club soccer activities. Originally, my grades were not up to par for the NCAA clearinghouse so I could not play division 1 right after High School. I was sad but I was more motivated to reach my goal of playing Division 1. I decided to play for Monroe College in New York. They are the best junior college in the nation. I did great there both academically and soccer wise scoring over 20 goals in my two seasons in New York. 

After taking my five official visits to Division 1 schools while at Monroe I really loved my visit to San Jose State. The coaches, players, and facilities were great. I felt at home when I came for the visit. It was always a dream of mine to live in California especially living in the east coast most of my life prior. 

My senior year at San Jose State I was asked by the coach at the time coach Martin if I would like to play for the team for the NPSL season. I had just finished my last year for San Jose in the fall and my eligibility was ending. I ended up joining the Stompers for that 2016 NPSL season.

You played two seasons at San Jose State, and graduated Valedictorian - how meaningful is that accomplishment for you? What was your major and how do you see that helping you pursue a career in soccer; not just as a footballer, but perhaps working in the front office for a larger organization?

Graduating as the class valedictorian was one of the happiest moments of my life. I was the first every student athlete to be the valedictorian in the school’s history as well as first ever Latino American to do so. I believe it was first of the NCAA as well. Felt great making history and representing so many people from the school, to communities, to myself and loved ones. 

I majored in business and hospitality, tourism and events management. I definitely see this helping my career big time. They are both very broad majors that you can use in many ways. While I am coaching for a club and running group and private training for kids as well, I can see my degrees opening doors to do my own thing one day whether it’s running my own club or being in more of a director role for a club for example. I would also like to be a college coach for a big university one day. I think my degrees along with playing and coaching experiences will definitely help with this.  

Being the valedictorian was very meaningful to me because I was handed nothing growing up and went through so many obstacles just to be able to attend San Jose State and play soccer. It was also meaningful because my mom had never finished her education and dropped out in high school. I dedicated this to her and it was definitely a very proud moment for me.

The East Bay Stompers are a strong club, with roots to the old NASL too; how did you find the standard of play in the NPSL and how does it stack up to your other experiences? 

The East bay Stompers are definitely a very well-known club in the area. While I was there it was great management by owner Billy Forte and coach Martin. They really pour their heart out for the team and truly care for all players, staff, etc.  

I found the standard of play in the NPSL very competitive. There was a lot of good teams and many talented players on both our Stompers roster as well as other teams. We had a great run in the playoffs with the Stompers that year in the NPSL. I remember winning 4-2 against Sacramento gold at their house. I scored 2 goals that game.  

I think it was similar to other levels that I had played up until that point. I had played PDL in LA and Las Vegas while in college. It was similar because many college players were playing in the league and former pros as well. It was a mix that kept the level very competitive. 

After Stompers, you signed a professional contract for FC Familicao, who then loaned you to third division Portuguese side Argozelo; how was that experience? What did you learn about yourself as a player and how does the standard of coaching and training compare to how we do things in the US? 

Signing my first professional contract was another great moment in my life and a dream come true. Living and playing in Europe, the best place and most competitive to play the game in the world, was definitely great. I learned a lot while playing in Portugal. I learned that no matter how good you are there are many players just as good ready to take your spot if you’re not at your best game day in and day out. Unlike college where they greet you and your gonna help the team and be best friends, it is different. In the pros especially in Europe everyone is fighting for their jobs. It is now a job. So, you will not make as much money, or be able to have a great season which will affect your income and lifestyle. Many players had families, and played at high levels before. It taught me to always be on my game. I also played winger and wing backs at times for the team which I did not play much in my career. It was definitely a learning experience. I really liked the coaching in Europe. In Europe we would do all drills and training with the ball. We would do a lot of possession drills and very technical drills. A lot of touches. Even Fitness involved ball touches. They were all about technique and skill. I think in USA both college and other levels like PDL and NPSL a lot of it is more kick ball and being fit and strong before technique and skill.  I have always been a pretty skillful player so I really enjoyed the training and this type of style.  

You spent time coaching at the youth level for the Quakes and for a club in Los Gatos; how does all of your experiences, in so many different levels of play, inform your coaching methods? Do you feel inspired to pursue your coaching badges or are you still pining to play? 

Yes, I have coached the San Jose earthquakes while I was in college as well as Los Gatos and Palo Alto. I actually got to coach the U13 pre-academy San Jose earthquakes team in England where we played in a tournament as well as played against the west ham united youth team. I coached alongside my College coach Simon which was awesome to learn from. That was a great experience being there and playing at their facilities.  

I think my experiences playing at different levels definitely helps my coaching methods. I feel like I was once in the same position as the kids. I try to put myself in their shoes when I train them. So many different levels require different methods. I always try challenge the kids and make sure they are always enjoying it. That’s rule number one. Have fun. Without that there is no point. I think I know what it takes to get to different levels and I try my best to teach them all I know from my experiences from the discipline, the drills. I also try to be a role model to them.  

I was injured this past year playing professional indoor in the MASL. After this injury, I had a lot of time to work on different career paths while I recovered. I did some of my coaching badges, while coaching teams and running training sessions, camps, etc. I am getting back to my game fitness and feeling very good. I am looking to play again at that high level and currently weighing my options and seeing what’s the best opportunity for me both presently and long term. 

If soccer comes back online this summer, who's the first club you call? Back to Stompers or do you see if Oakland Roots might have an open position? 

I am currently weighing my options and seeing what would be the best fit for me. There are more leagues in the USA now which is great for players as it opens up doors to play. For me I will be training to be at my best and when the opportunity arises, I will be ready. Definitely not closing any doors. 

Parra spent time at Monroe College before transferring to San Jose State

Player Profile graphic artwork provided by Cory Mizer. For more of his artwork, check out his gallery on our site.

My Best Ten and Me: d'Alary Dalton

This week, for My Best Ten & Me, we caught up with CEO and President of Sol Soccer Club, and of Santa Maria Synergy, d’Alary Dalton. She picked set up a dynamic 3-5-2 / 3-3-4 with tons of firepower. We ensured she followed the rules here too…

1. You are the Player/Manager and you have to plug yourself in

2. Any player selected must have been active in your lifetime…

A quick note about my team. I believe that greatness requires creativity, innovation and artistry. I made my picks based on players who have changed the game or entertained and inspired us in a particular game or over the course of their careers with their unique style and approach to becoming great. What is undeniable about them is how much they enjoy playing and making every game great. For this reason, it only makes sense that my team will be coached by Jürgen Klopp. We play happy.

(GK) Jorge Campos
Because we may need to score a goal. We talk a good game about risk taking and thinking outside of the box. Campos pushed the boundaries of his position and literally played outside of the box. He made me want to tune in to see what he might do and what he might wear. We will also use his style to sell his jerseys which should keep our team financially afloat

(RB) Cafu
I’m lucky enough to be able to go way back in my selections so it makes sense to tap the Brazilian with most caps and a couple of World Cups. Thank goodness he’s a defender.

(CB) Kerstin Stegemann
Also, with two World Cups, Stegemann anchored the German Women’s National team to multiple shutouts during her national team’s dominance.

(LB) Marcelo Vieira
We’ll have him as our left back, but he’ll definitely have the freedom to make his runs into the attack.

(CM) Luka Modrić
I’m pretty sure no one covers more ground on the field so it should have surprised no one that he earned the Golden Ball in 2018.

(CM) Michelle Akers
During a USC (formally NSCAA) coaching symposium following the 1999 Women’s World Cup, Michelle Akers described taking 100 shots after every practice from each position that she may have a free kick from. It is that level of focus (possibly obsession) that the greats seem to possess and it’s why she scored so many goals. She and Messi will have a trick set piece planned for us.

(AM) d’Alary Dalton
As a coach and now owner, I have mostly focused on how to bring out the joy of playing in players. It has been fun to look back on what I loved about playing and who I admired while I played, not just as a coach. This position was it for me. I loved splitting defenders and finding the threw ball. I will get the ball, make plays and get out of the way.

(RW) Johan Cruyff
My first memories of watching soccer was the 1974 World Cup. The Cruyff move became the only move I was able to use consistently. It wasn’t until I became a coach that I knew it was named for him.  He later described the move has his way to solving a problem.

(LW) Kristine Lilly
1999 Header to save the goal. Don’t need to say more, but Lilly once shared that she would go out to a park kick a ball and run after it, kick it back and repeat a thousand times when opportunities to train were limited. When you really love the game, your imagination will get you to greatness.

(F) Messi
We all know why, but for my team he represents the greatest who was almost overlooked. He loves having the ball at his feet and we love watching what he’ll do with it. He’s also going to get me the ball regardless of anything I do. .

(F) Marta
Here’s my “no duh” pick. Simply put, Marta is another player that loves the ball and the game and who fans want to watch. And she said this, “It’s about wanting more. It’s training more... This is what I ask of the girls. There’s not going to be a Formiga forever. There’s not going to be a Marta forever. There’s not going to be a Cristiane. The women’s game depends on you to survive. So, think about that. Value it more.”

d’Alary Dalton, has placed herself right in the middle of the action.

NPSL Keeps 2020 Club Fees Despite Cancelling Season

In a developing story, broken by Apyramid_blog on twitter, the NPSL has decided to keep the club fees for 2020, regardless of the fact that the league has cancelled the season. In an internal email, sent from a journalistic source, the league explained it’s rational.

“The NPSL believes the best thing for soccer in the United States is to ensure that we have a strong platform for teams like yours, and thus we optimize for keeping the league healthy, operational, and moving forward. Therefore, we were focused on finding a healthy balance between keeping the league healthy and sustained for years to come, while also providing relief for our teams. As we considered the sustainability of the league, heavily factored was the NPSL brand and where the league is positioned in the U.S. market. We are a year-round business, providing a platform for teams to build a business in their communities that has year-round relevance and a vision for the future. We have a small but high-level staff supporting that model and we are known for the level of professionalism and quality with which the league is operated and managed.”

Because of this, the league decided to keep the entirety of the $5,500 fees that were assessed to each club on entry to the 2020 season. What the league did offer to clubs was a credit - “Teams will receive a $2000 credit effective immediately.The league will review other ways to give more relief in the future. This is a credit refund as opposed to a cash refund. Credits will be applied to balances and benefits teams that see their future in the NPSL.”

Many clubs are not happy about this news and one NPSL club owner speculated that “30-40% of the league could be lost” with a “bunch of the clubs going to the UPSL.”

Things are challenging and appear to be getting worse.

UPDATE: WPSL Confirms It Will Be Keeping Most of Club's Deposits

This story is a developing one and we expect more information as the day goes on. Please check back for updates.

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We’ve received word from a WPSL club front office that the league has announced it will be “keeping $2500 of the $3500 of entry fees and letting us credit $1000 for next season.” That came from an anonymous source, but we’re working to confirm this story with other clubs and the league. While the source wasn’t willing to go onto the record, for obvious reasons, they did mention that “people aren’t happy and it’s going to get ugly.”

While many leagues seem to be taking this approach, including the NPSL (according to this twitter post from @Apyramid_blog), it certainly comes across as tone deaf as the individual clubs are struggling to stay afloat. Even if it’s an economic reality, it will not play well in the court of public opinion and certainly not with the league’s member clubs.

UPDATE

Sean Jones, WPSL President, has confirmed that the rumor is true. He offered an explanation on the part of the league. According to Jones, “only 10% of our annual budget are variable costs directly tied to the season and we are in the 9th month of our fiscal year which began in September of 2019 which means that 75% of the budget had already been spent,” that includes payroll, rent, office expense, payroll, rent, office expense, AGM, conventions, social media, dues and license, etc. From the league perspective, there were two options:

“We could shut down the office, lay everyone off, and go “dark” until October when the 2021 fees begin to come in and give everyone a check back for $500 - $600 or we could keep the office open, continue to pay staff, and work towards continuing to provide teams that can with the ability to register players to train in the late summer, hopefully play some friendlies, and have the potential of a fall season (depending on what happens with the NCAA) all while trying to figure out how to budget for a minimum $130K reduction in revenue for the 2021 season.  We decided on option 2.”

While that may seem small consolation to member clubs, Jones did mention that two of the management team with other sources of income have given up 100% of their league salary, while the other has taken a 40% pay cut.

For Jones, and he was very adamant about this, “there are clearly NO good options.”

If you’re a WPSL club with information, shoot me an email at DanVaughn@protagonistsoccer.com or DM me on twitter. Our DMs are open.

Business Spotlight: Ruffneck Scarves

A staple of the soccer supporter’s scene is undeniably a soccer scarf – every team in every clime offers some version of the iconic footy apparel and we wanted to find out more about one of the most widely used companies in US Soccer. From MLS and USL to NPSL and WPSL, if you love soccer, you are just a few degrees of separation from a Ruffneck-made scarf. Continuing our Business Spotlight series, we reached out to founder Jeff McIntyre to find out more about his brand and its connection to soccer at all levels.

Tell us how and why Ruffneck Scarves got started - what was the original mission and is that still the same?

We originally started Ruffneck back in 2007 because we were collecting scarves from around the world and couldn't find any options available to us in the U.S. We put up a little retail site online selling a few collections of scarves and then started working with a few local Seattle groups that were interested in making custom scarves. The mission was simple at first, sell hard to find scarves online, but it quickly shifted into creating a brand for proper custom scarves we could provide to supporters to help spread the love we had for the game across America.

Ruffneck has worked with some of the largest soccer brands in the US - but what are some of your favorite non-MLS scarves you've seen come through production?

We've really been fortunate to work with some great organizations at all levels of soccer as well as other sports and industries. Some of my favorite designs are on scarves we've worked with supporters’ groups on. American Outlaws chapters, our own local Emerald City Supporters and USL supporters really get creative and clever with their scarves.

Based in Washington State, Ruffneck has started off working with local clubs, supporters’ groups, and schools.

What do prospective clients need to submit in order to get a custom scarf made? I'm sure most folks have an idea of how they want their scarves to look, but do you have in-house design just in case the client is not design savvy?

Really, all we need from a group looking for custom scarves is an idea of what they're looking for and how they plan to use their scarves. Our internal creative team has been coming up with designs for many years and is able to help the customers design what they envision. It's not to say that if a customer comes to us with a design they want to use, we won't create it... In fact, we encourage our customers to be involved in the design process. 

There are a few industry competitors, sure they also make scarves, but what sets you apart? Also, tell us about the fundraiser aspect of your business - how did that come about?

Like every industry there will always be competition. We have had several small companies come and go when it comes to making scarves. What sets us apart, is that we've always been committed to serving our customers best by providing a great experience and the highest quality scarves. Our ability to deliver on those things is what has led us to being the official scarf provider to the likes of MLS, USL, US Soccer, NHL and several other teams and leagues around the world.

Fundraisers came about naturally by request of our customers. We realized school, teams and charities wanted an alternative way to raise money for their organizations besides the usual chocolate bar or t-shirt promotion. It became a natural fit for those groups connected to soccer and over time the popularity has crossed over into much more than soccer and sports.

Jeff McIntyre, not only helped to start Ruffneck Scarves, he helped found both Bellingham United as well as the league they played in, EPLWA.

Traditional Jacquard Knit, HD Knit, Sublimated "Summer" Scarves and... Custom Face Masks. How long did it take for the figurative light-bulb to appear above your heads on that one? What materials are you using and how protective are your custom masks? 

We are the "scarf guys" first and foremost... that will never change. It's what we love and what we know we're the best in the world doing. We started selling the face masks recently for a few reasons... we realized there was a need for the general public for cloth face masks for basic levels of protection. Also, with the economy being shut down, we too were suffering from very little sales and had to pivot to survive this downturn. Because we are in the "textiles" business, we quickly pivoted our production to being able to make masks out of readily available materials. We have a few different styles and materials we use in these. Some are cotton and some are a poly blend. Our premium mask has Velcro straps for comfort and fit and does have multi-layers and included filter for added protection. None of our masks are medical-grade.  

When we all come back out of our homes again, and supporters’ groups or soccer clubs are looking to make new scarves, will you be fully online and capable of making orders and how do they get in touch? 

We are all looking forward to getting back to watching our favorite sport and doing our favorite activities again. I can't wait for that day, but the safety and health of our employees and customers is most important. With that being said, our production is still online and available to produce scarves just as we are producing masks at this time. If anyone is looking for scarves, masks or interested in customizing scarves or masks, all they have to do is visit RuffneckScarves.com for more info and contacts.

Three More Clubs Join VPG eNPSL

The VPG eNPSL competition continues to add more NPSL clubs. Announced yesterday, three more clubs added their names to the list of clubs competing. Boston City FC, Las Vegas Legends, and New Orleans Jesters all signed up and are preparing clubs for the competition. Cindy Spera, NPSL Managing Director highlighted the announcement in a press release - “We are very excited about our final three teams and the contributions they will make in the competition. Fans and supporters should be excited about this new esports league and the clubs that will be represented.”

The competition is now set at 16 clubs. The schedule is yet to be set, but the league has plans to announce it soon.

Whoa Whoa Whoa... Rainbow Unicorns?

While making our regular rounds through social media we stumbled upon a bright and colorful shirt design by recent Business Spotlight participant Skadi Soccer. Of course, in an era of so many fun and imaginative soccer shirt designs we weren’t sure that it was… real. So we reached out, low and behold, the Rainbow Unicorns are in fact a real soccer club - and an absolute blast to be a part of! Anthony Melo answered the call to tell us more…

Who are Rainbow Unicorns and how did they get started? Where did the name come from?

The Rainbow Unicorns are a rec league team from Nashville, TN. Some of us had played in a men's league together and we really hated that macho, hyper-competitive environment (no shade to the guys we played alongside, y'all were great!), so we got the idea to include a bunch more of our friends and create our own co-ed team. It was during this discussion that our name was created, and the idea was really just to have something silly and bright, something that you couldn't take seriously. We knew we weren't going to take ourselves too seriously, so the name reflected that silliness that we wanted to bring to the field. 

Rec soccer is fun for everyone - no need to take it too serious!

What league do you play in and do you have any plans to expand or grow the team? Or is it just for fun?

We currently play in Mid State Sports Leagues, which hosts many different recreation level sports. We don't really plan on expanding the team at all, this is a great thing we've got going with friends and that's what matters most.

Is the shirt design recently shared by Skadi something that's in the works? Had you considered making a few extra to see if they'd sell? 

The shirt design from Skadi is legitimate, and really incredible. It's funny how that happened, because we took this idea of a team that didn't take itself seriously on the pitch and said "what if we projected that with an Instagram?" Well that made its way around some folks we knew from supporting Nashville SC, and I guess Antony saw it too. He knew some of us from when he came down to watch Nashville in USL, and he reached out and asked if we wanted to work on a kit together. At the time we were actually looking for new shirts, because the t-shirts we are currently using are starting to get a little funky, and he really knocked it out of the park. I'm thrilled with the end result, he's got such a wonderful eye for color and a forward thinking that lends itself well to designing kits. There are no current plans to sell to the public, but it's not something we've ruled out entirely.

Where can people follow your club and what are you guys up to next?

Y'all can follow us on Instagram at @rainbowunicorns615 and on Twitter at @615Rainbow for all of your low-effort memery and self-deprecating humor needs. Right now we're patiently waiting for conditions to improve in order to safely keep on getting beat up by better teams, and you can bet we'll do it with a smile

My Best Ten and Me: Kenneth Tebo, "The Mad Monk of Motorik"

In our weekly quest to find out the formation and player preferences of some of grassroots soccer’s most prolific personalities, we reached out to Motorik FC’s Kenneth Tebo. Ken issued us us a fully francophone 4-2-3-1 which adhered to our two rules…

1. You are the Player/Manager and you have to plug yourself in

2. Any player selected must have been active in your lifetime…

okay. So, due to my heritage, I’ve always wished we had some French players in our Motorik squad. So, that is what I’ve packed my select 11 with. Relative to other Maryland Majors squads, our roster tends to be on the young side (I’d say our average player is 20-21 years old, compared to the league average of 25-26 years old), so I basically selected a U23 side. Motorik FC usually plays a 4-2-3-1 formation, so that’s the formation I chose (although my dream has always been that we could bring back the 4-4-2 diamond wide) Here’s my lineup:

(GK) Kenneth Tebo
As for myself, I have absolutely no place in this massively talented squad and considering that my stamina is negligible, I’d assume this squad would allow very few shots on target in the Maryland Majors, I stuck myself in goal.

(RB) Kelvin Amian
The 22 year old has played his whole career, thus far, at Toulouse in Ligue 1. He’s also made a combined 30 appearances for the French U17, 18, 19 and 21s.

(CB) Dan-Axel Zagadou
Zagadou made the jump from PSG’s B team to Borussia Dortmund in 2017 - he was just 17 at the time. He’s since made nearly 40 appearances for the German giant.

(CB) Ibrahima Konaté
Parisian-born Konaté moved from Paris FC, to Sochaux, and on to the Bundesliga’s RB Leipzig all by the time he was 20. He’s now made 50 appearances for the controversial German club.

(LB) Theo Hernandez
Born in 1997, Theo Bernard François Hernandez, had spent his whole development and early career in Spain until his recent move to the iconic Italian side AC Milan.

(CDM) Matteo Guendouzi
He’s impossible to miss, you’ve seen his wild hair on the pitch for Arsenal since 2018 - he made the move from French side Lorient at the age of 19 and has made 55 appearances for the London club since then.

(CDM) Eduardo Camavinga
 Hailing from Angola, the 17-year old currently plays his football for Rennes in France. He’s only been capped once by the French U21s but we expect to see much more of him in the future.

(RM) Kingsley Coman
The grand old man of the squad at 23, Coman has already played for three of the world’s largest clubs - making the move from PSG to Juventus and then to Bayern Munich. He’s made 22 appearance for the French national team and scored four goals at the highest level.

(LM) Jonathan Ikoné
On the left side, Jonathan Ikoné of Ligue 1, will provide pace and width to the attack - which has been his role at Ligue 1 side Lille and Montpellier before that.

(CAM) Houssem Aouar
He’s played his football at Lyon since he was 11 and has made nearly 100 appearances for the first team and tallied 16 goals. He’s a dynamic midfielder who can fill in anywhere in the attack.

(ST) Kylian Mbappé
At just 21, it feels like Mbappé has already won everything a footballer can, and if he hasn’t actually, something tells me he will. Between Monaco and PSG, he’s got 84 goals in 129 appearances. Not to mention actually having won a World Cup in 2018.

Ken Tebo knows his place… in the box.

Business Spotlight: Ginga Sportswear, LLC

One of the things we’ve discovered while covering grassroots soccer is the amazing designers and entrepreneurs who help contribute to the colorful tapestry of the lower league aesthetic. In Protagonist Soccer’s ongoing efforts to highlight brands that are in the business of helping make soccer go in our country, we reached out to relative newcomers Ginga, who caught our eye recently with their fantastic work on the Agema FC kits. We wanted to know more about them and who else they’ve been working with – Diego Hurtago, CEO of Ginga Sportswear, LLC was kind enough to answer our call.

What got Ginga Sportsear started - who got it all going and why?

The idea of a sports clothing brand specifically soccer came years ago when I used to live in a really humble place, in the city of Bogota Colombia. We had no clothes on our birthdays, we had no clothes on Christmas so we basically always had to wear the same pair of jeans and jerseys. My mom used to have a sewing machine and she used to make babies’ clothes for a living. One day there was a piece of fabric hanging and I asked my mom if she could make me a certain type of jersey, I drew the jersey and she made it exactly like the one I pictured. From that day on I started selling jerseys and different apparel to my friends for a very good price. We always bought the fabrics that were on sale and make some sick clothing. One day we made this compression long sleeve shirts and I had so many orders my mom couldn’t handle it anymore and we had to stop because she was earning no money from making my clothes the little money I charged was for my lunch at school and some soccer cleats and stuff, have in mind that I was 13-14 years old at the time. However, I knew that I wanted to have my own clothing line, with my own name and logo, something that it had to do with my main passion, soccer. Back in the day while I was living in Colombia, I knew that dream was impossible, I grew up from a place where dreams don’t really come true unless you’re really talented or you’re really lucky. My only way out was my only real talent which is playing soccer, soccer got me out of that place and brought me to the United States. Soccer gave me a college education; it gave me many reasons to keep fighting for those dreams that at the time seemed impossible. Now that I’ve played at every level possible in this country it was time to bring that old wish back and make reality my two biggest desires which were creating my own clothing line and playing pro soccer.

Recently we’ve seen your work with Agema, what other soccer clubs have you worked with? Any teams or organizations outside of soccer?

Even though we are pretty new in the industry we have partnered with great teams and organizations some that are extremely professional such as MARYLAND BOBCATS FC who were recently crowned as UPSL NATIONAL CHAMPION, we also take pride in being an official provider for the soccer arena Colombian National team in which we worked in many events in California, we also were there with them in the 2019 Minifutbol World Cup in Australia. We work with many UPSL teams such as LOKO FC, THE PALM BEACH SPARTANS, DEPORTIVO ALACRANES, MIAMI ACES, and our most recently SPORTING CLUB VERDUGOS. Our work has cough the attention to many NPSL teams, pro soccer arena teams from the MASL and we are finalizing those as of now. Sadly, the pandemic put a pause in all our projects, but we are getting deals little by little, we know the teams that were working with us are still there, and at the right time they will become part of this great family. To keep mentioning other few teams, we have worked with ASA COLLEGE from Miami and many amateur teams from south Florida, Colorado, California, New York, some of the very known as GAM UNITED FOOTBAL CLUB and FOOTBAL CLUB DIABLOS. We also work with many other teams in Colombia. We have our own little store in Colombia. Our main focus with the company right now is soccer but we are actually developing new products for other sports at this moment.

Some clients may have a sense of what they want, while others might not be so fashion forward; do you offer in house design? If so, what inspires and informs Ginga’s design aesthetic?

Honestly, I taught myself how to design and learn everything on Illustrator, photoshop and all these programs, but I knew I had to find one person that only focused on our designs, so I could have more time and reach more people, so I stopped designing and I find a fantastic designer (another pro soccer player) that is very creative and comes up with many ideas. I think us being soccer players give us the sense and the knowledge to get on the players head and know exactly what they want. For every club that we want to work with we study the team’s culture, city, and community and we try to put that picture in the jersey. Just like you say some clubs already know what they want and we go with their guidelines and some others don’t really know and that’s when our ideas come into play. If you do not have any ideas of the design you want for your team, logo, or name we will find and create what fits the most for their organization. We can make classic designs, artistic design, crazy designs, and crazier designs. We always start between artistic and crazy. We can also make your team’s logo as we have done before or even find your own team’s identity. Even if you do not become a part of the GINGA FAMILY our motto is always for you to leave with your own identity.

Aside from shirts, do you offer any other apparel pieces or do you have plans to?

Yes, we most definitely do have an extended catalog where we offer different apparel such as training jerseys, track suits, jackets, joggers, hoodies, training bags, wind runners, polos, scarfs, and socks THE WHOLE PACKAGE. We even sell big flags for any team or supporters, many times we provide them for free with any order. We were planning on launching our online store this month, but we are going to hold for a little bit and do it at the right time. Because a lot of people have been asking how can they buy individual apparel, therefore this online store is going to be perfect for them. We will have women clothing, casual/street clothing, and much more, we are working to bring something really good. So, if you go to our website right now, don’t judge us so quickly, we are working on it and soon everyone will be able to buy different products.

What’s the future of the company - where do you see the business in five years?

I see my company growing and growing every day and that makes me extremely happy. One of the reasons we created this company was to support and give jobs to my family in Colombia because they have been around in this business for years. Watching them with a new factory and calling it our own makes me realize that I have come far but I know there is so much more that I need to keep striving for, mostly because of them back home. In 5 years, I am planning to being a well-known brand in the soccer world working in many states. Working with many pro teams here and abroad and finding a way to give back to kids like me who once had that vision and help them realize that there is something better out there and even though it’s hard you still can achieve it.

To Contact Ginga Sportswear: https://gingasportswear.wixsite.com/gingasportswear

TO check out more of their work: https://www.facebook.com/Gingazone/

My Best Ten and Me: MPLS City Coach Matt VanBenschoten

Coach Matt VanBenschoten answered the call for picking a formation and filling it with players whom he’d most like to join on the field. he gave us an ideal 4-3-3 and we gave him two rules:

1. You are the Player/Manager and you have to plug yourself in

2. Any player selected must have been active in your lifetime…

(GK) Matt VanBenschoten 
Finally we get to the keeper position. This spot should be reserved for Oliver Kahn, but since I have to put myself in this lineup I’m going to put myself in a position where I can hurt us the least. We will likely concede 5-7 goals a game. It will be bad. However, the secret to soccer is to score more than your opponent and given the talent in front of me, we’ll likely score close to triple digits each game. 

(RB) Lillian Thuram
Truthfully Thuram is the player I’ve seen the least. But there are two very vivid realizations I remember from watching the World Cup on my parents gigantic box TV in 1998. The first was “Wow. The US National team sucks” and the second was “Wow. That Thuram guy is incredible”

(CB) Franco Baresi
Clearly we are not going for size on this team and I am a tad bit worried about defending set pieces in our box. But you can’t make an all time team and leave Baresi out of the lineup. One of the highest soccer IQ’s of all time and an uncanny ability to ping passes, Baresi next to Maldini is a formidable CB pairing.

(CB) Paolo Maldini 
Just like a fine wine, Maldini got better with age. Even when he lacked the athleticism he once had, he evolved and continued to remain effective as a defender by relying on his intelligence and experience. And what’s more, he was able to do it as a defender at the highest level. 

(LB) Roberto Carlos
I love outside backs who can run forever and love to to get forward. Combine that with his ability to hit a ball over 100 miles an hour, he’s earned a spot. On an anecdotal note; his free kick against France is the single greatest feat in soccer history. Anyone who disagrees, I dare you to find someone who can bend a ball like that from 40 yards out WITH THE OUTSIDE OF THEIR LEFT FOOT.

(CDM) Roy Keane
While most of this team has been built on flair and being on the front foot, I would be remiss to not have someone who is willing to show the opposing team what it means to “Get bent” a few times each game.

(CM) Zindine Zidane
Typically Zizou would play the attacking role in the midfield, but if I had to pick between him and Maradona to actually listen to instructions, I trust Zidane more, hence why he’s in the heart of the midfield. His ability to make the incredible seem effortless while also making the players around him better, is something I don’t think we will ever see again. 

(ACM) Diego Maradona
Like Charlie Day says on Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia “Every crew needs a wild card” There is nothing on earth that could stop Maradona in his prime. Defenders, hepatitis, paternity tests...you name it. And from a team standpoint, you always need one player who defies rationale and logic in the most difficult moments who then goes on to score a worldly. Therefore “The Golden Boy” has to be on the field. 

(RF) Lionel Messi 
The GOAT. I’m not explaining this to you. Don’t @ me

(LF) Cristiano Ronaldo
We all know how good he is now. But we often forget the flamboyant, cocky teenager at Manchester United who sometimes looked like he was more interested in doing 42 scissors and breaking ankles than actually doing something with the ball. That’s who I want.

(ST) Samuel Eto’o
You could argue there are better strikers to choose from. But Eto’o’s ability to find of space behind defenders, combined with his quickness and lethal finishing ability makes him the ideal player to be up top. 

Coach VanBenschoten holds it down in between the pipes

Platform Beer Co. and Cleveland SC Order Another Round

Times are tough right now for so many cities across the country. Even worse for the small businesses that line the streets, currently shuttered and without customers. It’s easy to understand if those businesses begin backing out of sponsorships and partnerships with the grassroots clubs that count on their money to finance operations. In all parts of the country, we’re seeing this happen. Money is tight, so sponsorships are axed. But, thankfully, there are some exceptions.

The NPSL’s Cleveland SC has had a partnership with Platform Brewing for over two years and that partnership began before the club even took the field. Sam Seibert, Cleveland SC president, talked about that early connection. “Our partnership with Platform has been in the works well before our first match when I launched the club in early 2018. Platform Beer Co has been very engaged with us from the beginning. The partnership started as a referral from Jason Lansdale of Offside Marketing, a local sports marketing firm, whom is also a partner of Cleveland SC, and we came together to see how we could support each other’s businesses. This culture made a great fit for us to work together and has been well received by our fans.” And, as in any great partnership, the feeling is mutual from Platform.

For Platform Beer Co. president, Justin Carson, now is the time to highlight the things that bring people together - soccer and beer. “We were a sponsor from the very beginning and we think it’s great to bring a product where we can envision getting back onto the pitch. Our local soccer community is very passionate here in Cleveland we we feel this will be something they can rally around. Without soccer, and sports in general, it’s been a difficult time for teams and clubs of all sizes, especially lower level teams. This is something we believe in and are happy to bring to market.”

Promo video Platform and Cleveland SC’s first collaboration, Orangeaid

That “this” that Justin referred to is the newest collaboration beer between Platform and Cleveland SC. Gym Day Goals is actually the second beer the two organizations have partnered on. While the first beer, Orangeaid, was “an electrolyte sour,” Gym Day Goals is a low calorie IPA with notes of tangerine. As Justin put it, “All the flavors of an IPA without the guilt.” Seibert highlights the direct connection between athletics and the beer. “Platform is one of the most creative beer company’s I have come across…This new beer will be appealing to those that are active and diet conscious.”

That connection was at the forefront for the team at Platform throughout the process, as Justin describes it, “we went with a classic design embodying the Cleveland Soccer Club logo on the front, along with Platform’s classic design, which is represented in all our canned releases. Additionally in keeping in line with this being the athletes beer, we took a different concept with the packaging. This beer will be in a 12 oz sleek type can, think like an energy drink.”

For the man who helped bring these two companies together, Jason Lansdale (Offside Marketing), the challenges of coordinating a beer release during a pandemic are daunting, but not insurmountable. “Historically with past releases we have hosted release events on the day of release, which are also branded as Cleveland Soccer Club fan fests, and have been well attended. In today’s COVID-19 environment, we are shifting many of the marketing tactics to strong digital and social media.” Those tactics will include an inside look at the brewing and canning processes, video and photo selfies with Cleveland SC players from their homes, and a virtual release event. “This will give our fans time to either purchase at local retailers, or have it delivered to their homes by Platform, which is something they are doing for all their beers during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Pre-orders for Gym Day Goals begin April 27. The beer will release at the main Platform Beer Co. brewery on May 1, where fans can come and purchase it or have it delivered. Keep an eye out for it in local retail outlets the week of May 4.

For more information on Platform Brewing Co. or Cleveland SC, click the links.

- Dan Vaughn