Bearfight FC

Bearfight FC, best name in lower league soccer?

I don't know about all that. There are a lot of good names out there. Right off the top of my head, Bugeaters FC is a great name, Get Better FC is a favorite of mine. There was a team in Colorado named after the local marijuana dispensary. I wish I could remember the name. Honestly, we never thought about how cool or marketable our name was. All that said, it is a pretty bad ass name.

How did you come up with the name?

So, I one point, I thought about having a different answer every time I fielded this questions, but I couldn't keep up with all the crazy stories that we discussed. One of them involved a fictional story about these two real guys, Jaimie and Simo, these two huge cats from Scranton, fighting a bear. One involved a this crazy story about an underground Soviet regime obsessed with training polar bear to rise up against the bourgeoisie and seize the means of production. The real story, in 2011, myself and two other idiots, Justin and Wayne were very involved in the Sons of Ben and the Philly MLS supporter scene. We broke off and did our own thing. It started with a bunch of us, pre Union matches, consuming this drink called 'a bearfight' which is a car bomb followed by a jager bomb. That grew into this thing called the Bearfight Brigade. For Wayne, Justin, and I, it reminded us of the 90s punk/hardcore scene we all grew up in. Sitting around at Stoney's pub in Wilmington one night, being the people we are, and speaking out against the idiot manager (Nowak), and the even bigger idiot heading up the FO, someone tweeted to us, 'if you think you could do a better job, you should start your own club'. So, challenge accepted! That was early 2013. By August 2013, with absolutely no idea what we were doing, Bearfight FC was born at Stoney's British Pub in Wilmington, DE by Justin Lee, Eric Shertz, Wine-o Wayne, and myself. I still don't know if we know what we were doing, but we were born out of a DIY punk rock mentality and an absolute belief that we are going to do this our fucking way. I always say that we are 'Joe Strummer punk' not 'Sid Vicious punk'. "People can change anything they want to, and that means everything in the world." -Joe Strummer

As I remember, there was some connection with the Union? MLS not too popular with grassroots soccer, you into it?

Yeah, we grew out of MLS supporter culture. The club doesn't have a stance on MLS. We have our own shit to worry about. My personal take, I don't like the way MLS runs. I don't like the single entity thing. I don't like the lack of a soccer pyramid in the US. US Soccer gets a lot of stuff wrong. That said, I have some friends that have played MLS. They are just people, just like you and I, trying to do a job they love, trying to hone their skills, trying to build a life for themselves and their families. I am glad there is something in place in the US for them to do that. And, let's not kid ourselves, Bearfight, as well as numerous other non league, grass roots clubs exist because we have opinion that grew out of how MLS is run and how US Soccer is run. We aren't here without MLS, or we are here with a different message. I remember Justin and I chatting at Stoney's. He said something that stuck with me. "Music, art, money, and sport; these thing have been ruined by big money. There is a disconnect between supporters and the sport." Basically, you go to an MLS match, you go to a large venue concert, sure, you cheer the club, sure you love the music, but the connection is indirect. But, you go to a non league match, you go to a punk show in a basement, you are directly connected to to the experience. You can stand there and chat with the team representative, the player are going to come over a personally thank you afterward. You are buying merch from the team President. At a show, the musician aren't on a stage, they are right there. They stand next to you. It's real. It's people who do what they do for the pure love of what they do. It's about connecting with people, being part of something, building a family.

Got distracted by the name, who are you and what is your role with the club?

My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father. Prepare to die.

Real shit though, my name is Jeremy Sharpe. I have the title of President. But, anyone who has been involved with DIY, grass roots clubs know that our real title is 'President, Vice President, Merch Person, sometimes coach, sometime social media person, sometimes the person in charge of making sure the beer is cold'. My title is member of Bearfight FC. That is all of our titles. We are a family, a collective. Titles are self serving. But, having titles make it easier to fill out paperwork.

Ownership of Bearfight sounds interesting, can you explain that?

It's fluid. The goal is to be member owned. As we continue to build, and hopefully, someday, figure out what we are doing, this club will become a club owned by whomever wants to be a part of it. It will be a yearly membership dues. You can walk away at any time. It's not 'ownership' per say, it's a collective. Everyone owns it and no ones owns it. We are all about everyone that wants to be involved, be involved. And if you aren't ready to take the leap to membership, come on out and watch, hang, cheer. Come see what we are all about. Come chat with us. If you wanna contribute, great. If it's not for you, that's cool, also.

What league are you in currently and what's the level of play there?

United Soccer League of Pennsylvania. This league is amazing and deserves a lot more attention than it gets. This league is the home of Philadelphia Ukrainians, formerly the Philadelphia Ukrainian Nationals. They have USOC Championship Trophies in their trophy case. This was the club of Walter Bahr. We play against United German Hungarians. This is were Werner Fricker played. West Chester United, runners up at last years Amateur Cup, are in our league. Vereinigung Erzgebirge is in this league. They have a damn piece of the Berlin Wall on display as you walk to their pitch. Lighthouse Soccer Club. There was a time that any player in Philly that was worth anything played at Lighthouse at some point. The level of play is awesome. It's a great league. We sneaked in when no one was paying attention and now they are stuck with us.

There isn't a league like this in Delaware. At least not yet. But, we keep doing our part to grow the soccer culture in Delaware.

Who's a player from your club we should know about?

Honestly, I love this club. Every player that plays for us. Every player that has played. Every coach, every member. I could say something great about each person. But, that is not what Bearfight FC is about. I hope my players move on the better opportunities. And I truly believe that many, many of them can and will do that. It's the culture that makes me most proud. It's looking at the club and realizing how many different countries, cultures, religions, ideologies, identities, preferences, are represented. And how everyone gets on so well. How we strive toward a common goal. I am not going to say that when you put on the kit, you are just Bearfight and all those other things disappear. That isn't us. When you put on that strip, you are still all of those things. We want to take all of those things, respect what each brings to the table, understand how each can help us on our path to success, and embrace them. The game unites us. The game doesn't know or care what you were before you stepped on the pitch. The game only cares about your love for the game. Bearfight, to me, to us, represents what our country should be. Lots of people from lots of different experiences realizing that each of us brings something to the table that will help us succeed. It's not 'a player' that I want you to know about, it's 'the players', it's the Bearfight family. We may be the Island of Misfit Toys, but we are here for each other. We accept and embrace what each person brings to the table. I have an idealism about how I think human beings should treat each other. I look at this club and am proud that we are working to live that idealism. In this America, where the rights of women, minorities, immigrants, et cetera, are under attack; we are constantly working to be the exact opposite. Building a culture that respects and embraces those things that makes us different, and works to find those things that make us all the same, is the most punk thing in the world. It's literally what Joe Strummer trained us to do.

What's the soccer culture like in Delaware?

There is a great soccer culture in Wilmington, Delaware that is embracing us more and more every day. It is hungry for a club to support. I have met many immigrants, or children of immigrants, who live in the greater Wilmington area that love the game and are dying for their own club to support. We are working to be active parts of those communities. We don't just want them to support us. We strive for a relationship that we support each other.

How's your club's merch game? Because with a name and logo like that, you should make some coin!

We all need to make coin to pay the bills. But making coin isn't our main objective. Our merch success goes in waves. There will be times that the post office sees me so much that we are on a first name basis, and other times that there is no movement. Not for nothing, that is non league life. We are making plans for the fall and I know that the next lines of new merch are going to be a huge success. There isn't much I can talk about yet, but, I will tell you about the most unique merch we have coming in the fall to late fall. This is the first time we have talked about this publicly. Bearfight FC and Circa 68 Records, a bad ass, up and coming punk label in Wilmington, are forming a partnership. Our first big drop is going to be a compilation CD that is due out in fall. It's going to feature local musician; bands and artists we love. Band and artists that have supported us. We want to give these people a chance to be heard beyond the local area and give folks a taste of the Bearfight FC punk soccer culture.

Currently, we have a limited amount of merch available at bearfightfc.limitedrun.com (gratuitous plug). We have an incredible graphic designer, Jesse Lorenz. He is the best in the business if you ask me. He created the Bearfight logo. His scarf design and tee shirt design are top notch. And I know that my guy is sitting on many more designs. He's a damn wizard.

Anything else we should know about Bearfight FC?

This is a labor of love. This is a passion. It's not just about soccer. It's about an opportunity for a group of people that may not otherwise have ever met, to build something positive and make a positive impact on our community. This is as much about community as it is rebellion. It's about building a culture that is inclusive, being a family. In today world, where it seems that our leaders, be they political, spiritual, whatever, are trying to find ways to divide us, we want to create, in our little corner of the world, a means to unite all of us. This is Wilmington. This is the city that, for a time in his life, Bob Marley called home. This is Delaware, the first state. And we are doing the most punk thing we know, using soccer and music to build a culture of unity.

Also, no bears, actual or fictitious, including our beloved Punchy The Bear, were harmed in the making of our logo, any and all merch, any Bearfight FC events, or during the making of this rather loquacious q & a.

You and Black Bear FC should definitely have that friendly you mentioned on twitter. Any real thought to fundraising for that

Both Black Bear FC and BFFC have talked a bit. It would take about $10k to pull that off. Not sure if that is something that will happen in the immediate future. That is not to say that BBFF and BFFC don't have any plans to work together.

GPS Omens

So tell us the history of the club.

General origin is that is what a group of ex-college players from various Ivy and NESCAC schools that landed in the Boston area who didn’t want to fully hang up their cleats. We were a founding club in the BSSL (2000), and have been in D1 ever since.

What's the story of GPS and your club's affiliation?

Since the inception of our team, we’ve been the amateur team arm of MPS. After the merger with GPS, we’ve been fortunate to retain the affiliation with the broader (and rapidly expanding) GPS family.

The affiliation has been a strong, mutually beneficial relationship. We offer a high-quality competitive outlet for graduates of the GPS system, and they offer us a number of perks -- uniforms, field access as needed, brand recognition, among others. Separately, it allows us to have a natural off-ramp to a set of Over 30, Over 40 and 40+ teams that have a strong a culture and history as the Omens.

We’ve had two games against GPS Portland Phoenix in the Open Cup, which has been fun. They’re considered the top of the club pyramid, so needless to say there’s some pride on the line when we play. In the first game (2014) we lost 2-0, but we were able to return the favor and win 2-0 on the road in 2017.

Why GPS Omens?

When MPS merged with GPS (early 2000’s), it gave us an opportunity to rebrand. For many years we were MPS MOA (Monsters of the Apocalypse). While this was a stellar name under which we had great success (3 straight BSSL championships from 05-07, feat only to be matched by current 3-year run by Omens), the current players weren’t in touch with that original founding mantra. Omens is a social term used among current players (homage to a drinking game of lore). We wanted to maintain the light hearted brand the original team laid the foundation for and that still fits the team culture. Omens stuck and we’ve had a great run under the new banner.

You play in the BSSL, in Division 1, lots of nationally known clubs here, what's the level of play in your division?

For what it is - amateur soccer - it’s excellent. The league has always had a number strong teams, but it’s gained a ton of depth over the past years.

There has been the D1 mainstays over the past decade - First Wave, Kendall, Broadway, MIT, Eagles, but there’s also a new crop of great teams. The three new D1 teams - which all happen to be well outside of the city - all look well-positioned to compete and add even more parity to the division.

Especially this year, it seems like there will be no easy games in the division which means you have to be consistent for 18 games over the course of 9 months to take the crown.

Lots of strong social media presence in that top division, what makes BSSL clubs so good at marketing?

We can’t speak for other teams, but we have a core fan base (consisting entirely of wives and girlfriends) that are instrumental to our social media presence. It’s great that they have a shared appreciation for spending Saturday mornings on the soccer field - it makes life a lot easier for our players!

None of the managers are particularly social-media savvy - which is why our twitter is limited to pictures of coolers and men without shirts on. We have actually outsourced our instagram to a few of the WAGS, so go there if you want to see any creative content…

In terms of the rest of the league -- it seems like it’s just a matter of trying to stay relevant. There aren’t a ton of outlets where amateur soccer is appreciated, but various social media platforms can provide that outlet to the population that does care. Who doesn’t love a little public validation of your efforts on the field!

Your club is known for qualifying for USOC, how have Omens been so consistently competitive?

A strong core & depth. Looking at our roster - most folks have been with the squad for 6+ years. Each year we add 3-4 new guys, which provides just the right boost of youth, new competition, and depth.

That core has helped us create a strong team culture. We’re competitive, but don’t take ourselves too seriously. We try to spend as much time together off the field, as we do on it. We have some cultural mainstays that help us keep the soccer side of things in perspective - weekly coolers, an annual party bus throughout the city, and a year-end holiday party.

Beyond that, we set goals in advance of every season and we have a pretty simple set of expectations for the boys: 1) play pick-up once a week, 2) get 14-16 guys out to every game, 3) expect players to make 50% of practices and 50% of game (aspirational…) 4) show up at least 30 mins before the game to get a warm-up (amazing how far this can get you in amateur soccer), and 5) have a cooler for every game. Ultimately, we feel like if we do each of these four things, we’ll be able to get a good result every Saturday.

That’s played out with pretty amazing results in the league. Over the past 3 seasons, we’re 46-2-6, with a +144 goal differential and 3 D1 titles.

Does your club plan on continuing to qualify for the competition?

Yes, definitely.

What advantages do you see in participating in USOC?

The team really looks forward to The Open Cup. It’s an opportunity to play against first class opponents and test our might. Our league is very strong; however, the added diversity of playing against quality sides that we don’t regularly compete with adds some healthy change to the regular flow.

It’s not all sunshine and rainbows though. The Open Cup can be grueling on a number of fronts. The administrative burden is not insignificant, and can be challenging for 3 managers with day jobs. The roster process is challenging - and can be challenging with large and evolving rosters. And the schedule can be a barrier - traveling to Maine, Rochester or who knows where else is a constraint for a team of working professionals.

Currently, you're second in BSSL, how does the season look ahead of you?

Season has been going well so far - currently in second with a few games in hand. Ultimately, we’re going for 4th straight title, but our sense is that this will be the most competitive season we’ve faced to-date. A combination of a strong D1 field and a target on our backs, means that every game will be a battle.

What one player should we know about on your side?

Sam Brill. After graduating from BC in 2007, I played for four professional teams in the MLS, NASL, and mid-tier leagues in Europe. Teams included the New England Revolution (US), FC Sachsen Leipzig (Germany), Ljungskile SK (Sweden), and Austin Aztex (US). Decided to hang up my professional boots in 2011 following an injury and joined GPS in 2012. I've been with the club ever since, playing in over 100 games in the BSSL, US Open Cup, Amateur Cup, etc.

What else should we know about GPS Omens?

A few random facts:

The last person to every game is in charge of the cooler duty for the next week. Each cooler has one special beverage (i.e., tall boy Twisted Tea, Tree House craft) for the MoTM to be handed out by the cooler provider

On the roster, we’ve got a doctor, a dentist, a rocket scientist, a scratch golfer (Mike Fucito), and a wannabe scratch golfer (manager Greg Zuboff)

And we are actively considering sponsorship opportunities! We encourage anyone interested to reach out via social media.

Our official mascot is a 12-pound miniature dachshund named Moose

We’ve got 3 Omens’ babies, and 2 more on board for the summer among the active roster

OSA Seattle FC

According to our NPSL West Region, Northwest Conference Division Season Preview , OSA Seattle FC’s coaching and technical staff, for the 2019 campaign, will be provided for by their Italian Serie-A partner, ACF Fiorentina. This is part of a project in which local coaches will work with Italian consulting partners to help the club develop, not only top-quality players, but top-quality coaches as well. The concept was so compelling that we decided to reach out to the club for more information, and President Giuseppe Pezzano told us all about, not just the men’s team, but the direction the whole organization is taking.

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When and where were you founded and what was the goal of the club—has that location or mission changed?

“The club was founded in 2013 under the name AC Seattle. That first year we played in the WPSL and won the Northwest Conference. The team was comprised of many Italian National Players and a top Italian coach. The club name and location has seen some changes, but our mission has always remained the same: OSA Seattle FC us an American soccer club with Italian influence that has been offering high-level soccer since 2008. The club was created to bridge the USA and Italian soccer realities, and to offer a cultural exchange program on and off the soccer field.”

Clubs in the Northwest seem to come and go, i.e. Kitsap Pumas last year and Pierce County FC the year before. What is OSA FC doing to ensure stability and longevity?

“I think there are a couple of issues, one is that it’s difficult for clubs to make it in areas that have a strong MLS presence. The other is that there’s a systemic problem, which is the lack of the pyramid structure in US soccer. If the typical pyramid structure of development were in use players would follow a traditional developmental path, which would give leagues like the WPSL and NPSL more importance, as they are a crucial stepping stones in a player’s career path towards the professional level. These leagues are where the players of tomorrow develop and ready themselves for the pros.

The Kitsap Pumas invested a lot in bringing opportunities to players, and providing great soccer to their area, but they weren’t given the importance they should have received.

Pierce county was a different story because I was the owner and founded the club for a different purpose, which was to give the many Italian players i had an opportunity to play.”

OSA Seattle FC taking on the now defunct Kitsap Pumas

Are you connected to a youth program? A women’s program? Do you have any special programs which other clubs in the region don’t offer?

“Yes, I’m connected to Crossfire Premier’s youth program. OSA Seattle FC has a women’s WPSL team, and we have started a collaboration with Crossfire Premier on the women’s side. Crossfire has one of the best development platforms in our area and have many young US national players!

We offer an international program which gives Italian and US players international opportunities. Italians come to the US to play with the club and we work with US players who want to go abroad to play. We offer study abroad opportunities in the US and Italy, as well as international play and travel tours.”

OSA Seattle FC is ahead of the curve and fields a Women’s Side in the WPSL

For most non-MLS organizations in the Pacific Northwest, operating under the shadow of the Sounders, Timbers, and Whitecaps can be daunting; how do you go about recruiting players who aren’t already involved in an MLS affiliated club? What can NPSL clubs offer that maybe a PDL club can’t?

“OSA FC works with local 1st division colleges to recruit players, we also bring players from top Italian teams, and we work with Italians also already in the USA studying at colleges on soccer scholarships.

The NPSL has no age restrictions, which I think is an important element. The league fees are also considerably less, meaning that clubs can invest more into their program.”

Drawing fans up here can be equally difficult—after several years of existence, does OSA FC draw any supporters?

“This is an area that we struggle with. We don't have a fan base, and have a hard time getting the word out. We would love to see more work by the league advertising and spreading the word about the importance of the league.”

Do you charge at the door and sell merchandise? If not, how do you pay for club operations?

“We do charge a minimal door fee and sell merchandise, but that doesn't meet our funding needs. I personally fund this non-profit club as I believe in the mission and the opportunities it creates. My for-profit company OSA Soccer Academy, LLC offers professional services such as tours and study abroad soccer programs.”

OSA Seattle FC were winners of the NPSL Northwest in 2016 and qualified for the US Open Cup round one the following year.

Does OSA FC have any rivals? Is there a team you most look forward to playing against in the Spring?

“Seeing as though teams come and go and new leagues start and fold so often, for me there are can’t be rivals until the US soccer system is cleaned up and established under 1 national pyramid system.

I’m excited about our games against Crossfire Premier, because of the great relationship we have I'll look forward to some competitive games. Between our teams I think the best local players will be on display! Their U19 academy team just beat all the MLS academy teams!”

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For more information about the OSA Seattle FC, check them out here.

For more information about the WPSL, check out the Women’s League here.

Black Bear FC

Gavin, what's your position with the club and what's your soccer story?

I am the creator and manager of Black Bear FC. I grew up in Birmingham and played at a few different youth clubs competing at recreation to the highest competitive teams. I fell in love with soccer from the beginning and haven’t looked back since. When it came time to decide whether or not I wanted to play in college, I chose to pursue coaching instead while getting my degree. I’ve made it my mission to do everything I can to improve soccer in my home state from the way we develop our players to how we grow the sport at the grassroots level as I hope to see the United States win a World Cup within my lifetime. I’m currently a youth coach for Homewood Soccer Club and perform various roles for Alabama Soccer Association.

Black Bear FC, what's the story on your name?

In the end, the story isn’t anything spectacular. I didn’t want the team name to be specific to Birmingham alone simply because we don’t want to be compared to Legion FC. I knew that the name had to be something that represented Alabama, but didn’t piggyback off of our industrial past. I googled a few facts about Alabama and found out that the state animal is a black bear. I thought this was fitting because it represents Alabama but is different than any other sports team that uses Birmingham’s industrial reputation.

What's the soccer scene like in Birmingham?

Contrary to popular belief, Alabama is not just an American football state. Yes, soccer is still in the minority, however, the natural growth of the game around the country happened here as well. From 2012-2017, Alabama was the fastest growing state in terms of player registration. Registration is starting to slow down though and a big reason is that the youth clubs and our state association aren’t able to service every member properly due to a shortage of coaches, referees, and administrators. Adult soccer has seen the same growth and registration peak. We currently have a few leagues in the Birmingham area that are run by youth clubs as well as smaller independent leagues. The leagues ran by youth clubs are the most established and range from a handful of 11v11 teams to an unspecified amount of 7v7 teams. The independent leagues are run by those who have access to some field space not owned by a club or city. Entry into these leagues is currently tricky with someone having to know someone else to get any information. Because a lack of public information currently serves as a barrier, adult registration as a whole is currently falling.

All of that said, the edition of Birmingham Legion FC, formerly Birmingham Hammers, will certainly help peak interest again and introduce more families to the game. I’m hopeful that there will be a spike in registration again among youth players as well as adults. The next step is to figure out how to prevent the player registration from falling again and I hope that Black Bear FC can play some part in that by serving the next generation of life long participants in soccer.

You're an independent, what's your plan for this year for matches?

We’re currently in talks with few other local teams about setting up some friendlies. Because we’re independent, and adult soccer participation here is strictly word of mouth, it’s been tricky to get in contact with the right people. However, I feel that we are making progress and we hope to release some dates soon for our games.

Long-term what's the plan?

Our long term plan is to serve as a first team for a youth club as well as play in a local league that is independent of a youth club. I know that myself and other people I grew up playing with would’ve loved to play for a club that had a first team. Even if that first team played in an average adult league, it would’ve been something we wanted to be a part of. I want to give players something to look forward to that serves as a stepping stone to college or even just another opportunity to play the game they love. Furthermore, I feel that for the growth of adult soccer here to reach new heights, a league that is independent of a youth club is absolutely necessary. Being independent of the youth clubs would allow the growth of league to be guided by those who are interested in the greater good of the game rather than filling their own pockets.

Do you have a roster together yet? Any players you'd like to highlight?

We’re currently a group of guys that are around the college age with some going off to play in college and others that work normal jobs on top of school. We’ll be doing player profiles soon that will be released over the summer so keep an eye on our social media pages for those. All in all, we’re always interested in finding more people that just love to play so if you’re in the Birmingham area and want to get involved feel free to reach out!

Without much other contact with clubs, what's your social media strategy to connect with other clubs/leagues/fans?

Because there simply aren’t any other amateur clubs with a public identity in Birmingham, our main connectivity with other teams has been by word of mouth. In the long run, a byproduct of us having a public identity will hopefully be that other teams create one as well. Our current social media strategy includes following and liking posts from local businesses, youth clubs, and other prominent members in the amateur soccer “Twitter-sphere.” We’ve had some success in getting the attention of local businesses and my hope is to eventually spark a sponsorship deal.

Anything else we should know about BBFC?

Our mission statement is as follows, we are committed to supporting local players, connecting with local businesses, and giving our growing soccer community another way to come together. We want to provide as much exposure for adult soccer here as we can and hopefully inspire others to follow a similar path by having a public identity. I want people to see what we’re doing and say, “Wow, that’s awesome. I’m gonna create my own team.”

You can follow us on Instagram and Twitter @bbearfc and like us on Facebook at Black Bear FC. Also, shoutout to Jessica Do for the logo design (give her a follow on Twitter at @Jayy_Doe).

World Class Premier

So what's the story of WCP? When were you founded?

World Class Premier as a club started in 2016. The club was started when some of the current coaches came together to change the way youth soccer is run in our country. We wanted to focus on true player development by teaching the kids how to play the right way and not focus so much on just winning. We felt that the coaching we received growing up and playing in college didn't really help us, so we created our youth club to truly focus on what we believed players need in a developmental environment. Not too long after that, we decided to put our men's team together to create another tier to our club like they have in Europe. But the main idea that sparked the Men's team was to unite all of our friends that came back from college or finished playing professionally or still aspiring to play pro to come together to become the best team in this region. A lot of us are Africans and coming together to create a team that represents us was very meaningful.

Why the name World Class Premier?

We chose the name World Class when the club was founded to represent our global background. The globe in our logo stands for this. Class represented the way we want to play, carry ourselves, and run as an organization. We wanted to shake the stigma that we as black or Africans can't be organized or disciplined. Finally, the phrase 'World Class' itself stands for the top level coaches in our club and the environment we create.

You play in Maryland Majors, what are the benefits of playing in MMSL?

The MMSL is great historical league. The competition is high and we knew what we were going to get every weekend.

You're currently playing in the first division of MMSL, what's the level of play in your league and how does the first division compare to the second divisions?

The first division is much more competitive and there's a lot more on the line. You have the prize money and also potentially getting relegated. Like everywhere else in the world, relegation is not fun. Pride takes a hit if you're sent down for not being good enough.

Any thoughts about moving to a national league (UPSL)?

Moving to the UPSL was a huge step for us to show our ambition towards the future. We have a lot of talented players and we continue attracting more talented players, so we would like to create a professional environment for these guys to play competitively and a platform to launch off of. UPSL is currently giving us that opportunity to start laying a strong foundation as semi-pros.

What players from your team should we know about?

Elton Joe, played for Christos against D.C. United in the Open Cup. Oumar Ballo was drafted by Houston Dynamo and played for Sporting KC USL team. Kay Banjo who was drafted into the MLS and played in the USL. Levi Houapeu was drafted into the MLS by Philadelphia Union and played in the USL as well. Daniel Ankrah is our captain and former standout player at Loyola. Bryce Orsini was a former youth national team player and is a talented 18 year old on our squad, to name a few.

You had a recent run in the USOC qualifiers that ended in the final qualifying round, what was that experience like?

Our run in the USOC was a great experience. It was a huge blow for us to lose knowing that we didn't deserve the loss, but overall it was a great experience. We were unknown up until then and surprised a lot of people. We're grateful for the opportunity but feel like we have an unfinished business with the competition.

Will you be returning next year?

Most definitely. We fell short of our goal, so we will give it another try next year.

How does World Class Premier measure success?

We measure our success by the impact we're making in the community and the feedback we're getting from our community. So far, people are really happy with us and the impact we're having on the youth in our community.

Anything else we should know?

We are an organization that wants to build something strong that will last for many years to come. We want to serve our community and continue making a great difference in the lives of the youth. We came together to make a difference, inspire others and break down bearers. We are more than just a soccer organization, we are building a platform and a place of hope.

Blue Side FC

Tell us about your club?

Blue Side FC was started out of Frederick, MD in the Spring of 2018 from the birth of two simultaneous ideas coming together. A few of us were attending the USC Coaches Convention in Chicago when we got talking at dinner one night with some of the older coaches we were there with about the men’s league team they had all been a part of in the past called Bushwallers FC. This got our wheels turning about starting a team of our own as most of us were just coming out of college and not really playing a whole lot. At the same time, some guys that we played with at the local indoor facility had approached some of us about putting a team in to the Mason-Dixon League, the local league based in Frederick County.

The energy from the two ideas was enough to make push come to shove and next thing we know a team is being assembled and guys are being asked about their interest. It all happened fairly quickly. The result of those efforts was a team filled with a bunch of friends who happened to be decent at soccer. That is really what the team is all about still to this day.

So why Blue Side FC?

We get our name Blue Side FC from the local bar & restaurant that sponsors us in Downtown Frederick, MD known as The Blue Side Tavern, Frederick’s Footy Bar. Mike Long, the owner, is a local soccer coach in the area and a former men’s league player himself, a part of the Bushwallers FC team we mentioned above. Mike was totally on board for sponsoring our team and has been supportive since day one. His vision and ours is that Blue Side FC is a spiritual successor to Bushwallers FC, which was named after another bar in Downtown Frederick.

Our motto, “Music, Food, and Football” is the same motto as the restaurants and you can often find us hanging out there on Sunday evenings and Saturday nights.

What's the story on your (great) crest design?

The crest is a combination of The Blue Side Tavern’s own logo, the city of Frederick’s skyline known as the ‘Clustered Spires’, and some additional soccer elements. It was created by Kyle Shields, who is a member of Blue Side FC. I basically went to him with rough ideas of having a crest that incorporated the restaurants logo and the city skyline in some way. I just gave him the reigns after that and what he came back with was spectacular and seems to have resonated with people!

Last we spoke you were in a different league, but joined up with MMSL, can you tell us about that decision?

Our goal when starting the team was always to try and get in to the Maryland Majors. We always felt that the Maryland Majors was the best league to be in and we wanted to see how we’d fare against that competition. Our 2018 Spring and Fall campaigns in the Mason-Dixon League were essentially pilot campaigns just to get a read on what all goes in to fielding a team every Sunday.

We managed to sweep the Mason-Dixon regular season and playoffs each season, but it didn’t come without some bumps as we struggled for numbers a good bit in both seasons. Truth be told we were initially planning on playing in the Mason-Dixon League again at the end of the last Fall season based on how the numbers on Sundays had been. It wasn’t until we played in the Rowland and Morton Cups put on by the MSSA that we changed our tune. We made semi-final runs in both competitions and while those runs certainly didn’t end how we wanted them to, it made us realize that we were capable of travelling a little farther distances while getting enough guys out there to keep a good standard of play. So the decision was made to make the jump!

Four matches in, three wins, that's a quick start. Why so successful so quick?

We’ve got a lot of guys who have been playing together on different teams in one form or another for a long time now, so the chemistry is just naturally there from the get go. On top of that, the guys who haven’t been a part of those long standing groups are all just smart soccer players, so they fit right in and it clicks.

There is also something to be said for how we approach our games on Sundays. We are just out there trying to enjoy ourselves and we don’t take ourselves too seriously. That atmosphere definitely has an effect on how we perform.

What's the background on your roster? What level of play, etc?

Our roster is mainly composed of former D3 college players. The school with the most representation on the team is Hood College, located right here in Frederick, but we have guys who played in all sorts of different places. The other thing a lot of our players share in common is that many of us played club soccer together for FC Frederick, the local premier youth soccer club in Frederick County.

There is a group of us who now coach for FC Frederick as well, so some of us have pretty busy weekends every now and then. A few of our members have graced FC Frederick’s NPSL roster (2018 Mid Atlantic Champions, shout out to them) and almost all of us have played for their CCL Pro23 team. We also have some guys on our roster who we’ve met through our weekday nights playing at FISC (Frederick Indoor Sports Center). Our criteria for joining the group goes like this: 1. Are you a good soccer player? 2. Are you a good hang?

What are your chances of promotion?

Going in to the season we felt confident that at the very least we would be vying for promotion at the end of the year. Sitting on a 3-1 record right now we are definitely still in the running to find ourselves in one of the promotion matchups. We know we are a good enough team to be playing in the 1st division, but there are also some others teams who can say the same about themselves. It’s going to come down to us taking it game by game each week and earning the opportunity to play for promotion. If that opportunity comes and we can get the ball rolling that night then there’s a good chance we can make things happen.

You play in a league that has a limited number of clubs embracing social media, any thoughts (or desire) on making a bigger splash?

There are a few teams in our league who are making a concentrated effort to do a lot of cool stuff on the social media side of things. In Division 1 you have teams like Christos and World Class Premier who are very active on social media given their success as teams. Then you have teams in the 2nd Division doing their bit as well. A team like Motorik FC Alexandria is a great example of a club making a bigger splash through social media, they are really on top things and are always keeping the timelines interesting. More teams trying to be more visible on social media can never be a bad thing.

As for our role, we definitely see ourselves as allies to other clubs looking to do more on social media but maybe not the ones blazing the trail ourselves. We’ll always support everyone else, but everything that we do always comes back to the reason we started the team, which in essence was to have fun. Having a Twitter page allows us to enhance our experience off the field and has already created a lot of memorable moments, but there isn’t a burning desire to take it any farther than that.

How does your club measure success this year?

Promotion is our goal on the field, but, to hit on a recurring theme, this team wasn’t started to go on an adult soccer league war path. It was started to have two reasons to hang out with friends and make new ones every weekend. Saturday night and Sunday morning. If we get through the year still enjoying ourselves the same as we always have and getting some more people to enjoy it with us then that would be a success. The result on the scoreboard is just a byproduct of that.

What player should we know from your club?

Without a doubt the player that you need to know about is Joseph Benton. While he spends his weekdays working a human resources job and many of his weeknights and weekends coaching his club soccer team, he still finds time on Sunday mornings to terrorize opposing defenders. A founding member of Blue Side FC, Joe bears an extremely striking resemblance to Toby Flenderson, a character from The Office (2005-2013), sharing the same profession and all. Known also as the “Secret Weapon” to teammates, Joe strictly wears only turf shoes and the latest up-to-date recreation spectacles when taking the field for Blue Side FC. If you come to play us on Sunday and you don’t see Joe on the sideline warming up, consider yourselves lucky and thank whatever god or deity you believe in for sparing you.

There is also our leading scorer Shawn Baker, who some think is kind of important.

What else should we know about Blue Side FC?

Most of this pretty much covers us really! We’re a group of guys from Frederick, MD who enjoy hanging out with each other and winning soccer games on the side. We prefer trophies with open cups, scoring not conceding, and buckets over bottles. BSFC, Music, Food, Football!

Wolves FC

Let's start with you. What's your story, how did you come to Wolves FC?

I actually had a very interesting path in joining this team, which at the point that I joined, was named Wolfpack. A lot of the guys in the league grew up playing competitively in high school/college, or for academy teams. I didn’t do any of that. I had played very little on a full field outside of low level travel for 2 or 3 years in high school. I took a few years off after that and that got back into playing again in smaller sided indoor games at a local facility. One of the guys on the team was telling me that his BDSL team was looking for a new keeper and I went for a “tryout” and they ended up keeping me on.The first year (2015) was a little iffy due to inexperience and having to re-adjust myself to playing on a full field and facing some high level competition. The next few years were a steady ascension for the team and myself and here we are going into my 5th year with the team and 1st year running it solely by myself.

So tell us about your club name, why Wolves?

When i first joined the squad, it was named Wolfpack. They were founded in 2008 and held that up until this upcoming season. Last year was the previous manager’s final season, and it was left to me, so I thought I would switch it up a bit and put my own spin on it. I wanted to keep some semblance of the tradition that was laid before me, but also wanted to make it my own.

The badge is reminiscent of another Wolves (Wolverhampton), is that the inspiration/connection?

There is definitely a fair amount of inspiration. Originally, when I was switching everything over, I was looking at a multitude over color options. Yellow and black was one of them, keeping red and black was also a thought, but I really love the way that sky blue and navy blue work together. I gave my friend Josh (shout out Big Rawd) a few layout options, the Wolverhampton logo being one of them, but the big thing was to not copy them directly. So i kept the circle of our previous logo as opposed to the hexagonal layout. The actual wolf logo, I gave him free reign on, but wanted it to be as simple as possible.Just lines inside a circle. And a color layout that would pop on a light and a dark jersey. He absolutely crushed it.

Tell us about the BDSL - What's the level of play in the league? What's the best part of the league? What level do you play in?

The BDSL stands for Buffalo District Soccer League. There are six divisions ranging from Premier to 3rd division that play on Sunday’s and includes an over 35 division that plays on Friday nights.Throughout the six divisions, there is heavy completion. There are so many talented players spread across all divisions and thats what keeps it so competitive. Once the season kicks in, a high majority are so enamored with it and thats what keeps the league going. We also have the Tehel Cup that teams from Premier, Championship, and 1st division are entered in on Thursday’s. Teams in divisions 2 and 3 and O35 are given the option to declare for the Tehel Cup, but there is a Wood Cup that most, if not all, declare for. These are all knockout stage matches, akin to the NCAA Tournament, with the winner of the Tehel Cup being entered into regional competition. There is always a couple upsets in these cup tournaments which keep interesting.

Which club do you look forward to playing every year and why?

Seeing as this is our second year in Premier, I think it’s tough to gauge which club we look forward to playing every year. Going back to before I was on the team, there was a rivalry with Queenston FC while both were in the Championship division, with Queenston moving up to Premier the year I joined. We played Queenston to a pretty equal game this past year, so I am eager to see how we match up this year. Great group of guys over there too. Over those three years we’ve always had tough games against Southtowns FPFC. We’ve drawn them three out of the four years and they beat us in between that. But in the Championship final in 2017, we edged them 1-0. So I feel like that is probably considered one of our new age rivals. I would definitely say that Williamsville Willies are a team could be considered a rival also. They are young, and have skilled and fast group of players that can be quite cocky leading up to game day and during the game. However, they are a great group of guys after the final whistle, and that is what keeps our league so fun. Since their inception, they’ve moved up the ladder a few times, albeit artificially the past two years. We tied them in the regular season in 2017, and then had an absolutely excellent game in the Semifinals in 2017, which ultimately sealed our promotion into premier. They moved up due to a team that was relegated folding, and two premier teams merging. This year, we played them in another great game with us prevailing 1-0. They were relegated last year, but ultimately survived the drop due to another team dropping down a few divisions. There are always the top three teams in our division that are a tough out,(Raiders, Sharpshooters, and BUSS) and any chance you have to beat them is something to look forward to. Especially BUSS. I have a feeling that could be a fun one this year.

What sort of style does Wolves FC play?

In the past, we’ve played a strong defensive style, with most of our scoring coming off long balls, and counter attacking. Regardless of what happened last year, it is definitely something that we are trying to get away from. Our strong defensive core has been improved upon greatly from front to back. So, that will always be there. We have a fair amount of speed on the wings and in the midfield, along with size and technical ability spread throughout that. So I am definitely looking to attack more this year and hold more possession. Ultimately, I would love to see us be a physical and smart team on defense, and then build out from the back and into the midfield and knock the ball around a bit more. That would pay dividends. We have built a very strong team in the sense that everyone goes out there and plays for each other week in and week out. Yes, it can get a little heated at points, but that is one thing that we have put a ton of pride in. If you put a group of people together who are more worried about the common goal, then that will take you further than individual talent will.

Tell us about a couple of your players we should know about?

I have a hard time putting a spotlight on any select players. We returned 12 players from last year and then added 10 new guys to supplant that. I could write paragraphs about each guy, but each one will tell you that it is more about the team than anything else. I want to applaud each of them for buying into that. Everyone plays their part and like I said before, that will take any group further than any individual.

Any interesting traditions in the club?

I’m not too sure that I would call them traditions, but I would definitely say we have a solid reputation of being one of the partying teams in our league.The camaraderie is such a huge part of our team make up. We have a strong contingent that will go out with each other the night before games, go golfing with each other the day before games, team barbecues, and ALWAYS go out and smoke beers at our sponsor bar post game, win or lose. And, we happen to throw legendary beer blasts that I invite every one from the league to come out to. We have rented a house down in ski country for a weekend in the months following the season for a few years, minus this past year. The majority of the team comes down for a night or two and we hang out, drink, go and watch EPL at one of the breweries and then drink some more. Hoping to get that back on track this year.

What's the best soccer memory you have about Wolves FC?

Theres quite a few actually. Winning the Championship division in 2017 after all the ups and down the previous manager, Chris Moonan, went through. Finally getting to Premier after being so close the year before was a testament to his work. I do think the one that trumps that is our whole first season in Premier. Going into the season, most viewed us as a team that would be relegated. We faced perennial powerhouse BSC Raiders the first game, and didn’t play bad considering our opponent, but obviously lost. We then faced Queenston, and were up 2-0, with a few chances to expand that lead, but couldn’t convert. We ended up tieing that game on a fluke cross that ended up being mishit, and ended up floating upper side netting. But we came together and won the next two games against Soho and Willies. We had a pretty rough stretch for four or five games, starting against Willies where we only had 11-12 guys show up for every game. We lost to Sharpshooters in the last minute (which we could have won), lost to BUSS, tied Southtowns, then got smoked by Lackawanna, and lost to Clarence. Going into the last two games it was pretty much fighting off relegation. The East Aurora team forfeited our game and then we ended up having one game left against Celtic United. Going into the game, if either team had won, that team would be going to the playoffs. We ended up going up 3-0 into half time and then they got 2 back, but we held it together to earn that last spot. We thought it was awesome being able to play in a playoff game our first year in Premier. So we were pretty loose going into the game. We ended up playing BUSS. It was an absolutely wild game. We scored probably ten or so minutes off a free kick and held tight for the next 55 minutes and they scored 2 between the 65th and 70th minute. So it seemed like the season was over, but we scored a gritty goal in the 86th or so minute and then realized we had a fighting chance. The first ot was a feeling out process, and going into the second ot, it just felt like we had to go for it. We had made it this far, so we might as well go for it. Pressure wasn’t really on us. we ended up scoring on a net mouth scramble off a free kick a few minutes into the second ot, and faced a barrage in the remaining time. But we held on. I think it may be one of the greatest upsets the league has seen to this day. Great team effort. We ended up facing Raiders in the the semis the following week. We held strong for the first half, but their ability was just too much for us in the second half. Very proud of every member of last years team for what they did for Chris in his last season and what is enabling us to continue.

How important is local soccer/regional leagues?

I can’t begin to tell you how important local and regional soccer is. The sense of community that this league has is fantastic. From all divisions. The whole attitude is mostly positive from every one. There have been so many relationships that have been created from this league. From game day, and seeing your friends on your side of the ball and opposing sides is a ton of fun. I will say that i didn’t realize the importance of the regional aspect of it until last weekend when i had the chance to travel with Raiders and play against Christos FC. I was extremely fortunate to be able to represent my team, league and city in this game. I think thats the most important thing, its an amateur/beer league, but still having the opportunity to play for the chance to represent your team, league and city in those games is an extremely cool thing to do.

Athletic Club of Sloan's Lake

For most of social media types, Athletic Club of Sloan’s Lake didn’t enter their sphere of knowledge until they exited the UPSL, loudly. It was big breakup and it all unfolded publicly. However, ACSL has continued to exist and thrive outside of the national spotlight and we sat down with their CEO and Director of Football, Max Fowler, to get an update on what’s going on in Colorado.

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What is the story of your club?

Athletic Club of Sloan’s Lake is essentially a tangible manifestation of my personal values and an attempt affect my environment in a positive way. It’s a reaction to specific non-soccer personal, national, and global events around 2016/17 as well as the creation of what I’d always wanted to be a part of. It’s also fair to say it’s a bit of a real-life test of a hypothesis.

The questions that really drove the process were: How is my community a better place for having me in it? What legacy am I leaving behind? What do I value, and do my actions reflect that? Why isn’t adult soccer more like adult rugby, why don’t teams really socialize all that much. And, what is it that I miss most from my playing career?

One of the main pillars of our hypothesis is that the reason clubs in Europe and South America are so long lived and stable is that they began not as vehicles of the entertainment industry, and not as engines for profit, but as pillars of the community. It is our belief that if your main focus is sporting achievement, then that alone isn’t enough to drive interest, for the community at large to care. Sport isn’t enough, and to think so is akin to contemplating your own belly button, the only one who cares is you.

So, we are very much of a specific location, a community. We also never want to be a fully professional side. We choose to be a club where we display and celebrate the good we’ve done in the neighborhood, the players who’ve we developed, the values we stand for far more than any trophies that may or may not come our way. They are nice, but very temporary, and nobody really cares.

Finally, this club is in essence, my personal love letter to the sport that has given me so much. It’s the culture, the supporters, the learning of lessons on the pitch that have far more consequences off of it. It’s art, music, atmosphere, and sharing what I believe make the world a better place for having football in it.

People love the Crest, who designed it, and can you explain the elements?

Ahhhh, the crest. First off, thank you so much for your kind words. We’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback from it, and each time we’re well chuffed.

Our crest was a collaborative effort between me and my incredibly talented wife who is a professional Senior Graphic Designer at Genesis Inc., a high-end graphic design and brand strategy firm here in Denver. ( http://genesisinc.com/beliefs/be-a-catalyst-for-excellence ) I came up with the basic idea and elements, she executed that vision far beyond anything I was capable of. The basic shape is similar to AS Roma’s badge, purely because I think it’s an appealing shape. The overall concept is the view one gets from the eastern shore of Sloan’s Lake at dusk with the sun sliding behind Mt. Evens. The highlights in the mountain form the letters SL for Sloan’s Lake. In the bottom field of the shield is a modern stylized version of the traditional heraldic waves representing water (i.e. the Sloan’s Lake itself). Our colors are based on the actual sky and water colors at dusk here in Colorado, but also a nod to historical Spanish and Catalan flags.

You’re currently number 1 in the Colorado Premier League, how has the season been so far?

Actually, we’re top of the table in the Elite division. CPL has a pro-rel structure, and all new teams enter the Elite (2nd) division and fight for promotion to the Premier (1st) division. But to get to your question, the season is going well, and results have gone our way, but we’re still in the process of learning. I’m most impressed with how the playing staff have embraced the values of the club and their growing professionalism. We are headed in the right direction.

What is the level of play in the CPL?

The level of play has been generally good. Far stronger than when we last played in the league. But the division is also bigger. If I were to compare it, the league as a whole is comparable to most competitive amateur sides. All the players can play, and most have had college or lower division professional experience. The top sides had more former D1 and D2 NCAA athletes, but each team presents a unique challenge.

Who’s a player (or two) from your club we should know about?

I think all of them, but I may be a bit biased. Up front D’vonne Williams is in a rich vein of form with 4 goals and 6 assists (out of 19 total team goals). In the back, people should know about Center Back Lucas Prolow aka Thor. A former NAIA Academic All-American Player of the Year (2017), he has a maturity and calmness I wished I had possessed at his age.

Your club famously and loudly exited the UPSL, how has the transition been since?

The transition has been very smooth. The timing of it put some unique pressures on some decision making, but the playing staff and our partners believed in the club and its values and processes. I feel it has worked out for the best for each of the parties.

Any regrets on how that went down?

We can only speak to our actions, as that is all we have control over, but… No. No regrets at all. The decisions and choices the club made were based on its core values and we are very comfortable with each of those choices.

How do you rate the importance of national leagues vs local/regional ones?

We don’t believe they are actually opposing forces. To speak plainly, we rate the importance of an actual interconnected national pyramid with promotion and relegation from top to bottom. Clubs will decide for themselves what their ambition is, and players will seek out clubs that match their personal ambition. The importance being that we all play the same rules, and all have the opportunity to be as ambitious as we wish to be.

Currently, however, we do value national leagues, as they seem to be the only ones who play by FIFA rules (limited substitutions) which we value, and they provide us a greater opportunity to raise money via publicity for our main goal, which is to donate back to improve our community. But instead of raging that the world isn’t exactly how we think it should be, we will operate in the environment we find ourselves in, and look to push for improvements that we believe in.

What are the pluses and minuses of both?

That really depends on how you define yourself and what you find important. So, they aren’t really in opposition. But I do believe, for the fan and the player, the professional setting and standards, shouldn’t be cost prohibitive, or exclusive to large budget national (continental) leagues.

Fellow CPL side Denver FC has qualified for the Open Cup after a solid run in the qualifiers. Do you see value in the Open Cup? Do you plan on attempting to qualify in the future?

We absolutely see value in the Open Cup, perhaps even more so than USSF does. We view that it has the potential to be the FA Cup with all its romance and history. We believe its vital for the game and a true statement of sporting values. It is awful business (all risk and no reward) if you want to protect your investment as a franchise in a closed, artificially elite, system but brilliant for the sport as a sport.

We, even though we’re Denver FC’s noisy neighbors, think their run is brilliant for the entire Colorado soccer market. We’re actually hoping for them to progress to play the Rapids. We want to be them, but we have to earn it. And we think it’s a shame they haven’t gotten more press here in Denver from newspapers or TV news.

So, yes, we absolutely plan on entering qualifying.

Anything else we should know about your club?

Yes, we’re glad you asked. We’ll even give you an exclusive. We are planning to become a C-corp this summer with actual ownership shares, not just memberships, being made available to our fans, members of the community, our players, and to local businesses. With this we are planning on launching a women’s first team that will play in the same stadium as our men’s 1st team and train alongside of them. And we are announcing our goal to help raise money to build a quality ground for use by the local high school and community.

San Antonio Corinthians

Sometimes, in the lower leagues, you don’t know much about a club. You see a name in a scoreline or on a table and recognize it, but the depth of understanding isn’t there. That’s because the number of clubs is often too much to handle, even for journalists. That’s why we do this column, to support that connection between club and fan, no matter how far removed by geography and understanding. So today, we’re talking with San Antonio Corinthians, a club with an epic crest and an interesting backstory. Enjoy!

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Tell us about the history of your club.

The San Antonio Corinthians Football Club (SACFC) was founded in 2009 and accepted to play their inaugural 2014 season in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) in the South Central Conference winning the South Division and finishing third overall in the conference.

Your club jumped from the NPSL to the UPSL, can you talk about the differences in the league?

We decided on the UPSL due to the growth and competitiveness of the league in recent years. The leagues’ vision of growth and development were vital components in our decision making when joining the league in 2019. The UPSL has welcomed us since day one. We were thankful for the opportunity and how to UPSL National Director, Matt Kahla Jr. assisted in streamlining the membership process.

San Antonio now has several clubs, including San Antonio FC, how's the interaction between the clubs?

We have great respect for SAFC and all soccer clubs in San Antonio. It’s important for clubs to support one another out of respect for the game and to enhance the development of players all while expanding the game. We did face SAFC back in 2016 and came up short in a hard fought second round US Open Cup match.

In a market with other clubs, how does Corinthians stand out?

We run our club as a top tier organization. Aspects like discipline, accountability, competitiveness and attention to detail flow throughout. Players and staff are asked to give their absolute best efforts for the club. This season our international friendly matches help set us apart from our cohorts. We will be hosting Club Santos Laguna and Pumas respectively. We are always looking to give our players a competitive edge by challenging them to take their games to the proverbial next level.

Big friendly coming up against Santos Laguna, how did that come about and how is your club approaching this match?

Our front office and coaching staff have an abundance of international relationships that have been cultivated over the years. Whenever we are able to host events like these it is important the events are beneficial for both clubs and of course fun for our fans! We are approaching this match with the utmost respect for Santos Laguna coupled with excitement. Our style of play and training methods will remain consistent so we can concentrate on what we can control. We are very much aware of the talent we are facing with clubs like Santos Laguna and Pumas. As long as we can execute our game-plan we feel we can compete with any club.

Your UPSL regular season has just kicked off, how is the club coming along? What are the goals for this season?

We can see the men are starting to gel now that we’ve got some competition instead of just training against each other. Coaches are always analyzing and evaluating players to create the best lineups weekly. We currently stand at 2-1 in our division, with back to back victories. Our goals are to win the national championship and make some noise in the US Open Cup while showcasing local talent.

If someone wants to know more about your club, where do they go?

All our UPSL matches are streamed through mycujoo.tv and all updates and info can be found on our social media platforms and website:

Twitter – @Corinthians_SA

Instagram – @sanantoniocorinthians

Facebook – facebook.com/SanAntonioCorinthians

www.sanantoniocorinthians.com

Vancouver Victory

Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington are separated by the massive Columbia River, which serves as the state line, but the two have a shared history and shared love of soccer. Founded in 2014, just before entering into the regional soccer league EPLWA, Vancouver Victory have built up a fanatical base of support and even won their league in just their first five years of existence. The club is housed at the Harmony Sports Complex, where they play their games and share training facilities with the Washington Timbers youth academy. Sean Janson, Executive Director of the Washington Timbers, also serves as General Manager of the Victory and was gracious enough to answer my questions about who they are and where they’re headed.

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Starting from the start; when, why, and by whom was the Vancouver Victory founded?

Vancouver Victory FC were Founded in 2014 by Barrett Goddard. To provide Vancouver, Washington our own team to root for.

What League do you play in? Do you have a rival or a club you really look forward to playing against? Are there club's outside of your league who you'd like to play a friendly with? 

We play in the Evergreen Premier League Washington. Don't really have a rival club but always look forward to playing FC Mulhouse (NPSL. Portland, Oregon) and Lane United (USL League 2. Eugene, Oregon) in friendlies.

The Victory pose before an EPLWA League Match (Photo: Courtesy Vancouver Victory)

Running a soccer club can be turbulent, in the best of times, how do you continue to operate in this market with big clubs like the Timbers and Sounders? How important are matchdays and merchandise to the operational budget?

Matchdays are very important to the budget but most importantly is our partnership with Muchas Gracias Mexican Food. Their sponsorship is really what allows us to provide this team to our community. We feel like Timbers and Sounders increase interest in the sport and therefore the Victory benefits from their presence. 

Are you connected to a youth program? A women’s program? Are there funnels for young boys and girls to go from youth sides into the first teams?   

Yes, the Washington Timbers FC now owns and runs the Vancouver Victory. Our interest in the team is primarily to provide our alumni who are off playing in college somewhere a place to play when they come for the summer. We certainly enjoy providing our community a quality team to follow but that's not the primary reason we're doing it. We also have a women's team, the Washington Timbers Women's 1st team, who play in the NW Premier League. Both teams serve as teams for our youth to aspire to.

The VNC are The Victory’s true-blue Supporter’s Group (Photo Courtesy Vancouver Victory)

A big part of soccer culture in the Pacific Northwest is Supporters Groups; you do have one, how important are they to the matchday experience? Do they travel with the team from time-to-time?

Yes, VNC are great supporters of the team. I initially met these guys when they started supporting Clark College. They do make the occasional away game and their presence at home games really makes for a great atmosphere. 

The Vancouver/Portland soccer market is huge, are there any aspirations to take the Victory up a notch, to a NPSL, UPSL or NISA level of play? What would it take to accomplish that?

There's always talk of taking that next step but as GM of the team and Executive Director of the youth club I'm very hesitant at this time. We are fulfilling our mission of providing opportunities to athletes, I would need to see how a change in league would further fulfill that mission to warrant the extra cost and work. We are planning a major upgrade to our home, Harmony Sports Complex over the next couple years which will completely transform the parking area and the entrance and exit of the facility. Once this is done, we will start to look at other improvements that may better position us to make a leap of this sort. In the mean time we will try and win as many EPLWA trophies as possible. 

What does it all mean? The Vancouver Victory provide a badge primer.

For more information about the Vancouver Victory FC, check them out here: http://vancouvervictoryfc.com/
If you’re interested in volunteering or joining their supporters group, contact them here: https://www.facebook.com/VNC-264042637093828/

Vacaville Elite

“Small Town Team, Big Time Dream,” the official motto of Brandon Muth and Aaron Dickey, General Managers of the team – who are also players for the UPSL Wild West side. Vacaville, about an hour and a half northeast of San Francisco, is a fairly small town, by California standards and is the home to Vacaville Elite, who are only a year into the UPSL but look like they’ve found a league which suits them. They were kind enough to answer all my questions for a Protagonist Soccer spotlight piece.

- Joshua Duder

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Vacaville Elite were founded in 2009--but what's the story? Was it started as a place to play for adults or as a place for kids to learn to play?

Vacaville Elite was founded in 2009 by President and head coach Dave M. During this time, the team was a participant of the U23 Nor Cal Premier Soccer league where the door was open to local Vacaville players who wanted to compete at the highest amateur level in the surrounding area. The idea was to give kids something to aspire to in our community and we wanted to start organically and within the boundaries of our city. Roughly 90% of the 2009-2013 rosters were coached previously by Dave during their youth soccer days. For the first 4 seasons, a majority of the players for the Elite had already been playing together since 1998 so the chemistry was natural.

At the end of the 2010 season, coach Dave stepped down from coaching and was appointed as the President of the Club. The team was then handed over to player and team captain, Aaron Dickey (21 years old at the time), and Player Brandon Muth (20 years old at the time).

The vision was to continue providing quality soccer for the local area because we knew there was a talented group of guys in which we felt confident could compete at a high level. We would train 3 days a week at a local park with decent grass and all we had at the time was hand-me-down equipment: cones, balls and one set of pug goals however, our belief was big and guys would show up to practice with a work-hard attitude pushing each other to be better.

In 2011-2012 we opened our roster to include anyone from ages 16 and older to partake in the journey. In 2012 and 2013 we took 1st place in the Nor Cal Premier League back-to-back; this is where the two stars come from on our crest! In the summer of 2013, our 1st place position qualified our team for the Nor Cal State Cup Tournament where we went on to face the Chivas USA MLS U23 team at Cal Poly University in San Luis Obispo. This was a very tough opponent and we put up a great fight with the final score ending at 3-1 and never thought a small-town team like ours would play at this level. From that came our motto "Small Town Team, Big Time Dream".

Brandon Muth takes on NPSL’s Napa Valley 1839 FC (Photo via The Reporter / Courtesy Vacaville Elite)

In 2014 we competed in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup - Nor Cal State Cup Qualification Round against Juventus 93 SC Black now known as JASA in the UPSL, which we lost 2-1 with a late controversial penalty kick awarded to Juventus in the final seconds. It was a tough loss however, we accomplished something much bigger than we ever anticipated.

In 2015 we decided to take a break from league play and at the time was not certain what the future would hold for the Vacaville Elite. Fortunately, it was the consistent persuasion via past and future aspiring players who constantly reached out and demanded us to bring back the team. This was the driving force to the club’s re-entry into league play for the upcoming 2016 season.

Scott Kubicka of Vacaville Elite (Photo: Club Website)

In 2016 we competed in the Liga Nor Cal spring, summer and fall seasons until the fall of 2018 where we made the jump to the UPSL. We decided that it was the right time to make the switch. We felt it was the most beneficial move for the club as a whole as we wanted to play on a National level whilst bringing more exposure to our players and our club. Our goal is to not only provide advanced training via practices and high-level game play but to also open doors to Colleges/Universities and Pro-Clubs worldwide to our players. In the end, it is about the players and we strongly believe this.

A few clubs have migrated from the NorCal League to either the NPSL or in your case, the UPSL, without a proper Promotion / Relegation system in place, is this the natural course for clubs who outgrow their regional league? How noticeable has the jump up been; is the competition better or is it just a matter of longer travel to face clubs further away?

In regards to this being a natural progression for Nor Cal clubs, I believe that it is truly case by case. In our situation, we have found a sustainable blueprint that works for our club and transitioning into a National League just fit well with the direction of the Adult team representing our club as a whole.

We really like the professional standards set forth by the UPSL, and have enjoyed our experience thus far. In the Bay Area and most of the surrounding cities in Northern California, it is a hotbed for talent. All of these quality teams in such a close vicinity have provided us with top level competition and we have hung in there against powerhouse cities like San Francisco, Oakland, Sacramento, Davis… just to name a few. Most people would be surprised of the amount of talent coming out of even the smallest cities in Northern California. We feel we are an example of this; a city of 100,00 people trying to take on the nation. “Small Town Team, Big Time Dream”.

There looks to be four levels of play at your club, including three developmental squads, how many of your first team players have come up through this funnel? In a town situated halfway between San Francisco and Sacramento and surrounded by all sorts of soccer teams, how important is it to build your own players through those developmental stages?

Our Developmental Youth Teams are just being introduced this Spring. Until now, we have only had a Men's Semi-Professional team, but the ultimate goal has always been to provide a thriving youth program. We will start with a boy's U12, U14, U16, and U18 team while the introduction of girl’s teams is on the agenda for the very near future. Our mission is to focus on proper development for each age group and skill level while also incorporating other important things like diet, injury prevention, team synergy, life skills, etc. into the developmental program. We are excited about providing something different for not just our community but our local region.

Amar Husic of Vacaville Elite (Photo: Club Website)

For many years we have hand selected players from 16-17 years old to train with the adult side to prepare them for their potential debut with the first team. We look for talented youth players who are not playing with any club and in many cases, this is due to lack of financial support and/or their demographics. We have seen some of these young players come to our team and then go on to play in College, overseas, NPSL and even the USL. Our Club is big on helping out our players and one way we do this is by writing letters of recommendations for Colleges/Universities as well as for other clubs that are more prestigious. Nonetheless, if there is any way we can assist our players in achieving their soccer goals or getting them to a higher level, we are all about it.

Giving the kids a chance to grow into the first team is excellent, but once they get there, does the club help them find opportunities to play at the next level? Letters of Recommendation to Colleges or reach out to lower level pro teams like Sacramento Republic or Las Vegas?

We feel it is very important to bring our players up through our developmental program and then all the way up to our first team. In the city of Vacaville, a majority of the more talented players are traveling out of our city to play for different clubs in other cities and we would love to change this and retain our homegrown talent. This will not happen overnight but you know what they say, slow and steady wins the race!

Your organization seems really strong in terms of building quality players and providing a youth funnel, but what's your fan support like? Do you have a supporter’s group? Chants, tifo, scarves? How important are those elements to a communities' soccer culture?

We currently do not have a support group or any chant songs, but we would love for the community to get behind the Club and create one. We have beanies and a plethora of other team merchandise but no scarves as of yet (this winter!).

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For more information about Vacaville Elite, check them out here: https://www.vacaville-elite.com/

To Help them out, take a look at their online store, here: https://www.vacaville-elite.com/apparel

Alta California Sol

Alta California Sol is a new men’s and women’s club based out of Santa Barbara,CA. They play within the UPSL, where the men’s side has already proven the clubs winning mentality by winning its first three matches. So let’s get to know the club:

What is your name and role with Alta California Sol?

My name is d’Alary Dalton and I am the CEO/President and Co-Founder of Alta California Sol.

What is your background in the beautiful game?

My background in soccer is in coaching, research and club development. I hold a USSF A-License, USYS National Youth License and Advanced National and Director of Coaching Diplomas from the NSCAA/United Coaches. I also have a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Mills College where my research focus was on “How coaches balance teaching positive life skills and the importance of winning.” I have been a soccer coach and director for more than 25 years at a variety of levels including youth, high school, and college as well as for the Olympic Development Program. In 2013 I formed the non-profit Sol Soccer Club through the Sports Matter Grant from Dick’s Sporting Goods. Sol Soccer Club is the parent organization for Alta California Sol.

What inspired your name and crest?

We are super proud of the historical and regional references that make up our name and crest. Alta California refers to what our region was called prior to statehood, Upper California. Sol is Spanish for sun which is synonymous with California. The pelican represents a coastal bird that travels in flocks and hunt cooperatively. Under the pelican is the iconic Stearns Warf. It was local artist Hector Torres that put all these elements together.    

Majority of your player pool is from Santa Barbara. How important is it for your club to reflect your community?

Growing our local soccer community means everything to us. We take pride in providing an opportunity for local players to move up and play at the next level whether that be with our team, in college or professionally. Equally important to us is that the men and women who play for Alta California Sol inspire the youth to play soccer and stay in the game longer.

How has the community responded to having an amateur soccer club?

The positive response of our immediate families and fans has been tremendous. We’ve also been very fortunate that our most popular local online news source, Noozhawk, has reported on our games and published several write-ups.

I believe that Alta California Sol is part of a revolution occurring in grassroots soccer, that revolution of fielding both a men's and women's side. Why has it been important for the club to provide an equal playing opportunity for all players in its community?

Throughout my career I have watched as the number of girls playing soccer continues to decline, there are fewer women coaches, and more troubling is pervasive belief that girls and women are choosing to not step up or stay in the game. Locally, all this is taking place in a time when there are a record number of girls trying out for their high school teams and we have four highly successful college women’s soccer programs. Clearly soccer loving girls and women are here so it only makes sense to provide the next level opportunity for the women who want to play. These women will be pioneers in creating a pathway for young girls to stay in the game.

What have been the biggest challenges to starting a men's and women's side?

By far our greatest challenge to starting our men’s and women’s programs has been to secure a long-term agreement for fields, for both training and games.  

What is the future for Alta California Sol?

We are very optimistic about the future progression of Alta California Sol. As an organization, we have a dedicated and passionate staff that work tirelessly to ensure our on the field success. Already our men’s team has demonstrated that they are ready to compete at the next level. Enthusiasm in the lead up to forming our women’s team has been great. We’re very encouraged by the feedback from women players in the area who are excited about the opportunity to play locally. With the success of our teams we expect to connect our players to the community through clinics and outreach efforts.

What role does grassroots soccer play in the U.S. Soccer landscape?

Grassroots soccer has an enormous role to play in providing the greatest number of kids and young adults all the opportunities and benefits that being a participant in sports has to offer. When done purposefully, we believe that soccer is the perfect sport to support and promote the health and well-being of youth and the community by bringing people together through a shared passion for the game of soccer.

How do you feel about the current state of soccer in our country?

There are many good people working hard to improve soccer at all levels of our sport and there is plenty of room for improvement. I am most encouraged by those who are advocating for a more inclusive and open system. Although we are not going to change the chronic problems facing soccer in our country with our 2 teams, our organization is deeply committed to having a lasting positive impact on our players and our community.

Central Texas Lobos

One of the fastest growing and exciting regional leagues is the Gulf Coast Premier League. Originally founded at the Louisiana Premier League in 2014, the name was officially changed in 2016 to the GCPL. The league has expanded far beyond the boundaries of Louisiana to now include clubs from Louisiana, Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, and Texas. This Spotlight focuses on the only Texas member of the league, Central Texas Lobos.

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So what's the history of your club?

We began in 1996 in local amateur adult and youth leagues in the Austin area. The club grew out of my work with immigration legal services, and especially with unaccompanied minors in Central Texas. Soccer was a great way to bring these youth from different countries together, many of whom had no immediate family in the area, and integrate them into the community through the game we all love. We have always had a focus on diversity and inclusion as a club. We branded as the Central Texas Lobos in 2016 when we made the jump to the Texas Premier Soccer League.

Pretty intense logo you got there. Why lobos?

As we rebranded, in 2016 we partnered with a local brewery who wanted to spotlight their "Lobo" line of beer. We liked the idea of the lobo/wolf mascot, that promotes a concept of the pack; every individual working together to make the whole greater than the sum of its parts. We came up with five naming options that related to the Lobo branding, and "Central Texas Lobos" was selected through a fan vote as the prefered club name. Wile the brewery has since been sold and we no longer maintain that partnership, we will be "Lobos" from here on - it is our identity.

Noticed you have a Lobos bandana available in your shop. First we've ever seen. What's your clubs approach to merchandise?

The bandana is versatile; we have a scarf which has been very popular, but with GCPL we play summer in Texas. So we wanted something appropriate to the games and the heat of Texas in June and July. Our merchandising is mostly designed as things that are fun and inexpensive so that our fans can enjoy them to enhance the gameday atmosphere. It's just stuff we like and hope our fans will too! As we grow in GCPL as a club, we will probably evolve a more strategic merchandising approach. But for now, it's just stuff that our players or fans have said they would like to have.

You play in the GCPL, who has made some news with expansion lately. Can you talk about the league? Strengths and weaknesses?

The GCPL encompasses elite teams from the gulf coast states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, and now Texas. The league now has an affiliated league - the Great Plains Premier League - which will begin a full competitive season in 2020. This is emblematic of the GCPL philosophy and approach that USSF 4th division leagues should be regional. The second underlying core belief of the GCPL is "club over league" meaning that the individual clubs make the league and therefore the league supports them. It's opposite of many others where the league operates above the clubs and dictates down to them. The league is very collaborative; all of the clubs involved support each other because the success of one elevates the rest. Competition is on the field, not off. And the third element to the league is minimum standards for quality of teams including facilities, performance, and stability. With a rare and temporary exceptions, GCPL stadiums/arenas must have controllable ingress, fields larger than 110 X 65 yards (and most are larger) with a FIFA approved surface, and minimum capacity seating. Clubs must maintain web and social media accounts. And a trainer or other medical staff must be available at all matches. There are also requirements for amenities for traveling teams, such as dressing rooms. All of these requirements elevate the level of the game for both the players and the fans: you know what to expect when you play a Gulf Coast team!

You're the only Texas club in the GCPL, any thought to being in a different league?

Before selecting the GCPL in 2017, we researched and spoke with 5 other leagues and weighed all of the options. We determined that if we were going to change leagues at that point, we wanted to make certain it was a permanent move, and not something that we would want to revisit a few years down the line. GCPL was the best fit for Lobos, for reasons stated above among others, and we are extremely pleased with the decision. We have no plans to change; this is a permanent partnership as far as we're concerned. However, we also don't expect to be the "only Texas club" much longer...

What style of play does your club have?

We play what I'd call a defensive, quick wide possession ground game. We build from the back, emphasizing a pressure off the ball, and utilization of the flanks to create attacking opportunities. This season we will add a bit of "Colombian" flair to the tactics with our new coach, Jorge Cruz.

Which players should people know about from your club?

To highlight a few, fans should definitely start with our goalkeeper Blake Lander. He broke his leg in our second game last season, fracturing both tibia and fibula. He's gone through surgeries to have a metal rod and 8 screws inserted and yet has brought himself all the way back in 10 month to play with the team. He'll be a significant part of the team this season and Blake epitomizes the mentality we want our team to display. Local product Jordan "Wichi" Guardado was a conference all-star last season and returns to Lobos this year. Watch him to see an up-and-coming young talent who has come through the Lobo system since high school. Oscar Ramirez is another leader on our team; joining us in 2016 after playing for Salvadoran clubs Fuerte San Francisco and CD Chaguite. He played right back for us all of last season, but this year we have plans to give him a bit more freedom and versatility, so you can expect to see him "unleashed" in 2019. And we are signing a player with experience in Liga MX to reinforce our attack, and we should make that announcement in the next few days!

Soccer is growing rapidly in Texas, why do you think this is happening?

There are lots of reasons, and in some ways it's a larger trend. Soccer is very popular with the younger generation and Texas is younger in general that the nationwide average (34.5 in Texas, 38 for the US as a whole). Texas is also influenced by immigration which brings an ingrained love of the game. Austin in particular is a great example of the convergence of these factors and I see no indication that this will change. In Texas, football is king, but soccer might just be second in the very near future!

Austin recently added multiple clubs from multiple leagues, which will you be rooting for?

Well, Austin FC (MLS) in 2021! Although I do understand the narrative outside of Austin, the view from our club is that Austin FC will be great for soccer in Central Texas and we are excited to see 1st division professional soccer in Austin very soon. We also root for FC Austin Elite in the UWSL, and are supportive of that club and women's soccer generally. We'll let the other mens teams fight it out amongst themselves, without endorsing any one over the others. But I will add that I am excited to see San Antonio Corinthians return to the Texas soccer landscape this year! The Austin / San Antonio rivalry is always great, and when schedules permit I hope you'll see a Lobos v Corinthians match before the year is over.

What are your club's goals for 2019?

Our primary on-field goal is one that we plan to set every year from now on: to win the GCPL championship. We know that's a very challenging goal with the level of competition in our league, but if we're not trying to be the best team in the league then we aren't doing our best for our players and fans. To do that we want to win the western conference, and that starts by defending our home field and going undefeated at Bob Shelton Stadium. We want to increase our gameday attendance, and believe we learned a tremendous amount last season that will help us accomplish that. Hopefully all of our our fans will come out to our home games this year, and bring a friend! We are more fully staffed for the games and this year ALL of our home games will be played at 7:30 pm kick-off under the lights, to avoid the heat. We want to add webcast of our games this season, for our home games and possibly one of our away games, once we get some technical issues resolved. And we want to return to US Open Cup qualifying this season.

Any other projects in 2019 people should watch for?

We have many exciting projects, but primarily the development of our new home venue in south Austin! That will allow us to really focus on building a strong youth program this summer as we head into the fall season. We hope everyone in the 78741-44-47 area codes will keep en eye out for the Youth Academy this summer. And of course, we continue to develop our 3rd division team in El Paraiso, Honduras as they prepare for their third season. Plus we'll have new announcements on our collaboration with CD America's Nido Aguila academy! So it will be a very busy year for us.

Give us one fact people should know about Central Texas Lobos

We strongly oppose "pay-to-play" and will never refuse any player an opportunity because of lack of economic resources. But for that very reason, we depend on support of the fans and community to sustain our programs!

Social media accounts?

Facebook & Twitter @CenTexLobos

Bangarang FC

One of the best parts of digging deep into the regional leagues that fill this country is finding clubs you never heard of before. Sometimes these clubs are powerhouses on the field, sometimes they are experts in branding, sometimes both. The reality is that every club has a story that should be heard. Today, we learn the story of a club with an amazing crest and name, playing in the Buffalo and District Soccer League (BDSL): Bangarang FC. We sat down with Cullen Dedrick, Manager/Owner of Bangarang FC, to learn more.

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So I'll start where I have to start. What's the story on the name?

We originally joined the Buffalo and District Soccer League (BDSL) in 2016 as FC Aftershock as an off-shoot of the now Division 1 side FC Quake. After two years I decided to re-brand and create my own club/brand and Bangarang FC was formed.

Beyond the name, love the crest. Backstory there? Who designed it?

For a while I wanted to do a spinoff of BSC Young Boys of the Swiss Super League and call ourselves “FC Fun Boiz” but that got shut down by the powers that be. After a while of talking with some of the guys on the squad we had talked about potentially rebranding into FC Stampede or The Buffalo Yetis. Scrolling through the internet I saw a skeleton version of Rufio (RIP) and thought that it would make a sick soccer crest. I hit up my good friend Devin Jeffery (Mr. Smith Agency out of Buffalo) and he did the rest. For a while, we were going to be Lost Boys FC, but at the last second, I thought Bangarang FC would be cooler.

You play in the BDSL, a strong regional league, can you talk about the league, pros and cons, what's the level of play?

The BDSL is amazing and something I feel a lot of us take for granted. Not a lot of areas have a 70 team league that offers high-end competition from top to bottom week in and week out. As for pros and cons:

Pros- from top to bottom it’s high end competitive soccer. Even though a lot of the higher divisions rag on D3 as being “bar league” it’s still competitive and has quality talent.  Not a lot of places have a league like this to play in.

Cons- I could whine about a ton of stuff but ultimately, I’d say the travel. Every team has their own home field so on some Sunday’s you’re driving an hour/ almost two hours to get to a game. Honestly that’s home field advantage though (Looking at you Olean 1854 FC).

Your club is currently in the 3rd division, so there's clearly a high level of interest locally in the game, what makes your city such a strong soccer spot?

Honestly, I don’t know. I’d have to say for a lot of guys it’s the variance in competitiveness. Top of the league is your top-tier talent which a lot of the high-end college guys and a handful of FC Buffalo guys play in. On the other end of the spectrum in D3 you have more of a competitive “bar league” atmosphere. We also have an over 35 league that plays on Friday nights which has grown over the last two years as well.

How did your club perform last season? 

Man, I knew we’d eventually get to this, haha. We finished mid-table, as we have every year.  It seems like for whatever reason we can’t get the chemistry together consistently enough to drive positive results. But with our additions this year I’m fairly confident we’ll be playing into mid-august for the playoffs.

In a local league, in the 3rd division, how do you go about building a winning team?

A lot of it is building over the years and creating a good core of guys. Every year you add a few players here and there and lose players, but if you can keep your core together and keep playing throughout the offseason you can keep the chemistry going and build for the next season.

Who are the power clubs in your league?

BSC Raiders are the cream of the crop for the league. Last summer they went undefeated in league play and won the treble (1st place in division, winner of the Tehel Cup, and playoff champ). Every time I watch them play I find it had to believe that they’re in the same league as us.  This past weekend they came from behind vs the Rochester and District Soccer League to win 3-2 in extra time and secured a spot in the first round of the USASA Region 1 Amateur Cup.

Other teams that I’d give nods to would be Amherst Sharpshooters, Buffalo United SS (BUSS), and Queenston FC.

With a club like your own, what are your goals season to season?

This season I would like to see us make the post season. This will be our 4th season in the BDSL and we haven’t played a single game in August yet and I want to change that.

Someday I hope to win the D3 Championship or the Wood Cup so I can hoist the cup and drink a warm Michelob Ultra out of it.

How do you stay in soccer shape when you have to deal with Buffalo weather?

It’s tough man but a lot of us play at indoor facilities like Sahlen’s Sports Park and Sportsplex. Other than that you kind of rely on guys taking that responsibility on themselves and staying in half decent shape through the long cold winter, haha.

Does a club your size sell merch? Because with that logo you should be.

I’ve thought about trying to do something but never actually followed through. We do have flags that were made by Fly-It Flags, but as of right now that’s it.

If someone wants to know more about Bangarang FC, where do they go?

If you’re looking for actual stats and quality content, I’d direct everyone to bdsl.org. Usually by Monday afternoon a lot of the teams have full recaps of the match online there as well as stats.

If you’re looking for banter and pot-stirring, twitter is the place to be. I swear there is no better place to be on Twitter than a Sunday night after all of the games are finished. Just grab the popcorn and enjoy the show.

When does your season start? 

BDSL season starts the first weekend in May and runs through the end of July, with playoffs starting in August. Ultimately if  you make it all the way to championship Sunday you’re playing till almost September.

Cullen Dedrick

Manager/Owner Bangarang FC

Hayward United

Hayward United are an exciting amateur club based in Wisconsin and a founding member of the WPASL. We spoke with them about their history and their exciting future.

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When and how were you founded? What leagues have/do you compete in?

Until 2018, Hayward’s adult soccer scene has basically included pick up games on Sundays, with the occasional game against Rice Lake or Washburn. Kaden Bergman, our team’s manager, worked up enough interest to start a competitive amateur men’s team, so we threw a team together and joined the Duluth Amateur Soccer League in 2018. About half of our team was from Hayward, and the other half were players from all over Northern Wisconsin and Minnesota. This led to an interesting season, as we had little to no chemistry, we were using Hayward High School’s original jerseys from 2001, we had next to no home games, and the other DASL teams had been playing together for 10-15 years. We had some great competition, and many games were very close (all but one within two goals),, but we ended up with a 2-4-2 record in the DASL. In 2019, we will be departing from the DASL to compete in the newly formed Wisconsin Primary Amateur Soccer League (WPASL). The new league will have some higher-level teams compared to the DASL and you will see a new look from our team, as we will have almost solely Hayward players. The other half of our team has created their own team and will be playing as Hibbing United in the DASL. We are very excited to get started on the 2019, we have 10 home games on the schedule so far, and soccer fans will get to watch years of the best of Hayward’s players coming together to compete.

What are the key elements of your badge and what do they mean to the club? 

Our Hayward United crest was created by JP Dijuardin, who took inspiration from French side LOSC’s crest, as they are the team from his hometown. Our Wolfpack adult logo is slightly different from the youth logo, as we have three wolf heads, in place of two, and we have our high school’s logo instead of a soccer ball on the top-left corner. Our colors, black and yellow, were chosen because they match the colors of our high school. We really believe that our crest is quite unique and one of the better looking ones in lower-league soccer. Our club is getting new uniforms for the 2019 season, and we are really proud of the look we have come up with. It is quite unique to our club, and we know that if we aren’t getting the results we want on the pitch, we will at least look good while trying!

What is your club short and long-term goals?

Our short term goals are to create a stable soccer landscape in Northwestern Wisconsin and in Hayward. We hope to spread awareness of our team and league throughout the area, and our mission is to create a club that shows soccer can thrive in Wisconsin, even in a town of 2,000 people. Our long-term goals are to continue to allow players from our town to gain exposure and experience from playing other higher-level amateur teams. The vision is to have a team which the U6, U8, U10 players look up to and aspire to be on someday. This will help our club to grow and will help soccer to continue to expand in Northwestern Wisconsin.

Who have been your most prolific or important players in recent seasons?

We have had a couple of really great players competing for our team 2018 and looking forward to 2019. Our top scorer from 2018, Kaden Bergman, will be returning to the squad in 2019. He finished with 7 goals last year, and had a decent year at Viterbo University. We look for him to keep the center of the field under control and to be in the running for top scorer in the league. The next two leading scorers from last year will unfortunately be playing for Hibbing United in the DASL in 2019, but we have some great players coming in for 2019. Jacob Johnson is a quick forward who has a knack for scoring, and fresh out of high school, 1st team all-conference selection Owen Quast will run the midfield for the Pack. A couple other additions are college-aged players Ethan Wolfe, Marshall Kennell, and Gabe Winchester, who all had accolades in their youth careers. Holding down the back will be Brendin Rogers, Sebastian Paczuski, and Dylan Winchester, all defenders who have good experience and stand out on the pitch. We will also look for our star goalkeeper Cole Bergman to have a strong year. Cole has kept us in a lot of games, and we expect that he will have another strong season in 2019.

Lower league soccer is full of clubs that want to grow large brands and take on the spotlight, but also full of clubs that are only focused the pitch. How does Hayward fit into that comparison?

As a club, we are trying to create a brand that is recognizable throughout the soccer community. We come from very humble roots, as we are in a sparsely soccer populated area and our town’s population is only about 2,000 people, but we are making strides to get our name and goals known. We are most focused on growing soccer in our community, but we also hope to give our top players the opportunity to play against other players of their same caliber. Joining the WPASL this year is a step in the right direction, as the league has some high-end players and will give our top players an opportunity to pay against NPSL and UPSL caliber teams.

Grand Rapids FC

Grand Rapids are one of the many exciting clubs that call the Great Lakes conference of the NPSL Midwest home. A second place finish in 2018 handed the club a short but valuable playoff run and 2019 may find the club continuing to impress on the pitch. We connected with Matt Roberts to discuss the clubs origins, goals, and more.

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When and how were you founded? What leagues have/do you compete in?

We were founded in 2014 and started playing in 2015.  Our first season we played in the Great Lakes Premier League (which eventually became UPSL) and the last three seasons in the NPSL.  2019 will be our fifth season of play.

What are the key elements of your badge and what do they mean to the club?

Our badge is pretty simple and straightforward.  The shield has four sections which represent the four areas of the city (SE, SW, NE, NW) and the color blue is very prevalent in our city (The Rapid, GVSU, city flag) so we decided to make royal, navy, and white our primary colors.

What is your club short- and long-term goals?

The short term is always to win the league championship and every cup competition we play in.  We have very high standards and believe we can put a winning product on the field year in and year out.  The long term goal would be to have a soccer stadium inside the city limits and a full professional side playing year round.  That being said, we are focused on making the best decision for the club for the long term and won't make a move until we feel 100% comfortable with the league, the costs associated with the move, and our ability to compete at that level.

Who have been your most prolific or important players in recent seasons?

We have had some great players come through over our four years in existence, but I can point to a few.  Goalkeeper Noah Fazekas is a fan favorite, but he unfortunately is not able to come back this year.   Caleb Postlewait is a defender who can play multiple positions and dominate at each one.  Greg Timmer is a force in our midfield and is coming back from an ACL injury this year.  Scott Doney was a our leading goal scorer last year and has played three seasons with us.

Image courtesy of Grand Rapids FC.

Do you have specific rivalries; how seriously do you think the club takes those matches?

 I would say our two biggest rivals are AFC Ann Arbor and Detroit City FC.  Ann Arbor is always battling for playoff spots and we founded the GLPL in 2015 together so we have played twice a year.  Detroit City is always a great game and we have a 2-2-2 record against them in our three years playing in the NPSL.  I think they are important but we take the position that every game we play is a chance to make our fans proud and want to win every time we step out onto the pitch.

Lower league soccer is full of clubs that want to grow large brands and take on the spotlight, but also full of clubs that are only focused on the results on the pitch. How does Grand Rapids fit into that comparison?

We are a little bit of both.  We aren't necessarily looking for the spotlight, but it usually shines on successful teams.  We have had the good fortune of great coaching staffs and player pools who have put us on the national map because we consistently win.  We have never finished lower than third in any league we have played in and because of that success people take notice.

Contra Costa FC

Just a couple of months ago, UPSL announced an expansion club for the Wild West Division, so we reached out. President of Contra Costa Football Club, Mark Wine, responded to our questions and told us a little bit about the division’s newest member. “Our credo is… unite the community, inspire the future. We truly are looking to make CCFC a household name in our area through education on training, club, and performance training,” he said. The club’s positivity is expressed in his answers and they kicked off their UPSL campaign last week, hosting San Ramon Dynamo, where they showed off matchday promotional materials and season tickets—they’re taking this seriously on and off the pitch.

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What's the story of Contra Costa FC? You seem really new; how did you start?

Contra Costa FC began as a pick-up league to our surrounding area. The target was adults. As the level of football increased it became a friendly adult team playing in a Sunday league and a competitive team playing in Liga NorCal. It was not pretty at start but as the name became more attractive the club began picking up more talent. In March of 2018, Functional Muscle Fitness, became the premier sponsor of CCFC while Coach Wine began training the team in the midst of the Copa Cup 2018. CCFC won the Copa Cup in 2018 and the team was really transformed.

The front office solidified two well-known coaches in the area, Derricke Brown and Jon Scoles, to help continue with the transformation. The team began having access to performance training and technical training inside the Functional Soccer Academy arena. A 7v7 league known as CONTRA 7s was then created and young talented player looking to go USL and/or looking to be challenged while in college or prior to college began to show up and tryout. Our vision is to inspire the youth in our county to play at a higher level while uniting our community through professional soccer matches and events.

It looks like you're kicking off your first season in the UPSL this Spring--what league did you come up from and what about UPSL convinced you to enter that level of competition?

We are coming from Liga Premier of NorCal. We also compete in the Copa Cup each year. Our recent success and goals of uniting the community through soccer sparked our ambition, players and coaches alike, to take Contra Costa FC to a higher level. We looked around and other leagues to play, in addition to Liga NorCal, and following conversations with NPSL and UPSL we felt that UPSL would be the best fit for us at this time. The tiers of soccer are confusing at times but at the end of the day we are looking to provide our players with an opportunity to play in front of an audience, advance to a USL level or even an international level. The UPSL offers more seasons and more teams, which will allow us to provide more to our community.

Photo from Contra Costa FC.

What is the long-term goal of the club? Do you look to build the club into a regional powerhouse? Or instead, do you focus on using your club to provide a funnel for area youth to access top level soccer?

 The long-term goal of Contra Costa FC is to bring a professional club to our greater community. Our focus is to create a local power house that unites the community under one brand, one logo and that is Contra Costa County. Our vision for our players is to put them on a platform to inspire young players through high level play, camps and clinics. We want our players to be given an opportunity to shine locally and/or be picked up by a higher tier team nationally or internationally. We currently have one of our players in the B division of Mexico, which is a success for our vision.

In addition, we hope to create a donation-based platform through Functional Soccer Academy to help sponsor young kids who cannot afford to pay the astronomically high competitive club rates. Kids are getting shut off from playing and we hope through our teams we are able to create a platform for change.

Some clubs love to bring in teams from other leagues for friendlies; sometimes this is to provide competitive matches to the squad, sometimes it’s to draw a crowd. Do you have plans for matches with clubs outside your league?

 Yes, we do. We plan on finding teams that are established or are known for high quality and competitive play. The goal is local and non-local. Same tier and a higher tier. We are looking to develop a strong-platform that becomes well known and established.

Photo from Contra Costa FC.

The badge is professionally done, what was the inspiration; what are the elements and how do they represent your club?

Our number one focus was to create something that stands out from the rest. We wanted it to be simple yet have tons of meaning. The elements in our crest were well thought out from our original design in 2015. If we want to take our club to a higher level we need a crest that goes with us.

The two dominant elements were the mountains and the wings. The number one element was the mountains, which represents Mount Diablo (our home). Everyone from our county gets to view these mountains year-round. Nothing screams Contra Costa County like Mount Diablo, it is a staple. The wings represent two parts for us. Part one, it represents our vision of reaching a higher level of soccer. We will never be satisfied and we will continue to improve as a club and an organization. We will continue to strive to take our club to a higher tier as well. Part two of the wings represents inspiring youth and providing them with a real-life vision, goal and player to look up to. We want them to soar.

Photo from Contra Costa FC.

Some clubs really enjoy the spotlight and are trying to grow a presence/interest while other clubs aren't worried about generating a buzz--focused on the soccer... what kind of club will you be?

Soccer is a platform that we will be using to help generate a “player first” not “club first” approach to club soccer in Contra Costa County. We need to provide a high-level soccer team to the area but we need to be so much more as an organization. At every level we MUST be integrated with the community and be all about the community. Our interests must be selfless for our vision to work.

For schedule and tryout updates, check them out here: http://www.contracostafc.com/

Pick up the latest Contra Costa FC swag, here: http://shop.contracostafc.com/contra_costa_fc/shop/home

Chattanooga FC

Chattanooga FC was founded in 2009 by a group of soccer fans in the the city. Since then, they’ve been a shining light in the American lower leagues and an example for many to follow. They’ve set records on the pitch and in the stands and have become one of the most well known soccer names in the US. They’ve done great work, both as a soccer team and as a member of the community. I had the privilege of talking to CFC Co-Founder and President, Sheldon Grizzle.

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When was Chattanooga FC founded and what led to this decision? 

We were founded in January 2009 after a group of friends came together with the vision of using soccer as a tool to bring the Chattanooga community together. Volkswagen had just announced they were going to build a $1 billion manufacturing facility in the city, so we knew we were about to see an influx of Germans and other Europeans who loved the sport. Chattanooga also had one of the fastest growing Latino populations in the country. 

What has been the impact of the club on the Chattanooga area? 

Chattanooga desperately needed something to root for back in 2009. The economy was not healthy and we felt like a locally owned soccer team might be the right cure. Since then, over 400,000 people have passed through the gates of Finley Stadium to watch soccer. More importantly, we’ve impacted thousands of kids’ lives through CFC Academy and CFC Foundation. We are fostering a culture that is healthy and holistic in its approach to soccer development. 

In addition, our supporters group, The Chattahooligans, have seen eight marriages over the last few years and we are now seeing the first, new generation of Chattanooga FC fans! It’s humbling to know that we are playing a small part in people’s lives.

What players should fans know about and why? 

A number of Chattanooga FC players have become local legends: Juan Hernandez is a fan favorite and the first player we announced returning to Chattanooga FC for 2019 after four great seasons in our central midfield; Zeca Ferraz is another fan favorite and sealed his name in Chattanooga FC lore when he scored the match-tying goal against FC Dallas in 2018; Niall McCabe played for us for one season and he is now a core part of Louisville City FC’s dominant run over the last couple years; Chris Ochieng played a number of seasons for us and he is now playing professionally in Kenya as well as getting time with the Kenyan national team.

What kind of work does CFC do to give back to the community?

 A core part of who we are is our work through the CFC Foundation. Through CFCF, we have helped direct millions of dollars back into the community through programming, public spaces, and the building of bridges between diverse communities

What was the main goal when founding the team and how does that match up with the team’s main goal now? 

Our original mission statement was to build community in Chattanooga through the sport of soccer. This is still our mission and we have restructured our organization as a public benefit corporation to bring our structure in line with our values. What we do and why we do it is not about soccer...soccer is merely the mechanism by which we make our city a better place for all residents. 

What are expectations for this season? 

As always, we hope to win an NPSL championship and, now, our sights are set on winning the NPSL Founders Cup.

The Chattahooligans are one of the most well known supporters groups in the US. What does their support mean to the club and how important is it? 

The Chattahooligans are a huge reason why we’ve been as successful as we have. They are the most passionate and creative group in the country and they have supported us through thick and thin. They help provide an excellent gameday experience for everyone from the most casual fan to the most intense “soccer nerd.” 

The campaign has generated almost $600,000.

What does fan ownership mean to the club and how has it felt seeing the response following the announcement? 

The supporter ownership campaign is something that we’ve wanted to do almost since our inception, and we’re grateful that we’ve gotten such a tremendous response. We truly did not imagine that we would be over halfway to our goal in just a few weeks. We have owners on every continent except Antarctica and 45 out of 50 states. Please check out owncfc.com to learn how you can join us!  

What difficulties have there been during your transition into a pro team?

 We have ten years under our belt so we have a lot of experience to draw upon. Everything we are doing now is a natural growth from where we’ve been. With that said, it’s always a challenge doing something you’ve never done before. One of the biggest challenges for us is that we will be competing against clubs with bigger budgets. We have to be innovative and find ways to do more with less. But we are up for the challenge because this is who we are. We fully expect to be very competitive this year, even with less resources than the other clubs. 

Just announced is a friendly upcoming with Comunicaciones Futbol Club Sociedad Anonima. Details here.

Fan ownership and Founders Cup were both huge announcements for this year. Is there anything else fans should be looking out for in the coming months?

Of course! It will be a busy few months before our NPSL season starts in May. Over the next couple months we’ll have player signings, exhibition match announcements (in addition to the Comunicaciones announcement last week), and our annual Jersey Reveal Party, which is always a great time for everyone. 

What’s the best way for fans to get involved with CFC?

So glad you asked! There are many ways to get involved with what we’re doing: 

1. Become an owner! Visit OWNCFC.com and join our growing ownership group. 

2. Buy a season pass! It is BY FAR the best ROI in sports...especially since the pass includes all exhibition and playoff games.

3. Become a sponsor. We are always trying to make connections with the corporate community and find creative ways to connect our partners to our passionate supporters.

4. There are plenty of ways to plug into CFC Academy, Operation Get Active, Chattanooga Sports Ministries, and Highland Park Commons! Consider supporting our youth development initiatives through coaching, refereeing, volunteering, or giving a charitable donation.

5. Tell your friends about us!

Union Dubuque

Union Dubuque F.C. made their début in the UPSL Midwest Conference in 2018, finishing strongly after a slow start.  Now they are looking to make their mark in two more competitions and build on the lessons learned in their first year.  I spoke with Union Dubuque president Cliff Conrad about the team and his new responsibilities as UPSL Midwest Conference Manager. 

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The last year must have been a bit of a roller coaster for you.  How do you think it went? 

I think the first year went pretty well, all things considered. At this level there's a lot to be said for finishing a season and feeling genuinely optimistic about the next one.  

For starters, the response from fans was great. Until you open the doors on day one and people show up, it is extremely difficult to predict the response you will get. We had about 400 fans at our first game and I was thrilled with the vocal support from Uncle Julien's Army, the supporter's group that popped up just a few days before the home opener. We had great, consistent support from them, even in late June when things had sagged a bit after a run of losses and the mid-season doldrums. As the season progressed to July, we pulled out a few great victories that I think energized the supporters and led to more interest, but the season is so short that it's difficult to capitalize on any momentum created.  

On the field, things didn't begin quite as we had hoped, but that was inevitable given that you never know how competitive you will be until you play. Ee lost 2-1 on the road to Aurora [Borealis] in our first match but were the better team throughout the game, so I had great hope for the rest of the season. The problem is that the season is so short that a few bad results in the first three games can really sink your season before it even gets going. That's one reason we're looking to enter the National Amateur Cup and Open Cup qualifying this year—the opportunity to compete on multiple fronts means there's more opportunities to find form and kick on from there.  

That leads me to my next question: Union Dubuque recently announced they would be entering three competitions this year: the UPSL, the National Amateur Cup, and the Open Cup. How are preparations going in this regard?

We targeted the U.S. National Amateur Cup as a key competition for us a long time ago. Last year, we were prevented from participating by poor communication from the state association and USASA Region II. After some changes to the entry procedure, we're confident that we will be in it this year. Obviously, having more games requires a deeper squad, and the games will likely have to be played midweek. The U.S. Open Cup is a bit different again. We may hold supplemental tryouts at the end of the season for players who could fill a role on that squad, but it will most likely be a much different team that we'll see during the summer.  

You must have learned a lot over the last year. Is there anything you know now that you wish you knew last year? 

I think one thing that would have made a huge difference last year is having more defined structure to our organization as a club. When it came to gamedays, I was effectively calling the shots on everything except what was happening on the field. One of the biggest changes we've made since is appointing directors in a variety of positions to take some of that responsibility. Plus, it's a great way to get people who are passionate about helping and are very capable at what they do involved with the club.  

How has your new role as conference manager informed your work with Union Dubuque, and vice-versa? 

I've been fortunate to see how a lot of things run at this level. The biggest issue is that not every club wants the same things, and when you add in varying levels of adherence to differing values and goals, you end up doing something akin to herding cats to build consensus around even basic decisions. I took the position because I do want to grow the game, and someone needed to step up when the previous CM resigned mid-season. I saw it as a great opportunity, and it has largely been a positive experience.  

Cedar Rapids Inferno was recently announced as a new expansion team in the UPSL Midwest Conference.  They will become the third Iowa team (after the Des Moines Menace and Union Dubuque) when just two years ago there was only one.  You must have had a hand in smoothing their path, since it usually takes a year for teams to go from announcement to conference play?

Helping Kenan [Malicevic] with the start of Cedar Rapids Inferno was one experience that I've enjoyed immensely. We had talks with Kenan about returning as a player for us, because he was an important part of our team last year. However, it seemed like his new job was going to limit his ability to come to Dubuque for training, so he made a very mature decision not to occupy a spot on our practice and gameday roster in order to let someone who can commit fully to the team join. When he came to me shortly after that saying he was talking to some people about bringing a club to Cedar Rapids, I figured that was the next best thing that could happen for Union Dubuque! So, I provided the insight and (admittedly minimal) experience I've gained over the last two years or so and encouraged him on. Really, all I've done is send him emails and texts. He's the one that's gone out and found support in the community, and I can't wait to travel down there in April to take them on!  

For more information, check out Union Dubuque on Twitter (@uniondfc).

FC Buffalo

The popularity of soccer has ebbed and flowed for decades. Some teams have folded while others have figured out a way to stay afloat or thrive. This year, FC Buffalo of the NPSL will begin their tenth season in the league. They have become a staple for Western New York soccer and boast a strong fan base including Buffalo native and namesake for their team nickname, Wolf Blitzer. Nick Mendola, a member of the team's ownership group, gave some thoughts about their milestone and upcoming trip to Germany, as they are set to become the first NPSL team to play in Europe.

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In your first decade, do you have any memories that really stand out on or off the field?

In Year Two, a local giant in our sports community helped us throw an international friendly against English lower division side Bedlington Terriers. It was a lesson in how well soccer could draw, and how much work goes into throwing a big, big event. Plus, the relationship between the giant (Bob Rich of Rich Products) and the British club was covered in a BBC documentary (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22JJ7qmSBPs&t=1315s). And we won pretty big!

[That game saw FC Buffalo win over Bedlington Terriers (of the 9th division) by four, 5-1.]

What has been the biggest challenge with keeping a team playing in Buffalo?

While supporters have multiplied and media coverage has grown, corporate partnership dollars have tended to gravitate to the biggest sports teams in our market. That just means we need to grow our club, and it's fine motivation, but it's a lot more difficult to bring in new partnerships.

Was there any low point in which you worried that you wouldn't be able to field a team anymore?

Yeah for sure. The first few years were touch-and-go. We took some big baths on uneducated decisions, whether it was catering to perceived "needs" in transportation, team apparel, or other elements of the organization. We've seen so many teams fold, so even today we need to have a healthy dose of fear and concern in our back pocket.

There have been a lot of teams popping up around the country. Is there any aspect of what you have done with FC Buffalo that, if it were missing, would have kept you from making it this far?

It's cliche, but having fewer ardent supporters would've killed us. When we have a bad game or run of form, we've still got fans singing songs and making our stadium a special place to attend an event and share in community. I remember sweating on whether they'd come back from game-to-game in Year One, or from season-to-season very early. It's love, man.

With your tenth season in the NPSL about to begin, how has your community changed since your first started playing in Buffalo?

Oh, soccer is much bigger now, and much more expensive. And the average supporter is so much better educated on the sport due to the widespread availability of professional games on TV and the Internet. And our community of supporters has become an inextricable part of our mission to make soccer stronger in Western New York.

Does FC Buffalo have any specific traditions that is has picked up over the years?

Buffalo recently released their St. Patrick’s Day kit. Available here.

A number of supporter songs and chants, like singing "Who's The Boss?" after opposing goal kicks because a first-season goalkeeper had the last name of Danza. Our Erie County Derby with the Erie Commodores (Buffalo is in Erie County, New York, and Erie is in Erie County, Pennsylvania) is pretty special.

FC Buffalo is heading to Germany this spring to be the first NPSL team to play in Europe. How has that plan come together?

There's enough in it to write a book. We are fortunate that we linked up pretty early with FC St. Pauli and knew we'd have a top-notch place to train and a good opponent (Their reserve side) for our first match. But passports, hotels, supporter travel, food... holy smoke. It'll be much easier the second time, but wow.

What do you see is the importance of international matches with FC Buffalo or with lower league teams in the U.S.?

It's more for us than them, and I think the friendlies are really important as both a barometer of where our club stands on the pitch, but also a way to bring in fans who still haven't experienced FCB and can get a gateway into what we do as a club.

Have there been any talks of more international matches, either abroad or in Buffalo?

Oh yes. May even be announced before this post goes up on your site!

*Since talking to Nick, FC Buffalo has added a friendly against international competition in which they will host Liga MX's Monarcas Morelia reserves in Buffalo. It will be a chance to see FC Buffalo against a Mexican side before they leave for Germany.

As you celebrate this season, do you have any goals for the next 10?

We've been building toward becoming a full professional side for some time, but it's been a far more arduous journey than expected. Either there wasn't a stable enough lower pro division, or -- like now -- we've had to revisit our approach to funding one. And either getting beer into our stadium or building up a new venue will become paramount to our health. Sad but true.

Is there anything you'd like to share with the lower league soccer community?

Yeah. Support your local club, whether it's the Portland Timbers or an upstart non-league club with ambition down the street from you. And if you find it hard to support said club, then get involved in a way that makes it what you want. Sometimes you gotta be the change.

Find out more about FC Buffalo, their schedule, and upcoming plans at FCBuffalo.org.

- Andy Rittenhouse