We reached out to Bellevue Athletic FC to get the scoop on their club and to see how intersted folks could support them - co-owner Anastacio Rivera kindly took time out of their very busy schedule to answer our questions…

When was the club founded and why? Who got it started?
We founded Bellevue Athletic to kick off 2022. I personally played through the youth levels until graduating high school in 2013 and struggled to find opportunities to continue on, which lead me into coaching. This wasn’t without its bouts of depression having given up the game I loved, and as my younger brother grew up through the system I started to see all the flaws and lack of avenues players had, regardless of talent.

Last fall we took a trip to Denmark so my brother could trial at a few clubs there. On an off day, my mother and I decided to visit a 5th division teams field where they had a cup match against the top 1st division team. The crowd of 2000 was just about the whole village and the atmosphere was electric. The soccer was also high quality…

When we returned I decided it was time to try and develop that culture in OUR area and Bellevue was the way to go for me, as I’ve coached at Bellevue United FC for 6 years now and have come to adore the diversity and intrigue the community brings to the table.

Tell us about your name, logo, and colors - why were they chosen and do they have any connection to the community?
We choose gold and black as our primary color way as they, in my mind, symbolize professionalism and class, just like Bellevue does as a city. We decided when we came into the UPSL we wanted to bring the expectations and level of game day up, regardless of our results, and per feedback from the other organizations thus far, I think we’ve done that.

Does the club, or any of the players, volunteer in the community? If not, and time was not an issue, what would you do to make the world a better place?
Many of our players coach youth soccer throughout the community and are a part of different clubs and organizations benefitting the community as whole. All of our coaches are also youth coaches in the Bellevue/Renton areas.

If time and money weren’t an issue, we’d love to help provide free, fun, and high level training to the youth in the area like we do for our first team.

What league do you play in and who is your rival? If no rival, which clubs are you most looking forward to playing?
We play in the UPSL, and although we don’t have a rival yet, I’d say Cultures gives us the biggest rivalry “vibe”. We are most excited to get a chance to play St Johns at home and get revenge for our tough loss on our Vancouver trip!

How big of a draw is accessing the US Open Cup? If you can't qualify through your league, will you consider paying the qualification fees?
The US Open Cup is a huge draw, but we feel we should qualify through our league rather than buying in. We want to earn our success rather than buy it.

Lastly, how can folks support you? Do you have merch; do you need people to show up on matchday?
We always are posting new ways to support us on our Instagram and Facebook, but the best way to support the team is to come out and visit us on gameday!

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