Last year, we gave away our sixth Club of the Year Award to Tulsa Athletic. We’ve celebrated six different clubs from across the lower league American soccer scene. Teams from the UPSL, WPSL, NISA, USL W League, and USL League One have all hoisted our silver platter, engraved with Club of the Year. We’re a small organization, but we live in this space. We’ve invested time, energy, and so many dollars into trying to cover these leagues with respect and professionalism. And we always involve our readers and listeners in naming the winner of each year’s award.

This year we have five more clubs for you to consider, two are repeat nominations from earlier years. All have done important work in the lower leagues this year. Winning championships is, of course, an obvious sign of success, and there’s several trophies on this year’s list, but there’s also clubs who made the list because of their impact off the field. That sort of work deserves to be recognized as well. So without further conversation, here’s one of this year’s nominations. Be sure to return to vote beginning 12/23! - DV

What started as a concept in 2019, and took a few years to navigate obstacles, launched in 2024 as an “expansion club” in the USL Championship. However, Rhode Island were anything but just another expansion team and in their first season under Head Coach Khano Smith, they obliterated traditional expectation of new teams and ate up league opponents who took them lightly.

Smith, capped as an international for Bermuda back in his heyday, showed that his vast experience as a club player can translate to success as a mentor and leader of players from the sideline as well. Coach Smith played within both, the MLS and USL systems, as well as abroad - add that to nearly a decade as an assistant (notably some time spent under the highly respected Tom Soehn at Birmingham Legion) and its a wonder his opportunity didn’t come sooner. Adding him was a brilliant early move for RIFC.

Support for the club was never in question; with a reported 2500 deposits in week one of being on offer, the club displayed an ability to raise awareness and a sense of enfranchisement with local fans. Then they presented their kits, by Capelli Sport, and those very well-received shirts sold all over the country and had USL Social Media hype men thirsty for the threads.

While owners Brett Johnson and Michael Parkhurst got the club off on the right foot off the pitch, they also assembled a great squad to be on it. Starting with the signing of Koke Vegas, Rhode Island FC brought on Grant Stoneman from the defunct San Diego Loyal, the dangerous JJ Williams, Noah Fuson, and an electric Joe Brito (formerly plied his trade at a very good Union Omaha team). The real coup, however, was grabbing Albert Dikwa, who was a favorite in Pittsburg and scored 36 goals in 82 appearances for the Riverhounds.

The season started as one might expect of an expansion side, with 4 draws, a loss, and getting dumped out of the US Open Cup to a team a league below them. However, Coach Smith started a turn-around and earned some notable wins: beating a good Las Vegas Lights team on the road, getting a point at home against Lou City, then beating those “boys in purple” away in Louisville. That win started an 8 game unbeaten run, which was broken up by a little dip, but resumed at the end of the year with a 6 game streak. RIFC entered the playoffs as a 5-seed and beat the three biggest teams in the East, in a row, all on the road.

Despite losing steam when they got to the Final and getting beat 3-0 by Colorado Springs Switchbacks, Rhode Island FC played less like an expansion team and more like a squad of “Rhode Warriors” who’ve been there before and know how to act. They’ve shown future incoming clubs a road map to success; to go after great players and coaches, and be fearless when taking on established clubs.

- Joshua Duder