With the UPSL season well-underway, we were fortunate to have Emporia FC’s Director of Communications, Gabe Diaz-Serrano, reply to our request for an Under the Lights article. He was generous with his time and answered all of our questions about the club in the Midwest South Division of the United Premier Soccer League.

Tell us the origin story of Emporia FC - when was the club founded? By whom and what was its mission?
In June of 2005, Victor Ibarra and Leones Negros join Emporia Adult League and has the vision to grow the team to professional standards, Leones Negros quickly enlists the help of some friends and registers the team to participate in local leagues and tournaments in the Emporia, KS and metropolitan area. After a few seasons participating and challenging in the local leagues, Leones Negros begins to gain momentum. Players, coaches and teams begin to take notice of the the efforts going on behind the scenes at Emporia. The team plays and win several Sunflower State Games Open Divisions and plays in the Region II USASA National Cup at Scheels Complex. This effort took place until a hiatus in 2016. Fast forward to 2023, soccer continues to grow in Emporia, and with growth comes expansion. A rare opportunity presents itself, Leones Negros joins the UPSL and in the process renames itself to Emporia "Black Lions" Futbol Club.

Tell us about your badge and colors – how does it connect to the community and has it evolved over time or always been the same?
The colors of our club black, gold, and red, hold special significance. Black represents the roots of our heritage, with a connection to Guadalajara, Mexico. Gold pays homage to Emporia State University, and Red symbolizes our affiliation with Emporia High School. The colors reflect our commitment to bringing our diverse community closer together through the beautiful game of soccer.

What league does your adult team play in and what helped you choose that league?
Emporia FC plays in the Midwest South Division in the UPSL. The UPSL was Founded in 2011, the United Premier Soccer League now stands as the largest and most competitive pro-development league in North America. Each UPSL club is independently owned and operated. This has given us the freedom to build the culture we desire. UPSL is a league that operates year-round, comprising two seasons each calendar year. Lastly, the leagues diversity. With origins in 90 different nations are participating, and over 50% of players and coaches are of Hispanic descent. Emporia has a large population of Latin/Hispanics and our team is comprised of 80% hispanic/Latin players/staff.

Many clubs choose to sell hats, scarves or replica kits - how does your club keep the lights on and cover its league costs? How can interested people support you?
We are deeply grateful for any support you can offer, whether through sponsorship, donations, or any other form of assistance. Your involvement will not only help us achieve our goals but also benefit the community as a whole. For merchandise, please follow us on Instagram or facebook @emporiafc for updates on when our online store opens!

What are the goals and aspirations heading into next season? What is something you're working on tactically or technically?
Our ultimate goal is to create a legacy of excellence and to inspire the next generation of soccer players. We focus on improving player weaknesses while reinforcing their strengths. We plan on being heavily involved with our community on and off the field. For our team we would like to be adaptive and utilize our experience. We have many players that have professional/college experience, we rely on their leadership as we prepare for our inaugural season.

If there were one or two teams, within a 100 miles of you, to play a friendly against – who would you play and why?
Kansas City Comets or Kansas City Current. Both teams have unique venues and would make for a fun experience for our team. We also would love the opportunity for our Youth Academy to tour the facilities and meet the players!

Want to know more or get involved?
Follow Emporia FC on Instagram HERE
And give them a shout on X/Twitter HERE