New Year's Resolutions

We asked our writers to all give a single New Year’s Resolution. Happy New Year! We’d love to hear your resolutions as well!

Dan - Play Soccer IRL

I’m a FIFA player or was until my kid took over my life.  I have the traditional pudgy body of a guy who plays video games and I despise exercising. Funny for a guy who edits a soccer website. Needless to say, 2019 should be the year I cross the white lines and put my foot to the ball. Yeah, I’m 40 and that seems intimidating, but I love this game and want to play. Count me in.

Steven - Play Soccer IRL

I have to copy Dan on this one. This year I packed on the pounds and not in a good way. In 2017 I trained about 3-4 times a week out at the park. I put out cones, ran drills and practiced my ball work. I managed to get multiple friends out tpo play small sided rondo-esque games and they weren’t even fans of the game. I have to get back to that. I watch so much soccer, so now it’s time to lace up my boots again, pump up my balls and get back out there, maybe even join an adult league.

Shawn - Try to be more open to debates within the soccer-verse

I’m sure if you were to scroll through my timeline from the beginning of my time on Twitter until now, you’ll find that I’ve been very abrasive and confrontational.  I admit I have a hard time keeping my annoyance in check but I’ve gotten better with it over time. However, I’m striving to do better and want to invite the conversation and debate on to my timeline.  I hope to see differing opinions in the long run and look to open my mind a bit more.

Phil - Find my next job

2019 is big for me as it marks my transition from Active military service. There are a lot of things that go along with that and I am trying to make the transition as smooth as possible for myself. I know that has nothing to do with soccer but hopefully my move facilitates more involvement in the local soccer community where I end up and more freedom to cover the game that I love so much.

Dominic - Pursue Opportunities on and off the pitch

Despite spraining my foot toward the end of the season, I was able to have a really fun time playing intramural soccer this fall. I hadn’t played proper 11v11 soccer in a long time and finally getting down and playing felt great, especially since my foot healed well. I also hope to continue to pursue good opportunities off the field, especially including the continued work for Protagonist.

Josh – Less Video Games, More Reading and Sleeping

As I near completing Red Dead Redemption 2, I realize it has largely consumed a great deal of my free time, and time which used to time I dedicated to essential functions of life… like eating or sleeping. Having received a few books for Christmas, I’m looking forward to reading those and maybe even finding my actual bed once in a while. I imagine an after effect of sleeping, eating and drinking water regularly, combined with reading will be a stimulation of the intellectual components in my brain-housing group… heck, I just may be able to write a few pieces for Protagonist in 2019.

Brian -- Further cement myself in the US Soccer Storytelling Universe

I have spent 20 years writing for the Capital Newspaper in Annapolis. Yes, the one with the deadly shooting this past June. I have covered high school and collegiate athletics that entire time and I value the education I continue to get from speaking to eager 15, 16 and 17-year-olds and their coaches. I went to England two years ago and wrote a book with my best friend on the English Premier League from the perspective of an American who loves the sport (but, like most Americans, never played beyond high school). I went to England again this past fall to write the second edition of the book, and spent this past summer criss-crossing the United States to write a book on baseball stadiums. In between, I fell in love with my local club, Christos FC, and am now going as far down the rabbit hole as I can to tell stories of players, coaches, clubs and cities that play and support this beautiful game in the United States. I was a goalkeeper, so I am not going to pretend that I can go in-depth on the X’s and O’s of formations and the like, but I can get you into the atmosphere and ready to chant and sing and throw some smoke for your side.

Oh yeah, and I want to lose 75 pounds so my kids will stop looking at pictures of me playing soccer and baseball in college and asking me if I was anorexic.

Looking forward to 2019

With the year drawing to a close, we thought we’d reflect on what we’re looking forward to next year. As you can see by our responses, the NPSL Founders Cup is definitely on our minds!

Dan - Founders Cup 2019

I’m a big fan of what the NPSL has done so far putting this tournament and eventual professional league. I have concerns of course, but what’s not to love about a new professional league rising from this competition. The clubs involved are exciting and fun to watch. I can’t wait for the Founders Cup (even making plans to attend if possible)!

Steven - Riverside Coras FC’s 50th season

The staff and I have been putting in a lot of work over the last couple months. 2019 is set to be the biggest year in our history. Our new coach is a Hometown Hero and looks to be the leader the Coras need to get back into the NPSL playoffs. We are also working on tons of new content that will help put Riverside Soccer on the map. NPSL South West division is competitive and with the added clubs and a few teams getting ready for NPSL Pro, this season is going to be great!

Shawn - Founders Cup 2019

I have to agree with Dan on this.  I’ve been following the NPSL closely over the last few years, so when the rumors began to swirl I started getting excited.  Now that it’s a reality, I can’t wait to see how it plays out and see who starts to flex those muscles.

Phil - Growth of Soccer

“Grow the Game” was an extremely cringe-worthy catchphrase that made its way around US Soccer about 10 years ago and it feels like an extremely small amount of tangible success actually exists from this “growth.” However, the literal growth of the game, whether through new leagues or new clubs in new areas, is occurring through those entities. There are more teams, more cities being represented, more opportunities for players, managers and supporters than ever before. We can still want a lot of reform around US Soccer, but this is a good thing. The good news, these systems are built to handle more teams and I hope we can do that in a way that rewards clubs that have fostered a positive culture.

Dominic - Founders Cup 2019

Not to be that guy, but I agree with Shawn and Dan that the Founders Cup is the thing I’m most looking forward to next year outside of continuing to see my clubs play. The Founders Cup has two clubs in the midwest (Milwaukee Torrent and Detroit City, both only one or two states away from me) and that makes me all the more excited as I feel the northern midwest is a hugely underappreciated region in modern American soccer with only one MLS franchise in the area and two USL League One franchises (the USL Championship has none). Having pro soccer grow here while avoiding the horrible franchise business of American sports is a perfect combo for me.

Josh – Founders Cup 2019 and its impact on NPSL

The era of NPSL pro is upon us, there are currently 11 clubs who have decided they either make enough money at the gates to fund a season of lengthily travel or that they simply have enough money to burn. Conversely, there are a ton of NPSL clubs who are hesitant to throw their lot in with the emerging professional branch of their league. I am looking forward to seeing the Founders Cup being very successful and have fingers crossed that NPSL are able to wrangle sponsorship large enough to help clubs who might not have it in the bank to join, but might have the ambition to grow and the market potential to do so.

Brian -- Hopefully Meeting Some or All of My Protagonist Soccer Colleagues

I would have said Founders Cup 2019 as well, but that is only because of the writing done by my colleagues at Protagonist Soccer. All of them seem to at least be at the Master’s level regarding their knowledge of lower tier US Soccer, while I am just now getting into my 200-level classes. I love reading their stories about clubs I had previously never heard of before, and then following them. I am sneaky like that. If it were not for this project, I would never have met or spoken to people like Rose Shoen, Sam Seibert, Gary Wiggins, Vinny Bell, Coletun Long, and so many more. Men and women who have passion; the kind of people you want to be around on a daily basis.

Plus, since most of the gang are located around the country, it allows me to see more of the United States. Soccer here is just like the food, the accents, etc. It has slight differences in the Pacific Northwest, in the Mid-Atlantic, in TEXAS and so on. That is what makes each day seem like the first day of soccer school.

Favorite Article of the Year

We’ve only existed for 4 months, but, in that time, we’ve generated some great coverage of lower league clubs, players, and events. We asked our staff to pick their favorite articles from the year, not necessarily by them. The result was a list of articles as diverse as the subject matter we’ve covered so far - it does not disappoint. If you’re new to our site or maybe you missed one of these, check out our staff favorites from this year!

Dan - The Ghosts of Fall River

Before this site ever existed, there was a conversation in a chat with 6 or 7 lower tier soccer guys: four podcasters, several SG founders, even a front office guy from a UPSL side. We’d talk about lower league stuff all the time, literally. I’d have to turn my phone off in the night so the notifications wouldn’t wake me up. In the process of that conversation, I learned about the history of soccer in this country. Specifically Fall River Marksmen. That seed grew into this website and when we did our “dead club” features, it was a no brainer for me. I wrote about a club I love, regardless of their long-ago demise. I think that the average American soccer fan doesn’t know the sport’s history. We need to change that.

Steven - Cracking the Crypt Series

It’s hard to pick just one article, but this series inspired all of our writers to consider our past and what local soccer truly means. Everyone pitched in and we created a week’s worth of unique content. I learned about so many historic clubs and had fun researching Los Angeles’ soccer history. This series also inspired our first #VitalVintage jersey, Vampire Association FC. Evolution as an organization is inevitable and I believe this series was a turning point for Protagonist Soccer.

Shawn-All the articles

I’ll be honest I couldn’t choose just one article.  Each article gave us different perspectives and looks into all of the clubs we’ve covered thus far.  Each of us here at Protagonist has a distinct writing style and it can be seen clearly in the writing.  At the same time, seeing the amount of conversations started because of some of our articles and seeing clubs gain more followers has been amazing to see.  

Phil - Divergence: The Death of the Kitsap Pumas

This is bittersweet for me because I wish I’d never had to have written this story. Kitsap Pumas were a fantastic club with lots of history and ambition, so writing about their demise was difficult. This story quickly revealed itself to be incredibly important though. No club in the US is immune to problems. Your local club needs you. There are so many good people involved with these clubs, make sure you do your part to ensure they still have the opportunity to make a difference with that club by never taking it for granted.

Dominic - We Are a People, We Are Alive

I really enjoy everyone’s work on the site but having more insight into the creation of my own articles than others, I’d say that I most enjoyed the work around my article on Croatian-Inspired clubs called We Are A People, We Are Alive. The article involved talking to two great clubs and got a really positive response from the soccer community, which was great to see, but what made me feel the most positive about the article was that it got positive responses from Croatian Americans in and outside of the beautiful game.

Josh – The Spotlight Series

One of my favorite aspects of learning about all of these amazing clubs, is hearing about it in their own words. What their badges mean to them, where they draw their inspiration from and what they love about their city or neighborhoods. Learning all about a new club from Central Florida is as exciting as learning about the long tradition of an amateur soccer organization in my home town of Portland, Oregon. I am really looking forward to future Spotlight pieces as well as the Uniformity pieces, which deep-dives into the design and meaning of the truly fantastic shirts of all the teams we support.

Brian - Being as Cleveland as Possible

This is not my favorite because of the content, but because it solidified my love affair with these clubs. Researching the end of AFC Cleveland, followed immediately by the rise of Cleveland SC, exposed me to the will these clubs have to have to survive and thrive in this local-based soccer world. Getting the buy-in from the community and understanding Cleveland’s passion for this sport was gratifying. So many people took time out of their busy schedules to grant my interview requests and they were great about the extended timetable for the story process. Plus, they have their own beer and the whole discussion started in a Chipotle parking lot, where many great ideas originate.

Staff Nominees for 2018 Protagonist Club of the Year

There’s a phrase that gets thrown around a lot in lower league circles, “Club over league.” With the collapse of so many leagues and the lack of stability in the current set up, that phrase applies perfectly. Leagues may come and go, but clubs can last forever. As long as they are supported, appreciated, backed, and run correctly. This year, each of our staff picked the club they felt best embodied the passion and pluck of the lower tier and the picks included clubs from the UPSL, NPSL, and regional leagues (I see you Maryland Majors!). The diversity of the choices only emphasizes the diversity of the lower rungs of the American pyramid - a perfect contrast to the cookie cutter look of the top league. So congratulations to our nominees for 2018 Protagonist Club of the Year! Thank you all for your pursuit of excellence, you are fun to watch and report on! Once you read the nominees, vote for your choice here!

Dan - Inocentes FC

Plenty of great clubs to pick from for this, but without a doubt Inocentes has established itself as the class of Texas. Based in Ft. Worth, a club founded by immigrants 50 years ago, their first season in the UPSL ended in the National playoff in Colorado. Undeterred, Inocentes turned around and played in the Fall season, winning the expanded Central Conference convincingly against some of the best talent in the UPSL. Mario Alcala If you doubt this club, better hope you aren’t playing them, because they ball.

Steven - Fort Worth Vaqueros FC

All year this club has impressed me. Their ideas are always innovative and inspire the way I think about crafting a soccer culture. On top of their unique ideas, like a soccer league, the Vaqueros have also found 30+ sponsors to help grow the game with. I will continue to look at what this club does in the future and will also be following their play on the pitch.

Shawn - America SC

This club was brand new at the start of the 2018 Spring UPSL season but has quickly shown its dominance in the Florida Central Conference.  The Fall season continued to see the Owls of America SC tear through their competition in the US Open Cup and league play. I look forward to seeing them do bigger and better things over the next few years.

Phil - Milwaukee Bavarians SC

I’ve been covering or following Milwaukee Bavarians in some form or fashion for 3 full years now and this club never ceases to amaze or impress. From the facility they play at (with its attached Bierhaus) to the history to the trophy cabinet that demonstrates that history, this is a local club that has engaged its community and stayed successful on the field. And they have been doing all this since 1929. Being from outside of Chicago, I’m always reluctant to acknowledge the achievements of Milwaukee sports teams. Bavarians transcends that petty rivalry however and have become a national club with a sustainable model that I hope remains successful for decades to come.

Dominic - Milwaukee Bavarians SC

I’ve got to agree with Phil here. Bavarians dominated their spheres of influence this year, winning two major trophies and locking in a USOC spot. They destroyed their UPSL conference (though I’d argue they have a problematic level of control in that conference and am glad to see it sounds like they might get moved around a little). The club is one of a few big names out of my home state but they continue to show that Milwaukee is a city eternally connected with the beautiful game.

Josh – Detroit City FC

Detroit City seems to do just about everything right, they have set the bar high for non-MLS clubs and I think they’re somebody a lot of other clubs look to for insight and inspiration. They succeed off the pitch as much as they do on the pitch—from participating in a $800K plus grant to invest in Hamtramck’s Veteran Memorial Park to opening their indoor field house, which provides employment opportunities and a place for fans to party and play; from hosting both Serie A club Frosinone Calcio and the very popular 2. Bundesliga club FC Sankt Pauli to becoming a founding member of the NPSL’s Pro league and the Founder’s Cup. Their aesthetic is inspirational and their all-inclusive supporters’ group, The Northern Guard, gives their all for the club for a full 90, then gives even more to their community. After my first full year following the lower leagues, they stand out as the model and I can’t wait to see which clubs emulate or even surpass DCFC’s example in the near future.

Brian – Christos FC

I am biased here as these are the guys that initiated me into high-level, competitive amateur soccer. They have won numerous national championships, but it was their run to the fourth round in the US Open Cup and a match against DC United in 2017 that gained Christos FC national recognition outside of their peers. To me, they are the face of all those who can still play soccer at a high level, whether you are 22 or 35, and find a way to make it work. No, they don’t practice, because they have full-time jobs all around the region. Again, that makes them just like everyone else we are covering, and that is why these guys are the best. They are so accessible and, unlike Messi or Ronaldo, you can actually picture yourself accomplishing some of what they are doing, which motivates people like me to get back in the gym and on the field. They won the Maryland Major Soccer League Fall 1st Division title for the fourth consecutive year and seventh overall and they narrowly missed out on qualifying for a third straight US Open Cup. Their Over-30 and Over-40 clubs continue to have success at the regional and national level and their work with youth clubs in the Baltimore metro area is growing. Oh, and they are now a part of the NPSL, as FC Baltimore is now FC Baltimore Christos. The improved organization and scouting will surely benefit a club that already qualified for the playoffs in its inaugural season.

You’ve read the nominees, now VOTE!