Space United FC

So who are you and how did you get involved in Space United FC?

My name is Camilo Tobacia, I am the Founder & CEO of Space United. I am a former youth soccer player from professional club Millonarios FC (Bogota, Colombia), former SpaceX (Elon Musk) engineer and a current engineer at Blue Origin (Jeff Bezos). Shortly after graduating as an Aerospace Engineer from Texas A&M University, I received a job offer at SpaceX, the leading rocket company run by Elon Musk. My unique experiences within soccer and the space industry inspired me to create Space United in 2014 (originally dubbed SpaceX FC). Space United became the culmination of soccer and space in my life.  Useful links:

• Team behind the Team 

• Historical Timeline

• Space United Origins

Interesting name, who is "united" under the club?

In 2014, the team was founded as SpaceX FC, and was 100% made up of SpaceX colleagues. As we competed and got better, we started to get notoriety and exposure in the Los Angeles soccer scene which led to our participation in many soccer events and tournaments in the city. As the team's social exposure grew, so did the requests to join the squad from other space companies and space & soccer enthusiasts. In 2019 we opened the roster to allow players from these groups and thus formed Space United. 

We currently run 2 teams. 1in Los Angeles and 1 in Seattle. 

Our Los Angeles roster makeup is about 75% mix of SpaceX, Relativity Space, Northrop Grumman and Oracle. The remaining 25% are space/soccer enthusiasts and athletes. 

Our Seattle roster makeup is mainly Blue Origin members. 

What league is the club in and where does the club play matches?

Our Los Angeles team competes in the SouthBay Sports League and our Seattle team competes in the Starfire Soccer Complex.

Our next mission objective is to establish a professional soccer team that can compete at the level of NISA/NPSL league. 

Do you feel like the unique nature of your club's players' backgrounds change the way you play the game?

I think it is very interesting to have such a diverse mix of players who come from different athletic and educational backgrounds. It definitely adds value to our overall camaraderie and how we play and communicate on the field. There have been a few games that coincide with rocket launch schedules, so you will find our players discussing launch parameters and broadcasting live rocket landings on the pitch --definitely a unique perspective that set our own kickoff. Having that connection beyond the pitch keeps us together at a different level.

Can you tell us about your club's players? Any we should know about specifically?

We have a very unique makeup of players, all of whom are experts in their own fields. In addition we are the only team in the league with women on our competing roster in the 11v11 Men's league. Some players highlights are:

• Drew Hess, Head of Mission Management at Relativity Space

• Sebastian Torres, Entrepreneur and Technical Project Lead at SpaceX

• Sebastian Tobacia, Smart Automation Engineer at Northrop Grumman 

• Alejandro Arambula & Alex Teuffer, Engineers at SpaceX and MIT Alumni

• Hayley Gonzales, Model and Sports Coach

• Everyone adds their unique soccer and educational expertise. 

• Roster Bios for more reference

In some ways, your club reminds me of the way soccer clubs formed in the beginning, out of trade unions and specific crafts. Do you see this connection as well?

I recently watched the movie "The English Game" and got a better idea of what you are mentioning here. I think you are correct in connecting that characteristic which I think is so cool to see that the origins of the game began in a much similar way as we are going about our club. It definitely makes it feel like family to be playing alongside co-workers.

Anything else we should know about your club?

We are excited for what the future holds for our club, especially as we work toward establishing a professional team that can compete at higher levels. We want to be part of the engine that gets soccer growing in America. We are launching our website by the end of this month along with our New 2020 kit and our club shop as well. 

Providence City FC

We’ve brought on Providence City FC before to check out their amazing design, but we wanted to revisit the Rogues of the soccer twitterverse to get more insight into where they came from and what they’re up to going forward. With a diverse roster and an expanding community of support, propelled by engaging social media and graphic design, we asked a little about their plan and visionary Jason Rego took time away from the pitch to answer our request for parley.

When was the club founded and how was the name chosen? Were there any other options on the table?

In 2015 as Providence City FC. Prior East Providence Sports in LUSA (previous Rhode Island Amateur League). Tristan wanted to follow the European naming conventions of naming a club with the area in mind.

The Bay State Soccer League is a great competition - but is that where you started?

The BSSL is a great amateur league that gives every semi-pro league a run for their money. No, not technically. This is debatable. We started in the Rhode Island league in 2015, joined the BSSL in 2016 missing out on promotion by 1 pt, and in 2017 we split (Tristan - AFC and us - FC). Where we climbed the ranks each season to win D1 in 2019.

We've covered your aesthetic and kits in a previous article, but your club does an amazing job at marketing itself. What led you in that direction when so many clubs at your level miss out on that aspect. What's your favorite part; design, production, marketing or just seeing other people rock it?

This is a passion project; the journey is fun. From getting a sponsor to creating a design on paper to bring it to life into Rogues' hands. At the end of the day seeing others spread the good word is a great feeling. It's great to see a satisfied Rogue supporting our club. It has helped grow us to where we are today. We are infinitely grateful for everyone that supports us in any manner.

Speaking of people rocking your kits and scarves, what's the supporter scene like? Do you have fans show up yet? Do you stream matches for interested people to watch from Texas or Oregon or wherever?

Both in terms of supporter’s scene, depending on location and kickoff time. We have family, friends, and supporters that have heard about us from social media show up at matches. It was much easier to get people to games when we played at Brown University (Providence, RI) and midafternoon. This past season we played 15-20 minutes out from Providence and at 9am which made it tougher to get more than 50 people at a match.

Have you had any players move onto NISA, MLS or even internationally? Any players or coaches of note?

Internationally we had Justin Freitas (Spain) and Pepe (Portugal). We did not develop either of them but they both had stints at our club. One our players Pat Ouckama is a NE Revolution Academy coach.

What's next? In addition to winning your league, what other silverware are you looking for? USOC? USASA National Amateur Cup? NISA... someday?

In a perfect world we have a "pro" team, BSSL team, and Rhode Island team. 

Pro = A (NISA, Community club)

BSSL = B (Competitive, either fighting for a first team spot or cannot make that type of commitment)

RI = C (Sunday League, Recreation)

Youth Academy

For more information about Providence City FC: http://providencecityfc.com/

For more information about the Bay State Soccer League: https://www.bssl.com/

Fire and Ice Academy (WPSL)

The 2020 Women’s Professional Soccer League season is on hold for the time being, but we thought we could take a look back at previous winners to see where they came from and to gauge who’s on track to once again challenge for that top spot. For this week’s Spotlight article, we reached out to 2017 WPSL Champions, Fire & Ice Soccer Academy and their WPSL Head Coach and Academy Club Director, Lindsay Eversmeyer was kind enough answer our questions.

The League was founded over two decades ago - but when was Fire & Ice SC founded and have you been in the WPSL since then?

Fire & Ice was founded in 2013 and we have been in the league ever since.  We have a WPSL all-time record of 53-16-7, 185 Goals For, 65 Against, and 33 Shutouts.  We have won 1 National Championship, 2 Final Four Appearances, 2 Central Region Championships and 3 Conference Championships.  

There are five levels in your development pathway, so clearly fielding a WPSL club is not your primary objective; what is the mission of the organization and has that changed over time?
  

Actually, our academy just started in 2019.  So, the primary mission started as providing college players with a high-level playing environment during their off seasons and for players out of college to continue playing to possibly reach the professional level.  Now that we have expanded to have a youth academy underneath, our mission is to guide and empower young women through soccer while providing a complete pathway.  

They’ve changed their badge since then, but nothing will change the fact that they won it all in 2017.

Having multiple tiers within the club, the younger players have a built-in and clear-cut development funnel; how important is that to young girls - to see that they can have a future in soccer if they want to and that they get to see examples of what their grit and determination gets them?

It is VERY important.  It is the main reason that I started the academy to begin with.  Having myself, alongside former USWNT Captain Lori Chalupny, provides these young girls and women with realistic role models as well as a great sounding board for how to reach the highest level of the game.  

In the league's twenty-plus years there have been a handful of teams who have won multiple titles, and if they weren't winning, they ended up as runners-up; after winning in 2017 do you have what it takes to push for another title?

This league's competitive level continues to grow each year, which is amazing!  With that being said, I think that every year our team has what it takes. We always have talented players.  Sometimes the ball falls our way, and sometimes it doesn't.  That's what makes soccer such a beautiful game.  In 2017, we played teams that on paper looked like they could smash us, and I'm sure those teams felt that way when they saw our roster.  But as the saying goes, "Hard work outdoes talent, when talent doesn't work hard."  So, it really depends on our mentality going into the season, making sure everyone stays healthy, playing with the most heart and making the fewest mistakes on the field! 

WPSL has done an amazing job of preparing student-athletes for their jump to the professional ranks - do you have any players or coaches of note who have been drafted into the NWSL or made it to the next-level internationally?

YES!  We have two players that played for us that went on to play in the NWSL, Tessa Gavilsky (now Florio) played for the Houston Dash, and Rachel Tejada was drafted to the Chicago Red Stars.  We've currently had 6 others go on to play overseas.  Should be a couple more added to that soon, however, they haven't made an announcement yet, so I can't confirm. I've attached the link if you want more information on each of them. 

https://www.fireandicesoccer.com/page/show/4736740-wpsl-to-the-professional-league

One of the most enjoyable parts of soccer is fan support and rivalries, does Fire & Ice have a derby? What about supporters - is there a core group of fans who make an atmosphere of note?

Yes, we have a derby against a team from Missouri called the St. Louis Lions. They came into the league a couple years ago.  We have THE BEST group of soccer fans in St. Louis.  One is called the St. Louligans and the others are the American Outlaws STL Chapter.  They both eat, sleep, and breathe soccer and have done an amazing job of promoting our team since the beginning.  They show up to our games, make noise, and completely support us.  We are very fortunate to have them in our corner.

For more information about Fire & Ice Academy Soccer: https://www.fireandicesoccer.com/home

For more information about the WPSL: https://www.wpslsoccer.com/

Agema FC

Recently, Protagonist Soccer ran a series of twitter polls to determine who had the best lower league soccer badge in the United States for 2019. While there were the obvious entries, one nomination came as a surprise and we need a little explaining. Noah Hughes, founder of Agema FC, who are based in Indiana and will be joining the OVPL gave us some insight and a history lesson too. 

When and why were you founded? What does your club's name and badge mean?

The Agema name was founded back in 2016 originally as a small E-sport Organization. My love of E-sports and soccer have always been existent and when I was 17, I created the Agema brand for fun to try to learn more about the world of E-sports. Along the way I have fallen in love with the name and I hopefully have it as a part of my life forever. Our recent tweet describes what an Agema is but to anyone that does not follow our Twitter:  An Agema is a term to describe a military detachment, used for a special cause, such as guarding high valued targets. Due to its nature the Agema most probably comprised elite troops. Our logo is a mix of a Greek soldiers and Thor's helmet to give it an updated stylized look.

Some clubs change leagues as they grow - what league are you currently in and do you have any aspirations to move "up" to a higher level? 

We plan on one day joining the newly founded OVPL. However, I do play indoor soccer with a group of friends and I (somehow) convinced them to use the name in our next indoor session. After that the sky is the limit of course, NPSL, USL League 2, and up are always a part of a club’s hopes and dreams.

What first started as an e-sports organization, will now take on physical form and compete in the realm of the living.

Some clubs are connected to a youth program which helps cover costs, while other clubs are out there slinging scarves and stickers to get by - how does your club sustain itself?

We plan on releasing Merch in the future. I also am very close with the board of the club I played travel with and I’ve been in contact with them to hopefully create a partnership with that club in the central Indiana region. I also sell items of old board games, trading card games, and more that I would do to self-fund the E-sports aspect.

Pulling together a consistent squad can sometimes prove difficult at the lower levels of soccer - where do you draw your players from and how often do you have to go looking for new players?

Indiana is a gold mine of lost talent that has been skipped on for years. Personally, I have played with and against talent that have more than enough potential. One of the best players from my team who was a Freshman my Junior year of High School ended his HS career with 77 Goals and 38 Assists. The kid is insane and it would be a disgrace that he never gets a shot for higher level soccer. Especially pro. There are many kids just like him from the Indy area and out the outskirts that have more than enough talent to make it. Hopefully one day we will display those players. 

What does success look like in 2020? What goals have you set?

Success for me is to keep doing what I’m doing. If I can sell one Kit to a guy that I’ll never meet that is more successful than I can ever dream of. Our online presence with all my E-sport contacts are supporting me along the way. The sky's the limit, am I optimistic as a young 20-year-old? Is it possible for me to fail? Look how many clubs die every year in lower tier soccer. The one thing I’ve learned though, is if you believe you can achieve, it's just how you deal with problems that come in your way are where your real colors show.

Newcomers Agema FC, named for a special ops Greek Soldiers outfit, will take the battle to the Ohio Valley Premier League in 2020.

Rush Wisconsin West - Ducks UPSL

Where does it all begin for Rush Wisconsin West and what led the organization to set up the UPSL Ducks?

Rush Wisconsin West began in 2015 with 90 youth players and has sense grown to over 500. The club attracts players from a 60-mile radius which includes residents from three states; Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa. The idea of adding a higher tier team to our club was built on the concept of wanting to bring next level soccer to our community. 

Some clubs draw players right up through a youth funnel, some clubs attract local student-athletes; where does your UPSL side get its players from?  

The Ducks intend to attract players from all different avenues - local alumni, Rush alumni from across the country, college players of all levels, etc. We will provide housing and job opportunities for our players. We want to draw from everywhere and we do not want any barriers to entry. 

Rush Wisconsin West has a flourishing youth program, from which they may be able to recruit into their Adult UPSL side, once they’ve developed through the funnel.

The US Open Cup recently updated its calendar to begin rounds in early March. Would you be able to participate if you qualified? Any interest in pursuing Cup qualification?

Of course, there is interest, but we need to stay focused on creating our foundation first. We want to focus on creating a culture that players are dying to be a part of. If we can do that, the sky is the limit for the Ducks. That being said, if the majority of our roster is made up of NCAA players, our hands will be tied on participating based on the current Cup calendar. 

The Ducks represents an extended opportunity for men to play soccer - has any thought been given to establishing a women’s side in WPSL or UWS?

Great question. Yes, if the Men’s side goes well, we will be looking to add a Women’s side in the future. With the current format and available competition, the WPSL could be a good fit for us. Whenever we add programming, we want to make sure we are concentrating on quality. Adding the teams one at a time will help ensure we are setting each team up properly for success. We want to be able to give each team the individual attention it deserves and needs. 

Rush’s UPSL squad, the Ducks, are developing swag to help fund club operations. We’re in for one of these scarves!

Some clubs are just fantastic at branding & marketing, while others aren’t playing that game - does Rush need to draw fans and sell swag, or are you focused on other aspects of sustainability?

We will be looking at all avenues to help us create sustainability. However, we believe sustainability starts with having a good product. We want to create a team and culture that the community feels passionate about supporting. While ticket sales, concessions, and swag will help us - we will be focusing the majority of our sustainability efforts on gaining sponsorships and investors.

Looking to support the Ducks? Check out our sweet gear here. One of our new partners will be Capelli Sport. Capelli Sport has been awesome to work with and will keep our fans and players looking sharp!

What should we expect from the Ducks in 2019 - what are the club’s goals?

1.    Create a player centered environment 

2.    Create a culture that the community feels passionate about supporting 

3.    Build relationships that will create sustainability 

The UPSL Ducks are looking to above and beyond at their level of play – potentially providing housing and pay!

To learn more about the Ducks.

North Alabama SC

When you look at the Alabama, you don’t expect there to be a big soccer presence due to the heavy college football influence that is the University of Alabama and Auburn University. But, clubs like AFC Mobile and those on the Gulf Coast have been changing that view. Now it seems that the passion in the south is making its way to northern Alabama.

Prior to the Thanksgiving and holiday period, I got the opportunity to talk with the President of North Alabama FC. What I learned has me excited for the future of both the soccer scene in Alabama and the future of lower league soccer in the country.

Without further ado, I present to you the pride of Huntsville, North Alabama FC.

Can you give us some background on yourself? 

I'm Brian Foy. I am a father of two soccer playing daughters, a soccer fan, and love serving our soccer club. I have served on the Board of Directors since 2014 and served as President since 2017. 

My professional background is in the software industry. I am currently the Service Delivery Executive at a Huntsville-based solutions provider for the financial services and banking industry.

I see that there is a solid developmental system set up. What made you decide to jump up another level and add NPSL? 

We are very proud of our youth development system that has prepared our players to succeed at the next level. Our decision to add an NPSL team was to provide an enhanced player development pathway for our local club, high school, college, and adult players and provide the North Alabama soccer community with a higher-level soccer experience.

I’ll be honest, I never thought of Northern Alabama as a huge soccer area. Can you tell us how big the soccer scene really is in the Huntsville area? 

North Alabama is an inspired soccer community. While football is the sport of choice in our State (Roll Tide and War Eagle), North Alabama has soccer in its DNA. Our soccer community is made up of more than 1,200 adult soccer league players and thousands more youth players participating in competitive club and recreational soccer. This does not include the local high school soccer community that fields some of the most competitive teams in the State and the three local universities: Alabama A&M University, Oakwood University, and the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) that field sanctioned soccer teams. Huntsville also hosts the annual Alabama State High School Soccer Championship. Each May since 2002, this three-day event welcomes thousands of local soccer-crazed fans and families to cheer on teams from across the State.

We experienced something truly magical last summer. Our soccer community really demonstrated how much it loves and supports local soccer by the way they embraced our new WPSL team. Our fans created the best matchday experience in the WPSL Southeast Conference. We even led the conference in attendance for our inaugural season - averaging 285 fans per game. We are excited about next season and cannot wait to see how North Alabama embraces and supports our new NPSL team.

Where do you plan on having home matches? 

Our home matches will be played at the John Hunt Park Championship Soccer Stadium in Huntsville. It is an awesome venue for soccer. The stadium has two identical natural grass fields. Each lighted fields measures 80x120 yards and can accommodate up to 1,000 spectators.

With the current cycle of clubs closing down or relocating due to costs, do you feel that the model you and the club have in place is something that is sustainable for the next 5-10 years?

As a non-profit club, our NPSL team's financial sustainability is based on a self-supported, break-even model without the profitability burden experienced by teams that may have a more traditional ownership model. Based on our WPSL experience last summer, we are confident that our club is positioned for a sustained entry in the NPSL. Our true measurement of success will be our player development results and further connecting with our soccer community - being the hub for North Alabama soccer families, players, and fans.

Even though the club is just starting, are there any clubs you’d consider as rivals? 

The Southeast Conference is very competitive, but given the short distance between our clubs, Inter Nashville FC looks like it will become an instant rival for us. We may need to go ahead and buy one of those big fancy trophies for the inaugural I-65 Derby. 

What are the goals for the club in year one? 

Our year one goals are to field a team that is a reflection of our local soccer community and can compete for 90-minutes with the established teams in the Southeast Conference, create an engaging and second-to-none matchday experience for our fans, and, most importantly, we want have fun - a lot of fun!

Are there any long term goals you’d like to share?

Our long-term goal is to position ourselves to consistently compete for NPSL Southeast Conference and Regional Championships. And, who knows, maybe one day qualify for the Open Cup. 

Lastly, is there anything else you’d like people to know about the club that wasn’t covered? 

We held a fan vote during our inaugural WPSL season last summer to select our club mascot - and the winner was Gravity. We can't wait to hear all of our fans chanting Go Gravity next season!

Atlantic City FC

Now entering its third year of existence, Atlantic City FC looks to further establish a presence in a market that can be challenging. Club president Andrew Weilgus talks about this past season and the future of the NPSL club.     

Other than the improvement in the team's performance on the pitch from 2018 (5-5-0, 15 goals scored) to 2019 (7-2-1, 33 goals scored), what would you consider to be the biggest changes from the club's first year to the second year?

Clubs grow every year but the difference between Year One and Year Two for our club was monumental. The entire off-season cycle from recruiting to sponsorship comes into focus so we were able to better prepare for the season.

Which players for your club made the most impact in 2019?

We had a lot of contributors and rarely fielded the same 11 from game to game. There were a great number of contributors from Jacques Francois to Joao Brum and Alex Satrestegui. Sebastian Cappozucchi was also outstanding as were a great number of other players. Walter Calderon was tremendous for us in the games he played as was Ryan Bailey and Marcello Borges. Returning players like Rich Balchan, Noah Blodget, Matt Perrella and Nick Hanuscin also played roles. There were a great number of players from the Jackson Lions organization like Matt Jeffery and Dan Pizzimenti; Charlie Cunliffe, David Nigro and Ryan Nigro were also major contributors. Coaches Brad Fraley and Mike Durrazo were also vital.

After two seasons, which teams in your division would you consider to be you biggest rivalries?  

We have several: West Chester United, FC Motown and FC Monmouth stand out.

The team has played at Stockton University and Egg Harbor Township High School. There was talk about working with the city to play this year at Surf Stadium. So where will Atlantic City FC be playing in 2020? We hope to announce that soon.

This past season Atlantic City FC had an exhibition match with the Ocean City Nor'easters from USL League 2. Do you see this happening on a regular basis? 

Yes, but because of our condensed season we were not able to field our starters against them so in the future we hope to schedule it during a more flexible time.

As a follow-up to the previous question, would you like to see the NPSL take steps to work more closely with other leagues? Or do you think the NPSL is best served by working independently? 

Yes, we love competition and only look at teams not leagues.

We have seen NPSL teams taking the plunge and going professional. Is this something that Atlantic City FC sees as an option in the future? 

The issue is budget. A ‘pro’ team has a low-end budget of $700,000. A low-end NPSL team has a budget of $50,000. It is a significant jump that most teams can’t handle. We are too young and this market is far too new to warrant “rushing” into a pro division. The NPSL offers a strong national league with top-level competition so we are happy there but respect all other leagues and their teams.

If there is one community outreach program that you are most proud of, what would that be? 

We are working hard on field availability in Atlantic City and participated in several area school field days as well as the AtlantiCare summer lunch program. Our sponsor Tropicana was also involved in several initiatives that players participated in.

What should fans expect for Year 3? 

A very competitive team that will be all around Atlantic City helping to build a community that is exploding with potential.

Eugene Timbers FC

Continuing with our coverage of women’s soccer in the Pacific Northwest, we spoke with Director of Coaching Jurgen Ruckaberle of Eugene Timbers FC Azul, who was happy to answer a few of our questions. Azul, one of only two WPSL sides in Oregon, play in Eugene, Oregon and are about a two-hour drive away from their nearest conference opponent and their furthest conference opponent is a 14-hour, round-trip drive, away. We ask how they cope, how they transition local talent to the first team, and how the World Cup impacted their season.

Though your organization was established in 2006, Eugene Timbers have just recently founded the WPSL Azul side - what was the appeal to establishing an elite women's squad? What is the mission of the club?

We have had a number of very strong girls’ teams in our club and many of them went on to play college soccer. Many of them came home over the summer and had no place to play except with boys’ teams. We wanted to provide opportunities for our players who went on to college. Over the 7 years we have been in the WPSL we added each year players from local college programs, and players from elsewhere in the country. We also had international players from England, Mexico, Germany, and Italy. We are now providing good training and competition opportunities for our older players in the club, returning players from college and other non-club related players.

Eugene is a bit of a drive from Portland, Seattle, or even from the Bay Area; do you get many fans? Not parents, friends or significant others, but actual supporters? Do you have any relationship with the supporter’s group from Lane United, Echo Squadron / Red Aces?

We do have a few Echo Squadron who come to our games but for the most part it is friends and family from the players. There is a good number of fans that are not related but are interested in women's sports. We hope to grow that portion but we are realistic in our expectations.

The popularity of women's soccer seems to wax and wane with World Cup cycles, will any down-cycling of attendance affect your club? How dependent are you on funds from the turnstiles? 

We don't rely on ticket revenue since it is our smallest part of income. We do have a number of sponsors for jerseys, poster sponsor, and some smaller ones. We also charge a very small fee to our players to help with the cost. We use club resources to keep the rest of the cost down. The world cup this year has helped with sponsors.

Developing elite players is the dream of most soccer programs; after the development, how should clubs help players advance their athletic and professional goals? How does your organization help players at the end of their development funnel?

We believe that development does not stop. In fact, we believe that the age of 18-28 is also a critical age for players to develop. The WPSL is an opportunity not only for players in college or post college age to develop as players but we also often want those experienced players to become coaches. We hope to help those young women to transition in leadership roles either in our club or whatever professional career they chose. If they stay in athletics or soccer, we can directly help by providing opportunities for them within the club.

The Eugene Timbers FC Azul take on the Westside Timbers in a WPSL Oregon Derby

Some clubs are filled with kids who have come up through the academy while other programs don't have a youth program at all and fill their rosters through tryouts every year; how is Eugene Timbers built? Where do you draw your players from?

We continue to draw kids from our club or with ties to Eugene. We have a D1 program here in town and only a few miles away in Corvallis. We also have other college programs in Oregon whose players have joined us. We also have now ties to several college programs around the country that have had players play for us. Those ties also extend to other countries. the core of our players is from Eugene but we also integrate each year other US based players and international players.

What is the future of your organization? Will we see Azul in the WPSL in 2020? Any chance of a men's club in the NPSL or UPSL?

Yes, we will be back in 2020. We are already planning for the next season. With Lane United FC here in town our top-level players on the boy’s side have a place to play locally in the summer.

For more information about Eugene Timbers FC Azul: http://www.eugenetimbers.org/girls-teams/azul/

For more information about the WPSL: https://www.wpslsoccer.com/

Inland Empire FC

In tried and tested Protagonist Soccer method, we reached out to Inland Empire FC for a quick Spotlight article and owner/head coach Oswaldo “Ozzie” Moreno was happy to reply. He has worked as youth soccer coach with clubs like Chivas USA(SB)Pumas Academy, Golden State FC Riverside FC, Southern California SC(NPSL), and then he got involved with Inland Empire FC as an assistant coach, way back in its beginnings, in 2011. We asked Ozzie the basics…

When was the club founded and why? What's the origin story of Inland Empire FC?

2011 when the league started, we decided to make a team based in San Bernardino where young players will have the opportunity to play at a higher level if they didn’t have the opportunities of college ball. as a youth coach, my idea was to help place young players into college and universities and I keep doing so. 20+ players so far playing in college.

There are so many teams in Southern Cali, where do you draw your players from and how do you keep other clubs from recruiting them?

Since I've been involved with youth players, they come to us and they know we have a good program for the players that want to take advantage of it. They try to recruit the players and some of them leave but eventually they come back. we are like a family once you are here. we support each other on good and bad.

Some clubs are connected to a youth club, and some aren't - are you? If not, do any of your players or coaches spend time at other clubs that do work with youth teams?

We are planning to build a club where everyone has the opportunity to play without spending big amounts of money and with the training that will put them on top of the list when getting recruited. I have players that coach club as well.

Running a club can get expensive - do you have fans that show up and help you out a little bit? Do you depend on sponsorship? How do you cover all the associated costs?

It is expensive; however, we depend on our work, so everyone works and helps a little bit here and there but most of the expenses come from me. I would like to have sponsors so my burden is less. We had a sponsor for our uniforms this season.

Some teams just shut down in the off season. Once the season is over, when do you start getting ready for the next one? Do you take a break, or is it full time?

We don't take a long break because otherwise the players start getting out of shape and lose their touch sometimes.

What can we expect from Inland Empire FC in 2020? Pushing for a league title or just playing for fun? Where will we find you next season?

Winning the title is in the head of everyone and that's why we are here!! 2020 will be our year to compete and have fun competing at the same time.

Now what can you expect from a team and a coach that never give up. That's the answers.

If you want to sponsor Inland Empire FC, or just want a little more information, check them out here.

Green Bay Voyageurs FC

So who are you and what's your soccer story?

My name is Ben Kurowski and I am the General Manager of Green Bay Voyageurs FC of USL League Two. I never grew up playing soccer but my cousins played collegiately so I was around the game growing up. My fandom really took off during the 2010 World Cup when Green Bay native Jay DeMerit made the USMNT. I attended the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and worked in the athletic department. It was there that I had the opportunity to work with Dawn Crow who is the head coach of the women's team. Dawn played at North Carolina alongside Mia Hamm and was part of a class that went 97-1-1, capturing four National Championships in the process.

Can you tell us about the Voyageurs and how it came to be?

The Voyageurs are owned and operated by Big Top Sports & Entertainment, the same group that owns and operates Forward Madison FC in USL League One. The team was announced in October 2018 and we kicked off on May 31, 2019 at the brand new Capital Credit Union Park. Our goals are be community oriented and to bring a high level of spectator soccer to Northeast Wisconsin.

Love your logo/branding, who designed it and what is the story behind the name and crest?

We have to pay a strong compliment to designer Matthew Wolff who has was the designer behind some well known teams, including MLS' LAFC NYFC as well as the Nigerian National Team and PSG. Our name was suggested and voted on by the community. The name Voyageurs pays homage to the french settlers who landed on the Bay in birch bark canoes which is reflected in our crest. One of my favorite elements of our badge is our word mark, which takes inspiration from iconic Wisconsin brand word marks.

What approach does a League 2 side take? What's the focus of the club?

From a technical and soccer side we want to develop college athletes and help them take the next step towards professional soccer. Our focus off the pitch is the be community oriented and be a part of the local soccer community as well. We want to create unique and fun atmosphere for fans.

What has the club done to connect with the local soccer community?

We are always looking for new ways to help the local soccer community as much as we can. One of the ways that we have been able help out is the offer our field to the local clubs for training and games. The weather in Wisconsin has been less than favorable this fall and our turf field has been a great opportunity for the athletes to still get games in before the snow hits.

Green Bay is seen as a football town because of the Packers, is there a place for soccer and have the Voyageurs found it yet?

We as an organization believe that there is a place for the soccer in Green Bay. There are numerous youth clubs and teams and our high school teams have found great success. The sport continues to grow in the area and we are excited to be a part of it. Until 2019 Green Bay did not have a high level of spectator soccer and we are excited to be a part of the growth in the community.

Much is made of the divide between the other amateur leagues and the USL system, how do you see that difference?

With our connections to USL we are solely focused on USL League Two and advancing players to the next level. We know that other amateur leagues look to do the same.

Several clubs have jumped from the NPSL to League 2 this offseason, do you think the level of play is similar and should more clubs consider this type of move?

I believe USL League Two provides an opportunity for athletes to continue the path to professional soccer. USL League Two has a strong reputation of their alumni taking the next step in their careers.There are 201 USL League Two alumni competing in MLS in 2018 and 322 in the USL Championship for a grand total of 523 active alumni. During the 2019 MLS SuperDraft, 61 former USL League Two players were selected by MLS clubs, making up 81 percent of all players chosen in the draft.

What Green Bay players should fans know about?

With our roster being made up of NCAA athletes our team will change from year to year. Looking to this past year brothers Nick and Anthony Markanich of Northern Illinois were featured on the Top-100 players to watch in 2019 and had great success with us in 2019.

Anything else we should know about your club?

We are excited to be back in 2020 and are looking to build upon our success in 2019 and make a playoff push in 2020.

Jackson Lions FC

Founded in 2014, Jackson Lions FC has become a fixture in the Super Division of the Garden State Soccer League (GSSL) as well as regularly competing in tournaments in USASA Region 1. This summer the club won the New Jersey Soccer Association’s Open Cup. Mike Durazzo, co-owner and founder of Jackson Lions FC, took some time to answer questions about the club.

What made you want to start a soccer club?

By having a huge player pool of players from 18yr olds to 40 yr olds. Our goal was to build teams no matter what age group that can play at a national level. Seeing what teams like Christos have done gave us the inspiration to start what we did.

What has been the biggest challenge over the past five years?

Travel. Some of our players have jobs and careers, and with travel it’s always an issue. But in the last two years the commitment level has been where we always knew we could get it.

How would you describe the level of play in the GSSL?

New Jersey in general produces a lot of good players. The GSSL also has some great clubs that have been around forever like Sporting Club Portuguese, Vistula Garfield SC, Ukrainian Sitch SC and Polonia Wallington SC Panthers who always put out competitive teams. Not to mention FC Motown who are one of the best amateur teams in the nation.

Who are the players on your first team that have impressed you the most?

To be honest all our first team players impress us. But if I had to name some I’d say it’s a shame that Walter Calderon, Matthew Jeffery and David Nigro aren’t playing in MLS.

Your games are streamed on MyCujoo. How has streaming increased your exposure?

Yes, it has attracted more players. The thing we try to do is promote our players, and with live streaming our games it gives our players a stage to be noticed.

Talk about your relationship with Atlantic City FC.

In previous summers our players were spread out through the NPSL. Our players always wanted a chance to play together in the NPSL, and ACFC gave us that chance. [Atlantic City FC] finished first in the Keystone Conference in our first year with them, so it was a successful first season.

Which club would you say is your biggest rivalry?

FC Motown - it’s more of a friendly rival since we have worked together in the NESL (Northeast Elite Soccer League) and with some of our players playing with them in the NPSL. But at the end of the day they are a rival we respect and want to beat every time we step on the pitch against them.

The club has moved from the Ocean County Soccer League to the Garden State Soccer League in its history. Is there any thought of a move to a regional or national league in the future?

I really can’t see us making the jump anytime soon. Financially it wouldn’t make sense, and with us playing in national tournaments in Region 1 I think the competition is there. In fact, just the Region 1 teams alone like FC Motown, Christos, Lansdowne, West Chester, the Greek teams from the Cosmopolitan League and recent National Champs Newton Pride FC. Those teams can compete against any NPSL level teams, and even some USL teams.

From where you sit, how do you view the state of lower league soccer?

Competitive - a lot of competitive teams out there. Just wish there was a system that would reward some of the clubs for success. How to do that? Still don’t know but there has to be a way.

What would your advice be to someone who wants to start an amateur club in today's environment?

Get a lot of sponsors big and small. Try to establish yourself with a youth club and promote the players. A lot of time I’ve seen people start clubs/teams for their own egos. Take care of the players and the more talented players will come.

Fredericksburg City United

Fredericksburg City United, a not so new team making new noises. They are set to take part in the Commonwealth Soccer League this fall season. They are returning to the league for the first time since 2015. The club founder, Claude Masheshe, took some time to speak with us about the current state of the club and the future they have planned.  - Geovanny

Tell us about your background in the sport?

My name is Claude Maheshe. I was born in the DR Congo; came to the United States 10 years ago at the age of 18. I attended college at the University of George Mason and graduated with a bachelor’s in information systems. My background with soccer started since I was a little boy. For my friends and I soccer was a way for us to enjoy life and forget about the trials of life in Africa. At the age of 16, I started coaching a group of teenagers my age in the town where I lived.

Tell about who you are and what you do for the club?

As the founder and president of FCU. I manage, provide and recruit players for the club. 

How was this club founded?

FCU was founded in 2014. At first, we were a small group of people who organized pickup games. With some help from a few friends we saw a future for not us, but the next generation. I then started to organize and look for a way to make us an official team. 

Where have you been playing before the commonwealth soccer league?

Before the Commonwealth Soccer League, FCU played friendlies and helped in organizing a summer tournament to provide students with a place to play and stay in shape.  

What could you tell us about the CSL? How is the competition?

Back in 2015 we joined CSL but with financial difficulties and lack of players we were unable to continue. We weren’t in the league long enough to scout the competition. 

Where did most of your players play before?

Most of my players played and still play in high school, college, and travel teams around the area. 

Have you guys played together before hand?

A lot of us have never once played together but with practice and dedication we have come to have great chemistry.

What is the target or goal for the fall season? What about after this fall season?

FCU is going to be joining CSL for the Fall season and play hard in hopes of winning the league. After the fall season we plan to put our time into practicing and developing our game in order to reach the next level. This will help us in getting ready for the Spring season.

Beside a first team, do you have a youth team or teams, or perhaps a women’s side?

Now we have one men’s team, but in the future, I hope to expand and build more teams for women and kids alike.

You guys are known to host an 8v8 tournament. How has this helped your club? Has it been successful?

The 8v8 tournament was very successful. It helped bring many new dedicated and competitive players to the club. This helped push and motivate the players already playing for FCU.

Is there anything that you want people to know about your club that we haven’t covered?

Mission: To create a community where every individual is free to express their uniqueness and bring their dreams to life through playing soccer.  

Vision: To unite and empower the Fredericksburg community and its surrounding areas, FCU is excited and looking forward to reshaping the lives of many young individuals through coaching and positive association. FCU is determined to utilize soccer to challenge the idea of what it means to be an all-around athlete.   

Values: Friendship, Dream, Opportunity, Community.  

Any last comments, remakes, or quotes you would like to public to read?

Most of FCU players are student who are not as financially advanced in order to help in supporting the club. Right now, FCU is looking for any sponsors who would like to support FCU’s mission in helping reach their goals. 

- Geovanny Monterroso

Capital FC Atletica

The Northwest Premier League was founded in 2016 and has largely been dominated by teams in Washington; however, since their addition in 2018’s season, Capital FC Atletica have risen up the table and increased the standard of play in the league. CFC Atletica are a member of the Timbers’ Alliance, and the Salem, Oregon-based women’s soccer team represents a competitive end of a development funnel. The organization provides a place to grow and play soccer to girls from all over the capital of Oregon, but it also provides a home for student athletes and women soccer players of all ages, to extend their footballing career. When we had a few questions about how their organization is run and what sets them apart, we were directed to Capital FC Women’s Soccer Director of Operations Whitney Pitalo—she took the time to answer our questions and provided some great photos from the club.

How long has Capital Fútbol Club been providing soccer to the city and what is it's working relationship with the Timbers organization? Some clubs, like Seattle Sounders Women, go the obvious route when it comes to naming the team and building the aesthetic; when was Atletica formed and what was the motivation behind naming the team?

CFC has been providing the competitive soccer experience for youth in our city since 1993. We became a Timber's Alliance club in 2013. Then our club acquired the U23 Timbers in 2017 - the same year I started the women's WPSL team (that then moved to the NWPL). The club had been wanting a professional men's soccer team back in Salem since the folding of the Cascade Surge. That team was special for the soccer community here in Salem. I remember their games vividly as a child. When I returned to Salem after graduating from USC I started my master's program at Willamette where I decided to start a competitive women's team. I started the team with help from my MBA team, community members and club directors. Atletica came from a re-branding in 2018 where we sought to have a stronger brand. This was heavily influenced by long-time women's sports advocate, Kate Sorem, who helps run the team today. We had a few names we were choosing from to accurately represent women's soccer in our community. We decided Atletica was the best fit because of diversity of our team and our community.

CFC Atletica celebrates its diversity, showcasing players from around the world.

Why NWPL? With national models like UWS and WPSL making higher profile soccer available, why join a regional league instead? Conversely, how does the standard of play in the Northwest Premier League compare to a metro league, like Portland's NUWS?

The team started in the WPSL, but we ended up transferring leagues in year 2, since it didn't prove to be the right fit for the team. I believe the NWPL is a great league for elite women's team's that are looking to stay local and for teams that are new. They provide excellent social media support, all games are held in the Northwest and league fees are lower. This helps a new team get their feet under them, gain visibility in their communities and perform better in their first years. The NWPL is the most competitive regional league in the Northwest and is more accessible than the travel demands on teams in the WPSL (that go to Canada and California) and is still excellent competition for players looking to play in college or athletes looking to keep playing competitively after graduation.

What's the age range of the players in the side and where do they come from? I know the Timbers U23s side of the house does an amazing job drawing collegiate players from all over the country, is that model in place for Atletica?

We have players from the ages of 17 to 28 currently. We have the top high school players in the area, collegiate players from Oregon, retired professional players, national team members from Ghana, Namibia and Mexico, and international players that we recruit. We have a diverse player pool and that's what makes the experience so fun. We have connections overseas in Africa and Korea, in the states and in our city. We even have players who are local mother's coming back to play. It's a wonderful environment for all players of all ages to learn from each other, stay healthy and make connections that will help their life & soccer careers.

We were all just treated to a fantastic World Cup, with amazing match ups and exciting player performances, but was the interest in women's soccer already on the rise prior to that? What influence has the NWSL, with teams like the Thorns and Reign, had on players looking to continue playing after high school? How about the supporter’s aspect, has an increased interest in women's soccer shown itself in the stands?

This year with an amazing World Cup we had a lot of extra attention to draw on, but I believe women's soccer was already on the rise. In our third year, we had many more supporters and volunteers. The World Cup felt like a celebration of where women’s soccer has come and where it's going. We held watch parties for the US games at a local brewery - Salem Ale Works (SAW) - and attendance was amazing (75+ during a work day)! I think that's when I started to realize that it's not just players who loves the game, but the community wants to be a part of it. It was a special year and I only see growth from here. We love attending Portland Thorns and NWSL games as a team and I think the World Cup has put the league on the map.

You're in the NWPL Final! What's next? What actions represent growth for the organization?

The next goal for the team is to win the NWPL championship. With victory comes visibility and I think that's what the team and club need to establish women's soccer as a powerhouse in our city. For us this year and next, growth means being more involved in our community (volunteering, school visits, events) and I think we've done a great job of it this year. Next year's plan is to continue to be involved in our community and grow our visibility. When we give back to our community they come back in full support; this is something we want to foster. The more support and recognition we receive the more sustainable this team and league will be.

CFC Atletica take on NWPL competition on their way to the 2019 league championship match (Photo: Jeremy McDonald)

For more information about CFC Atletica’s program

For more information about the NWPL

ISC Gunners

The WPSL recently called it a wrap on the 2019 regular season – and with it, Issaquah Soccer Club (ISC Gunners), one of 119 clubs in the league. They were founded in 1980, but it wasn’t until 2012 that the women’s side were brought into the organization’s fold. WPSL Hall of Famer, Macy Jo Harrison, is the Gunners’ WPSL Program Director, as well as the league’s Associate Director for the West. We at Protagonist were elated to have somebody of such high regard take the time to answer our question for this week’s Spotlight article!

Issaquah Soccer Club, founded in 1980, has probably seen a lot of change in the community since then. When and why did the organization, founded as a youth club, choose to add a women's team?

ISC Gunners chose to add a women’s team back in the summer of 2012. We wanted to provide a top of the pyramid women’s team within our club for all of our female youth to aspire to be on, train with and learn from. Over the years, our women’s team has provided great leadership and role modeling for the youth within the club, and we really pride ourselves in that.

Why the WPSL? With a regional league available in the Pacific Northwest; what is the vision of the club for the women's squad which prompted it to join, what is technically, a national league system?

The vision of the club was to provide an elite women’s team for the youth within the club and the surrounding area to aspire to play on as mentioned before, and also to ensure that ex-professional, current professional players on break, current collegiate players etc… to have a place to play in the summer months when their on their summer breaks.

The WPSL is the largest women’s soccer league in the world with competition from all over America, Canada, Mexico etc. We chose to join the WPSL instead of the regional league provided in the Northwest to ensure we gave our women’s team the best opportunity to compete against teams from all of these locations nation/worldwide, at a higher level of play.

There are several types of club setups, some of which are open to fan support and even charge at the gate. While others focus solely on player development and providing opportunity for personal and technical growth. Where do ISC Gunners fall in that spectrum?

Our ISC Gunners WPSL team hits both ends of the spectrum. We strive to compete and win the Northwest Conference with players we bring in from England, Spain and throughout America for the summer months, and we look to get our youth players involved who are on our oldest/second to oldest girls teams within the club. We stress the importance of our oldest girls teams/players to join in with training, and potentially games throughout the summer to ensure they are prepared for their college endeavors and to ensure that they are improving significantly in playing with very experienced players who’ve been around the block a few times!

In the Pacific Northwest, we are fortunate to have two huge NWSL clubs in both the Reign and the Thorns, but does that make it hard to draw talented players to the squad? Conversely, do the local big clubs ever reach out for talented players? Do NWSL scouts ever come looking?

We’ve not seen a negative effect in having the two NWSL clubs in the Pacific Northwest as of yet. We continue to draw in talent as best as we possibly can and we have several committed, loyal players who come back to our squad each year because of the camaraderie and family feel that we create within the squad. Back in 2013, our ISC Gunners WPSL team was the official Reserve team for the Seattle Reign, so several of our players were invited into first team training throughout the summer. In 2014 and 2015, we were not the official Reserve team, but we kept that relationship alive with the Seattle Reign FC. We’ve not seen any NWSL scouts at our WPSL games in the Pacific Northwest conference, but they might have been there without us knowing. It’s difficult for them as their season is in full swing as well, so there’s not always time to do these things.

At the U23s level, I imagine most of the women are also college players and cannot accept payment without risking NCAA eligibility - how does that affect training and how do you maintain motivation?

You’re correct - a ton of our WPSL players are current collegiate athletes who are on their summer breaks and we are NOT allowed to provide them with any sort of payment. We’ve been very adamant with our players that they are to attend as many training sessions as possible, and we demand commitment from our players year in and year out. We maintain motivation by ensuring our training sessions are full of learning experiences as well as making them fun and entertaining. The family feel our ISC Gunners WPSL team has is one of the major reasons we continue to draw players back to us each year - we are family. We also do not charge our players any money to play on our women’s team - instead, we require them to attend our club tournament and events each summer as volunteers to give back to the club.

The very nature of women's soccer seems politicized, at least at the national and even NWSL-level; do these tendencies reach your level? Do you have any players who really take current events, such as equal pay and gender equality, to heart? Or do the players and the club steer clear of politics and focus on the soccer?

I wouldn’t say that the politics side of women’s soccer is prevalent in the WPSL. The league owners and commissioners are all for women in sports so I haven’t seen a negative political presence personally in the WPSL. We absolutely have players who take the current events such as equal pay and gender equality to heart, myself being one of them. With that being said, we do steer clear of the politics and focus on the soccer side more often than not on a team and club level and we ensure our main focus is on the soccer at hand.

For more in formation about the ISC Gunners’ programs

For more information about the WPSL

Thor FC

Asgardians rejoice, your King is home! Okay, so maybe I went a little overboard with that but recently I came across a club on Twitter that really caught my attention, Thor FC. I decided to get in touch with the club and find out more about them.

Before we talk about the club, can you tell everyone who you are and your role within the club?

Yes, Hi! My name is Austin Healy, I’m from the Twin Cities, I’m 20 years old. I’m the founder of Thor Football Club.

What is your background in soccer?

I’ve had somewhat of a nomadic soccer experience. I played 1 year at Eastview HS in Apple Valley, MN. I played with Metro United Homeschool Soccer for 2 years. I played for Dakota Rev (now Salvo SC) for a year. I played with Eagan Wave for half a season. I played 2 years of college ball at North Central University. I played with Turbo Sports FC the last 2 seasons as well. I’ve coached with Eastview Athletic Association, The Tony Sanneh Foundation, Fusion Soccer Club, and next year I’ll be with Salvo SC. Through all these groups I’ve been with I’ve got to know a ton of great people and see how these organizations are run, which has helped me start this project.

When was the club initially formed and what was the catalyst to start your own club?

The club officially kicked off last week. But I’ve been working with various start up clubs for 2 years now. I’ve had my own ideas and just waited until I had the right group of people who believed in my ideas as well. I’m a business student and I felt that some clubs are purely a sports team. I haven’t seen a lot of business minded people in the industry of low level amateur soccer. So I think for me I wanted to play and be part of a group that was business minded while also sports focused. I didn’t find that in the way I wanted so I started Thor F.C. Essentially I have a similar vision on the pitch as many clubs, but administratively I feel I bring a whole different game and mentality.

You have an interesting name for the club. Did the rumors/stories of Vikings reaching Minnesota play any part in the naming of the club?

Short answer: Kinda. Scandinavian culture and history has played a huge part in shaping the culture of Minnesota and the Minneapolis area. I myself am part Scandinavian. So the name has more to do with the culture here than anything. Why I choose Thor specifically is he’s the hero of all the old tales. So why not have our famed god of thunder on the badge?!

What league do you play in?

it’s not 100% official yet, but we’ll join the Minnesota Amateur Soccer League (MASL). It’s a great competition with a Promotion/Relegation system in place and has some really good squads that compete there as well.

Where do you play your games?

Still working out the details, but hoping/planning for Richfield, MN. It’s a great community south of Minneapolis with some great fields that met our needs. I’ve grown up in that area as well. Its like a second hometown for me because my best friends growing up live in Richfield. I’d love to play there and give back to that community if we can seal a deal.

What are some short term and long term goals for the club?

Short term, we want to really develop ourselves as a club and establish our club culture. Of course we’re always going to aim for success on the pitch, but we’ll let those goals form once next season roles around. Long term, I personally see this club as a dominant presence in the state and in the region down the road. I’d love to see us enter on the national stage, but we want to prove ourselves locally and have multiple teams established within the club before we make that jump.

What are some of the biggest challenges you face as a club and as owner/operator of the club? Do you see these challenges as insurmountable?

As a club, money is always gonna be the primary concern early on and where we raise that money as well is an issue that’s on all our minds. For me personally, I think pulling my ideas and implementing them into reality can be difficult. I have big dreams, but my challenge is finding out what is reasonable and what is not. What can I do now and what should I wait to do until later. Do I see either of these challenges as insurmountable? No. I’ve got a great group of people around me that I fully trust so I feel very confident looking down the road.

How have these challenges changed your views of the soccer landscape, if at all?

In a way, yes. I have a ton of respect for anyone who has started this journey that Thor F.C is starting now. There are so many clubs out there right now in Minnesota and the US in general and I think that’s awesome. Each one has a group behind the scenes making magic happen and I see that more clearly now. The world we’re entering as a club has a load of talented individuals and really cool people. I’m excited now more than ever to get to work and join that community.

If there is anything else you’d like to share about the club, please don’t hesitate to tell us. I want to make sure everyone gets a good look at your club and generate more interest in the club.

Well we have plenty of news coming through the pipes here soon. But what I can share now is our vision statement and how it’ll be played out. The goals and vision of Thor Football Club’s is to bring quality soccer to the South Metro of the Twin Cities, grow local talent, and positively impact the communities around us. Obviously we want to compete and win this next season and in future seasons. We want to give our players a step up to move on to the next level. We believe there’s plenty of talent across the twin cities that’s just in need of that little boost up. We’re also not just a soccer team. We want to volunteer in our community and really start to establish ourselves as neighbors and friends as much as we are soccer players and a soccer club. So that being said, anyone who’s interested in finding out more about how to join Thor F.C can email us directly at thorfcmn@gmail.com. We’re looking for volunteers, staff, and players who want to be a positive impact in their community and be part of great group of people that have big goals and dreams.

To all the clubs in the MASL and throughout Minnesota, keep an eye out for this young upstart club. Otherwise, they’re liable to drop Mjolnir on your heads and take the title of Kings of the North.

Fortuna Tulsa

One of our new favorite things at Protagonist Soccer is digging into WOSO all across this country. Tulsa Fortuna is a second year club, but one that is already making waves, playing in the WPSL National Playoffs this weekend. We spoke with Wayne Farmer, General Manager for the club, to find out more about this team from Oklahoma.

So tell us about Fortuna Tulsa. Your league, your club origins, etc.

Fortuna Tulsa finished its inaugural season last year in the 2018 WPSL. Overall, we saw the first season as a success in setting the WPSL league attendance record of 1,720 people on May 25th 2018 vs Oklahoma City FC. We also won Franchise of the Year, as well as other WPSL recognitions for social media, marketing, and game day broadcasting.

Your crest looks like it borrowed its look from Fortuna Dusseldorf, any particular connection to that club? Just like the look?

Some similarities, but we take pride in the uniqueness of our logo. The meaning of Fortuna spoke to team owners Barry Williams and Dave Hibbard. The specialty of reading ‘Good luck Tulsa’ also had a great ring to it. After entering the league and announcing our brand, the following and support continued to grow.

Image courtesy of Tulsa Fortuna. Photographer - Lori Scholl

We follow Tulsa Athletic (of the NPSL), how's the overall soccer scene like in Tulsa? Is the enthusiasm equal for the women's game?

The soccer scene in Tulsa is great! I just came from the park watching the A’s play against Ozarks FC. We have 2 great amateur teams with the Athletics and Fortuna Tulsa that both won conference championships this season, and a USL Championship team in the Roughnecks that is pushing for a playoff spot in the Western Conference. The enthusiasm around the women’s game is fantastic, this can be seen in the anticipation around our games and the attendances.

Where do you draw your talent from?

Yolanda Thomas, our Head Coach, has done a great job selecting players that reside in Tulsa but now attend some of the best schools around the nation. It is important to note that our team is not just made up of college players. Yolanda selected the best elite players that live in Tulsa that have graduated college as well as the 3 high school players to complete the roster.

Which player(s) should we be focusing on from your squad?

Taylor Malham is a US youth national team player who is currently at the University of Arkansas. Taylor, has played both seasons with us and continues to be a huge attacking threat. We could also highlight our captain, Rachel Hummingbird-Garcia, a player who has graduated from playing division 1 soccer at the University of Tulsa. Rachel is a mother, works full time, and still makes time to prepare and play at the elite WPSL level. The coaching staff have done a great job forming a team with true depth, where most positions are 2 or 3 deep with little drop off from the last player.

How does your club create connections to your local community?

We have a very strong connection through our media platforms where we provide a true insight into training and games, but also keep that connection while the players are out of season with us. We are very active in the community attending local festivals and events, as well as hosting youth soccer clinics.

If someone just found your club, what's the first thing they should know about your club?

Great question! Barry Williams (Fortuna Tulsa owner), has instilled into the club the saying ‘treat people how you want to be treated’. We hope that is something individuals experience when coming to a game as a fan, an opposing team, or in everything we do.

Your club is making a strong run in the WPSL Playoffs currently, how's that run been and who's your next opponent?

So far our games both home and away have been a lot of fun, with Yolanda and her staff giving a lot of players playing experience. We play Salvo SC in St Paul, MN. Salvo are a first year team that need to be congratulated for their season so far. The team travels up Friday morning and play the regional semifinal Saturday at 1:00pm. I would invite all Tulsa fans and readers to tune in and support Fortuna Tulsa this weekend.

For more information about Tulsa Fortuna check out their website or follow them on Twitter.

Yinz United

Today’s Spotlight club is the four-time Washington Premier League winners, four-time Helge Boes Cup holder, and the current Rowland Cup champion, Yinz United. Let’s learn about the club’s past, future, and current state. I had the pleasure to speak to Kareem Najib, a representative of the club. He shed some light on Yinz United’s origin and future. 2018 was a great year for the club, winning a double championship, both the league and then the Helge Boes Cup. Their amazing run continued and took them to be crowned Rowland Cup champions in early 2019.

Kareem is a pure product of the Marylander soccer system. He began his playing career with his time in a youth club in Maryland known as Soccer Association of Columbia. Then he would go on to play club soccer at the University of Virginia. Now he is a youth coach for Arlington Soccer Association going on 3 years. His story with Yinz has led to him to play for 5 years. He also is one of the two social media managers for the club. Here is how the rest of our conversation went:

What is the club’s origin?

The club was originally founded in 2004 by a group of guys from Pittsburgh, hence the black / yellow colors and the “Yinz” moniker, a term very specific to western PA.

What inspired the new badge?

We all felt like it was time to update our badge to go along with our new kits. The most popular idea within the team was to officially adopt our team nickname, the Pups, which stemmed from the old sponsorship we had on the front of our jerseys for years. And then the brick wall outline behind the pup is a unique design, but also represents our stout defense and goalkeeping, which has been a major part of why we’ve been a consistently great club in WPL for the last ten seasons. We also wanted to pay homage to the founders by ensuring the establishment date of the club was part of the badge going forward.

We love that badge isn’t necessarily intimidating because it’s a unique and distinct identity for our club in the DMV going forward and our game speaks for itself.

Your take away from the Spring 2019 season?

This season has been a learning experience for everyone in the club on how to manage to be consistent in the league while progressing through a long regional cup run. It’s not easy for the team to play at peak level every Sunday when you’re dealing with additional mid-week games, multiple games in a weekend, and limited time to practice. But we’ve got a deep, talented roster and every player has had to step up at different times to keep the 10-season playoff streak alive.

We were disappointed to not come away with a positive result in our final WPL regular season game to win the league, but our eyes are now set on a fifth Helge Boes Cup.

Why did you guys choose to play in the WPL? Did you guys always play in the WPL?

The Washington Premier League is the highest level of amateur soccer competition in the DC area. It’s been a no-brainer for us to remain in WPL since joining. The club originally started out in WISL, and even fielded a team there up until 2016, but we’ve shifted our focus entirely on WPL recently.

The WPL also gives us a chance to compete against top Maryland Majors teams in cup competition. This area is rich in talented soccer players and we’re grateful for these top leagues that give us a chance to compete against them year-round.

What experience do your players have playing soccer?

We have such a wide variety of experience on this team. About half of the guys have D1 college soccer experience, while the rest of the team is made up of guys that played college club soccer, D3 college soccer, and some even have NPSL experience. Our starting forward didn’t even play college ball and instead was a top track athlete at Yale.

Some highlights from our team include:

Spencer LaCivita, our starting goalkeeper, was a member of the national championship University of Virginia team in 2014

Chris Fanet, a former American University captain, went on to play in the Welsh Football League for Swansea University before returning stateside

Kjell Crooke, former Marymount standout, has experience playing professionally in Sweden for Robertsfors IK

Can you tell us about your Werner Fricker Cup run? How did you guys prepare for the tournament? How did you guys handle the lost in the finals? What did the team take away/learn from the awesome cup run?

Well it starts with the Rowland Cup which started way back in January. We put in work as a team all offseason with practices and track workouts to make sure we come into that well-prepared. We love getting a shot against all the extremely talented Maryland based clubs that we don’t get to see regularly.

But it should be no surprise that we most look forward to getting a shot against Christos FC, who have had our number in the Rowland and Stewart Cup in recent years. In 2015 we were eliminated by them in the quarterfinals of the Stewart Cup in penalties. In 2016 and 2017, they knocked us out of 3 finals and one semi-final, each match being by one goal, including two extra time thrillers. We haven’t forgotten about any of those and use it as motivation to get better every season. This season it finally paid off with our tough win over them in the Rowland final.

The Werner Fricker Cup has been great to give us a chance to compete against top teams in the region. BSC Raiders, who we had to travel up to Buffalo to face in the semi-finals, are easily one of the toughest teams we’ve faced over the last few years. Managing to get 14 players to show up for that game, most of whom drove 7 hours up to Buffalo directly prior to the match, without the resources of a pro or semi-pro team, is something we’re very proud of. And gutting out a 1-0 result with a tenacious defensive effort made that trip worth it.

The loss to Landsdowne Yonkers FC was tough to grapple with because we felt we were in control of most of that game. They deservingly scored about 30 minutes in, but after that we felt as if we had more of the possession, more of the scoring opportunities and should’ve put them away with a second goal in regular time. We went into extra time confident, but they scored in the first period and did a good job holding on to that lead. That’s a damn good team they have up there, and we hope we get a rematch in August at nationals.

Cup matches are always a challenge because we’re dealing with official substitution rules. So, the biggest takeaway every year, particularly this one, is to make sure our talent depth allows us to always have a strong lineup on the field and not falter at the end of matches due to fatigue. We also now have an idea of what resources it takes to play matches across the region. We need to make sure the team is set up financially to help with these deep cup runs, so we’re not limited in roster due to financial difficulties. Succeeding at nationals this summer is the first step to making sure we’re able to do that for the next few seasons.

What plans do you guys have for the club’s future?

Our top goal is to make a US Open Cup run. I think every amateur team in the country is envious of what Christos FC did in 2017, going on a magical run and earning the chance to play against DC United. We want to be the next team to do that. For us, that opportunity begins this summer and fall with nationals and US Open Cup qualification. With nationals being held locally in Elkridge, MD, we hope that we can gain some strong local support going in.

What can you tell us about your coach and his vision for the team?

We’re a completely self-run club without a coach. Our captains, Mike Zoellner and Dan Schoeff, along with other senior members of the team, organize all our practices, register us for tournaments, and manage the team on and off match days. This model works great for us because it’s an entirely self-motivated group of individuals who are always looking for like-minded players to be a part of this team and eventually be part of this leadership group. We hold each other accountable to always be prepared for the season and to be consistent on match day. If you’re not in good playing form and bringing down the team, we must have guys in charge who are willing to make tough decisions and adjustments.

Despite not having a coach, our vision is to always remain competitive in the WPL and Maryland State Cups to give our team a chance at Regionals and beyond every year. Players that are given a chance to join the club know the high level of expectations that are expected, and it keeps everyone motivated on maintaining their standing in the team.

Anything you’d like to add?

Support local soccer however you can! Go to your local pro or amateur matches. Get involved in coaching or refereeing. Anything you can support is all the better for it, and the game in this country can’t grow without it.

Bell County FC

Not all of the clubs we have the pleasure of putting in the Spotlight on Protagonist Soccer.com are already playing their soccer—for newly-minted President and Club Director of Bell County FC, Chris Glynn, this is an opportunity to introduce our soccer community to their brand-new side hailing from Belton, Texas. Even a warm thank you to him for answering our Spotlight questions was treated with kind words and praise… I think we’re all going to like this new club!

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Thanks for the opportunity to raise awareness of your club--we genuinely appreciate being able to chat about soccer with people from all over the country.

Thank you for the opportunity! Protagonist Soccer is one of the leaders in stories and communicating so much about lower league soccer as well as giving us small market clubs a voice to the rest of the country. Absolute massive honor and brilliant we get to be in the spotlight!

Bell County FC made their announcement on twitter, as well as other social media platforms and have made it easy to follow their path toward the 2019 Fall Season.

Looks like your slated to begin play in Fall 2019--are you a brand-new club, or an existing club who's taking it up a level?

Bell County Football Club (or BellCo FC, Bell County FC, and BCFC for short) is a brand-new club beginning play this Fall in the UPSL. We will begin with our inaugural first team of semi-professionals, which have a lot of exciting talent coming in after finishing our tryouts. Our ages in the first team range from 16 to 38, so we have players from all walks and ages in the community! We will also begin this fall with our first youth academy team in the U16 age group with players ages 13 to 16. The goal is to gives these young players a pathway to the next level.

There's really no right or wrong answer, but why did you choose UPSL? For aspiring clubs who may be trying to decide which league to join, what was a deciding factor for your organization?

The UPSL was the obvious choice! That is the short answer, but really the UPSL for aspiring clubs that want a Pro Development league and want the Promotion/Relegation as the model, look no further! The amount of growth the UPSL has shown has been staggering, especially in Texas. I was fortunate enough to help found and bring in another team as one of the founding members of the Central Conference in Texas. Texas started with 10 teams and now has over 60 teams! To now bring in a club that needed a club of this level in the area and to Belton, Texas was the easy to choose. Plus, to be one of the first in the Heart Division of this conference to start with a fight for Promotion, I mean who wouldn’t like that opportunity and that feeling of saying, “We are going up, we are going up!”? For those aspiring clubs not sure, JOIN! The league is growing and is providing further opportunities in a country where Pro/Rel Model and getting small market clubs a platform and voice is more important than ever.

Some thought and care went into this badge, Its original and well-executed.

Are you linked to a youth club? Some clubs grow their own players and bring them through a system, some clubs draw strictly on local talent, while others draw from local colleges. How are you building your team?

As mentioned above, we have had experience with other youth clubs through playing and coaching. This is the first time, however that we will venture into the youth side of things with our first UPSL Youth Academy U16 Team. This will serve as a pathway to our first team as well as give players a better chance of playing ball with a known pathway as well as knowing the journey does not have to stop. So many players dropout of the sport between the ages of 13-15. I am a middle school teacher and coach, so I see this happen so often and needs a better outcome and opportunity for the youth in this area that we serve. It is also personal, as I grew up in this area both as a player and coach.

For a lot of teams, facilities costs are a huge factor - where will you be playing, is it the same grounds where you'll be training?

Currently, we are training at Chisholm Trail Park in Belton, Texas. We are currently weighing our options within community about our game facilities, but for now we are really doing wonderful things in the community. In addition, we have also become a member of the Belton Area Chamber of Commerce, we have participated in Belton Market Days, helped Eldred’s Nursery Foundation in Belton, and so many other events. We even have other events coming up! Our goal is to give back on and off the pitch, so while we are continuing to build, we know it’s important to grow in all areas.

Bell County FC are friend and supporters of local soccer themselves – they attend Austin Bold matches together.

Your badge is unique and looks sharp, was there a designer involved? Do you have your kits sorted out for fall?

Our uniform kits are being finalized, so be on the lookout for another big announcement. I feel like I post and share “BIG” announcements so often in the last month or so we have had this club started. It’s Crazy! But at the club we think everything is HUGE and so be on the lookout for that and so many other new things coming up! Our badge is rather unique and pays homage to our local community and important landmarks in the area. It’s funny, we weren’t sure how to go about the badge and our friend Bernie Koelsch offered. Bernie, who is the head coach of the All-Army Soccer Team, we met when we played them on another team and we just loved the conversation and friendly both on and off the pitch. So, one day, we get a message and the offer to have his business make our badge via his world-class design business called Drawfection brought one of the biggest contributions we could ask for. Could not have asked for a better person and business to this! I’ve got nothing but fantastic review on his work and have been in love with that badge ever since!

Do you have a mission statement? What's your short term and long-term goals?

Our vision and goals are to promote high-level soccer while also bringing a winning and competitive team to the scene. Just like the UPSL, we also promote and are huge advocate of Pro-Development to help our young athletes to pathways and opportunities to college, professional, and other high-level forms of soccer in a league that promote our advocacy for promotion and relegation for fair and competitive play. From a club standpoint, our short-term goals are to bring joy and the beautiful game to this area for all ages with continuing to build and cement ourselves in the local community. The long-term goals are just to be a contender and gain promotion with club culture know not just in the community, not just in Texas, but throughout the country. Overall, we want to give back and prove small market clubs can be just as fantastic as the clubs several divisions and tiers above us on the pitch and off the pitch.

I only want to add and thank all our supporters, players, coaches, and staff for all their hard work so far. I want to thank all our current partners and sponsors Drawfection, K Designs, Nutmeg-Consulting.com, and Belton Area Chamber of Commerce! They have been awesome getting us started and we hope more support, partners, and sponsors will consider Bell County Football Club. GO BENGALS!

- Josh Duder

We’re as excited to see them play as they are to get out there and to their thing—good luck this fall to Bell County FC!

For more information about Bell County FC, visit their website: http://www.bellcofc.com/

To stay up to date, follow them on twitter… we do! https://twitter.com/bellcofc

Georgia Revolution

Can you tell us a bit about the club? Why the name Revolution?

The team was originally formed as the top of Rockdale Youth Soccer Association and their name was RYSA Revolution. New owners purchased the team in 2016 and kept the name Georgia Revolution, adding FC and changing the crest to differentiate from RYSA Revolution. The team has not been affiliated with RYSA since 2016.

What started as a single NPSL team in 2016 now has 4 adult teams and a strong youth program through our affiliates at AFC lightning and Southern Crescent Soccer Foundation. The club is very active in the community, growing soccer through free after-school programs.

What are some things that lower league soccer teams like the Georgia Revolution can offer that MLS clubs like Atlanta United can't?

This is a two part answer. The first is for the fans. We offer fans a minor league soccer experience similar to minor league baseball. It’s inexpensive, fun, and the fans are more part of the team. They interact directly with the players, coaches and front office. We know our season ticket holders and many other fans by name and spend time talking to them during and after the game. It’s really a cool experience. We're not trying to replicate the MLS, we are providing a different way to enjoy soccer.

For the players, it’s a chance to move into the professional ranks. The club is like a family, it’s not about the money (there isn't much) or personal ego, the players support each other, the coaching staff, and the club as a whole. We hear this from our players on all of our teams and it’s something we are very proud of.

Is there any collaboration with Atlanta United?

Not at this time. Hopefully in the future we can schedule a friendly with ATL United 2, or in a perfect world, face ATL United in a U.S. Open Cup match.

The club has a very developed youth and reserve system, with players from the U19s U21s and U23s often breaking into the first team. Is player development important to the Revolution?

Player development is the most important part of the Revs. We commit significant time and resources to make us the destination for players who have aged out of youth but want to continue to play at a high level. There are many quality players in the Atlanta area and we provide an option for those who commit to professional training, buy into our club philosophy, and want to play on competitive teams. This makes us unique, I don't know of any other club in our area (and possibly the U.S.) that so aggressively focuses on player development after youth and/or college and provides levels of play as high as the NPSL.

The Reserve teams compete in the Atlanta District Amateur Soccer League, how's the level of play in this league? Does it help prepare players for the first team?

Our Reserves, U23 and U21 (formally Revs Blue) all play in the ADASL. Our Reserves won the 1st division championship this year and are going to participate in the U.S. Open Cup qualifiers. Our U23 and U21 teams play in the 2nd division and are considered developmental teams that feed players to our Reserves. Six Reserves are now playing on the NPSL team. The level of competition in the ADASL is very high. Division 1 is not your typical Sunday league, most teams are comprised of former professionals and high level college graduates. The ADASL is entering its 52nd year and was recently designated a premier amateur soccer league by USASL.

Our youth play with our affiliate, AFC Lightning and Lake Country United FC. AFC is one of the oldest and most successful youth organizations in the state and we are very excited to have this new affiliation. Lake Country was our first affiliate and they are a great organization east of the Atlanta metro area which provides elite soccer in one of the most economically challenged areas of the state at a very low cost.

Does the club work with the community in McDonough at all?

Absolutely. We work with the Southern Crescent Soccer Foundation to provide free after-school soccer leagues in several elementary schools. Our goal is to give every child the opportunity to play soccer regardless of their financial means and to continue to grow the sport. In addition to that, we work with local businesses to promote each other and have developed some great relationships over the years.

There are a few players currently in college on the roster, can you say something about working with college players?

College players are a great addition to our NPSL team in the summer because they are fit and ready to play on day one. At times it’s a bit hit or miss, not all college players want to play in the summer for only the pride of wearing the badge. Over the years we have really refined who we take on the team, ensuring that they have the right attitude and want to be a Rev. The groups of college players we have now are fantastic both on and off the field.

There are also a good number of international players coming in from all over the globe. How does the club go about recruiting these players?

Atlanta is an international city. Most of our international players are local to the area, several of them are college players who play at local schools and want to continue playing with the revs during the summer.

What are long term visions for the club?

To continue to grow the sport. From our after-school programs to adult amateur to the NPSL, we are 100% focused on growing soccer and providing opportunity to players. Our goal is to one day consistently draw 1000 or more fans and become the pride of Henry County.

After the rebranding of the Silverbacks to Atlanta SC is the rivalry still alive?

Yes. Different name, same rivalry. The name change may not have gone over well with some of their fans, but Atlanta SC made the right decision based on many business factors and have kept the team alive. At the end of the day, all lower level clubs, including the Revs, are working towards long term sustainability and we support one another to make this happen.

Is there any player we should keep an eye out for this season?

There are a few but if I have to pick one, its Jack Gurr. He's our team captain and a dynamic player. He was an NAIA All-American and last season was NPSL Southeast All XI. I have no doubt he will sign a pro contract in the near future.

Anything else we should know about the club?

That we are a family. When a fan comes through the gate it’s our family members selling tickets, running the store, and doing the other dozens of things that make the match an entertaining experience. The Revs club is just that, a club that players, fans and staff can call home.

- Paul Kowalczyk

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For more information on the Georgia Revolution:

Team Website: http://georgiarevolutionfc.com

Tickets: http://georgiarevolutionfc.com/2019-single-game-tickets/

Team Store: http://georgiarevolutionfc.com/store/

Follow on Twitter and Instagram: @GA_Revolution

Like on Facebook: @Georgia Revolution FC