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.

Santa Ana Winds FC

Southern California is stacked with talented players and have more great teams than we can shake a stick at – however, we were fortunate enough to get a reply to our request for more info from Marco Paniagua, head coach, of the UPSL’s Santa Ana Winds FC. We wanted to know the usual “when did you start” kinda stuff, but we also wanted to know what makes them tick. Winds FC, founded in 2006, started their play in the SoCal Premier League, but moved to NPSL in 2011. They’ve qualified for the US Open Cup (2018) and have even moved a player on to an international professional club (Juan Arellano). However, they left NPSL after only one year and have been in the UPSL ever since.

What is the mission of the club?

To promote, administer, develop, encourage opportunities and foster an environment for the participation of soccer players, staff and faculty to actively be involved in recreational, Social and competitive soccer whilst maintaining a community and family environment through the concept of “soccer for all”

Are you directly linked with youth teams?

Yes, but not in the USA, we are expanding the franchise internationally, we just opened our first soccer academy in Costa Rica and we have close to 100 kids between the age 4-12, additional we have the U13, U15, U17 and PRIMERA DE LINAFA. As of right now we had made the right decision and we are moving in the right direction and great results are showing. We have excellent staffing working and developing the academy.

Santa Ana Winds FC have competed in the SoCal Premier, NPSL, and now in the UPSL.

How many of those players break into the UPSL side?

As of right now, no youth players have broken into the UPSL from Winds FC, but slowly start getting a lot of this players into this league, we have to mention that UPSL has done a tremendous job in all areas and expanding nationally. This league will become one of the most important leagues for USA Soccer.

If the UPSL players don't come through the youth team, where do you draw players from?

Most of Our players come locally. Since 2017 when we became a bigger group and working with Jose Lopez- currently GM, Enrique Rosas- Assistant Head Coach, Jorge Adame,- Goalkeeper Coach, Edgar Barraza- Soccer Operation Coordinator, Leonel Lopez President and myself (Marco Paniagua) as Head Coach and Sport Manager, we changed our model, and we decided to work with young players (18-23) and put a process together for 3 year to became one of the best teams in the area. We decide to focus on an exchange development program for each player. Basically, we develop all our players to become professional, better player and a better person, of course with the option of jumping to the next level and became a professional baller.

Winds FC’s Juan Arellano was recently invited to join Club Sport Cartaginés of the Costa Rican Primera División.

Financing the team is so important for non-MLS teams; how do you do it? Do you have fans coming to the games, buying tickets and shirts, or do you mostly work with local sponsors?

We have a few sponsors that help to cover a portion of the financial situation, but the reality is that is not easy to maintain a soccer team, another portion is cover by all the partners: SCORE and DE LEON TRANSPORT INC.

Yes, we have fans and we have a great sponsor that provides all the equipment that a professional team needs to perform, as right now we don’t sell tickets and t shits but is an ongoing project for next season since we have everything to do it.

Part of the problem with player development in the US is that highly talented kids cannot afford club fees - does Winds FC do anything to reach out to underprivileged players?

Yes, we are aware of this situation, as mentioned before, our model is based on a development program to become a better person and better player and the most important part is become a professional baller, like we did with Juan Arellano back in 2018 when we transfer him to Club Sport Cartagines from COSTA RICA, at the moment they had Paulo Wanchope as Head Coach, one of the international soccer Legends. Something important to mention about our model is that we don’t charge any player and we don’t pay any player; they understand the great opportunity they have at winds FC. Part of this exchange program is that we have the relation with countries like Costa Rica, Denmark, Portugal, South Korea, USA, Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Chile, Argentina, Colombia and others.

With Women's Soccer becoming more and more important, do you have any girls’ squads and any interest in having a women's side in the future?

This a great topic and even we don’t have any woman squads yet here, we are working on getting the first girls’ team in Costa Rica. We believe that this a future project for us.

Been there, done that, Santa Ana Winds FC are earning a reputation as a winning organization.

For more information about Santa Ana Winds FC

For more information about UPSL Soccer

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

Arctic Rush

The badge and name, Arctic Rush, seem brand new, but what is the history of Rush in your community? How long has the Rush organization been home to soccer in Fairbanks?

Back in 2005, the Alaska Goldstrikers Soccer Club combined with Rush Soccer to become one of the biggest youth soccer organizations in Alaska. Arctic Rush came from the affiliation of Alaska Rush SC and Arctic North FC, an amateur men’s league team that was run by myself. I was approached by Josh Banks of AK City FC about the UPSL wanting to start a conference in Alaska, and he thought my team would be a good fit. With the help of Alaska Rush, the club I grew up playing with and now coach for, we were able to enter Arctic Rush in to the UPSL for this first season in The Last Frontier Conference.

For some soccer fans, the introduction of a men's side into a national league can be exciting? It can signal an interest in becoming a competitive market or in interest in greater things to come... but what's the goal of Arctic Rush? Why form a top-tier squad and join the UPSL?

The main goal of Arctic Rush is to help push the overall competitiveness of soccer in Alaska to the next level. By being part of Rush, we can move forward with the idea of promoting from within and having players "come up through the youth system into the first team." It gives kids something to look forward to locally, and can possible motivate a few to pursue a higher level of soccer.

Training for Arctic Rush, and other Anchorage-based sides, may mean getting on the pitch in less than optimal temperatures.

The logistics of running a club in a national league can be complicated at best, how do you navigate the possibility of playoffs, financially speaking? Would you dare enter the US Open Cup qualifying rounds in the fall, knowing you could draw an away match?

We would never shy away from participating in any competition, especially one as big as the U.S. Open Cup. Financially, it will always be a little tougher on teams coming from Alaska, but that is what we are used to. In order to be a high-level athlete from Alaska, travel is more-or-less a requirement. So, our players are not unfamiliar with the idea of travel, and local businesses have always been willing to help out local sports teams. Also, just being associated with a nationwide league such as the UPSL can really attract some attention. So, I believe it's a hurdle that can easily be jumped when the time comes to start thinking about travel.

The seasons are fairly different to what we're used to down here; how has that affected your scheduling? What is the best time of year for a match? Are all matches indoors or are there outdoor facilities?

Unfortunately, the seasons do affect our schedule quite a bit. But just like with travel, it's nothing we aren't used to dealing with. On top of the summer being the only time to play, high school soccer is a spring sport in Alaska. So, we could technically start our UPSL season as soon as mid to late April, but that would cause quite the scheduling conflict, and would prevent those players from participating in the UPSL altogether. We are limited to playing games in June and July if we want to be involved in the playoffs that happen within the rest of the UPSL. The best time for a match in Alaska is probably the first week of June. It's that perfect transition from spring to summer, and produces the best weather more often than not. Outdoor matches can start in mid-April and be played all the way into September sometimes! During the winter months though, everyone becomes restricted to using one of two facilities to play soccer on turf. The Dome is the only facility with a full-size field and track, so it is obviously the most sought after, and thus, very expensive and availability is very limited. The other facility is the Fox Hollow Sports Dome, who have a 9v9 size field inside their dome, so some play is available there, but as is the case with The Dome, Fox Hollow has limited availability as well. Most indoor play is done on gym floors wherever they are available.

Are there any standout players who have developed from your organization in the past and moved onto do well in the college ranks, maybe played at another UPSL or NPSL side? (Women players are of interest to us as well, any player who has developed through your ranks, we'd love to know about!)

As for standout players from Alaska, the most well-known name from my lifetime has been Alev Kelter. She is now known for her rugby play at national level, but when she lived here, she was known for being one of the best and toughest women hockey and soccer players. Other than her, there have been so many Alaskans that have gone onto play at different levels of the game, from junior colleges to D1 athletes to UPSL and PDL clubs. The one that stands out to me the most, obviously, is my brother, Zak Naylor. Zak played his whole youth career here in Anchorage, graduating from South High, going onto Edmonds CC, then to Concordia University, then went on to play for the Vancouver Victory, Portland Spartans, and currently plays for Boise FC Cutthroats.

Arctic Rush, now in the UPSL Last Frontier, is an homage to both Arctic North FC and Alaska Rush SC

For more information or just to follow Arctic Rush: Website, https://www.alaskarush.com/ and Twitter, https://twitter.com/ArcticRush1

San Antonio Corinthians

Sometimes, in the lower leagues, you don’t know much about a club. You see a name in a scoreline or on a table and recognize it, but the depth of understanding isn’t there. That’s because the number of clubs is often too much to handle, even for journalists. That’s why we do this column, to support that connection between club and fan, no matter how far removed by geography and understanding. So today, we’re talking with San Antonio Corinthians, a club with an epic crest and an interesting backstory. Enjoy!

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Tell us about the history of your club.

The San Antonio Corinthians Football Club (SACFC) was founded in 2009 and accepted to play their inaugural 2014 season in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) in the South Central Conference winning the South Division and finishing third overall in the conference.

Your club jumped from the NPSL to the UPSL, can you talk about the differences in the league?

We decided on the UPSL due to the growth and competitiveness of the league in recent years. The leagues’ vision of growth and development were vital components in our decision making when joining the league in 2019. The UPSL has welcomed us since day one. We were thankful for the opportunity and how to UPSL National Director, Matt Kahla Jr. assisted in streamlining the membership process.

San Antonio now has several clubs, including San Antonio FC, how's the interaction between the clubs?

We have great respect for SAFC and all soccer clubs in San Antonio. It’s important for clubs to support one another out of respect for the game and to enhance the development of players all while expanding the game. We did face SAFC back in 2016 and came up short in a hard fought second round US Open Cup match.

In a market with other clubs, how does Corinthians stand out?

We run our club as a top tier organization. Aspects like discipline, accountability, competitiveness and attention to detail flow throughout. Players and staff are asked to give their absolute best efforts for the club. This season our international friendly matches help set us apart from our cohorts. We will be hosting Club Santos Laguna and Pumas respectively. We are always looking to give our players a competitive edge by challenging them to take their games to the proverbial next level.

Big friendly coming up against Santos Laguna, how did that come about and how is your club approaching this match?

Our front office and coaching staff have an abundance of international relationships that have been cultivated over the years. Whenever we are able to host events like these it is important the events are beneficial for both clubs and of course fun for our fans! We are approaching this match with the utmost respect for Santos Laguna coupled with excitement. Our style of play and training methods will remain consistent so we can concentrate on what we can control. We are very much aware of the talent we are facing with clubs like Santos Laguna and Pumas. As long as we can execute our game-plan we feel we can compete with any club.

Your UPSL regular season has just kicked off, how is the club coming along? What are the goals for this season?

We can see the men are starting to gel now that we’ve got some competition instead of just training against each other. Coaches are always analyzing and evaluating players to create the best lineups weekly. We currently stand at 2-1 in our division, with back to back victories. Our goals are to win the national championship and make some noise in the US Open Cup while showcasing local talent.

If someone wants to know more about your club, where do they go?

All our UPSL matches are streamed through mycujoo.tv and all updates and info can be found on our social media platforms and website:

Twitter – @Corinthians_SA

Instagram – @sanantoniocorinthians

Facebook – facebook.com/SanAntonioCorinthians

www.sanantoniocorinthians.com

Vacaville Elite

“Small Town Team, Big Time Dream,” the official motto of Brandon Muth and Aaron Dickey, General Managers of the team – who are also players for the UPSL Wild West side. Vacaville, about an hour and a half northeast of San Francisco, is a fairly small town, by California standards and is the home to Vacaville Elite, who are only a year into the UPSL but look like they’ve found a league which suits them. They were kind enough to answer all my questions for a Protagonist Soccer spotlight piece.

- Joshua Duder

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Vacaville Elite were founded in 2009--but what's the story? Was it started as a place to play for adults or as a place for kids to learn to play?

Vacaville Elite was founded in 2009 by President and head coach Dave M. During this time, the team was a participant of the U23 Nor Cal Premier Soccer league where the door was open to local Vacaville players who wanted to compete at the highest amateur level in the surrounding area. The idea was to give kids something to aspire to in our community and we wanted to start organically and within the boundaries of our city. Roughly 90% of the 2009-2013 rosters were coached previously by Dave during their youth soccer days. For the first 4 seasons, a majority of the players for the Elite had already been playing together since 1998 so the chemistry was natural.

At the end of the 2010 season, coach Dave stepped down from coaching and was appointed as the President of the Club. The team was then handed over to player and team captain, Aaron Dickey (21 years old at the time), and Player Brandon Muth (20 years old at the time).

The vision was to continue providing quality soccer for the local area because we knew there was a talented group of guys in which we felt confident could compete at a high level. We would train 3 days a week at a local park with decent grass and all we had at the time was hand-me-down equipment: cones, balls and one set of pug goals however, our belief was big and guys would show up to practice with a work-hard attitude pushing each other to be better.

In 2011-2012 we opened our roster to include anyone from ages 16 and older to partake in the journey. In 2012 and 2013 we took 1st place in the Nor Cal Premier League back-to-back; this is where the two stars come from on our crest! In the summer of 2013, our 1st place position qualified our team for the Nor Cal State Cup Tournament where we went on to face the Chivas USA MLS U23 team at Cal Poly University in San Luis Obispo. This was a very tough opponent and we put up a great fight with the final score ending at 3-1 and never thought a small-town team like ours would play at this level. From that came our motto "Small Town Team, Big Time Dream".

Brandon Muth takes on NPSL’s Napa Valley 1839 FC (Photo via The Reporter / Courtesy Vacaville Elite)

In 2014 we competed in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup - Nor Cal State Cup Qualification Round against Juventus 93 SC Black now known as JASA in the UPSL, which we lost 2-1 with a late controversial penalty kick awarded to Juventus in the final seconds. It was a tough loss however, we accomplished something much bigger than we ever anticipated.

In 2015 we decided to take a break from league play and at the time was not certain what the future would hold for the Vacaville Elite. Fortunately, it was the consistent persuasion via past and future aspiring players who constantly reached out and demanded us to bring back the team. This was the driving force to the club’s re-entry into league play for the upcoming 2016 season.

Scott Kubicka of Vacaville Elite (Photo: Club Website)

In 2016 we competed in the Liga Nor Cal spring, summer and fall seasons until the fall of 2018 where we made the jump to the UPSL. We decided that it was the right time to make the switch. We felt it was the most beneficial move for the club as a whole as we wanted to play on a National level whilst bringing more exposure to our players and our club. Our goal is to not only provide advanced training via practices and high-level game play but to also open doors to Colleges/Universities and Pro-Clubs worldwide to our players. In the end, it is about the players and we strongly believe this.

A few clubs have migrated from the NorCal League to either the NPSL or in your case, the UPSL, without a proper Promotion / Relegation system in place, is this the natural course for clubs who outgrow their regional league? How noticeable has the jump up been; is the competition better or is it just a matter of longer travel to face clubs further away?

In regards to this being a natural progression for Nor Cal clubs, I believe that it is truly case by case. In our situation, we have found a sustainable blueprint that works for our club and transitioning into a National League just fit well with the direction of the Adult team representing our club as a whole.

We really like the professional standards set forth by the UPSL, and have enjoyed our experience thus far. In the Bay Area and most of the surrounding cities in Northern California, it is a hotbed for talent. All of these quality teams in such a close vicinity have provided us with top level competition and we have hung in there against powerhouse cities like San Francisco, Oakland, Sacramento, Davis… just to name a few. Most people would be surprised of the amount of talent coming out of even the smallest cities in Northern California. We feel we are an example of this; a city of 100,00 people trying to take on the nation. “Small Town Team, Big Time Dream”.

There looks to be four levels of play at your club, including three developmental squads, how many of your first team players have come up through this funnel? In a town situated halfway between San Francisco and Sacramento and surrounded by all sorts of soccer teams, how important is it to build your own players through those developmental stages?

Our Developmental Youth Teams are just being introduced this Spring. Until now, we have only had a Men's Semi-Professional team, but the ultimate goal has always been to provide a thriving youth program. We will start with a boy's U12, U14, U16, and U18 team while the introduction of girl’s teams is on the agenda for the very near future. Our mission is to focus on proper development for each age group and skill level while also incorporating other important things like diet, injury prevention, team synergy, life skills, etc. into the developmental program. We are excited about providing something different for not just our community but our local region.

Amar Husic of Vacaville Elite (Photo: Club Website)

For many years we have hand selected players from 16-17 years old to train with the adult side to prepare them for their potential debut with the first team. We look for talented youth players who are not playing with any club and in many cases, this is due to lack of financial support and/or their demographics. We have seen some of these young players come to our team and then go on to play in College, overseas, NPSL and even the USL. Our Club is big on helping out our players and one way we do this is by writing letters of recommendations for Colleges/Universities as well as for other clubs that are more prestigious. Nonetheless, if there is any way we can assist our players in achieving their soccer goals or getting them to a higher level, we are all about it.

Giving the kids a chance to grow into the first team is excellent, but once they get there, does the club help them find opportunities to play at the next level? Letters of Recommendation to Colleges or reach out to lower level pro teams like Sacramento Republic or Las Vegas?

We feel it is very important to bring our players up through our developmental program and then all the way up to our first team. In the city of Vacaville, a majority of the more talented players are traveling out of our city to play for different clubs in other cities and we would love to change this and retain our homegrown talent. This will not happen overnight but you know what they say, slow and steady wins the race!

Your organization seems really strong in terms of building quality players and providing a youth funnel, but what's your fan support like? Do you have a supporter’s group? Chants, tifo, scarves? How important are those elements to a communities' soccer culture?

We currently do not have a support group or any chant songs, but we would love for the community to get behind the Club and create one. We have beanies and a plethora of other team merchandise but no scarves as of yet (this winter!).

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For more information about Vacaville Elite, check them out here: https://www.vacaville-elite.com/

To Help them out, take a look at their online store, here: https://www.vacaville-elite.com/apparel

Alta California Sol

Alta California Sol is a new men’s and women’s club based out of Santa Barbara,CA. They play within the UPSL, where the men’s side has already proven the clubs winning mentality by winning its first three matches. So let’s get to know the club:

What is your name and role with Alta California Sol?

My name is d’Alary Dalton and I am the CEO/President and Co-Founder of Alta California Sol.

What is your background in the beautiful game?

My background in soccer is in coaching, research and club development. I hold a USSF A-License, USYS National Youth License and Advanced National and Director of Coaching Diplomas from the NSCAA/United Coaches. I also have a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Mills College where my research focus was on “How coaches balance teaching positive life skills and the importance of winning.” I have been a soccer coach and director for more than 25 years at a variety of levels including youth, high school, and college as well as for the Olympic Development Program. In 2013 I formed the non-profit Sol Soccer Club through the Sports Matter Grant from Dick’s Sporting Goods. Sol Soccer Club is the parent organization for Alta California Sol.

What inspired your name and crest?

We are super proud of the historical and regional references that make up our name and crest. Alta California refers to what our region was called prior to statehood, Upper California. Sol is Spanish for sun which is synonymous with California. The pelican represents a coastal bird that travels in flocks and hunt cooperatively. Under the pelican is the iconic Stearns Warf. It was local artist Hector Torres that put all these elements together.    

Majority of your player pool is from Santa Barbara. How important is it for your club to reflect your community?

Growing our local soccer community means everything to us. We take pride in providing an opportunity for local players to move up and play at the next level whether that be with our team, in college or professionally. Equally important to us is that the men and women who play for Alta California Sol inspire the youth to play soccer and stay in the game longer.

How has the community responded to having an amateur soccer club?

The positive response of our immediate families and fans has been tremendous. We’ve also been very fortunate that our most popular local online news source, Noozhawk, has reported on our games and published several write-ups.

I believe that Alta California Sol is part of a revolution occurring in grassroots soccer, that revolution of fielding both a men's and women's side. Why has it been important for the club to provide an equal playing opportunity for all players in its community?

Throughout my career I have watched as the number of girls playing soccer continues to decline, there are fewer women coaches, and more troubling is pervasive belief that girls and women are choosing to not step up or stay in the game. Locally, all this is taking place in a time when there are a record number of girls trying out for their high school teams and we have four highly successful college women’s soccer programs. Clearly soccer loving girls and women are here so it only makes sense to provide the next level opportunity for the women who want to play. These women will be pioneers in creating a pathway for young girls to stay in the game.

What have been the biggest challenges to starting a men's and women's side?

By far our greatest challenge to starting our men’s and women’s programs has been to secure a long-term agreement for fields, for both training and games.  

What is the future for Alta California Sol?

We are very optimistic about the future progression of Alta California Sol. As an organization, we have a dedicated and passionate staff that work tirelessly to ensure our on the field success. Already our men’s team has demonstrated that they are ready to compete at the next level. Enthusiasm in the lead up to forming our women’s team has been great. We’re very encouraged by the feedback from women players in the area who are excited about the opportunity to play locally. With the success of our teams we expect to connect our players to the community through clinics and outreach efforts.

What role does grassroots soccer play in the U.S. Soccer landscape?

Grassroots soccer has an enormous role to play in providing the greatest number of kids and young adults all the opportunities and benefits that being a participant in sports has to offer. When done purposefully, we believe that soccer is the perfect sport to support and promote the health and well-being of youth and the community by bringing people together through a shared passion for the game of soccer.

How do you feel about the current state of soccer in our country?

There are many good people working hard to improve soccer at all levels of our sport and there is plenty of room for improvement. I am most encouraged by those who are advocating for a more inclusive and open system. Although we are not going to change the chronic problems facing soccer in our country with our 2 teams, our organization is deeply committed to having a lasting positive impact on our players and our community.

Nevada Coyotes FC

2018 was a rollercoaster year for Nevada Coyotes FC, despite a lot of highs on the pitch, there were some lows too. The Coyotes won the UPSL Wild West Conference in the Spring but lost 3-0 to Santa Ana Winds in the playoffs; they participated in the US Open Cup, but were knocked out; the Coyotes followed that up by closing out the year winning the Wild West Conference in the Fall—undoubtably, champions of their region. Now that their wild 2018 campaign is over, we had a chance to catch up with Nevada Coyotes FC Director of Operations, Will Bumgardener. We put his club in the Spotlight and graciously gave us a lot to read.

When and how were you founded; Does the club have any connections to an existing youth system?

We were founded in December, 2016 by three individuals: Ian Hill, Art Castañares, and Dr. Fred Simon as Western Nevada FC. As well as being the majority owner, Hill was also the general manager and head coach. The original plan for the club was that it would be made up of players from the Reno/Sparks/Carson City area, with a couple players from elsewhere. While that original group held its own in our inaugural spring season, that plan started to get shelved when players from outside Northern Nevada began to express interest in wanting to play with us. We still have a good contingent of players that are local, however there is a very good share of players that are from outside Nevada, as well as players from outside the United States.

Unfortunately, we had run of bad luck in June. On our way to a road game, our van was broken into. In the robbery, we lost our brand-new kits, as well as all of the video equipment that our videographer used. However, this incident brought to light another issue that was happening within the team. We came to find out that Hill was stealing from us. As a result, the players unanimously voted him out as head coach and he was also removed as an owner and GM. I have been with the organization since the beginning as the PA announcer and social media guy. Castañares felt comfortable with me remaining with the club and named me Director of Operations soon after Hill was relieved of his duties. The complete changeover also included a full re-brand from Western Nevada FC to Nevada Coyotes FC.

 We have recently developed a partnership with Sierra Nevada FC, which is a boys’ youth program in the area. One of the individuals in charge of that program, Paul Gonzalez, is also the head coach of one of the local high school teams. Not only was he more than willing to form this partnership with us, he also helped us secure a field to call home during the fall season (and beyond).

New Head Coach Christian Patiño motivates the squad before a match vs Vacaville Elite.

What were the motivations behind the badge, mascot, and colors? Are there any connections to, or inspirations drawn from, other clubs in the world?

Reno is in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. So, putting the mountains on the badge made sense. Coyotes are also a part of our area, so it worked to put them together.

We kept the color scheme that we had when we were Western Nevada FC. Blue is a color typically associated with Northern Nevada and the yellow is a good accent for it, but it is not a prominent part of our color scheme.

To my knowledge, there are no connections to other clubs in the world to our badge.

Coyotes sporting blue, yellow and white after finishing a training session.

What are the goals of the organization; does that include an ambition to grow quickly or more just see how it goes?

We’ve accomplished so much already, especially within the 2018 calendar year – two-time (and only) Wild West Cup champions, 2018 Wild West Spring Regular Season and Playoff Champions, and 2018 Wild West North Fall Regular Season Champions. Only one true loss in all UPSL play in 2018 (we did have to forfeit a game this season due to field issues) in the Spring Western Conference Final to Santa Ana Winds. But we still have more goals that we want to successfully reach – win a national championship and qualify for the US Open Cup are two of the bigger ones. We also want to build our own facility.

 From a player standpoint, we want to give them the best opportunities available to reach their goals, whatever they might be. For some, that’s getting to the next level of their playing career. Some may want to move on to coaching. Others may want to work behind the scenes with a club.

 We’ve definitely grown quickly in the last two years. I think the ambitions are a little of both. Some things will happen fast and others we will have to take a wait and see approach.

 The team seems relatively new, are there any players who’ve made an instant impact? Anybody notable who’s come from another league or club?

Honestly, all of our players have made an impact in one way or another. We wouldn’t be where we are today without each and every one of them.

 We all see what the players do on the pitch. However, we also have to give credit to our head coach, Christian Patiño. We are very fortunate to have someone of his background as our head coach. Profe has done an amazing job with our club since he took over in June. Having him lead the club has also brought us some newfound popularity, as a lot of people were fans of his when he played in Liga MX, most notably for Club América.

Salifu Jatta on the ball, while he is a massive presence, all players’ contributions are deeply appreciated.

Do you have an existing or budding rivalry? Do you see rivalry as an important part of growing the fan side of an organization, or a distraction? 

I think every game has become a rivalry game for us. We have a huge target on our back. Everyone, especially in the Wild West, wants to be able to say that they were the ones to knock off Nevada on the field.

 I would say that our biggest rivalries right now are against Cal Victory and Napa Sporting. Unfortunately, Victory opted not to play in the fall season. We recently defeated Napa on the road, which was huge for us as that victory not only clinched the top spot in the division and home field throughout the Wild West Playoffs, but it also avenged the forfeit loss to them earlier.

I feel it’s important to have those teams that your fans get more excited about. As long as the players stay focused on the game itself, rivalry games don’t become too much of a distraction.

 How do you feel about clubs being politically active? Should they just stick to soccer or is there a responsibility to be a part of the community?

 As a club, I personally feel that we should keep everything above board. I don’t think we should get too politically active because we would not only alienate a portion of our fan base if our public beliefs don’t line up with theirs, but we could also upset members of our team. I feel that it’s our job to bring the community together. We all have different political beliefs, but we should all come together in the name of The Beautiful Game.

After a disappointing end to the 2018 UPSL Spring Season, the Nevada Coyotes FC only went out and won the Wild West Conference in the Fall.

Check them out: https://nvcoyotesfc.com/

See the UPSL: https://www.upslsoccer.com/

AC Miracle Hill

What is your name and role with AC Miracle Hill?
My name is Rigoberto Escobedo, Co-founder and President. Management and Operations.

What is your background in the beautiful game?

I grew up with soccer my whole life. Starting out playing AYSO and then moved on to playing club soccer towards the end of my teenage years. As an adult, I played soccer at our local Sunday league and indoor soccer league. Also, I've been a die-hard FIFA gamer since 2001, and have not stopped playing ever since!

What inspired your name and crest?

We wanted to create club that represented our hometown, Desert Hot Springs. The name Miracle Hill was a nickname given to the city of Desert Hot Springs by Cabot Yerxa, Desert Hot Springs' first settler. My brother and I also have an admiration for Italian soccer. So with all that combined, came the name AC Miracle Hill. Growing up in the desert, all you see are the windmills. We felt the windmills was a symbol that anyone in any city in the Coachella Valley can relate to.

What has been the biggest challenges going into your first season within the UPSL?

Getting sponsors and funding. Everyone in our staff, including myself, work full-time jobs and have no time during regular work hours to meet face-to-face with potential community partners. But we're working hard making calls, writings emails, and sending DM's to reach out to our local businesses to make things happen.

In your short existence you have already managed to gather a few staff members. How have you achieved that and what tips can you give to other clubs that have yet to find volunteer help?

Transparency and the opportunity to grow.

Transparency - Everyone knows what everyone does. We all see where the money comes from and where it goes.

Growth Opportunity - We believe in our staff members and their abilities. We give them the opportunity to learn from working directly with the players, the clubs, and the community. We want all our staff members to get a real experience that will help them in their next big opportunity.

What was the process in finding head coach Brian Benjume and what is his previous soccer experience?

Brian Benjume started his career training Mexican club, Pachuca Youth Academy. He then went on to play for Arsenal FC-US Academy, San Diego Flash, Sport Club Corinthians USA-NPSL, Inland Empire FC-UPSL, and now as a Player/Coach with AC Miracle Hill. Brian Benjume is a desert local that knows soccer and we feel lucky to have him on our side. With his positive attitude and determination, we know he will make a great impact on the club, the players, and the supporters.

When will be the club’s first match?

We will be receiving more info on our league schedule early in the new year. But we know our season will start the first weekend of March.

What is the main goal of AC Miracle Hill?

Our goal is to be the best professional development program in the Coachella Valley and surrounding areas, and to have the highest amount of pro and national players to come out of one club.

What role does the lower leagues play in the U.S. Soccer landscape?

It’s a great way for players to develop their skills and mentality to prepare for higher level play.

How do you feel about the current state of soccer in our country?

It's all messed up! But we got 2 options, we can keep complaining about how awful US Soccer structure is or actually do something to change it.

Is there any additional information you would like to share?

To any viewer:

If you love soccer and your from the Coachella Valley, then you'll love AC Miracle Hill!

Follow AC Miracle Hill on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to learn more!

Dekalb County United

Soccer in the Midwest has a great history and a great future—DeKalb County FC, of the UPSL Midwest, is a newer club but has long-vision. Club President John Hall helps us get to the roots of non-profit organization; he explains how they aren’t here to plow down the competition, but instead, nurture meaningful soccer relationships and other clubs bear the fruit of their labors. We put DeKalb County United in the spotlight, added a UV bulb, and can’t wait to see the results…

You were established in 2017 as a 501(c)-4, why is it important to be set up as a non-profit? Dekalb County has no ownership and is volunteer managed—tell us about the club culture this creates.

When we formed the club, not only did we have no money to start it, but we had no intent of ever taking any money out of it IF it became profitable. Our status as a non-profit was not only about our corporate business structure but also of our intent. The goal was never about making money, and that has not changed. Being a non-profit, with a working Board of Directors and volunteer staff members shows our community and players that we do it because we love it, not because someone is paying us to love it. We have events where we have 10 to 15 volunteers show up to help and I think that really meshes with our goal of bringing people together in support of a club that represents us all, and it will go as far as we each contribute to it. I have repeatedly said that if the community decides at some point that it doesn't need a soccer club like this, or can't afford to support it through sponsors, ticket sales, etc… then we don't need to exist. So far, the community, the people and the passionate volunteers have been excited about having a local club to support so it's really started off well. 

There’s plenty of teams in and around Chicago, what led you to set up Dekalb County? How does it help a neighborhood or community to have a club of its own? 

DeKalb County is about 60 miles west of Chicago and DeKalb/Sycamore is separated by about 25 miles of corn fields from the nearest suburbs. We're on a bit of an island geographically which can be a benefit and also a challenge. With 70,000 people or so, we're big enough to support a club like this, but assuming we can sustain through the first five years will may plateau in terms of growth potential. Within 45 minutes there are a number of large, strong youth clubs closer to the city and we're hoping to draw a few of those youth players, parents and coaches west in support of our program over time.  The Board is currently made up of five people who grew up in DeKalb County, so representing this community was the only option.   

There seems to be a remarkable amount of soccer clubs in Illinois, and close-in to the Chicago area, are any of them rivals? Some of them even play in regional leagues you might not ever compete in—what kind of relationships do you have, or hope to form, with these clubs? 

I've said it many times before, the more teams the better. In our first season in the UPSL in 2018, we had four division opponents under 75 minutes away in the Chicago area. Our farthest road trip was 2.5 hours to play Union Dubuque in Dubuque, Iowa. We were spoiled, and yet as you said, Chicago has the population to support 50 teams. I'm not sure why more have not made the jump to a national league, although I expect the costs associated with operating are a big factor. 

As for relationships with other clubs, this is a never-ending process. Our club is trying to sort out our identity between being a club that can help young players develop and get to the next level, and a club that allows local talent to feature for their hometown club and keep scratching that itch to compete. I'd like to see us find a place in the middle so a 19-year-old can come play a few years and then we can help them get a trial with a USL club and go pro. But we saw it last year too that players who may be a bit closer to the end of their careers, but who are from DeKalb County, dig a little deeper in the late minutes of a match. There's something romantic about the hometown kid, now a grown up with a family, being able to wear the shirt for us. So finding a way to serve both types of players will be an important balance for us and it will take time to really figure out our identity.  

#DKCU give their fans something to cheer about (Photo from DeKalb Daily Chronicle)

You’re an hour or so away from Chicago, which has a rich history of soccer, do you plug into that history? Do you feel like Dekalb County is a part of Chicago’s pedigree?

I don't think we're "Chicago-based" but we have plenty of players tryout and play for our club that travel from the city so maybe I'm too close to it to really know. We want to be known by the Chicago masses for a number of reasons, but we're focused more on growing our awareness in our own community first. 

You have one of the most unique badges in American soccer, could you explain the elements of its design? 

Thank you. We had a local artist named Michael Figueroa (@figsigarts on twitter) design it. We just told him we wanted the design to incorporate the corn fields and soccer. He came up with some sketches and it didn't take long to sort it out. The green and yellow is obviously a corn field color scheme and he was able to throw in a bit of barbed wire which was invented in DeKalb. The big yellow ball, aside from being corn, shows that the club is literally growing from nothing. DKCU was a grass-roots effort to start it, it takes time and effort to maintain the club and it reminds me that it'll all be worth it when we harvest (lift trophies.) Yes, it's very cliche but it hits home. 

The first sketch of the DeKalb County United badge—who doesn’t love seeing works of art in progress!

Dekalb County is a new club, what have you accomplished in the past two seasons and where do you see yourself by 2020—what are you competing for, what are the incentives for competing?

A few things come to mind by 2020 for me. 

1. Sustain. We've read the articles, we've seen clubs come and go and we know that there is nothing promised for tomorrow in life or with this club. We have to understand our situation, know the limits of what we can do, and focus on things that move us forward even if that means sacrificing something today so that we can be here tomorrow. We opted not to participate in the Open Cup qualifying this past fall. I've been excited to see us participate and let our players have that experience since the beginning. But when we stepped back and took the romance out, participation in the US Open Cup does nothing for our club other than cost us money. The appeal of the tournament is to get to play an MLS team, but we aren't ready as a program to win 3 or 4 qualifying fixtures yet and we can't afford to spend $10,000 to do it. I can argue the Open Cup like anyone, but it doesn't move us forward at this point so we passed. To make a true impact on our community, our youth players, our supporters or our players, we have to exist. 

2. Financial independence. In our opening season we relied heavily on sponsors to help cover operating costs as we were getting our feet wet. This worked out for us in year one, but I don't expect, or want to rely on those contributions for the long term. In the next 12-18 months I want to find ways to create our own revenue through camps, clinics, tournaments and other soccer related projects. 

3. Find our place. We enjoyed the UPSL last season and from a cost standpoint, there's not a better option in a national league. But we found the varying levels of professionalism to be a challenge. This is not a knock on other programs, but we were passionate about our game day experience where as others just had a field to play on. We don't want to be a recreational program and we want full stands of supporters. We want, and need, supporters to pay money for the experience of watching us play and enjoying our game day experience and we want them to feel they've got great value in doing so. We want other clubs to do the same so that our fans want to travel and support our team. There may have been better teams out there, but we'd put our professionalism up there with anyone. I'd like to see all clubs put their best foot forward so that this level of soccer is something to be valued and appreciated by our communities.

DeKalb County United unveil their kits (photo from DeKalb Daily Chronicle)

Bonus - My last two points I'd like to make on your platform are these...there is a need for the UPSL and NPSL to work together. There can be a common ground by which both can meet league objectives and grow. I've shared those with the UPSL leadership as a member club and I hope that somehow, they can get in a room and sort it out. For the next 5-10 years, there should be both a drive to grow the number of clubs so that geographical areas can have cost effective travel, and an initiative to listen to and assist clubs in ways that help them sustain. If that stats run true then we'll see hundreds of clubs shut down in the next five years, and new one start, then shut down, etc. Our iconic clubs that last a hundred years will be few and far between. UPSL and NPSL have different business models but I think those differences can be overcome and actually complement each other very nicely if there is a desire to work together.

Bonus 2 - If you are in this semi-pro, non-league, division 4, 5, 6 level of soccer for money then take a step back. I'd love to hear from a club that makes money consistently from running these teams. Truthfully, because you have knowledge that needs to be shared. For most, I suspect the clock is ticking before current owners decide enough is enough. Any club that folds is a loss for us all. We need to find value to helping each other, sharing ideas, networking and promoting each other. I'll share anything I can with anyone, just as Dennis Crowley did for many of us, because this isn't about me. It's about soccer and the smiles on the kids’ faces who come and watch DKCU play. 

Silo Supporters have their own badge, incorporating elements of the club’s badge—DeKalb County seem to be set up for the long-haul, and with great support, we hope they stick around for years to come.

- Josh Duder

FC Grande

One of the most exciting clubs in the Southwest is second year club, FC Grande. Based in Las Cruces, New Mexico, the club was set up by an owner who can only recently buy beer! The young and driven owner, Alexis Ruiz, sat down with Protagonist to answer some questions about FC Grande.

So tell us about your club.

FC Grande is a club based in Las Cruces, New Mexico. We play in the Southwest Conference of the United Premier Soccer League.

What gave you the idea to start a club?

I had always believed Las Cruces had the potential to have a solid professional team so I came up with the idea of joining the UPSL to give my friends and I a shot to play soccer at the next level. I had went from business to business asking for sponsorship to help fund this idea of mine. I went to many locations around Las Cruces and got told “no” most of the time. Luckily, a few businesses reached out after a few months that’s when it all began.

Las Cruces, NM is relatively isolated compared to other UPSL cities. What kind of soccer talent is there and what has your club done to attract it?

I would say there are a lot of technical players out here. We’ve always had small teams come out of Las Cruces, so we were always taught to keep the ball on the ground. Its something we focus on at FC Grande. Possession is ideal.

FC Grande got a lot of recognition for our run last season. We made the conference final but fell short to a solid Sporting AZ FC squad. I would say most of the soccer community knows who our club is. We have the most competitive team in town, as far as the next level, that is. We recently started an academy! We currently have three teams and are looking to add more this spring.

Why do you think your club was so successful season 1? What would you advise other clubs to do to replicate that sort of start?

The work ethic of these men and the support of our fans. These two things were crucial to our first season. The men spend countless hours on the pitch, in the gym, and on the tracks. We all pushed one another and never gave up. We would wake up as early as 4:00AM to go on team runs and hit the gym right after that. We worked, worked, and worked.

We had many locals come out and support our games. Many soccer fans and many who weren’t soccer fans. We always got great feedback from them! There really isn’t anything like a Saturday night at High Noon Soccer Stadium. We couldn’t have done it without our great supporter group, Notorious FCG. Those guys really know how to hype up a crowd!! They bring a certain energy you really can’t get anywhere else and that’s facts.

The UPSL Southwest has added several clubs this offseason, how do you feel FC Grande will stack up against the new clubs?

I think we will give all these clubs good competition! We are looking to add more players this spring season. We have a lot of older players who are interested in putting the boots back on for this next spring season. Many of them played academy or college ball. That experience could really help out a lot of the younger guys. I’m confident that we will have a more talented squad this upcoming season. We are currently working to build the best roster possible.

You’re young. Really young to be running a club. What has been your biggest challenge?

I get that very often. The biggest challenge for me is transitioning from player to manager. At times, I have to take management roles while I’m playing. It’s kind of weird but I’ve made it work. Sometimes it becomes vert difficult though. These past few weeks I’ve been having to run training sessions because we are without a coach. I would much rather be a part of the sessions, rather than ran them, but you’ve got to do what you’ve got to when you’re chasing a dream.

Your logo is slick. One of our favorites. Three questions: Who designed it? What input did you have? How important do you think a crest is?

Thank you! We appreciate that. We get a lot of compliments on our crest. It’s a beauty! Custom FC had designed it. A gentleman by the name of Robert Boyd designed the FC grande crest.

I had sent Robert some photos and samples of things that would look good on a badge and he basically took it from there. It took about a month to finish the crest but it was well worth it. The crest came out super nice. Robert is a very creative designer. Highly recommend him to any club looking to design or redesign their crest.

I believe the crest is crucial to a club’s success. The crest is the very heart and soul of a club. It’s the first thing anyone sees. First impressions are a real thing!

During this offseason, USL set up shop in El Paso (45 minutes East of Las Cruces). What sort of relationship do you hope to develop between the UPSL sides (Southwest FC and FC Grande) and Locomotive FC?

We’re hoping that they give a shot to some of the men on our squad. We’ve got about five to six players who should be pro, including me haha, well at least I think so. Some of the men have the resume and experience for sure. Even the upcoming players putting their boots back on. If we had the best players in Las Cruces on FC Grande, we would give Locomotive FC a run for their money. I’m confident we will see them in the U.S. Open Cup one day.

What else should we know about FC Grande?

Come out and support FC Grande! This club has so much potential and will continue to grow. We will be hosting friendlies these next few months so keep an eye out for that! We are beginning pre-season now and will continue to work hard to put Las Cruces on the map. We are here to stay!

For more information, check out FC Grande on Twitter.

Orange County Soccer Club

While digging up graves looking for the spookiest soccer badges for our recent Halloween top-10 badges post I came across the badge for what seemed like a fairly new club, Orange County Soccer Club. We ran the list, but I felt compelled to follow up with the team and Anton Faith got back to me right away; “Thanks for reaching out, it’s quite exciting as this is our first season as a club. The badge was created around a few ‘Floridian’ symbols. The outline of Florida on the badge as the club wishes to enter tournaments out of state and it is proud to represent Florida. The orange on the badge comes from Florida’s state fruit being an orange and it being a major part of Florida’s economy, this is also where the shape of the badge came from. The green on the badge and the claws are representative of the alligator, which is a very common site in this part of the world.”

I felt like we needed to know more, so I replied asking if he’d like to put his club in the Protagonist Spotlight and of course, Anton was happy to answer our questions…

Your Club seems really new; is it a re-branding or are you launching from scratch?

Orange County Soccer Club is a brand-new club founded in the summer of 2018 that is currently paying in the Central Florida Soccer League for the fall and spring seasons of 2018-19.

You've shared some of the background regarding the badge but are there any connections to, or inspirations drawn from, other clubs in the world?

A few of the founding players are from England and Scotland respectively and it was noticed that the teams they support wear green and white hoops so as a club we adopted those as our team colors.

What are the goals of the organization; does that include an ambition to grow quickly or more just see how it goes?

The club has plans to expand in the future by fielding teams in other competitive leagues such as the UPSL and NPSL as well as building a youth section of the club. We are not rushing into anything and will allow the club to grow organically.  

What's the highest level of player you hope to draw--are you targeting players outside your area or just hoping to draw the local talent in to fill out the roster?

We are aware of ex international players in our league and as we grow we would love to see them playing for Orange County Soccer Club. At this time we have a couple of players in the team who have played in the NPSL and USL

Do you see rivalry as an important part of growing the fan side or an organization, or a distraction? Do you foresee any rivalries within your area?

As a club we are new to the league so we don’t currently have many rivals but our players have played for and against many of the players and teams in the league so there is always healthy competition when the players cross the white line. We believe that team rivalries are important to the game as it brings out a little extra in players on the day.

How is the club funded? Are you self-sufficient or are you hoping to make connections in the community to gain sponsors?

Orange County Soccer Club is run in part by its members and also by sponsorships. We have to thank Sports4Fun for sponsoring our teams uniform this season and also the members for their contribution. We are currently searching for more sponsors if any are reading this.  

Is there anything important to you YOU that I missed?

The team has just made the playoffs in their first season and is very excited to be playing for a trophy.

JASA RWC (Redwood City)

Just weeks away from the end of their 2018 UPSL Fall Season, JASA RWC are taking a break from their table-topping performance to focus on the US Open Cup’s third qualifying round. It will determine which clubs make the cut and get to the tournament proper in 2019. We caught the jitters while preparing for a few of the matchups so we reached out to the Wild West South leaders JASA RWC to see what they are all about. Jake Morrison answered the call and provided an in-depth look at a Bay Area organization nearing their second decade in operation. It turns out that they are as excited for the match as we are!

When and how were you founded; Does the club have any connections to an existing youth system?

We have a bit of a convoluted history. Staying true to our many layers we have been around since 1999. We have essentially two godfathers of our program; Tono Aspinall who is the originator and Tom Gaa who carried the torch. And then there is myself (Jake Morrison) and Will Stambaugh who are carrying the water for the future of the program. From the beginning the program has served two purposes:  

1. Maintain a highly competitive avenue for local players

2. To serve and enrich our local community on and off the field

Our program is at the tail end of a long-term development model and our hope would be to create a cradle to grave soccer and social option within our community. With the hope that other clubs would follow suit and we could really begin to grow the game and the opportunities for local players. But at the moment the best we can do is showcase what it is we do and with the youth coaches we have playing with in our ranks continue to have conversations about questioning the current landscape of youth and amateur football locally and nationally.

For us this is just the beginning. We have a clear vision on where we want to go and eventually what we like to be but it is important for us to have a good foundation before we explore plans of expanding. At the moment the best we can do is just be the best that at who we currently are. 

What were the motivations behind the badge, mascot and colors? Are there any connections to, or inspirations drawn from, other clubs in the world?

Since our transformation to “Just JASA” we wanted to keep it simple and build from there.  We have a lot of creative folks who are a part of our program and there have been a lot of great ideas that we have explored.  From various block prints to even something that looks a lot of like the Juventus of Torino but with a double layered J (it’s debatable who came up with it first). Even with what we currently use on a lot of our social platforms like the tree with the words wrapped around, which have all been done in house.  Right now, we are settled on our crest for our jersey’s its simple and it says everything that needs to be said. We hope to have some more options for our fans in the new year as we step up our merch game.

What are the goals of the organization; does that include an ambition to grow quickly or more just see how it goes?

I would say I personally am much more conservative than many of my colleagues when it comes to our growth. I have seen it, we all have seen it where clubs don’t stick around. Either its one or done, or their model is simply not sustainable (pump and dump the cash). We got to where we are because have taken our sweet time. We have essentially 3 programs running right now.  Our UPSL team, our Dos team, and our women’s program which is run only in the summer. We have clearly been pretty good at building the upper ends of amateur football over the years. And right now, that is our bread and butter. In the immediate future we want to continue to do more for each levels of our program. Example: More national playing exposure for our first team, entering higher level of competitions for our Dos group like the Open Cup, and for our women’s program get it running in a year around playing model. Part of that we are already doing by entering in the US Open Cup for 2019 with the first team. Because we are part of a qualifying league, we can enter the initial qualifying rounds. I suspect that within a year or two depending on how long it’s been since the UPSL will meet all the guaranteed qualifications pathways, we will have teams apart of the league getting automatic entries into the first round. We are at the tail end of qualifying right now and so far, it’s been a great experience for our guys and by the grace of the soccer gods and hard work we hope to keep pushing forward and do what we do.

We have come along way and we continue to have ambition to reach the highest levels.  We just believe you do that in a different way than the structure is currently outlined for Clubs in America. So, part of where we go and what we do will shift based on the landscape of Amateur → Semi Professional → Professional levels.  With some of this our hand our tied. So, we continue to advocate for an open system and build a club in our vision.   

 Are there any players who've made an instant impact? Anybody notable who's come from another league or club?

Our pool is in my opinion quite deep.  We have had guys come through, guys leave, guys come back and guys who are currently with us who have some pretty impressive resumes.  From youth international caps, full international caps, to solid college careers, dudes playing abroad, to guys who have just been ballin’ all their lives on Sundays and maybe just have had the luck to crack the next level.  

 Do you have an existing or budding rivalry? Do you see rivalry as an important part of growing the fan side or an organization, or a distraction?

Not rivalries per se but quality matches. Every time we line up against Oakland Stompers we know it’s going to be a match. They have been around for a long time and have a quality staff and ownership group and a deep player pool.

And this is important and wonderful because they are right across the bridge.  Every game we play against them you get fans from both clubs making the trek. And that is important. And you can see that there a people repping us and there are people repping them. We are in the amateur ranks and we will not continue to grow unless our fan base does.  And as our fan base grows, we would love and will encourage them to be more than spectators. They can see the level, they enjoy the level and then you begin to create more ties to the club from within the community. Part of the what we would love to create is a membership organization where there is community ownership of the club.  

How do you feel about clubs being politically active? Should they just stick to soccer or is there a responsibility to be a part of the community?

Community first. This the area that will always be there and has already given so much to what we have, what we do, and what we are. Sometimes that mean’s being a little political. And this can be political in the soccer landscapes and political in elections. Our team is like a lot of communities, a diverse melting pot and we are lucky that we have this one thing in common, which is the game, and we will use that as a driving force for as much good as we possibly can.  

Is there anything important to you YOU that I missed?

Sure.  

We all have an idea of what a proper club could/should look like and for us it’s a model that is built around the community and service, and playing the game in a certain way.  If you take away that last part as that is debatable but you would say okay those other two things you would say are foundations on which any club could build there program around..  But then what? Where to from here? There are a lot of people who talk about this and one guys from our area Adam Lewin from FC Davis wrote a piece and the title is appropriate “The Fight For American Soccer”.  (you can read it here). You had Dennis Crowley who wrote his very transparent piece on building his program (you can read it here). There are people across this country who are operating at very successful level and fighting for this game.  We personally have had great conversations with our neighbors to the north SF City FC and how they operate and trying to find new ways to change our structure. There are a lot of great things happening and there are a lof of great things that have been done in the past, hell other countries are changing the way they operate (India, Australia). Seems like a no-brainer that we need to get on the same page; Integrated systems, integrated player registration, integrated competitions, integrated pathway.

And just one last thing.

There are many folks that I can list who are fed up with the current system (Ted, Dennis Crowley, John Pranjic, The Kleiban’s etc etc etc). Even if guys like Adam’s path is different than ours he is fighting for the game. He is doing something in his community right or wrong to do more and offer more pathways.

Basically, what I am trying to say is that it is shitty that we are even having to write or talk about this. The federation needs to get their act together.  

Thanks for the spotlight and appreciate what you guys at Protagonist Soccer are doing!!!

America Soccer Club

Paul Azor (pronounced like the Azores) took some time out of his schedule as club President of America Soccer Club to sit down and answer some questions about the high-flying new club based out of Winter Garden, Florida.

Can you give us a little bit about your soccer background?

I played in Manchester United (laughing and poking fun at this writer’s love of Liverpool FC).  No, I played in many, many countries for over thirty years, but never professionally. I had the typical Brazilian background, I played it and watched it, so basically it was in the blood.

So, you have that Samba style of play?

I’m half Brazilian, so a quarter of that half is good enough to start something (more laughter).

You answered this prior to the interview, but America Soccer Club started as an adult side first, correct?  And you recently started building a youth academy out from that?

Correct.

When the adult side was first established, did you look at any other leagues besides UPSL?

Yes.  We were going to go with PDL or D3, but UPSL at the moment when coach Marcos came and gave me the idea, it was much more affordable for what we needed to start with.  Once we got in UPSL and got started, we really liked it. Everything’s still new and needs some more organization, but it’s perfect for us right now so we’re going to stay.

You said the affordability of UPSL was what really brought you to the league.

It makes sense.  We wanted a team and wanted a league to participate in something like the US Open and UPSL has provided all these answers for us.  So, I would pay much, much more for a league we aren’t going to leave. Later on, we may move to another league, but we aren’t going to leave UPSL.  We are going to stay with UPSL.

Were/Are there plans to expand to PDL, NPSL, even the new D3, NISA, and maintaining a reserve side in UPSL?

All options are on the table right now.  We are going to start studying all of these options next year.  Once we get established after this first year or even the first half of 2019, it will teach us a lot of things to gain experience and we will know a little bit more of the know-how.

As the President of an amateur Non-League club here in the US, what do you feel are some of the biggest challenges that the team faces?

The uncertainty or what’s going to happen.  I’m sure every team owner in this country is focused on this. Tell us what needs to be done, tell us what is going to be done.  We hear stuff that they are going to regulate it. Is UPSL going to be third league or fourth league? We need to know if there’s a serious chance (of moving up with UPSL) or not.  It’s okay both ways. We just need to plan. We need to plan where we’re going with our club.

Maybe I don’t want to stay amateur and want to go professional.  But if UPSL has a chance of moving us to a pro level, I’m sure with the cost, I’m not denying that.  At least we can stay with UPSL, but we don’t know what’s going on. Nobody knows. It’s all guesswork and talk, but you cannot take them seriously.  That’s my first problem, where are we going to head next?

We are in UPSL and going to stay UPSL, whether it stays semi-pro or goes full professional.  We are staying with them, but again, what do we need to be pro? We need that pro team. Where do we go?  D3? Then I don’t know what. We may as well stay with UPSL. No one communicates with us because we are semi-pro or amateurs.  We don’t know the answers.

So, again, the biggest issue is lack of communication over the structure and whether UPSL will be third division or fourth division.  Okay, when? Three years? Fine, we’ll go build our own field with ten thousand seats and we wait. If no, we can make other plans. That’s what we need to know.

So, the uncertainty of the future is another issue in your eyes?

Exactly.

What can US Soccer and USASA do to help the amateur side of the game here in the US?

More budget.  It all comes down to more budget.  We’re doing this alone with one owner.  And the owner has to hold on to everything, including expenses.  They talk about sponsors, but I haven’t tried yet. But, for sponsors at this level, what are we talking about?  500? A thousand, five thousand? That wouldn’t pay the salaries of the team for a week. So, there’s nothing to look toward for clubs that are getting serious about this.

If you look at our staff, they are at the higher end at this level.  We are ready to produce players and teach the young ones how to play correctly.  We are doing everything the US needs today the right way, but we’re only one, so they can come and interfere.  They need to come and see what we are doing right and assist clubs that are serious about producing players, like sponsorships or incentives.  Even advice, forget the money, we’ll take care of that. We are on our own. There’s no book we can open and learn from.

The system and budget are left in the air.  To tell you the truth, we are a club that will produce players.  Players that started with us less than a year ago will be in the US Open next year.  We just need a point of contact if questions come up. We can’t just be left alone and ignored.

This should have been asked at the beginning, but I’ll ask it now: what are the club’s core principles?

I used to go to a lot of academies around Jacksonville and found out that most of them were a joke.  I don’t know what people are paying for. It’s going nowhere, the kids go for fun and just kick the ball and go home.  It got me a little bit upset.

So, we decided to start a soccer school to teach kids correctly.

All of our coaches are very good from the technical side of the game.  We want to produce players and teach them to become something, whether it’s a college player or professional player.  But it depends on them. We can open all the doors for them, but they have to take that step forward. We’ve got connections in almost every club.  But to open doors, you have to produce players and the US isn’t doing that. (Writer’s Note: there have been more young players going overseas in recent months).  Why? Because clubs just want to make money. They don’t want to teach and produce players.

Our number one goal is to produce pro players in the states.  We already know the guys from Brazil have it in their blood. We want the American guy who decides he wants his son to have a shot at soccer (e.g. Pulisic or McKennie).  

We have three Americans in our team.  Is that normal? I don’t find it normal.  We have to have Americans in the team that came up from our academy.

We have two places in Jacksonville and Orlando that we are planning on building training centers. We have the land and the permits but I’m holding off for now due to the issues we talked about. I’m willing to build these centers with 6,000-10,000 seat stadiums, but I don’t know what’s going to happen.  If I get an answer today, I’ll start building tomorrow.

With the interview done, Mr. Azor invited me to attend the club’s next training session and speak with one of the coaches and possibly some of the players.  I showed up the following week to the field they were training at and stood to the side until they were done with practice. I got the opportunity to speak with both the coach, Marco Borges, and former Orlando City and soon to be Orlando Seawolves player Tyler Turner.  I didn’t waste much of their time due to it being late, but I was able to ask a few questions.

What are some of the biggest issues with US Soccer?

(Marcos):  The kids aren’t allowed to express themselves and the coaches want specific things.  Our club is looking to change that with the introduction of our youth program.

What would you describe the team playing style as?

(Marcos):  The team is a mesh of different nationalities, so the playing style is a mix of samba, tiki taka and direct play.  I mean, we have guys with the team who are as young as seventeen trying to make a name for themselves and the mix of styles is beneficial for them.

I only got to ask Tyler one question before he had to leave, but I feel it was a solid question to ask.

As a player who’s played both professionally and at the semi-pro level, what is the biggest difference between the two?

(Tyler):  When I was with Orlando, I played under an English coach who was more direct in the team approach, whereas playing for Marcos at America has given me more of a tiki-taka style of play.

- Shawn Laird

Santa Fe Wanderers

John Pannebaker- the General Manager of Santa Fe Wanderers and also a staff writer for our very own Protagonist Soccer -was able to take some time off from covering the Midwest Conference for us to answer some questions we had about this club from Kansas City.

When and how were you founded? Does the club have any connections to an existing youth system?

Santa Fe Wanderers KC was founded in 1998 by Hispanic/Latino immigrants in search of a better life from the northern regions of Mexico. Lorenzo Cadena, Alonzo Cadena, Rosalio Contreras, and Eloy Flores- the original founders of the team -immigrated to the United States in their early twenties in pursuit of the “American Dream,” and once established as successful business men, decided to start a local men’s soccer team in Kansas City, Kansas. It became a community tradition to attend church on Sunday morning and head straight to the field for the rest of the day to catch up with friends and family.

Ever since the beginning, we have played in the first tier of the KCK Adult Soccer League, the most competitive amateur men’s soccer league in the state of Kansas. Wanderers is the oldest running amateur men's team in Kansas City, Kansas (twenty years) and has celebrated multiple championships since our foundation as Deportivo Mexico (1998), then Chihuahua FC (1999), with the club’s most recent trophy in the KCKASL being the 2017 regular season championship.

Recently we wrapped up our UPSL season with a division championship and Midwestern Conference playoff appearance. We also have two teams playing in the KCKASL- our U-21 team and Santa Fe Eagles, our team for high school-aged kids from low income and refugee communities. Both were highly successful this past year, with several players from our youth teams making an appearance on our senior UPSL squad.

What were the motivations behind the badge, mascot, and colors? Are there any connections to, or inspirations drawn from, other clubs in the world?

Our owner, Luis Cadena, really likes the clean look of teams like Tottenham, hence the white and navy, and golden wheat was chosen to connect the club with wheat, which is a common crop in Kansas.

As for the shape, the center is a compass, which ties into the Wanderers name, and the cross behind it is a connection to the faith of the club’s founders and current operators. 

Our aspiration is to become more of a neighborhood club, like Rayo Vallecano (where our owner has gone on trial in the past). A real institution of the community that strives to find players from its own hometown and give them opportunities. Our club’s mission is to create an environment where players from underprivileged and underserved communities can find an opportunity to advance and improve themselves, either through going to college or even getting the chance to play overseas.

What are the goals of the organization; does that include an ambition to grow quickly or more just see how it goes?

We want to be sustainable. Our club has existed for twenty years, and we want to be here for another twenty! But moving up to the UPSL to increase opportunities for our club and our players has brought added cost that we really need to address if we're going to be around long term. Everything we do is done with an eye on making sure our club is here twenty years from now.

Do you have an existing or budding rivalry? Do you see rivalry as an important part of growing the fan side or an organization, or a distraction?

Our main rival is Quinto Elemento. They've also played in the KCKASL for many years, and were our rivals there. Now they're our rivals in the UPSL.

I would argue that rivalries are what make sports worthwhile. Just look at college football here in the states. Even if there isn't a prize to play for, there is pride on the line. 

We want more of that. More teams representing their communities, and by communities, we're talking neighborhoods. We want people to see us as representing them, as representing the community. So that when we play other teams, especially teams close by, they see us winning and beating rival teams from rival communities as a win for themselves and the community they live in.

How do you feel about clubs being politically active? Should they just stick to soccer or is there a responsibility to be a part of the community?

If you want your community to care about you, you need to care about your community. Sometimes that means being politically active. I'm not sure what the best way is for clubs to do that, whether it's picking a broad issue from society at large or picking something relevant to your community. I do think a lot of clubs support broad social issues as a way to raise awareness, and it gets them fans, but from around the country, not fans from their community. Nothing wrong with that, but if people aren't coming out and watching your games, who cares what you support? 

Be politically active if you want, but don't make that the sole focus of your club and its activities. Too many clubs are losing the forest through the trees here. I mean, what’s going to do your club the most good in your community, and your community the most good? Rallying behind big national issues, or doing a canned goods drive for the local community, volunteering at after school programs, or helping clean up city streets?

Is there anything important to YOU that I missed?

I want to see the way soccer is done at this level changed. More transparency from leagues towards their clubs, and everyone working together to create more sustainable clubs that are here twenty to forty years from now, whether they're still amateur or not.