Asheville City SC women add to region’s soccer landscape

By Scott Adamson
adamsonmedia.com

Asheville, North Carolina, is known for spectacular fall colors, a year-round Bohemian vibe, and a community that embraces diversity.

Yet while it’s one of the nation’s top tourist destinations, this beautiful mountain region also has a rich history when it comes to The Beautiful Game.

This summer, the Asheville City Soccer Club women’s team hopes to add to that history.

Asheville City SC debuted in 2017 with a men’s entry in the National Professional Soccer League. This season its brand extends to the Women’s Premier Soccer League, with Stacey Enos guiding the fortunes of the fledgling squad.

“Asheville has UNC-Asheville, Mars Hill, Warren Wilson College and Montreat College, and not too far away is Brevard College and Western Carolina University,” Enos said. “I have found more alumni are staying locally after they graduate from college. The active outdoor lifestyle, mountains and eclectic views of our town is appealing to anyone interested in recreation and play.”

Enos is well aware of the soccer tradition in the area – especially since she is a part of it.

Enos was a member of North Carolina’s three NCAA championship teams during her days as a Tar Heel from 1982-86, and went on to play for the first United States Women’s National Team.

Her coaching career started at the University of Seattle in 1994 as an assistant, and she became head coach of Utah State in 1996.

Enos made her way to western North Carolina in 2001 when she took the reins of Warren Wilson College – coaching the Owls for 17 seasons.

It was during her playing career, however, when she learned just how important soccer was to Asheville.

“Personally and historically speaking, back in the 1980s when I was playing for UNC, we played in a match against Warren Wilson College,” Enos recalls. “While the women’s team was relatively new, their men’s team was impressive and well-known throughout the state. Additionally, Asheville hosted an indoor tournament called the Tournament of Friends, which started in the 1970s. It became one of the longest standing indoor tournaments in the country (35 years). It brought players and teams in from all over the country and put Asheville on the map for soccer.

“Now Asheville has a strong youth organization, and a great adult league. Both organizations host tournaments that bring in thousands of participants every year and notable tourism revenue to our city.”

Last season the Asheville City SC men developed a strong following, averaging 2,000 fans for home matches at Memorial Stadium with the South Slope Blues supporters group leading the cheers and the chants. Enos hopes her club will be able to inspire the same kind of enthusiasm.

“The men’s team had a good variety of supporters last year,” she said. “Fans can get a ticket to a game and have a beer and food for $15. The same holds true for a family and their budget. The atmosphere was alive and festive, and everyone feels welcome.”

The WPSL is considered the top developmental league for women’s soccer in the United States and Canada, and with more than 100 clubs across North America, it stands as the largest women’s league in the world.

At its core is a grassroots approach to the game, which helps develop strong ties between communities and their teams.

“Fans want something they can get behind, and every player wants an audience,” Enos said. “When our fans get rolling they are the 12th man on the field. Their enthusiasm elevates the level of play and gives players the extra leg they need to turn themselves inside out for the victory. In this sense, we’re all part of the team that contributes to the good of our community. Seeing a fan wearing his or her ACSC hat, scarf or shirt around town brings a sense of pride and ownership.

“For our region, the WPSL has a strong conference in the Carolinas, and it was a natural fit for us.”

The club has already made two high profile signings ahead of the 2018 campaign.

Midfielder Lydia Vandenbergh, who played professionally for the Chicago Red Stars and collegiately at Clemson, will be a key member of the inaugural squad.

Also on board is former Florida and USWNT U-23 and U-20 midfielder Parker Roberts.

The final roster will include a mix of talented veterans and younger players.

“Over the years, I’ve found that my underlying role and goal as a coach is to empower these young women to be the best they can be,” Enos said. “I do like possession soccer, and as a forward converted into a defender, I’m a fan of the 4-3-3 system. Having said that, your squad personnel often dictates your strengths and weaknesses. A coach needs to have the tactical awareness that plays into their strength.  I also enjoy creating space for players to have the freedom to be creative when they play soccer.

“I want my players to be able to solve tough decisions with the ball at their feet.”

The season begins on May 5 at 7 p.m. when ACSC hosts Chattanooga FC at Memorial Stadium. For season and single-game ticket information, go to ashevillecitysc.com.

Next week: The ACSC men’s team gears up for its second NPSL season.

Snubs hurt, but NCAA tourney always crowns a legitimate champ

With the four play-in games now history (the NCAA wants us to call it the First Four, so in the spirit of compromise I’ll call it the First Four Play-In), the 2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament begins in earnest today.

Out of Left Field is written by Scott Adamson. It appears weekly and sometimes more frequently if he gets up in the middle of the night and can’t go back to sleep. Follow him on Twitter @adamsonsl

By the end of the weekend there will be a couple of blowouts, a couple of upsets, and perhaps one real stunner.

That’s how the first round of the Large Waltz almost always plays out, and one of the reasons it’s arguably the most exciting sports tournament in the world.

What I really like about it, though, is that every school that has a legitimate chance to win the national championship is in the field.

That’s why I always have to stifle a chuckle on Selection Sunday when coaches bemoan the fact that their team was “snubbed.”

And there were quite a few feeling left out and disrespected this time around.

Louisville, for example, finished 20-13, and there was a time not so long ago when leaving an ACC team with 20 victories out of the tourney was unthinkable.

Plus, the Cardinals had a rating percentage index (RPI) of 38.

But this year the NCAA went all mathy and decided to judge teams based on their performances in four quadrants.

Quadrant 1 is home games vs. 1-30 RPI teams; neutral-site games vs. 1-50 RPI; and away games vs. 1-75 RPI.
Quadrant 2 is home games vs. 31-75 RPI; neutral-site games vs. 51-100 RPI; and away games vs. 76-135 RPI.
Quadrant 3 is home games vs. 76-160 RPI; neutral-site games vs. 101-200 RPI; and away games vs. 136-240 RPI.
Quadrant 4 is home games vs. 161-plus RPI; neutral-site games vs. 201-plus RPI; and away games vs. 241-plus RPI.

Louisville went 3-10 in Quadrant 1 games, and that didn’t help their cause.

But guess what?

Louisville wasn’t going to win the national championship this season anyway.

I’m a UAB grad and a UAB fan, so I find myself rooting for Conference USA teams to do well once the postseason begins. I figure since the Blazers aren’t in the field (and sadly, they usually aren’t anymore) I might as well support the league.

It’s a one-bid conference, and Marshall took that bid by winning the CUSA Tournament.

That meant Middle Tennessee, with a nice 23-7 overall record and 16-2 league mark, could only hope for an at-large berth.

They didn’t get one because, you know, Conference USA.

It was still disappointing to the players, their coaches and fans, but the reality is that the Blue Raiders were not going to seize the crown.

Maybe they’d have won a game – even two – and that would’ve been wonderful.

And sure, I get that much of the event is about the journey instead of the ultimate destination. It’s an honor to call yourself an “NCAA Tournament team” and coaches should always advocate for their kids. Still, leaving out Middle Tennessee was not equivalent to leaving out a team that had a realistic chance to go all the way.

From a pure record standpoint maybe the biggest slight is Saint Mary’s, which is 28-5 and finished 16-2 in the West Coast Conference. The Gaels had an RPI of 40.

But …

Saint Mary’s had only four wins against teams in the RPI top 100, and no way was that going to impress the Selection Committee.

Again, though, the Gaels were not leaving San Antonio as the last team standing. In that regard, not having them in the bracket didn’t matter.

Now, would the schools I just mentioned have a better chance of advancing than many who are dancing?

Of course. There are a number of teams that will be clearly overmatched, and that’ll show up on the scoreboard Thursday and Friday.

As long as conference tourney champs get a free pass into the field of 68, that field will always be cluttered with schools punching far above their weight class.

And that’s one of the beauties of March Madness.

However, the team that wins it all will be a no-doubter – one in which there was never any question about its NCAA Tournament credentials.

It might be Virginia, Cincinnati, Duke, Michigan State, or any number of programs with impressive talent and impressive victories.

So for all the schools that feel snubbed, I know it sucks; the main goal at the start of every season is to be one of the 68.

In the final analysis, though, the team that’ll hoist the trophy on April 2 is a team that never had to watch the bubble at all.

Greenville becomes third founding member of USL Division III

By Scott Adamson
Adamsonmedia.com

Almost from the moment the United Soccer League announced it was forming a third division circuit, the prospects of Greenville, South Carolina, landing a club was more a case of “when,” not “if.”

Today is the day.

League executives gathered at Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research in Greenville Tuesday morning to make it official. Greenville entrepreneur Joe Erwin, President of Erwin Creates, leads the ownership group which also includes his son, Doug.

“The world game belongs in a world-class community, and we already feel like Greenville is part of USL,” Erwin said. “We are thrilled to be a part of the USL’s new Division III league and to bring professional soccer to our community. The Upstate has a passion for the sport that extends from community soccer clubs that attract thousands of youth to high school teams that compete at the highest levels and nationally-ranked programs at Clemson University and Furman University.

“This is more than just a game, it really contributes to quality of life. As we evaluated all the factors in making a decision, we realized this region is more than ready to support pro soccer at this level.”

The league is expected to have 10 to 12 teams in 2019, and then further growth will be targeted to populate regions.

The Greenville entry joins South Georgia Tormenta FC and FC Tucson as the first three founding members of USL Division III, which begins play next March.

With Major League Soccer serving as North America’s lone first division league in a closed pyramid system, USL competes as a second tier organization and has formed a third level that will play under the USL umbrella.

USL Division III has targeted U.S. communities with populations from 150,000 to one million, with a focus on, “markets that possess strong local ownership groups, populations with broad-based diversity, a vibrant millennial and strong family base, established corporate support, and stadiums to properly showcase the sport for fans, partners and the public.”

Greenville’s population is roughly 60,000, but its broader metro area – which includes Anderson and Mauldin – is more than 880,000.

“We are honored to have such an economically diverse and vibrant market like Greenville, South Carolina, as a founding member of USL Division III,” USL CEO Alec Papadakis said. “Greenville is a dynamic city, with a storied soccer history driven by the nationally-recognized programs at Clemson University and Furman University, along with the international influence of global corporations headquartered in the region. We welcome Joe Erwin to the USL family. As a long-time resident of this community, successful businessman and major contributor to Greenville’s economic growth, Joe is the right person to lead this effort and develop a successful club for the region’s passionate fans.”

Chris Lewis will serve as team president.

“Our success strongly depends on having the proven leadership of someone who understands professional sports, the market and, most significantly, is an active member of our community,” Doug Erwin said. “We found that in Chris, and we’ve placed him at the top of the pyramid running this organization.”

Team branding and stadium decisions are to come.

“If you ask me where we’re going to play in March, I’ve got no answer for you yet,” Joe Erwin said. “There’s a lot of work left to be done.”

The announcement of a USL Division III club marks the second time in less than four months the South Carolina city has been chosen to host a team.

Greenville FC became a member of the National Premier Soccer League last November and begins regular season play in May.