Our Terms & Conditions | Our Privacy Policy
Sparta FC, a new semi-professional women’s soccer team, is making waves in Redding as they aim to establish a lasting presence in the community. The team, already midway through their inaugural season, is among the top contenders in their league.
Kenny Breedlove, executive director for the California Soccer Park and unofficial announcer for Sparta FC, said with the last semi-pro soccer team disbanding in 2019, the the community has a hole Sparta FC can fill.
“There’s been a couple semi-pro teams on and off in town over the years. I actually played on one in 1994, believe it or not. Shasta Scorchers. So we said hey let’s make it happen,” said Breedlove.
The team comprises of players of all ages, with the current roster ranging from 14 to 26, most of whom were personally recruited by the organizers. Team captain Sarah Foulk, a professor at Simpson University, said it’s been a good mix in their first season.
“The team’s really been clicking together, getting to know all of the players and their personalities, how they play, and just creating good soccer that moves the ball well and creates good opportunities,” said Foulk. “It’s been fun,”
Milton Carreras, head coach for Simpson University’s women’s team, founded Sparta FC based on his own love of the sport.
“I grew up going to the stadiums. Seeing the people, the kids, the smiles, just the passion for the sport,” Carreras explained. “I’m very involved in the soccer community so I just wanted to bring that to the community and make one of my dreams a reality.”
Carreras hopes to foster a sense of community, with hundreds of fans already attending each game. Breedlove echoed the sentiment, sharing his own daughter has grown to become a true fan.
“My daughter is wearing a pair of shoes that are signed by one of the girls,” Breedlove said. “That’s her favorite player now. So they really look up to them and as we know everybody needs role models and I think that girls can come and go wow this could be me one day. I could be playing in front of this crowd.
Despite being only halfway through their first season, Sparta FC is already making a strong impression, currently one of the top two teams in their conference of the United Premiere Soccer League. Carreras envisions a bright future for the team and hopes to eventually establish a men’s team. If possible within the next year. Overall, however, he just wants his team to have a place long down the road in Redding.
“If you ask me 20 years down the road I see myself sitting right there and watching it in packed stands,” Carreras said. “That’s where I want to see it. So how are we going to get there? Just day by day, game by game.”
Sparta FC’s next home game is scheduled for June 12 at 6 p.m. against Chico’s Northstate CDA at the California Soccer Park. More details around the team’s schedule can be found here.
Images are for reference only.Images and contents gathered automatic from google or 3rd party sources.All rights on the images and contents are with their legal original owners.
Aggregated From –
Comments are closed.