By Marty Camacho

During the final day of the SEC Women’s Soccer Tournament back in November, local businesses set up their booths before the game for the fan fest. One of the booths present during the event is for our local soccer club, Pensacola FC, and we arranged a visit for an article. A few weeks ago, I had the honor to attend one of the club’s tryouts and speak to some figures within the club. What I heard was nothing short of passion and competitiveness. 

Founded in 2011 as the Gulf Coast Texans, the team rebranded itself in 2017 into its current name – Pensacola FC. The club plays at Ashton Brosnaham Park and features both men’s and women’s academy teams, and both men’s and women’s senior teams. The club will play its opening game on May 9 for the women’s senior team at home and on May 10 for the men’s senior team in an away game. 

The rosters for the academy teams consist of young talents from local and surrounding areas. Playing for the club allows them to develop and grow into athletes capable of playing at a higher level. It gives them a better chance of being selected for the senior team and/or into collegiate programs.

Meanwhile, the senior teams consist of players not just collegiate players from local and surrounding areas but also from other states and countries, including some older players with professional experience. Thus, a unique challenge for the team is created.

Men’s head coach, Dean Logan, who has been with the team for eight years, described the difficulty of player availability: “Since we’re a summer team, sometimes we don’t have the full roster. Players don’t come in at the same time.” Since players come from different collegiate programs and locations, the players’ arrival and availability are different. “Some have other and prior arrangements, and some have to leave during the season,” continued Coach Logan. This situation creates a challenge of adjusting the team and making sure they stay competitive regardless. 

However, Pensacola FC’s standards remain the same, and that is quality and passion. “If they can play, and they have high-quality talent, we pick them,” said Coach Logan. “They should have talent all over, and they have to want to play here in Pensacola.” The selection process itself is a long task that begins with the coaches screening through the applications and highlight reels of the players who hope to be a part of the team. Then, players attend tryouts with the hopes to impress and make the final cut. 

The goal of the club is to compete at the highest level. In the process, players can develop their skills and gain competitive experience that will help them elevate their game. “It exposed me to different cultures and different ways of playing that were away from my university,” recalled the women’s head coach, Chandler Castleman. During his days at UWF, Castleman joined Pensacola FC’s program as a player and experienced firsthand the value of playing for the club.