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On every great team, talent becomes the most visible component of success. And while coach Sean Hallas’ retooled FC Buffalo squad has undeniable skills and gifts that helped this team improve dramatically in their second year in USL League Two, one of the club’s longest-ever tenured players has helped this 34-man roster play a significant role on the path back to contention.
“It’s definitely been a change, personally,” said FC Buffalo goalkeeper Bryce Tramuta, who has been with the club for close to a decade. “I have taken a back seat and am now watching these games. But being on this team this year is something special,” Tramuta said as he complimented his hardworking teammates who have brought the right work ethic into the team.
The 8-year veteran has made loads of appearances over his tenure with the Wolves, but nearly as valuable are his 2024 contributions as a solid presence in the goalkeeping unit with Andreas Kokoska, new local face Jack Root, and long-time teammate Jack Petrie.
“It’s really a testament to every single guy on this team. I have been here for many years, and last year we struggled to get enough talent to travel well at this point of the season,” Tramuta said, pointing to the club’s last-week push for the playoffs. “The fact that we have all these players here, fighting every game and practice and giving their all every single time they step on the field is truly a testament. I am honored to be here.”
Alongside mentoring his new teammates, he shares great wisdom with his talented goalkeeping teammates.
“It’s been awesome sharing the locker room. It’s a great core of proven goalkeepers. All of us push each other,” said Tramuta. “No one is jealous of who is playing or traveling over each other. We all want what’s truly best for each other, and it shows in every training session how we motivate each other to do our best. That really translates to everyone on the field. Everyone is pushing each other.”
But what does an 8-year goalkeeper who has seen the brightest and darkest moments of the blue and gold advise his teammates? It comes down to applying what a player already knows and staying composed for the next game.
“Play your game. There are going to be ups and downs in the season. There are games we should have won and we didn’t. There are games that we tied that we shouldn’t have. But it’s a quick season,” Tramuta said. “You have to forget if something happens when you make a mistake because the ball will come right back at you, and you have to be ready [and memorize these errors]. I have been here many years, and I’ve made mistakes that cost the team some games, but you just have to get back up and get back at it.”
This season, the Wolves have greatly improved from last season as they entered the last week of the season with the hope of getting a playoff spot in a tough, competitive Valley Division. The blue and gold sit fourth in the Valley Division with a 4-4-3 record while winning their first Erie County Brewers Cup earlier in the season. For Tramuta, this team and its achievements have proven him to be the best FCB squad he has been in his long enure.
“This is by far the best team I have been on. Everyone comes in and does their job no matter what it is, if they are a starter, backup, or reserve player. That really pushes everyone because the practice level here is just incredible. Every practice session is like a game that translates onto the field. And it’s showing in the results.”
[ RELATED: FC Buffalo men beat rival Erie 5-1, win first-ever Brewers Cup ]
For Tramuta, another fundamental component of this team’s success is the winning mentality that first-year head coach Sean Hallas has instilled into his players.
“Coach pushes us to do our best. He holds us to such a high standard. He knows what he can get out of us. He demands it and doesn’t let us rest. That’s kind of been the big difference this year,” said Tramuta. “Last year, we were out of the playoffs three weeks before the end of the season, and this year we were fighting for the top of the division. It’s a testament to him.”
The Wolves plan to finish the season with a bang as Dayton Dutch Lions visit All-High Stadium at 6pm Saturday. Kids in soccer jerseys pay just $1 with an adult admission (maximum four kids per adult).
“If at the end of the day, we play our best foot forward and it doesn’t work out, we can still keep our heads high for what we did this year.”
[ RELATED: Castillo fires FCB men to four-star win over Toledo ]
Single-game tickets are available here, while for a limited time, you can get a season ticket to all men’s and women’s regular season games for just $60.
