Look at you, you wonderful group of soccer supporters, packing the stands at an event that made every ounce of energy worth it. Every moment of training for the players, planning for the coaches, travel for everyone and months of preparation for our staff… all of it got us through the tough stuff and even more motivated for 2012.
The 5-1-6 season puts us just over .500 on-the-field after two seasons (11 wins, 3 draws, 10 losses). This isn’t something we deem laudable, but we feel confident we have the organization in a place where we can make a run at our conference in an ever-growing National Premier Soccer League next season.
We’re thrilled with the caliber of young and veteran players Coach Dan Krzyzanowicz added to the fold for this season. When you consider how he melded defenders Andrew Larracuente and Mbwana Johnson with three new players (Corey Phillips, Josh Faga and Jake Rinow) to form a backline as physical as any in the league, it shows that from year-to-year we can use the players you learn to love with the new talent that continues to pump out of Western New York. That group is just an example of those who went all-out for us this summer and we’re grateful to everyone who wore our kit this year.
We hope the majority of our players will be back in the fold for 2012, but there is one in particular who is saying goodbye. Mike Unwin has been a tenacious competitor and a good friend for the past two season. His candor and humour in addition to his obvious athleticism has us in a place we clearly wouldn’t be had he not donned the blue shirt for FC Buffalo.
Thank you to all the fans, especially those in The Situation Room and American Outlaws: Buffalo Chapter. Our dream has become your dream, too, and it is amazing. Thanks to Bob and Mindy Rich who enabled us to host the first Lord Bedlington Cup and the many, many other sponsors who have so graciously supported an upstart group of friends. Cheers to Northtowns Orthopedics, Gecko’s, Minuteman Press of Downtown Buffalo, AXA Advisors (Rick Schieb), Mutual of Omaha (Tarcio Barbosa), Hertel Hardware and Plumbing, Town Ballroom, Pulse Fitness, Papa Jake’s, Spot Coffee, Buffalo Wing Wear, Left Bank, Rochester Rhinos, Buffalo Rugby Club, Buffalo.com and Buffalo Public Schools. The Buffalo Bisons, Rich Products, Tickets.com, Time Warner Cable and the Magellan Group helped us create indelible memories during the visit of the Bedlington Terriers FC, whom we’ll cheer on from this side of the pond as they begin their season.
Whether 2012 takes us to another hemisphere or just down the 90, we look forward to the challenges it brings. We could hardly ask for anything more from you as we grow this Buffalo soccer deal, but we will: be ambassadors for soccer and, of course, for your city. Our vow is to take the team to a better level every single day.
Let’s continue to build this together,
FC Buffalo
