You’ve just finished your last class on a beautiful Tuesday or Wednesday night. You’re tired from school, but a rush of excitement fills your body. You run home to change and get your cleats. You walk through campus, past the West Quad and start the trek down the hill to River Campus. You smile as the rays of sun hit the field and you see your mates lacing up their boots. You are a University of Portland club soccer player.
Playing club sports at UP can allow students to meet new people, play the sport they love and get exercise. The UP men and women’s club soccer teams believe that their culture cultivates a fun, welcoming and competitive team environment for all students to thrive in.
The coach of the women’s club team is UP class of 2023 graduate Anita Moreno. Moreno, a former club soccer player, believes that students participating in club soccer all share a passion for the game and for each other.
“The people that come out to club soccer practice every Tuesday and Thursday night choose to be there and this really shows their commitment and passion for the sport,” Moreno said. “You meet a lot of like-minded individuals and you get to play the game that you love.”
Members of the women's club soccer team practice on the quad.
With this passion and commitment, the men and women’s club soccer teams have been able to participate in tournaments and leagues. However, funding and support for club soccer has declined in recent years since the Covid-19 pandemic. Due to the pandemic, club leagues have folded, tournaments have become more expensive and the club soccer teams have had trouble finding new competitions to play in.
Another issue is the lack of game jerseys. Many leagues require a full set of 18 jerseys in order to register, but graduating seniors often don’t return their jersey to the team. Club soccer doesn’t have enough funding to buy a full set of 18 jerseys each year.
Previously, UP Athletics have given the club soccer teams old D1 soccer jerseys to use, but this only happened prior to the pandemic. The captains and coaches have asked for more guidance from the school administration with scheduling, planning tournaments, finding field space, avoiding event conflicts and finding or buying team jerseys. Co-captain Jordan McPherson of the women’s club soccer team echoed these concerns.
“It would be great to have more support from the school because we have to take charge for everything from registering for the league to paying for it,” McPherson said. “It’s really hard to navigate and there’s no one to help us with it.”
Despite the problems and challenges the club soccer teams face, they have survived the test of the pandemic and have created an even stronger culture.
The community that club soccer creates at UP can be found both on and off the pitch. Before the start of their season, it’s important that teams build chemistry and get to know each other. For the club soccer players, this is a crucial part of club soccer and part of being on the team.
Robert Yeo, a senior accounting major and co-captain of the men’s club team, explains the importance of team culture and the mentality they want to have for this season.
“I think it’s important we get some intensity, aggression and people playing with their hearts,” Yeo said. “Off the field I want us to build a family where everyone is friends and hangs out outside of soccer.”
The club soccer teams have started practicing and getting ready for a tough season of games. Not everyone plays soccer at the same level, but the men and women’s club teams encourage everyone to try out at the beginning of every fall semester.
Kayla Medof, a senior mechanical engineer major and co-captain of the women’s club team, believes that club soccer cultivates a great community no matter what level they play at.
“It’s just like a big family,” Medof said. “It doesn’t matter where our soccer level is at, it's just a place to work out, have fun, be competitive and make some new friends.”
Players practice outside Kenna Hall.
Club soccer at UP is year round, but the main season is during the fall semester. They practice twice a week and have games on the weekends. It is a welcome break from school for all of the players to see friends, get exercise and kick around a ball together.
“You make all these friends and you see them around,” Yeo said. “It’s just so nice being a part of a different community at school. After all, we’re a club and you are here to make friends and play some soccer.”
Coach Moreno of the women’s club team is excited for the season and wants to help the younger students continue to support the culture of club soccer at UP.
“I think we’ve started out really strong creating lasting bonds with each other,” Moreno said. “A lot of us are upperclassmen and we want to make sure that we have an impact and continue the legacy of club soccer.”
The men’s club soccer team doesn't have a coach but has many leaders throughout their team. Since joining his freshmen year, Captain Emiliano Luna, a junior sociology major, watched the culture develop and played a big role in fostering the relationships between the younger and older players.
“I’ve seen the community come together over the years,” Luna said. “With the juniors and seniors now trying to build that community with the freshmen and sophomores, at the end of the day it’s nice to see everyone together.”
The club soccer community has a strong impact off the field as well. Club soccer teammates often share handshakes in between classes, get lunch together at the Pilot House or the Commons, do homework together at the library or go to Merlo Field to watch the D1 soccer teams play. Team bonding is pivotal to create the bonds that the men and women’s club soccer teams strive for.
“If we’re able to have that chemistry on and off the field it will help us perform better as a team,” Luna said.
Road trips to away games are organized by the captains and improve the player to player relationships. Co-captain of the women’s club team and senior nursing major Audrey Hannan feels that club soccer is like a family and believes that this makes them the best team they can be.
“I’ve had a really good time chatting with people that are not my same year and come from different parts of the country,” Hannan said. “Road trips to games, warming up, listening to music and hanging out outside of soccer is a fun time all around.”
Players pose for a fun photo.
On the field or off the field men and women’s UP club soccer considers themselves a family. Both teams encourage everyone to come out to practice and have some fun kicking the ball around. More information can be found on the UP women's club soccer instagram and the UP men's club soccer instagram pages.
Aidan Hyde is a sports reporter for the Beacon. He can be reached at hydea25@up.edu.
