AFC Ann Arbor vs. Kalamazoo FC [Match Preview]

            The Mighty Oak return to action tonight at 7pm following a 6-day break after winning the club’s inaugural NPSL match against the Dayton Dynamo 2-1.  AFC Ann Arbor plays host to Kalamazoo FC who will be competing in their first ever NPSL match.           

            Although the two teams have never met in competition, players will be facing some familiar faces when they take to the pitch Friday evening at Ann Arbor Pioneer’s Hollway Field. 

            Forward standout, Yuri Farkas, has not only netted 3 goals in 3 games for The Mighty Oak, but he was also nominated as the NPSL’s National Player of the Week.  Farkas, who plays for Madonna University during the school year, will be facing off against his college teammate, Amadou Cisse.  Cisse, is not only familiar with Farkas, as he played for The Mighty Oak in the inaugural campaign last summer.

            Also returning to Ann Arbor, is former fan favorite, Jay McIntosh.  McIntosh, who punched home a rebound goal off a PK last year for The Mighty Oak to push past the Muskegon Risers, will likely see action against his former team Friday night. 

            McIntosh, and Kalamazoo FC teammates Brandon Bye and Hunter Vandenboom, play together during the year at Western Michigan University, and will be playing against AFC Ann Arbor’s representatives from the Broncos, Dzenan Nezervic and Jake Rufe for the first time.

            Tickets can be purchased online until noon on match day for $8 (adult). Tickets will be available for purchase at the gate for $10 adult and $6 youth tickets.

WTKA Sports Talk 1050AM - Coach Rudland and Matt Braem Interivew with Sam Webb

Fan Experience

-Join the Main Street Hooligans at Arbor Brewing Company starting at 5pm and ride the FREE shuttle from downtown Ann Arbor to Hollway Field. 

-Stick around after the match and meet your favorite players during the Audi Ann Arbor post match autographs

-Enjoy tasty snacks from the donut and ice cream trucks, or grab some of Ann Arbor’s favorite foods including BTB Burrito and Cottage Inn Pizza

 

Other Great Lakes West matches on Friday – NPSL Midwest Region

Detroit City FC @ Michigan Stars – Pontiac, MI 7pm

Lansing United @ Dayton Dynamo – Dayton, OH 7pm

 

May 13th Roster vs. KZFC  

 

 

Inaugural Mighty Oak Youth Camp Slated for July

AFC Ann Arbor is proud to announce its first ever youth soccer camp. Mighty Oak Soccer Camp will be held July 11th-14th (Monday-Thursday) from 9am-12pm. Ages 6-14 are invited to join our coaches, players, and staff for the premier soccer camp in the Ann Arbor area. Early drop off and late pick up will be offered and the cost for attendance to the camp will be $149. The camp will be held at Platt (Wall) Park, 7401 Platt Rd Ypsilanti, MI.

Camp will be directed by none other than our Head Coach and Sporting Director, Eric Rudland. Though Coach Rudland is vastly experience in the professional and amateur side of the Men’s game, what is understated is his outstanding resume of youth soccer credentials. Rudland is the current Director of Coaching for the Michigan Rush Soccer Club, holding coaching positions in ODP of Michigan, and also directs a number of USSF coaching courses for the State.

Rudland added, “We are excited to connect with the youth soccer players in the community thourgh our camp. This will be an excellent opportunity for local players to develop their skills, engage with our AFC players, and learn in a fun and safe environment.” 

Coach Rudland will use the help of his AFC Ann Arbor coaching staff along with currently rostered players to put on what we believe to be the best youth soccer camp this area has to offer. It is our goal as an organization to give the youth of this area the opportunity to participate in structured soccer activities with their very own semi-professional club. Registration is limited. Contact info@afcannarbor with any questions regarding Mighty Oak Soccer Camp. 

Farkas Nominated for National Player of the Week

The Mighty Oak season is just beginning but Forward Yuri Farkas has wasted no time to settle in with his new team, AFC Ann Arbor.  In each of his first three matches (two friendlies and one NPSL tilt), Farkas has found the back of the net, with the latest goal being a game winner in the NPSL Game of the Week. 

Coach Rudland was happy to see one of his players get nominated and added, "This is an honor for AFC Ann Arbor, being a new NPSL franchise and a great achievement for Yuri. He is a humble, hard working player, who has done well for us so far. Not only is he a gifted footballer, but the players around him have complimented him nicely." 

For his efforts and outstanding play, Farkas has been nominated as Mitre National Player of the Week. 

Here are the players that have been nominated this week. The media will be voting this through tomorrow and the winner will be announced this Friday.

 

Forward Yuri Farkas, AFC Ann Arbor

Farkas scored his third goal in three games; the previous two came from friendly matches. The most recent goal was ever so important as it was the game-winner against the Dayton Dynamo in the NPSL Game of the Week.

 

Forward Fernando Lares, Real San Jose

The eighteen-year-old scored two goals in his first game with Real San Jose, a 2-2 draw with the EBFC Stompers. Both goals came off set pieces.

 

Midfielder Ronaldo Vieira, Boston City FC

Veira played a true captain’s role, covering every inch of the pitch in BCFC's 1-0 win over the Seacoast United Phantoms. This happened to the be the first win in club history.

 

Midfielder Alberto Anguiano, FC Hasental

Alberto “Tito” Anguiano dominated the midfield from start to finish, resulting in two goals and his best defensive performance of the season. Anguiano navigated his way through the physicality of the match with ease, and successfully played in the tight spaces that Coras created.

 

Forward Andy Contreras, SoCal SC

Contreras scored a goal deep in stoppage time to help his team to a 1-1 draw with first place Albion SC Pros.

 

Midfielder Jeff Kyei, FC Wichita

Kyei had an assist on Corey Cantor's goal in the 21st minute and was the lead in much of FC Wichita's attacks on the night. The end result was a 2-0 win for Wichita over the Little Rock Rangers.

 

Midfielder Eder Guzman, East Bay FC Stompers

Guzman had an assist on the first Stompers' goal to Victor Parra. He also played another dangerous cross in the box that was handled by an RSJ defender, leading to a penalty kick that was put away by teammate Diego Garcia Valencia to equalize at 2-2. Guzman clearly worked his magic in the CAM role, creating numerous numerous opportunities.

 

Defender Lars Willemse, Dutch Lions FC NPSL

Willemse was dangerous all night on the overlap from his right back position and created several chances. He also shut down his side defensively with little opportunity given to the opponent. He went the full 90 minutes and put in a true captain's performance, leading by example giving everything he had for the team. His standout performance helped Dutch Lions FC NPSL earn a hard-fought 2-1 win over Dallas City FC.

Mighty Oak Monday [Week 3]

As the NPSL table sits, AFCAA is atop the list. Though the other teams not involved in Saturday's match have yet to start their league play, can you speak to how important an early jump in the league standings is in these first few matches?

The first 3 points in any season are crucial, so I was really happy for the players & the club this past weekend. 

 

Saturday's game marks three matches in a row the Mighty Oak have eaten a goal first. Though our team shows amazing comeback ability, do you sense our club is getting closer to a clean sheet? 

This is a trend that we will be working to change. Clean sheets are fundamental for team success & I believe we have the personnel to limiting goals against. After analyzation, all of the goals we have conceded can be attributed to new players playing with one another. I'm positive that as the group becomes more comfortable playing with one another our defensive schemes will continue to strengthen. 

  

Some new faces were broken in Saturday night. As the roster starts to take its true shape, does a coach look to incorporate other guys as we go or does the team sheet keep a similar list especially with positive results? 

Player/team selection is the art of management. There's no doubt that new players will break into the team over the course of the season. That is why we have brought in a list of talented players & feel confident in our depth. We will need to manage player availability, injury, over-playing, etc, which are all variables that impact player selection. That being said, we will strive for consistency from game to game & be strategic with the introduction of new players into the team.

  

Once again AFCAA plays a home NPSL match this Friday against a brand new face in the soccer landscape, KZOO. Does facing a brand new club without history present challenges when preparing? 

Playing KZoo will be similar to Dayton this last weekend. It will be their first league match & we haven't had an opportunity to scout them. However their are a number of players on their roster we are very familiar with. So we won't have a clear picture of their tactics, system of play & set pieces, we have a very good understanding of their individual qualities. 

  

You have been very consistent in the game by game approach, but does an exciting result like this past Saturday raise any expectations as a coach in terms of ceiling in team form or overall results?

No not at all. It's all about the next game, which will be the message to the players in training today. There's no time to dwell on the past & let that impact our approach moving forward. This week we will be back to the grind of preparing for Friday & I'm excited to see our men preform again at Hollway. 

Mighty Oak Win NPSL Home Opener 2-1

AFC Ann Arbor welcomed a new season in a new league at Hollway Field, as the Mighty Oak took on the Dayton Dynamo. The inaugural match for the club was an exciting affair, as AFC grabbed a 2-1 win over Dayton.

AFC put in a dominating performance, holding possession for large spells of the first half. The first chance came in the 13th minute, Dario Suarez played an excellent one-two with Hector Morales, and upon receiving the return pass, he fired his shot just over the cross bar.

A free kick in the 21st minute was the next good chance for the Mighty Oak. Dario stepped up to take it, and again couldn’t find the back of the net, this time smashing a hard shot off the crossbar.

Dayton looked to hit back, and took a few shots on Fabian Veit in the Mighty Oak net, however only one shot was on target, and Fabian saved easily.

Dario was again on the attack, and put several crosses and shots into the box, that ultimately didn’t do the trick for the Mighty Oak.

In the 41st minute it was Yuri Farkas’ turn to hit the crossbar, after beating his defender well in the opposition box, his effort could only find the woodwork.

There was a serious penalty shot for AFC near the end of the first half, as Yuri Farkas looked to be dragged down in the box, but the referee was unimpressed by the appeal, and pointed for an AFC corner.

The ensuing corner saw a mad scramble in the box, and the ball was put in the back of the net, though it had gone out of play first, and soon after the referee blew the whistle for half time.

The second half could not have started worse for AFC. After some miscommunication between the backline and the goalkeeper in the 46th minute, Dayton striker Marc Hansson seized an opportunity, rounded the keeper, and put the Dynamo up 1-0.

The Mighty Oak responded well to the pressure, and in the 64th minute, won a free kick just inside the opposition half. Jack Smith stepped up and pinged a beautiful fifty-yard ball that found an unmarked Lars Eckenrode in the box, and he buried the header to level the match.

More chances came and went until, in the 79th minute, Yuri Farkas was slipped in on goal and, after seeing his initial attempted saved, he coolly slotted home at the second time of asking to give AFC Ann Arbor a 2-1 lead with just minutes to go.

In the final ten minutes, Dayton pressed hard for an equalizer, but ultimately threatened the Mighty Oak net little. After 3 minutes of added time, the referee blew his whistle for the final time, and AFC Ann Arbor grabbed a crucial 2-1 victory in their first NSPL match.

Audi Ann Arbor Man of the Match Yuri Farkas was happy with his first NPSL goal of the 2016 season. “I was excited to be able to help the team, so it’s a great victory.” He said.

 AFC Manager Eric Rudland was proud of his team’s response, despite going down 1-0 early in the second half, saying “I thought our response was very good, […] We just kept playing and we found a way to equalize the match and come up with a goal at the end so, it was a good first match at home there’s no doubt about that.”

This was the first time that the two sides met, and tactically this posed a challenge for the Mighty Oak, but Coach Rudland was ready. “They sat in quite well. In the first half when we threw numbers forward, I thought that we were able to create a lot of joy in the wide channels with Bruno on the left and Dario and Jake Rosen getting forward on the right, So I thought we created some good numbers in the attack. [Dayton] sat in and they held quite well. In the second half they made a few tactical changes to chase the game, and all in all I thought it was a good tactical battle back and forth between two sides, so it was a fun second half.”

AFC will be looking to carry on the positivity at Hollway Field on Friday, May 13th, when they host Kalamazoo FC at 7:00 pm.

 

[Match Preview] AFC Ann Arbor vs. Dayton Dynamo - NPSL Game of the Week

After a very busy offseason, the Mighty Oak are set to host their inaugural National Premier League Soccer match at Hollway Field, this Saturday, May 7th at 7PM. Shortly after AFC Ann Arbor completed the inaugural season in the Great Lakes Premier League, the club announced a move to the NPSL along with league mates Grand Rapids FC. Now competing in the newly formed Great Lakes West Division of the Midwest Region of the NPSL, the Mighty Oak are one of six Michigan teams. The seventh and final team that makes up the division is the Dayton Dynamo, also the first opponent of the season for AFC Ann Arbor.

The opening league match for AFC Ann Arbor has been selected as the National Game of the Week by the league office. The inaugural NPSL match for AFC Ann Arbor also marks the first time these two clubs have met. 

The Dynamo recently transitioned from Cincinnati to Dayton and have already exceeded the positive welcome from the community that they were expecting.  President and CEO of the Dynamo, David Satterwhite added, “Transition has been great. Very well supported from the community, 10 fold what we were in Cincinnati. The talent pool is much deeper in Dayton than it was in Cincinnati. The transition has allowed us to put a better product on the field & increase our fan experience on match days.”

Both clubs carry larger rosters of 35 + men, so training has been competitive the first week with players trying to earn a spot in the 18 selected for Saturday’s contest. 

 

About Dayton

The Dynamo boast a 40 + man roster but Satterwhite attributes this to the competitive nature of the league stating, “We carry so many players as we are not just building for this year but for years to come. The crazy thing is that our 42 players are all at the same level. Which in this league is huge to be able to not have your level drop when guys are missing or injured. I would have to say about 80% are local, but the international players have come from the Dayton, Cincinnati & Columbus area colleges.”

 

About AFC Ann Arbor

AFC Ann Arbor has a roster of 30 + men with half having international ties.  Of the remaining players, twelve call Ann Arbor home and the rest hail from different corners of the country. The players have been arriving over the past two weeks but most have arrived making the training sessions top notch. 

Head Coach and Sporting Director Eric Rudland said, “Training has been sharp this week. We’ve introduced new players into the team daily, which has raised the level of competitiveness. Team selection will be much more difficult for the home opener with the influx of talent, but have personnel options is a good thing for the club. We’re looking forward to the NPSL opener!”

Although this Saturday’s match will be the first in the NPSL for AFC Ann Arbor, Coach Rudland brings a great deal of experience with him, having won the Midwest Region Championship with his former club, Lansing United, in 2014. 

“The NPSL experience is going to be exciting for AFC & the Ann Arbor community. It's a 12 game regular season that flies by with the blink of an eye. For me it's most important to take the schedule one match at a time. We very much want to respect every opponent on our schedule & make sure that we are well prepared for each match. That process obviously starts this week, and we are looking forward to kicking off NPSL action at Hollway,” said Rudland. 

 

Match Day Tips

-Head to Arbor Brewing Company starting at 5pm for pre match festivities. Meet up with other supporters and enjoy a pint of Strength In The Oak beer then hop on the shuttle for FREE to Hollway Field. 

-Get your tickets in advance and save money and time! If you buy your tickets ahead of time you’ll not only save time by not having to wait in line at the ticket booth on match day but an extra dollar to spend on some BTB Burrito at halftime. Tickets are available online until Noon on match day, May 7th.

-Kids under 4 are free but everyone can enjoy Post Match Autographs presented by Audi of Ann Arbor. Get one of 200 exclusive match day posters compliments of Bank of Ann Arbor perfect for getting your favorite players autograph. 

-Parking is FREE and easy to access

 

 

 

 

AFC Ann Arbor Partners with INARIA for Uniforms & Apparel

                            Semi-Pro Team Will Exclusively Wear INARIA for 2016 Season

 

INARIA, a designer and manufacturer of soccer equipment and a full-line of apparel, today announced an exclusive apparel partnership with AFC Ann Arbor.  For the 2016 season, the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) club will wear INARIA uniforms and practice apparel. 

“We’re excited that AFC has chosen INARIA as the official uniform and apparel supplier for 2016,” said Saverio Michielli, General Manager of INARIA.  “With our premium sublimation and innovative apparel technologies, we will deliver to the club state-of-the-art uniforms that are unique in their design and utilize the best materials that maximize comfort and performance.”

Head Coach & Sporting Director of AFC Ann Arbor, Eric Rudland added, "The partnership with Inaria has been a big step for us on the football side of the club. Inaria has helped us increase the level of professionalism and the custom kits are first class. The players love the look and feel of them." 

INARIA has extensive uniform partnerships with professional clubs (NASL), NCAA Division I teams and elite amateur programs, including Schwan’s USA Cup.  Just last November INARIA announced a partnership with Toronto F.C.’s Sebastian Giovinco, the 2015 Landon Donovan MLS MVP Award recipient. 

INARIA Division I collegiate partnerships include Florida Gulf Coast University, Cornell University, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and Colgate University.

 

ABOUT INARIA

INARIA designs and manufactures a full-line of team sports and active apparel, including pro-style jerseys, practice jerseys, socks, warm-up suits and training apparel. The company offers full finishing, embellishment and unique customization services at its Canadian headquarters. By providing superior quality, value and quick turnaround time, the company’s goal is to continue to develop strong relationships with its customers and loyal sports enthusiasts. Performance Sports Group Ltd., the parent company of INARIA, is a publically-traded company on the New York Stock Exchange and the Toronto Stock Exchange whose affiliates market products under the BAUER, MISSION, MAVERIK, CASCADE, INARIA, COMBAT and EASTON brand names. Performance Sports Group is a member of the Russell 2000 and 3000 Indexes, as well as the S&P/Toronto Stock Exchange Composite Index. For more information about INARIA, visit the company’s website at www.inariasoccer.com.

Mighty Oak Monday (Week 2)

AFC-2016-04-29-81.jpg

As Friday's match acted as the final tune-up heading into NPSL play, do you take the result as a need for adjustments or is this club still in a team building stage?

We're definitely still in a building stage and Friday was a good step for us. Going into the match we were not too concerned with the result as the priority was to continuing improving as a group. I thought that the second 1/2 of Friday's match was the best that we've looked so far. With that said, we still have a lot of work to do this week in preparation for our NPSL home opener. 

 

Yuri has two goals in two games. Can you speak to his current form, and maybe some coaching methods that are applied to keep a player hot for consecutive matches?

It's been fun to watch Yuri preform with us so far. He has shown that he can not only play at our level...he can contribute at our level. I'm happy for him as his confidence should be high. As a manager when players are in good form I try to stay out of their way. My job is to put Yuri, and others, in the right spots to continue making plays & group them with player's who compliment their style & personality. So that will be the plan moving forward with Yuri & the other men who are impact players for us.

 

Saturday's match will be the first NPSL experience for the club, though you yourself have been a staple of this league for a couple years. Any specific thoughts on the NPSL opener as you reflect on previous years?

The NPSL experience is going to be exciting for AFC & the Ann Arbor community. It's a 12 game regular season that flies by with the blink of an eye. For me it's most important to take the schedule one match at a time. We very much want to respect every opponent on our schedule & make sure that we are well prepared for each match. That process obviously starts this week, and we are looking forward to kicking off NPSL action at Hollway.  

 

Result aside, it must feel good to have your first game at Hollway under your belt. Was the atmosphere what you were expectingFriday night and do you view our home venue as a useful advantage as we are set to host 6 NPSL matches?  

Playing home at Hollway was fantastic. Coaching in my backyard was exhilarating & the support from the community was welcoming. After looking back on the match we have been able to identify aspects of our play that we can highlight at home as we learn how to better take advantage of our home pitch. Our goal is to make sure that we preform well at Hollway & make it a difficult place for opposing teams to play.

 

A lot of the college players will begin training with the club this week. What are some tactics you utilize to build team chemistry quickly?

Obviously we will train every day this week, which will be a critical integration step as we look to build new players into the team. Along with our work on the pitch we have a few events in place to accelerate relationship building. We have a night planned at Revel & Roll & a pre-match meal at Jolly Pumpkin. Both local sponsors of ours and we are thankful for their help in the team building process!

Mighty Oak Fall Short In Home Opener

It was a blustery night in Ann Arbor as Hollway Field opened its gates to the Mighty Oak faithful for the first time in this 2016 season. AFC Ann Arbor played host to Oakland County FC for the second and final preseason friendly.

Play kicked off after a ceremonial kick off courtesy of avid AFC supporter and Ann Arbor mayor Christopher Taylor. With that, the home account for the 2016 AFC Ann Arbor season was officially underway.

The first half saw a lot of action early on for both sides, and both teams createda couple chances. Dario Suarez was a spark for the mighty oak early on, asking a lot of the Oakland County backline and linking up well with Hector Morales and Yuri Farkas.

Despite the good link-up play, AFC were unable to capitalize after a good spell of possession. In the 30th minute, Alex Marilley brought down a cross, and fired a shot across the face of the AFC net only for an unfortunate deflection off Kevin Taylor’s forehead to guide the ball past Adrian Motta in the mighty oak net. 

The scored remained 1-0 throughout the rest of the first half, with AFC trying to strike back, Dario Suarez and Yuri Farkas again spearheading the attack. In the 44th minute, a foul on Dario by OCFC’s Mike Pugh saw him earn a yellow card, the first of the match.

On the other side of half time, AFC started strong and pressed hard to find an equalizer. In the 63rd minute, after an excellent bit of paly, man of the match Yuri Farkas controlled well and fired a shot past the keeper to level the score.

AFC looked poised to grab a go-ahead goal, but in the 85th minute, Sam Brikho took advantage of a lapse in the AFC backline and hit a strong shot past Motta in the mighty oak net.

AFC had five minutes plus stoppages to try and find a late equalizing goal, and a free kick in the 88th minute by Knox Cameron offered the best chance. But Knox’s shot was unable to find its way on frame, and Oakland County FC closed out a tough but well deserved friendly win.

After the match, AFC Ann Arbor coach Eric Rudland was optimistic about the way his team performed, saying, “I think we made some good progress tonight, you know in the second half specifically, we found a good rhythm in the attack, had quite a few chances. I don’t know what possession stats were but it felt like we did a really good job at keeping the ball, in the second half, specifically in their half.”

The Audi Ann Arbor Man of the Match Yuri Farkas reiterated the sentiment, and added that the team playing more matches together will help improve the performance on the field. “We’re going to practice together with the whole team, so that’s one thing we can improve is everybody getting to know each other.” he said.

The Mighty Oak played well but fell short in the final preseason friendly of the 2016 season, but remain positive and will be hitting the field hard this week to prepare for the club's inaugural NPSL match, Saturday, May 7th, at Hollway field, versus Dayton Dynamo.

Match 1 Preview: AFC Ann Arbor vs. Oakland County FC

Friday marks the home opener for AFC Ann Arbor’s sophomore season. In the off season, the club hired Eric Rudland as the Head Coach & Sporting Director.  Shortly after hiring Rudland, the club announced it’s move to the National Premier Soccer League which would allow the Mighty Oak to compete at a higher level. 

Friday’s Battle of the Oak (The Mighty OAK vs. OAKland County) will be the third time these teams have met in their short history.  The friendly will kick-off at 7pm for the first match of the season at Hollway Field. 

The inaugural season for AFC Ann Arbor included two matches (home and away) with Oakland County FC (formerly known as Oakland United FC).

The first of the two matches was played in Ann Arbor, which proved to be one of the Mighty Oak’s strongest home showings.  The 4-0 victory for AFC was the only win for the club against Oakland, as the second contest, on the road, was a 1-1 draw. 

With big changes coming for both clubs in the off season, you can almost expect two see two completely new clubs take the pitch Friday.  For the Mighty Oak, only 6 returning players will be on the 2016 roster, of which 3 will be available to make the April 29th roster: Johno Heslop, Knox Cameron and Kevin Taylor.

When asked about Friday’s friendly, Coach Rudland said, “We are looking forward to the match at Hollway Field on Friday. The hope is to build off our performance last weekend and continue to grow our group.  We are grateful to Oakland County FC for their willingness to come down and play. And I’m eager to see the Main Street Hooligans in action.”

For Oakland County FC, Co-Owner, Ben Rode, the anticipation to return to Ann Arbor, with not only a new and improved team name, but also some changes in personnel, is very exciting for him.

He added, “We are very excited with all of our signings for this season but 2 that will provide great leadership are Shawn Sloan and Jason Leslie. Shawn is a midfielder who has playing experience with the Columbus Crew and Jason was a 4-year starter with University of Detroit Mercy, who captained the team his junior and senior seasons. Both will play in Friday's match.” 

Listen to Coach Rudland's Match Day Interview on WTKA 

Top 10 Reasons to #FillHollway This Friday

1.     Raising The Bar

Season 2 for the Mighty Oak begins with a new coach in a new league.  The move to the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) happened shortly after the hiring of new head coach and sporting director Eric Rudland.  Rudland spent the last two years at the helm for Lansing United, winning the Midwest Region Championship his first year (2014).  This Friday will be the Mighty Oak’s lone friendly, prior to entering league play against the Dayton Dynamo on May 7th at Hollway Field.

On top of bringing his experience and expertise to the club, Rudland is happy to be coaching in his backyard. Residing in the Ann Arbor area, Coach Rudland is happy to be home and leading the Mighty Oak in their quest for a Midwest Region NPSL Championship. 

 

2.     FREE Shuttle

AFC Ann Arbor has partnered with Arbor Brewing Company to provide a FREE shuttle from ABC to Hollway Field. Pre-match festivities start 2 hrs prior to every match at ABC.

 

3.     Battle of the Oak

The Mighty OAK vs. OAKland County FC (formerly known as Oakland United FC) – These two teams met twice last year competing against each other in the Great Lakes Premier League.  In the first meeting between the two, the Mighty Oak cruised with a 4-0 victory at Hollway Field. The second contest would prove to be tougher, as the battle in Oakland County came to a draw. 

 

4.     Giveaways

Start collecting the 2016 match day posters as the first 250 fans at each match will receive a free commemorative poster.  Gates open one hour prior to kick off so make sure to show up early to get yours!

Download Fantelope and earn points for completing challenges. Accumulate points and redeem them for prizes such as gift cards to local favorites like Grizzly Peak, Jolly Pumpkin on the Pretzel Bell. Other prizes being offered include some from Goldfish Swim School, Big George’s and AFC Ann Arbor. Fantelope, a local Ann Arbor start-up, adds another layer of activity to the already packed match day experience at Hollway Field.

 

5.     Kids Under 4 in FREE & Kids Zone

If your kid(s) is under the age of 4, their admission to the match is free. And for kids of all ages, they can stop into the kids zone and kick the ball around a bit before the match starts. 

 

6.     Audi Post Match Autographs

A fan favorite last year, the Audi Post Match Autographs allow a unique opportunity for fans to meet and interact with their favorites players, almost immediately after the game.  

 

7.     Mayor Christopher Taylor

When the inaugural season kicked off last summer, Mayor Christopher Taylor honored us by partaking in an honorary kick off to commemorate the beginning of something great for the Ann Arbor community.  Starting the season any other way just wouldn’t feel right and Mayor Taylor will be there to honor us again.

 

8.     Donuts & Ice Cream

Watching semi-pro soccer won’t be the only treat of the evening. You can enjoy some delicious snacks from the donut or ice cream food trucks.

 

9.     Kit Unveiling

With the move up to the NPSL, the club wanted a new look as well for 2016. The Official Apparel of AFC Ann Arbor is Toronto-based, Inaria.  This soccer specific athletic-wear brand is up and coming supplying the likes of NASL teams and collegiate programs. See these new uniforms for the first time, this Friday.

 

10. Best Family Value

Free parking. Kids under 4 are free. Only $8 adult and $5 youth tickets (if you purchase in advance online) for a semi-pro soccer match. One thing is certain- this is the best value in town for a family night out. Buy your tickets for Friday's home opener here. 

 

 

Meet the Mighty Oak: Coaching & Support Staff

Boyzzz Khumalo - Player/Coach

Boyzzz is currently a Director of Coaching for the Michigan Rush Northville, where he oversees the U8-U10 Boys & Girls teams.  He is also on the Michigan State Youth Soccer Association's Olympic Development Staff & serves as an assistant coach at Madonna University. Boyzzz holds the USSF A License & previously served as the Director of Coaching for the Saline Area Soccer Association. Boyzz accomplished a highlighted professional career with D.C United, Chicago Fire, Pittsburgh Riverhounds, Charleston Battery & Wilmington Hammerheads. Boyzzz & Eric previously worked with one another at Lansing United. 

 

Mike Meyer - Assistant Coach

Mike is currently a Director & Coach for Vardar. He oversees Vardar Ann Arbor & is the head coach for Vardar's U16 USSF Developmental Academy team.  Mike holds the USSF A License. Mike enjoyed a successful playing & coaching career in Cincinnati before moving up to Ann Arbor in 2006. Mike & Eric previously worked with one another at the former Ann Arbor Arsenal & Lansing United. 

 

Dave "Westy" West - Goal Keeper Coach

Westy is currently the Goal Keeper Coach at Cleary College & serves as a staff coach for the Michigan Alliance in Brighton. He has a wealth of experience as a professional player that saw him make saves in the professional indoor game for close to 20 years. Westy previously worked with Eric at Spring Arbor University & Lansing United. 

 

Saimir Rada - Assistant Coach

Saimir is currently the Head Men's Coach at Cleary College & serves as a Director of Coaching for the Michigan Alliance in Brighton. Saimir is a UEFA A License coach, who gained high level coaching & playing experience across Europe prior to moving to the USA. Saimir & Eric previously worked with one another at Spring Arbor University  & Lansing United.

 

Ron Rudland - Assistant Coach

Ron is currently the Boys Soccer Coach at Western High School in Parma, a position he has held now for over 30 years. Ron has a wealth of knowledge pertaining to tactics & player management. He holds the NSCAA Premier Diploma. Ron & Eric previously worked with one another at Lansing United. 

 

Erik Schultz - Assistant Coach

Erik is currently the Head Men's Coach at Concordia University & a staff coach for the Michigan Rush Northville. Erik previously served as the women's assistant coach at Concordia & as a staff coach with the Dexter Soccer Club. He holds a USSF C License. 

 

Cora Essenmacher - Director of Soccer Operations

Cora is currently the Assistant Women's Soccer & Basketball Coach at Alma College. Last summer she was the Director of Soccer Operations for Lansing United and will be joining AFC Ann Arbor in the same capacity for 2016. 

 

Nick VanBoogelen - Performance Coach & Certified Athletic Trainer

Nick is currently a Director for Orthopedic Rehab Specialists & Optimal Performance Specialists in Jackson. Nick has high level education & experience in motor development, injury care & prevention, regeneration & periodization. Nick & Eric preciously worked with one another at Spring Arbor University & Lansing United. 

 

Anuj Balaji - Director of Scouting & Match Analysis

Anuj is currently an engineer at General Motors & has footbal experience in both India & the USA. He has studied football analyzation under Matt Martin (Director of Scouting for the Portland Timbers) & Sports Management Worldwide. Anuj has a keen eye for dissecting match footage, identifying team tendencies, player personalities & compiling match analytics. 

Mighty Oak Monday (Week 1)

What were the positive takeaways from the preseason friendly? What are some areas you'll be working to improve in this week’s in training?  

There were a few positives for me. First of all, it was encouraging to see the men's excitement for the match, which secures a solid foundation for our team culture. Secondly, it was good to carry on the player evaluation process. Since the match, our technical staff has been dissecting the match & analyzing each player's performance. The more time we have to observe each player the better we understand their tendencies & personality as a player. 

Lastly, the support from the Saline Community for Team Katie was contagious. The energy for supporting such a great cause was definitely felt by our men. With all that said we still have a long ways to go as we prepare for NPSL action. 

 

How much of the complete roster do you expect to compete this Friday?  

With our current projections we should have 7-8 of our rostered players in the team for Friday. Most of our college players will be wrapping up their final exams this week and are set to report the week of May 2nd in preparations for our home NPSL opener on May 7th. 

 

What does your match week prep typically look like?  

Early in the team building process we spend our time working through; all phases of the game, positional responsibilities, match situations & set pieces. After 3-4 weeks of working through this stage of the team building micro cycle we settle into a weekly regime, which typically starts with big picture concepts & narrows down to preparing for the up-coming opponent as the training week progresses. 

 

How are you feeling about managing your first match at Hollway Field in front of the Ann Arbor home crowd? 

I'm excited to manage a match at Hollway. It seems like there is a buzz regarding the match & hopefully the Main Street Hooligans & community are ready to embrace the 2016 Might Oak as we kick things off at Hollway. 

 

Saturday’s match ended with a late goal to secure the win. Do you take away anything knowing your club has the ability to find a late goal in close games?

It's always a positive step for a group when they go down a goal and then show resiliency to come back and win. The men played with poise & I actually thought that we improved as the match went on. Those are important factors in a group's maturation & it shows that the players care about getting results for the club. 

 

Late Goal Lifts AFC Ann Arbor over Northwood

It was a beautiful night for football in Saline, as the Mighty Oak took on Northwood University for a preseason friendly.

Play kicked off at 7:00pm. The Mighty Oak looked confident in the opening ten minutes, controlling play and dominating possession. A few efforts came on the counter from Northwood, but AFCAA was able to hold off the advances.

In the 25th minute, Connor Cole found space down the left hand side for Northwood and whipped in a dangerous cross to the top of the box finding the late runner, who coolly slotted home the ball into the Mighty Oak net.

The pressure continued to mount for AFC Ann Arbor and after some tough challenges, AFC’s Knox Cameron was shown a yellow card in the 35th minute.

A free kick at the top of the eighteen yard box snuck past the AFC wall and forced an excellent save from AFC keeper Adrian Motta, who was the mighty oak’s stand out performer in the first half.

The second half saw an immediate turnaround for the Mighty Oak, and second half substitute, Yuri Farkas, took a sliced Northwood clearance off his chest and volleyed in to level the match 1-1.

Then in the 50th minute, Dalton Ames saw yellow for a tough challenge. Northwood easily cleared the resulting free kick away. AFC Ann Arbor looked poised to make the breakthrough after shots from Dario Suarez and Hector Morales both went wide.

The physical play continued and yellow cards came to both Dario Suarez and Adam Miserly.

In the 88th minute, after a Northwood Yellow Card, the free kick bounced around in the box before finding its way to the left side of the box. The ball was brilliantly flicked up and over the Northwood defense for Knox Cameron to powerfully head home, giving the Mighty Oak a deserved 2-1 lead, with just minutes to play.

AFC could have made it three in the 92nd minute, Knox Cameron again leading the charge. Northwood pressed hard, but after a few more seconds, the referee blew the whistle for Full Time.

AFC Ann Arbor will enjoy a well deserved win, but will also be taking a few things learned from the match into next weeks training. Now the Mighty Oak must prepare for the first match at Holloway Field against Oakland County FC at 7:00pm Friday April 29th.