FC Naples prepares to open second season at home

NAPLES, Fla. — After a dream debut season for FC Naples, the soccer club is back for season number two as they get ready to kick things off on Saturday, March 7, at Paradise Coast Sports Complex.

The expansion club made history last year, becoming the first expansion team in USL League One history to win a playoff game.

Year two begins with momentum, along with plenty of new faces, and Head Coach Matt Poland says what makes this team special is the culture that's grown around the club.

Poland said, "The biggest reward was the community. And you know we took this crest to that a year and a half ago had no emotional connection and through 20 home games, a playoff win in a shootout fashion, and now this crest has this whole identity, emotion and feeling behind it when these people wear it and so it's been an incredible experience, experiencing seeing that, the crest, come to life almost."

The support from Southwest Florida has been impossible to ignore as more than 50,000 fans turned out to support FC Naples during the team's first year.

As the new season begins, the team has a message for those fans who helped build that support.

Poland said, "Be loud. Keep supporting us, and we're going to fight every day to represent this you and the crest with the utmost respect and effort out there."

FC Naples winger Christopher Garcia said, "I'd seen what they did last year, and I'm excited to add on to it. And hopefully, we get to the final. That's my goal. Be an important piece to this team, help out my teammates, and get a championship."

FC Naples opens the new season Saturday night, hosting Fort Wayne FC at 7 p.m.