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Chattanooga Red Wolves SC midfielder Ami Pineda sprinted down the field during Saturday’s game at the historic City Stadium as the Red Wolves attempted to counter attack off a Richmond corner.

Pineda timed his run perfectly and took a pass just behind the defense and put it into the back of the net. He made the goal look so easy, as if no one could have stopped it from happening.

And, for most of Pineda’s life, no one could stop him on the soccer field.

A native of Santa Ana, California, it all started for Pineda when he was young and joined a local club team called the Fullerton Rangers.

The Rangers weren’t well-known when Pineda joined the team but soon after he joined, the club took off. Pineda and the Rangers won two US Youth Soccer National Championships, two Dallas cups and two regionals.

“We got a new coach, and our team was together from U-11 all the way to U-18,” Pineda said. “So we started winning a lot because we basically had the same team every year.”

Along with playing for the Fullerton Rangers, Pineda got the opportunity to play for the US Youth National Teams. He played from U-15 all the way to U-20 in the program.

“It was a great learning experience training with these guys who were already top level in Europe,” Pineda said. “It made me a better person and soccer player on the field.”

Through the US National teams, Pineda went to a Nike ID camp and was one of two players selected from that camp to participate at the Nike Academy in London, England.

When the other player couldn’t go due to injury, Pineda went alone, becoming the first American to train at the Academy. He was also the youngest player at the Academy.

“It was amazing,” Pineda said. “I was 16 at the time and was competing with guys that were like 22. It was a great experience for me and a great time. I had to be physical because I was the youngest there and just compete how I needed to compete.”

Playing for all these teams put Pineda in the national spotlight. Pineda won National Player of the Year and was the No.1 recruit in high school.

Living in a small town, it was a dream come true for Pineda to get all of this national attention.

“There’s a lot of talent in Santa Ana but not a lot of people make it,” Pineda said. “To be one of those who has been able to make it, I still am not where I want to be, is great. That national spotlight was always motivation to keep going and keep working.”

After high school, Pineda spent a month in Uruguay and almost signed with a team there. But after a coaching change, Pineda came back to California and played for the LA Galaxy Academy. Although he trained with the second team, he travelled and played for the Academy, not quite able to get to that professional level yet.

Stuck and not knowing what to do, Pineda’s old coach with the Fullerton Rangers had just joined on as a coach at Santiago Canyon College and Pineda decided to join him there for a semester.

While at Santiago Canyon, Pineda took off. He played in 15 matches and scored four goals and tallied six assists. In a match against Norco, Pineda had four assists.

“I didn’t have anything at the time so I just decided to continue there for school and play there for maybe a year and get my grades up so I could go somewhere else,” Pineda said. “I went to school and played there for a semester.”

However, instead of moving on to another college, Pineda was able to get that professional contract he had been looking forward to since he was playing for the Fullerton Rangers.

Pineda signed with Orange County SC in the USL Championship in 2017 and made 20 appearances for them. He scored once during that season.

“It was a great feeling finally getting that contract,” Pineda said. “That first year, they didn’t really think I was going to get any playing time, but I ended up starting every game until I got a red card. It was a great experience to develop my game. Getting experience at that level was challenging but good to get me back on the radar.”

Looking for a new team again in 2019, Pineda’s club coach came through once again and got Pineda in contact with the Red Wolves. Liking what was being built in Chattanooga, Pineda went for it and is now a member of the team.

Pineda started the season on the bench for Chattanooga but has slowly built up some trust within the coaching staff, starting the last three matches. The goal against Richmond was his first of the season, and he tallied his first assist on the year in the match, as well.

“I was more confident and knew that coach trusted me,” Pineda said. “Those first couple of games you are kind of nervous because you don’t want to do anything that is going to make coach put you back on the bench. But with the consistency of playing more, I am able to do more of what I know how to do.”

Being away from home for the first time in a while, Pineda’s family has kept up with him in Chattanooga through social media, making Pineda a “social media star” in his own right every time he is mentioned.

Pineda loves seeing the reactions from his family whenever he is mentioned. Even the reaction of family members he didn’t even know he had.

“I don’t even know how big my family is,” Pineda said. “Because I get random messages from people now on social media saying ‘my dad said that we are cousins’ and I just had no idea who they were before. So yeah, maybe I am a social media star now.”

Chattanooga Red Wolves SC goalkeeper Alex Mangels, midfielder Ami Pineda and forward Sito Seoane have been named to the USL League One Team of the Week for Week 12 of the league’s inaugural 2019 season.

All three played key roles in the Red Wolves’ first road victory in team history on Saturday, contributing to the 2-0 win over the Richmond Kickers at City Stadium.

Mangels recorded a four-save shutout, putting him in first place in League One in saves with 37 and securing his fourth clean sheet of the season. This marks Mangels’ third appearance on the USL Team of the Week, also being named for Week 2 and Player of the Week for Week 9.

Pineda started his third consecutive match, and it was his goal that put the Red Wolves ahead in the 62nd minute, scoring from the left side of the goal off of a pass from Seoane. He returned the favor later in the match, assisting Seoane’s goal. It was Pineda’s first goal and assist of the season.

Seoane came on as a sub in the 60th minute of the match Saturday and immediately assisted Pineda’s goal. Then, in the second minute of extra time, Seoane put the game on ice when he got a foot on a Pineda pass on the right side of the goal and bent it around the keeper into the bottom left corner of the goal. Seoane also notched his first goal and assist of the season.

Seoane’s goal is also up for the USL League one Goal of the Week. Fans can vote for Seoane’s goal through Thursday, June 20 by visiting uslleagueone.com/news_article/show/1029098.

All three will be back in action this Saturday, as the Red Wolves begin a three-game home stand against Greenville Triumph SC at David Stanton Field. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET. For tickets, visit  chattredwolves.com/tickets.  

USL League One Team of the Week

GK – Alex Mangels, Chattanooga Red Wolves SC: Mangels recorded a four-save shutout as the Red Wolves claimed victory on the road against the Richmond Kickers on Saturday night.

D – Kyle Venter, FC Tucson: The veteran center back had two goals, recorded six interceptions and eight recoveries, completed 90 of 112 passes and won 14 of 17 duels across a pair of outings during the week.

D – Conner Antley, South Georgia Tormenta FC: Antley recorded 10 recoveries and two interceptions defensively and had three key passes while completing 40 of 49 passes overall in possession.

D – Cole Seiler, Greenville Triumph SC: Seiler scored the equalizer as Greenville earned a 1-1 draw with Lansing Ignite FC while completing 60 of 72 passes and winning 6 of 8 duels defensively.

M – Matthew Srbely, Toronto FC II: Srbely completed 28 of 30 passes, a 93-percent accuracy rate, scored one goal and had three key passes in leading TFC II’s comeback against North Texas last Wednesday afternoon.

M – Nils Vinyals, South Georgia Tormenta FC: Vinyals recorded three key passes, completed 34 of 37 passes overall and 7 of 7 dribbles while also winning 12 of 19 duels in a busy display in Tormenta FC’s win against Orlando.

M – Amirgy Pineda, Chattanooga Red Wolves SC: Pineda had one goal and one assist and completed 37 of 44 passes overall to help lead the Red Wolves to a road victory against the Richmond Kickers.

M – Arturo Rodriguez, North Texas SC: Rodriguez recorded one assist and two key passes while completing 31 of 36 passes overall and recording 13 recoveries in NTSC’s 3-3 draw with Toronto FC II.

F – Sito Seoane, Chattanooga Red Wolves SC: Seoane had a goal and assist after coming on with 30 minutes remaining to push the Red Wolves to victory on the road against the Richmond Kickers.

F – Ronaldo Damus, North Texas SC: Damus recorded a first-half hat trick and won 12 of 21 duels while completing four dribbles and 9 of 13 passes in NTSC’s midweek draw against Toronto FC II.

F – Paulo Jr., Forward Madison FC: The Brazilian scored the fastest goal in the league this season after 45 seconds and added an assist and four key passes while completing 24 of 29 passes overall in Madison’s win against Tucson.

Chattanooga Red Wolves SC climbed into fifth place in the USL League One standings on Saturday, defeating the Richmond Kickers 2-0 at City Stadium.

Looking for their first road win of the season, the Red Wolves used second half goals from Ami Pineda and Sito Seoane to clinch the historic win.

Here are three takeaways from the match:

Dynamic Duo

Pineda and Seoane scored both goals for the Red Wolves in the match and each assisted on the other player’s goal.

Pineda started the match while Seoane came on as a sub in the 60th minute. Seoane’s impact was made immediately in the 62nd minute. Off a counter attack, Seoane dribbled the ball down the left side of the field before cutting back. He then timed a perfect pass to Pineda, who was just onside, behind the defense. Pineda put the ball in the back of the net to give the Red Wolves a 1-0 lead.

Then, it was Seoane’s turn to be the recipient of the perfect pass. The Red Wolves took a quick set piece from just inside their own half in the second minute of added time. The ball ended up at Pineda’s feet who shielded a defender just outside the box until Seoane passed by. Pineda then made a pass to Seoane who was charging into the box. From a difficult angle on the right side of the goal, Seoane bent the ball past the goalkeeper and into the bottom left corner of the net to seal the match.

It was both the first goal and assist of the season for Pineda and Seoane.

Mangels reclaims saves lead

With four saves in Saturday’s win, goalie Alex Mangels took back the saves lead from Richmond’s Akira Fitzgerald. Mangels now has 37 saves on the season.

In the first half, Mangels kept the game scoreless in the 32nd minute with a diving save to his left off of a rocket shot just outside of the box. After the Red Wolves went up by a goal in the second half, Mangels help keep that one goal lead. In a minute span late in the second half, Mangels made a diving save and then, on a Richmond attack, came out of goal and kicked a dangerous pass away from and off of the Richmond player and out for a goal kick.

Once again late in the second half, Mangels kept the Red Wolves in front off a corner by Richmond. The ball bounced around in the box and to the foot of a Richmond player right in front of goal. But Mangels dove on the ball before the shot. Along with his four saves, Mangels also had one punch.

It was Mangels fourth clean sheet of the season which puts him in a tie for third in the league.

Navarro makes first start

With the Red Wolves on a three-game loan from El Paso Locomotive FC, Daniel Navarro made his first start for Chattanooga and was a key part of the clean sheet.

Navarro attempted 41 passes in the match, completing 36 of them for an 81.8 percent passing accuracy. He won five duels along with one aerial dual and had three tackles and two clearances. Navarro started the game at center back alongside Nicholas Amponsah.

Navarro will be with the team for one more game, but the option to extend the short-term loan is available. 

Up next

The Red Wolves begin a three-game home stand on Saturday as they take on Greenville Triumph SC at David Stanton Field. That match kicks off at 7 p.m. ET. For tickets, visit chattredwolves.com/tickets.  

Imagine being a professional athlete. You wake up early every morning and immediately head off to training. Following a two-hour training session, you hit the gym for a workout or attend a mandatory film session before possibly having a second training session or rehab appointment.

Half of your weekends are spent on the road, traveling to face teams miles away, and not returning until the wee hours of the morning on Sundays. And the other half are spent preparing for and playing home games, when Saturdays begin just as early as the others and are followed by recovery pool or stretching sessions the Sundays after.

And that’s just the physical work commitment involved. That doesn’t cover the community appearances, media interviews, events and engagements that come along with the job. Then, you do it all over again.

Now, imagine having the grueling schedule of an athlete while also having another job, and arguably the most important one of all—being a father.

Welcome to the world of Chattanooga Red Wolves SC players Will Dieterich and Vangjel Zguro and Red Wolves head coach Tim Hankinson.

First, there’s Dieterich, a goalkeeper for the Red Wolves. Spending the last four and a half years playing in Iceland, moving to Chattanooga has been a huge culture change.

Dieterich was signed by the Red Wolves just three days before the start of the season but could not leave Iceland until a few days later. Why? Because Dieterich and his girlfriend, Margrét, were just days away from the birth of their first child.

Theodore was born in early April and Dieterich, a first-time father, joined the team just five days later. Because of Theodore having just been born and was unable to travel, Dieterich had to leave him and Margrét behind in Iceland while he came to play for the Red Wolves.

“Luckily I had the contract with the Red Wolves done before he was born because once he was born, it was almost impossible to leave,” Dieterich said. “It was just one of those things in the football business that you have to do and sometimes you have to make sacrifices, but I don’t think I will be doing this one again.”

Finally, Margrét and baby Theodore were able to travel and joined him in Chattanooga two months later. After living on his own for the first couple months, it has certainly been an adjustment for Dieterich trying to balance being a father and a pro soccer player.

“I was there for the first three or four days so I got a small glimpse of fatherhood but then I went to live by myself for a month and a half,” Dieterich said. “It was a huge transition when they got here, but it’s something I have been longing for. People always tell you that you don’t know what it’s like until you have one and it’s true. Every day is a blessing.”

Just three months old, Theodore is not quite ready to play the game his father has made a career out of. But when he does start, Dieterich is not so sure he wants his son to follow in his footsteps.

“We’re gonna stay away from being a goalkeeper though because that’s a stressful one for the parents,” Dieterich said. “He’s already got an advantage on me because he has a European passport. But we’ll be excited if he chooses to play soccer or not.”

Then, there’s Red Wolves defender Vangjel Zguro.

A native of Pogradec, Albania, Zguro is the father to a four-year old daughter, Marianthi or “Mari” for short. Zguro only played in his native land before moving to Chattanooga to roster with the Red Wolves, so his daughter and wife, Romina, had never been out of the country until now.

“It is a big decision to up and move your family,” Zguro said. “But it’s just part of being an athlete and pursuing your dreams together.”

Playing out of Albania for the first time in his career, Zguro and Mari have in common the fact that they are both having to adapt to a new place to live. For that reason, it has been a time of bonding between the two.

“It’s been really great to experience this move together,” Zguro said. “Exploring the city, finding our own routine and making Chattanooga our family’s home has been challenging at times but it has made our family closer. Mari is adjusting well and is very happy here.”

Lastly, there is Tim Hankinson, head coach of the Red Wolves.

Hankinson is the father to five children, three being his stepchildren and two being his own. Having none of them living anywhere near Chattanooga, Hankinson has had to adjust to being a long-distance dad and head coach.

“The challenge is how to stay connected,” Hankinson said. “My wife helps with that. There are weekly calls with some of them, but they’re busy a lot with them reaching adulthood, so we can go weeks sometimes without being able to talk. Fatherhood is just a continued extension of these kids in my life.”

While Hankinson is the father to just his five children, at times it feels like he has about 20 more kids.

With the Red Wolves team coming from all across the world and not having a lot of family close by, Hankinson feels that he serves a father figure to the players at times and tries to help them out when needed.

“I think to some of them I am a father figure,” Hankinson said. “No question that when you bring guys over from other countries, the players and coaching staff are like family to them. That’s a special feeling to have that bond and relationship and it’s something you usually never lose. It’s a lifelong lasting relationship.”

Hankinson had a similar experience to Dieterich early on in his career with the birth of his first child. Hankinson missed the birth but was able to spend 10 days with his son before having to leave again and return to coach.

“That was one of the tougher things that I have ever had to do getting back on the plane after spending time with my son,” Hankinson said. “Guys might try and act tough but we’re all soft on the inside.”

All three will be celebrating Father’s Day in different ways on Sunday. While Hankinson and Zguro have experienced being a father on Father’s Day before, it will be Dieterich’s first time with that feeling.

“It kind of hit me a couple of days ago that this will be my first Father’s Day,” Dieterich said. “He (Theodore) is still kind of young but it’ll be nice just to be with him.”

Chattanooga Red Wolves SC (4-4-3) defeated the Richmond Kickers (3-6-3) 2-0 at City Stadium on Saturday night.

After a back and forth first 10 minutes, Ualefi was close to getting the Red Wolves on the board with a shot outside of the box that just snuck over the top bar of the goal. The best chance in the first half came from the Red Wolves in the 21st minute. Vangjel Zguro sent a ball into the box that snuck over the Richmond defender right to Juan Mare who was uncovered. However, Mare’s header hit the bar and the game remained scoreless.

In the second half, Richmond came out firing, but the Chattanooga defense held strong led by goalie Alex Mangels. In the 57th minute, Mangels made a diving save and then just a minute later came out of goal to stop a Richmond attack. Mangels finished with four saves in the game.

In the 63rd minute, the Red Wolves broke the scoreless tie. On a counter attack, Sito Seoane sent a through ball just behind the Richmond defense to Ami Pineda. Calmly, Pineda fired the ball into the back of the net to give Chattanooga a 1-0 lead. It was Pineda’s first goal of the season.

Richmond was on the attack in the final 25 minutes of the match but Mangels and the defense held strong and preserved Mangels fourth clean sheet of the season. Seoane sealed the match for Chattanooga in added time when he snuck one past the keeper from a difficult angle to give Chattanooga their second goal.

The Red Wolves begin a three-game homestand next Saturday as they take on Greenville Triumph SC at David Stanton Field. That game kicks off at 7 p.m. ET. For tickets, visit chattredwolves.com/tickets.  

GAME SUMMARY 

First Half:  

6’– Nicholas Retzlaff (Richmond Kickers) left footed shot from outside the box is too high.

11– Ualefi (Chattanooga Red Wolves) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Jonathan Caparelli.

16’ — Joe Gallardo (Richmond Kickers) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.

21’ — Juan Mare (Chattanooga Red Wolves) hits the bar with a header from the centre of the box. Assisted by Vangjel Zguro with a cross.

23’ — Conor Doyle (Chattanooga Red Wolves) left footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Steven Beattie with a cross.

33’ — Mutaya Mwape (Richmond Kickers) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.

45’ — Dennis Chin (Richmond Kickers) right footed shot from the left side of the box is close but misses to the left. 

Second Half: 

46’ — Dennis Chin (Richmond Kickers) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.

54’ — Jonathan Caparelli (Chattanooga Red Wolves) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right is close but misses to the right.

63’ – GOAL!  Amirgy Pineda (Chattanooga Red Wolves) left footed shot from the left side of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Sito Seoane.

69’ — Joe Gallardo (Richmond Kickers) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.

74’ — Steven Beattie (Chattanooga Red Wolves) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.

79’ — Joe Gallardo (Richmond Kickers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. 

90+2’ – GOAL! Sito Seoane (Chattanooga Red Wolves) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the right to the top left corner. Assisted by Amirgy Pineda following a set piece situation.

LINEUPS: 

Chattanooga Red Wolves SC — Alex Mangels; Tony Walls, Daniel Navarro, Nicholas Ampansah,  Vangjel Zguro, Ualefi, Amirgy Pineda, Conor Doyle, Jonathan Caparelli (Josue Soto – 76’), Steven Beattie (C), Juan Mare (Sito Seoane – 60’)

Substitutes not used — Will Dieterich, Alex Jaimes, Yaya Cisse 

Richmond Kickers – Akira Fitzgerald, Scott Thomsen, Conor Shanosky, Josh Hughes (Matt Bolduc – 67’), Joe Gallardo, Nick Retzlaff, Dennis Chin (Daniel Jackson – 61’), Eli Lockaby, Wahab Ackwei, Maxi Rodriguez (C), Mutaya Mwape

Substitutes not used – Joe Rice, Ivan Magalahaes, Luke Pavone, Jannik Eckenrode, Braeden Troyer

Scoring Summary: 

CHT: Ami Pineda – 62’

CHT: Sito Seoane – 90 +3’

Misconduct Summary: 

CHT: Juan Mare (cautioned – 41’)

RIC: Mutaya Mwape (cautioned – 43’)

CHT: Jonathan Caparelli (cautioned – 73’)

CHT: Josue Soto (cautioned – 90’)

RIC: Joe Gallardo (cautioned – 90’)

Ejection Summary:  

N/A

MATCH INFORMATION: 

Head Official: Joshua Encarnacion
Assistant Referee: Jordan Davis
Assistant Referee: Justin Howard
4th Official: James Walker  

Chattanooga Red Wolves SC (3-4-3) takes the road on Saturday as they travel to Richmond, Virginia to face off against the Richmond Kickers (3-5-3). The match kicks off at 7 p.m. ET from City Stadium.

This will be the second contest of the season between the two teams, both having been at City Stadium in Richmond. In the first match, the Kickers pulled out a 1-0 win over the Red Wolves with a goal in the 52nd minute. The Red Wolves currently sit in eighth place in the standings but are tied with three other teams at 12 points. One of the teams they are tied with is the Kickers who sit in seventh place.

The two teams will play two more times this season with the final two matches being in Chattanooga at David Stanton Field. The next match is set for Saturday, June 29 at 7 p.m. ET. 

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

CHATTANOOGA: Vangjel Zguro, defender: Zguro is coming off a match against Toronto that saw him earn a spot on the USL League One Team of the Week for week 10. In the match, Zguro had two assists, both coming off corner kicks, four tackles and nine recoveries. Zguro is currently tied for first in the league in assists with four.

RICHMOND: Akira Fitzgerald, Richmond Kickers, goalkeeper: Leading USL League One in saves with 34, Fitzgerald earned a spot last week on the USL League One Team of the Week. Fitzgerald had two saves in their match against FC Tucson and earned his fifth clean sheet of the season. That ranks him second in the league in clean sheets.

LAST TIME OUT:

CHATTANOOGA: Due to lingering lightning in the Statesboro, Georgia area, the Red Wolves match last week against Tormenta was over before it could even begin. The two teams will make up the match on August 17. The last time the Red Wolves stepped onto the pitch, they drew Toronto 2-2 thanks to a Colin Falvey goal in the 84th minute. Conor Doyle got the scoring started with a goal in the first half. Both goals came off corners that were sent in by Vangjel Zguro.

RICHMOND: The Kickers traveled to Tucson for their last match on Saturday, June 8. The two teams played to a scoreless draw. Richmond outshot Tucson 11-9 in the match and had two shots on goal. Richmond had a chance to get all three points in the second half off of a free kick, however, the flag went up for offsides, negating the goal.

UP NEXT:

The Red Wolves begin a three-game home stand next weekend as they take on Greenville Triumph SC at David Stanton Field. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET and can be seen on ESPN+.                                                                                                     

HOW TO FOLLOW

Live stream options:  

• ESPN+ (United States)
• YouTube  (International) 
• Live Stats (USL League One Match Center)

Follow @ChattRedWolves on Twitter for in-game updates // #RICvCHT

ABOUT RICHMOND KICKERS

One of the two longest-standing professional clubs in the United States, the Richmond Kickers enter their 27th season as a founding member of USL League One. The Kickers host home games at Richmond City Stadium. The team is led by David Bulow, a former Kicker himself, and assistant coaches are Mike Elovaara and Adrian Clewlow. 

MATCH FACTS

• Chattanooga Red Wolves SC currently sit in eighth place in the USL League One standings with 12 points
• Richmond Kickers currently sit in seventh place in the standings with 12 points. They lead the Red Wolves based off of head-to-head record.
• Richmond is 2-2-2 this season at City Stadium.
• The Red Wolves match last week against South Georgia Tormenta FC was postponed due to lightening in the area. It has been rescheduled for August 17.
• Steven Beattie will wear the captain’s armband for the match. 

The USL League One regular season contest between South Georgia Tormenta FC and Chattanooga Red Wolves SC has been rescheduled for Wednesday, August 21 at 8 p.m. ET at Erk Russell Park. 

The originally scheduled match was postponed before it started on Saturday, June 8 due to lingering lightning in the Statesboro, Georgia area. 

Both clubs return to action this Saturday, June 15. Tormenta FC plays at home against Orlando City B, while Chattanooga Red Wolves take on the Richmond Kickers at City Stadium to end the club’s two-week road run. The Red Wolves visited Richmond on April 27 for the first-ever meeting, but ultimately fell 1-0 to the Kickers. 

The Red Wolves will kick off a three-game home stand next Saturday, June 22 as the team hosts Greenville Triumph SC. The match marks the third and final regular season meeting between the two clubs. For tickets and more information, visit chattredwolves.com/tickets. 

The second part of our path to pro series features the fundamental link between academy and professional play: the USL League 2 sides of Chattanooga Red Wolves SC, Dalton and Park City Red Wolves.

Just one call-up away from the professional soccer dream, the Park City and Dalton Red Wolves are the penultimate step in the USL Path to Pro journey. 

As the U-23 developmental teams for the Chattanooga Red Wolves, Park City and Dalton, who both play in USL League 2, are providing exposure for their players and preparing them for a future in professional soccer. 

“Path to pro sums up exactly what we’re doing,” Park City Head Coach Patrick Rennie said. “Our idea is to give these young players a chance to be seen and noticed by professional teams.” 

Many of the players on these rosters compete at the collegiate level during the school year. For them, these summers spent training with the USL League 2 sides help them further their development and give them experience playing alongside other hopeful future professionals. 

Dalton Red Wolves goalkeeper Aaron Fraire is one of these players. A recent graduate from nearby Dalton High School, Fraire is with the Red Wolves until the fall when he leaves for Dalton State College. 

“Playing professionally is my ultimate goal,” Fraire said. “Playing with the Red Wolves is a great foundation for my career that I can use to reach higher and higher aspirations.” 

Fraire said joining the Dalton Red Wolves was an easy choice. Nowhere else in the North Georgia area can you find a group of such diverse and talented players led by experienced coaches.  

Players hailing from all over the world, including Haiti, England, Scotland and right here in Dalton, Georgia make up the Red Wolves side. The many different backgrounds and experiences that these players and coaches have brought to the Dalton community are what makes this team special.  

“The city of Dalton is diverse and so is this team,” Fraire said. “We have people from everywhere, but we’ve all come together to achieve our goals and it’s really special.” 

It’s no different in Park City. The roster includes players from El Salvador, Spain, British Columbia, England and Argentina.  

The Park City and Dalton teams directly feed into Chattanooga Red Wolves SC, meaning players who are not returning to university following the League Two season have something play for: a call up to the first team. 

This has already been seen first-hand with Dalton’s Yaya Cisse and Park City’s Alex Jaimes who both signed their first professional contracts with Chattanooga last month.  

Several other Dalton and Park City players have also been brought in to train with the first team over the recent weeks, learning from the professional players while also showcasing their talent to the team’s technical staff.  

“As a League Two team with a League One team above us we want to help promote our first team and get our players to the next level,” Dalton Red Wolves Head Coach Drew Courtney said. “We’re providing a professional environment where they can train at a high level.” 

In addition to providing the best environment to help their players develop into future pros, the developmental teams expect success in the short term, as well. Despite it being the club’s inaugural season, they’re hungry for glory. 

“We want to win the league this summer,” Courtney said. “It’s not typical for a first-year team to have a whole lot of success but hey, why not us?” 

For more information about the Dalton and Park City Red Wolves, visit chattredwolves.com/dalton and chattredwolves.com/parkcity. 

This is part two of a three-part series highlighting Chattanooga Red Wolves SC’s goal to bring a path to professional play to the Chattanooga and North Georgia regions. 

Dalton Red Wolves SC has the best high school soccer player in the nation on their roster.

Omar Hernandez, a recent graduate of Dalton High School, was named the 2018-2019 Gatorade National Boys Soccer Player of the Year Tuesday.

Hernandez became eligible for the award after he won the Gatorade Georgia Boys Soccer Player of the Year on Friday. It was his second year in a row to receive Gatorade’s state recognition award.

Gatorade Player of the Year program recognizes the nation’s most outstanding high school student-athletes for their athletic excellence, academic achievement and exemplary character. That’s what makes this award the most prestigious honor in High School sports.

He joins the likes of Peyton Manning, Abby Wambach, Derek Jeter, Lebron James and more.

“It’s surreal and truly an honor seeing my name next to that title,” Hernandez said. “I never would have thought that I could find myself classified in that type of category.”

With the honor, Hernandez is now entered for the chance to win Gatorade’s National Athlete of the Year, awarded to one male and female at a banquet at the beginning of July in Los Angeles. Hernandez is invited to travel to California for the ceremony where he and the 11 other athletes will walk the red carpet and attend the ESPYs, ESPN’s national event honoring the top individuals and teams in sports for their athletic achievements.

Hernandez finished his high school career with 78 goals and 64 assists—both records at Dalton High.

On top of his Gatorade Player of the Year honors, Hernandez was named First-Team All-American by USA Today, 2x All-State for the State of Georgia, Atlanta Journal Constitution’s Co-player of the Year and took home the Best of Preps Steve George Boys Soccer Award.

The Dalton, Georgia native is competing for the Dalton Red Wolves this summer before continuing his academic and athletic career at Wake Forest University in the fall.

“I chose the Red Wolves Organization because they gave me the opportunity to develop and improve my game,” Hernandez said. “Also because the team is based in my hometown, and it’s amazing to be able to play where I have grown up. I’m excited to be competing against guys who have had college careers and learn from their experiences.”

Dalton Red Wolves head coach Drew Courtney is excited for Hernandez and what he can bring to the team.

“What an honor it is for Omar to receive Gatorade National Player of the Year,” Courtney said. “It is well-deserved and well-earned and I couldn’t be happier for him. It’s not always the case that a prestigious award like this goes to someone who is both a great athlete and a quality human being. Omar is both and is the perfect recipient for this honor. I really look forward to watching him grow with our group.”  

For more information on Gatorade Player of the Year, visit playeroftheyear.gatorade.com. 

Hernandez and the Red Wolves will be back in action Friday, June 14 as the team travels to South Carolina to face Discoveries SC. 

The setting is the training grounds of Sport Club Corinthians Paulista.

One of the more historic teams that competes in Brasileriao Serie A, Corinthians has 30 state championships in Brazil and won the FIFA Club World Cup in 2000 and 2012.

The year is 2009 and on one side of the field the first team practices, led by their three-time FIFA Player of the Year Ronaldo, who is entering the later stages of his career.

On the other side of field, young kids who are coming up in the Corinthians Academy practice. One of those kids is Malcolm, who in the 2018-2019 season made 24 appearances for FC Barcelona including a goal in the Champions League.

Another one of those kids practices with the midfielders. He weaves in an out of cones and perfects each drill the kids are supposed to be doing. The kid looks like he was born to be a soccer player.

His name is Ualefi.

Ualefi, a current member of Chattanooga Red Wolves SC, came into the Corinthians Academy at age 13 after impressing coaches and scouts at a tournament in Brazil.

Leaving his house and family, Ualefi spent the next seven years of his life at the Corinthians Academy and with their first team.

“It was a great experience for me,” Ualefi said. “I had to grow up a lot and mature. I won a lot of championships there with the youth teams and so growing up with the team was really good for me.”

While at Corinthians, Ualefi got to train with Brazil stars such as Paulinho and Roberto Carlos. However, Ronaldo, despite joining Corinthians for just the last three years of his playing career, was the player who stood out the most to Ualefi.

“Training with him was unbelievable,” Ualefi said. “The best I have ever seen. He was smarter than everyone else and just better at everything. Training with him helped in my development just because I could absorb everything that he did.”

Corinthians Junior team won the 2012 Copa Sao Paulo De Juniores, the 2011 Copa Ouro and the Mundialito de Clubes U-17 tournaments while Ualefi was with them. Ualefi traveled the world with the team and, in one of the tournaments, even played with a young Malcolm. Ualefi thought Malcolm was good at the time but had no idea just how good he was going to be.

“I played in a state championship in Sao Paulo with Malcolm,” Ualefi said. “He was good then but he was still so young so he wasn’t anything like the player he is today. He was still developing.”

After his time at Corinthians came to a close, Ualefi moved on to Japan to play there. It was a culture change for him who had been used to playing in the premier league of Brazilian soccer where skill is really important. In Japan, the game was more so about running.

After coming back from Japan, Ualefi struggled with his soccer identity. Contemplating on whether to quit the game or not, Ualefi received a call from Marc Dos Santos, who was with Sporting KC and Swope Park Rangers at the time. Dos Santos asked Ualefi if he was interested in playing and so he moved to the United States.

Ualefi spent two years with USL Championship side Swope Park Rangers, and even got called up to the team’s MLS side, Sporting KC, at one point. With Swope Park, he started every single regular season match in 2016 and tallied four assists. At Sporting KC, Ualefi got to play in two matches in the CONCACAF Champions League.

“The level of play in the MLS is a little better,” Ualefi said. “There’s more skill and quality. The rhythm of the game was a little bit faster. But I still say that the highest quality of soccer I have played in was the first division in Brazil.”

Ualefi returned to Brazil in 2018 for a season playing for Barretos where he appeared in every match and tallied nine assists.

After the season ended, Ualefi had offers to stay in Brazil. However, wanting to go back to the United States, his agent got in touch with Red Wolves head coach Tim Hankinson who offered Ualefi a chance to play.

“I love my experience here,” Ualefi said. “Me and my wife love the city. I love the fact that the team has a plan and a vision to grow in the future. That was one of the huge factors of why I was wanting to come here.”

Trying to model his defensive game after Casemiro and his offensive game after Sergio Busquets, Ualefi has been the heart and soul of the Red Wolves midfield in their inaugural season. He currently leads the team in interceptions with 19 and is second on the team in tackles with 24.

“Individually, I want to play all the games and win the games,” Ualefi said. “For the team, I want us to make the playoff and win the championship. Since we are a new club, if we win the championship, it would go a long way for the development of the club.”

Ualefi and the Red Wolves will be back in action in Richmond on Saturday as they take on the Richmond Kickers. Kickoff for that match is set for 7 p.m. ET and can be seen on ESPN+.