Seibert still had to secure professional partnerships, hire a coach, get a roster together, find a place to play, gain a social media footing, work with the local supporters and much, much more. “We first had to make sure that we were properly structured from a legal standpoint and we had many meetings in the first 30 days so that we knew what we were going to have,” Seibert said. “We had some great minds involved, including players and former players. The soccer community in Cleveland was fractured and we needed some unity to take place. Everything went lightning fast. It was a blur.”

SHULA

Two weeks after the official team introductory announcement, the first domino fell. Cleveland SC announced that it would play its home games for the 2018 season on the campus of John Carroll University at Don Shula stadium. It is a great venue, located less than 10 miles from downtown, that holds more than 5,000. “We had to find a place to practice and a place to play pretty fast,” Seibert said. “I spoke with John Carroll coach Hector Marinaro, the former Crunch/Force standout, and Assistant AD Russell Houser. We came to terms in regard to the cost and availability.”

Vinny Bell, an All American at nearby Case Western University and the first player ever signed by AFC Cleveland, felt all this was business as usual. “At the level we play and the type of team we are, this whirlwind approach was nothing new to us,” said Bell, who scored twice in AFC Cleveland’s title victory over Sonoma. “We played in five stadiums in six years with AFC. This is a hectic league and it was hectic getting this together on such short notice, but that was just how we had to do it.” Bell was part of the initial group chat established by former AFC Cleveland players. Now that they had a stadium, who was going to be their coach?

“OZZY”

When you’re a native of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England and you play as a youth for Barnsley FC, you grow up either a fan of the Tykes, or the more illustrious club 20 minutes north, Leeds United. But Ryan Osborne always fancied himself a member of the Toon Army. “I am Newcastle all the way.” That seems appropriate, as Newcastle is that large English Premier League side in northeast England that fancies itself more of an intimate club, even though St. James’ Park holds more than 50,000. In that respect, Newcastle is a lot like Cleveland. Big, but accessible.

“Cleveland is a market that supports soccer, no matter the level,” Osborne said. “The big city helps attract players. It is a brilliant place to be.” Osborne helped the University of Charleston to four consecutive West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference titles, splitting his time between forward and attacking midfielder. He followed that up by playing one season with the West Virginia Chaos in the Premier Development League, helping lead the club to the final eight in 2014. During this time, Osborne was already whetting his coaching whistle. He started the first men’s program at University of Charleston-Beckley in 2014 and then served as an assistant at Marietta College for two years before joining the men’s soccer staff as both an assistant and recruiter at Notre Dame College in South Euclid, Ohio in 2016.

“I was in Cincinnati at a showcase and bumped into Declan McGivern, who had played with AFC Cleveland,” Osborne said. “He was looking to play with the new Cleveland club and I was told they thought I might be a good fit. To be honest, I was a bit apprehensive. I had seen how the owners were in the PDL and I also wanted to put my own stamp on the club. I wanted to make sure there were opportunities for new players as well. I called Sam up to see what he had to say.” Seibert met Osborne at a pub in East Cleveland and the two believed in each other right away. Osborne was officially announced on March 13th and he, Seibert and Seibert’s staff set out on putting together a roster. There was a one-day tryout, which took place over two two-hour sessions at Charles F. Brush High School in Lyndhurst. Close to 60 tried out for the 21 roster spots. “My first impression of Ozzy? Why is he making me run so damned much,” said Bell with a laugh. “It was the longest preseason that I have had in my seven years. He got this team serious quickly and that was a big reason for our success.”

Seibert agreed.

“Ryan and I met at the pub for about an hour and really hit it off,” Seibert said. “He is passionate and he knew how to connect with the players. That was big for us.”

PARTNERS

“I always want to be directly tied to the city; this needs to be known as a city club,” Seibert said. “I want to be as Cleveland as possible.” That philosophy led to the development of several strong local relationships from the start. Seibert and his staff secured NovaCare Rehabilitation, Admiral Products (OTF manufacturer), the Old Angle Tavern and others as local, Cleveland-based partners for different club needs. They got Planet Fitness to sponsor the jerseys and they worked with two newer Cleveland staples to get heightened exposure. Cleveland Clothing Company, which prides itself on “spreading Cleveland pride, one t-shirt at a time,” according to its website, was founded in 2008 and now features five locations and a bustling online presence. Seibert worked with the company to get Cleveland SC merchandise out there, inspiring supporters and potential supporters to get excited about the club’s brand. “This merchandise platform really helped get brand out there in terms of exposure,” Osborne said. “You need to thank those companies for helping our club, which had less than three months of existence. It was huge.”

And then there was the beer.

ORANGEAID