Photo: Somerville United Football Club
SOMERVILLE, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — Somerville is getting its own semi-pro soccer team, with goals to take the players to U.S. professional soccer.
Robert Sifa Onjiko and his wife Alesandra Grace Onjiko weren't happy with the state of semi-pro soccer in the Boston area when they decided to form their own team, Somerville United Football Club.
They wanted to have a non-profit team that would focus on developing the players. Most teams are pay to play, which keeps some players who love the sport and want to compete from playing.
"We thought it was just one player, but it turned out to be a lot of players, and then we were like all right, let's see if we can have a platform that is not for profit, but solely to develop the players," Robert said.
Somerville United FC is run mostly by volunteers that will do everything from marketing to game day operations.
"We're happy to have anybody and everybody who wants to join in. We're excited about all of the people who have reached out and are just as excited about starting this up as well," Alesandra said.
The couple said their focus is on developing the players, and in Somerville there's many talented players that could use this chance to play semi-pro without paying to be on a team.
Robert said there is, "lots of diversity, [players] from South America, from Africa, from Europe."
"Part of our excitement too is in Somerville, to create that community, to have people supporting the team, to be just as excited when we are doing well and that will also boost the players to do their best," Alesandra said.
The team will compete in the American Premier Soccer League, which is at the fourth tier of U.S. professional soccer. It's a league with promotion and relegation.
Tryouts for Somerville United FC will start in the coming weeks and their first season will start at Dilboy Stadium this coming spring. They are also planning on adding a women's team later this year.
WBZ NewsRadio’s Kyle Bray (@KyleBrayWBZ) reports.