AFC Mobile, the local men’s soccer club known to its fan base as the Azaleas, is set to return to the pitch this weekend for the first time in more than a year, opening its long-delayed National Premier Soccer League season on the road against Southern States SC in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
The club had been building toward its NPSL debut in 2020 after three seasons in the Gulf Coast Premier League, but those plans were shelved when the league canceled its summer schedule because of the COVID-19 pandemic. More than a year later, AFC Mobile is finally ready to take the field in one of the largest amateur soccer leagues in the country, which fields nearly 100 teams across 14 regional conferences nationwide.
Head coach Steve Wieczorek, who holds a doctorate in sports management from Troy University, said the club is eager to make up for lost time. “There is a build-up of anticipation,” Wieczorek said. “We had a few resign from our 2019 team, but a lot stayed onboard. Now we have added a few more players for this season. In that regard, we will hit the ground running with a full year of preparation.”
Wieczorek recently stepped down as Spring Hill College’s soccer coach to focus full-time on AFC Mobile. He said the pandemic-forced pause, while disappointing at the time, ultimately gave the organization room to grow off the field. “The break allowed us to start our youth academy,” he said. “A year away from the senior team turned out to be a blessing in disguise. It turned out to be really positive for the club.”
Following Saturday’s opener in Hattiesburg, AFC Mobile will travel to New Orleans on May 8 to face the New Orleans Jesters before returning home May 15 to open its home slate against Port City FC of Gulfport at Archbishop Lipscomb Stadium, known locally as The Lip, located at 3610 Michael Blvd. in Mobile. Kickoff for home matches is scheduled for 7 p.m., and club officials said seating capacity will be limited this season.
Leading the roster is forward and team captain Chisom Ogbonna, the franchise’s all-time leading scorer with 20 goals in 18 career games. Ogbonna, who has been with the organization since its Gulf Coast Premier League days, first wore the captain’s armband during the canceled 2020 season and will do so again this year. “He is a very influential player who has been with us since the GCPL days,” Wieczorek said. “He has the right level of maturity and experience to be our captain.”
The Azaleas also return a deep group in net, headlined by Will Blake, a McGill-Toolen Catholic High School graduate who now plays collegiately for Florida Gulf Coast University. Wieczorek said the club can also call on goalkeepers Barou Ndaw, who played for him at Spring Hill College, and Salvador Plaza, who plays at the University of Montevallo.
Defensively, Wieczorek pointed to returning players Zubair Taylor and Vlad Margolin, along with newcomers Stanley Joseph and Andrew Rhoda. Several of the club’s defenders see regular action in the Gulf South Conference at the collegiate level, and Wieczorek said the roster also includes two promising products of the club’s U-19 program, Ryan Green and Salia Carr, who are moving up to the senior team this year.
One newcomer Wieczorek is especially excited about is Blake Palmquist, an NCAA Division II player from Montana. “He is very exciting and very athletic,” the coach said. “I can’t wait to work with him.” The midfield group rounds out with returners Arad Lev Ari, Mike Conneh, Eddie Dakwa and Iba Ndaw, another former Spring Hill College player.
Wieczorek said building a roster that blends homegrown talent with players recruited from outside the region has been central to the club’s approach. “We want to make sure to identify the top talent in Mobile,” he said. “It was also important to retain the majority of players we brought in from outside the city. Both groups raise our profile and attract the highest level of players from across the U.S.”
Wieczorek will be joined on the sideline by assistant coaches Brent Grube, of Mary G. Montgomery High School, and Ruben Risco, of UMS-Wright Preparatory School. The coach said the step up to the NPSL marks a significant milestone for soccer in the Mobile area. “The NPSL is the highest amateur league in the country,” he said. “This is a really big step for Mobile. I am proud and excited for the opportunity.”
AFC Mobile will compete in the NPSL’s Gulf Coast Conference alongside Florida Roots FC of Panama City, Jacksonville Armada FC, the New Orleans Jesters, Pensacola FC, Port City FC, Southern States SC and Tallahassee SC. Wieczorek said the club already has some familiarity with a couple of conference foes thanks to its U-19 squad’s matches last fall. “Because of our U-19 team last fall, we got to see Southern States and the Jesters in action,” he said. “This gives us an insight into how their senior team will play. I think we will have a highly competitive and exciting season. All the teams I coach approach the games in a fast-break style. We will certainly be in contention. We just have to do it on the field.”
Fans looking to support the Azaleas this season can choose from four season pass packages. Package A includes an AFC Mobile-branded silicone wristband along with admission to all home matches and exclusive club events. Package B provides admission to every home match, including any home playoff games, plus a choice of a 2021 season scarf or T-shirt, both designed by Mobile-based artists and set to be unveiled before the season begins. Package C combines home-match admission with both the season scarf and shirt, and Package D, the top-tier option, includes admission to all home matches and playoffs along with the club’s first-ever custom home jersey, designed locally and produced by Hummel.
Tickets and additional information on AFC Mobile are available at afcmobile.net or by calling 251-272-9507.