2020 Season Preview
March 6, 2020 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
OKC Energy FC News Release
A new season is upon us once again, Greens. Saturday night at Taft Stadium, Energy FC begins its seventh season against old rival Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC.
This past offseason was one of change with new head coach John Pascarella taking over at the helm. Coach JP, or just JP as he likes to be called, and his staff, assistant coaches Leigh Veidman and Alexis Vizarelis, have quietly built a very exciting, balanced squad with veteran players and young, hungry talent.
The team might have lost national team veterans, but filling their shoes are guys that come from prestigious academies, universities, and professional clubs-guys like Frank Lopez and Jaime Chavez that score goals for fun in this league.
We also won't likely have the added burden of losing players at crucial times throughout the season to national team call-ups. This squad is here to represent OKC.
The roster currently stands at 22 players, with nine back from 2019. Those returning include goalkeeper Cody Laurendi; defender Atiba Harris, Kyle Hyland, Christian Ibeagha and Nicolas Taravel; midfielders Jonathan Brown and Rafael Garcia; and forwards Cordell Cato and Omar Gordon.
The new faces include goalkeepers CJ Cochran (not exactly new to the club but new this year) and Kyle Ihn; defenders Joe Amico and Zach Ellis-Hayden; midfielders Arun Basuljevic, Brad Dunwell, Jose Hernandez, Kodai Iida, Ray Saari and Charlie Ward; and forwards Jaime Chavez, Frank Lopez and Tucker Stephenson.
While it's certainly a new era for Energy FC, one can't help but feel a sense of familiarity to the atmosphere around the club. You see a lot of Jimmy Nielsen in John Pascarella, which is a good thing. He's warm, personable, always has a smile on his face and is a real players' coach. He's also someone the fans are very much going to enjoy getting to know. He's the kind of guy you can sit and enjoy a beer, or in his case, a glass of wine, and talk about soccer and life for hours and never get bored.
Fans (and haters) will cite the team's preseason record as cause for concern. Those same people will do well to remember that last year the team was 5-1-1 in the preseason and easily dispatched of Phoenix Rising, who went on to set records and cement their place as one of the best sides in USL Championship history. Preseason is for improving fitness, building chemistry, working on tactics and finding out the best XI for the season opener. Simply put: the results do not matter.
Still, the league seems to think there's not much to expect with this team. I think that suits us just fine, though. Let's come in with no expectations, under the radar and do something special. Let's start with three points at home tomorrow night and see where it takes us.
Win, lose or draw, this team is going to be fun to follow and watch. Here's to 2020, Greens!
Saturday's match kicks off from Taft Stadium at 7 p.m. CT, and tickets can be found here or by calling (405)235-KICK. The match will also be streamed live on ESPN+, but that's not nearly as fun.
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United Soccer League Championship Stories from March 6, 2020
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- SD Loyal Announces Sold out Inaugural Match - San Diego Loyal
- Republic FC Signs Three Rising Youth Academy Talents to First Team Contracts - Sacramento Republic FC
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- Lights FC Signs El Salvadornational Team Member Junior Burgos - Las Vegas Lights FC
- Here's Your Chance to Make "Soccer Jersey Design" History - Las Vegas Lights FC
- San Antonio FC Signs Goalkeeper Carlos Mercado - San Antonio FC
- Expect Fireworks During the Games, Too, as Orange County Begins 2020 Season - Orange County SC
- Home Kit Revealed for 2020 Memphis 901 FC Season - Memphis 901 FC
- Game Notes: Tacoma Defiance vs. Reno 1868 FC - Friday, March 6, 2020 - Tacoma Defiance
- Loudoun United FC Sign Forward Josh Fawole - Loudoun United FC
- SD Loyal Adds Trio of Players Before March 7 Inaugural Match - San Diego Loyal
- San Antonio FC Announces Fox Sports Southwest Schedule for 2020 Season - San Antonio FC
- FC Tulsa Launches First-Ever Official Club App Available on App Store and Google Play Stores - FC Tulsa
- Phoenix Rising Opens 2020 Regular Season against Portland Timbers 2 - Phoenix Rising FC
- STLFC Announces Partnership with Greenlight - Saint Louis FC
- Switchbacks FC Sign Will Vint on Loan from Colorado Rapids - Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
- 2020 Season Preview - OKC Energy FC
- Philadelphia Union II Acquire Midfielder Jack McGlynn - Philadelphia Union II
- San Antonio FC Adds Defender Axel Sjoberg on Loan from Columbus Crew SC - San Antonio FC
- Energy FC and Ssm Health St. Anthony Announce Partnership - OKC Energy FC
- Match Preview: #NYvTBR - Tampa Bay Rowdies
- Riverhounds SC Announces 2020 Hall of Fame Ballot - Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
- USL Championship Gears up for History-Making 10th Season - USL
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