Legion FC Reports for First Day of Training

Sports stats



USL Birmingham Legion FC

Legion FC Reports for First Day of Training

January 22, 2025 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Birmingham Legion FC News Release


BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Tiago Suarez' young soccer career has already taken him to sunny California and frigid Massachusetts. However, not even those previous stops could prepare him for the duality that has been the recent Birmingham weather.

"I've been here a week now and it started off feeling like 70 degrees where I was wearing a t-shirt going to Target and now our field is frozen," the 19-year-old defender laughed about his time since coming to The Magic City on loan from the New England Revolution.

"There's been some changes."

Change has been the overarching theme set for 2025 as Birmingham Legion FC reported to the club's training facility for the first time on Wednesday.

Suarez, along with forward Ronaldo Damus and defender Stephen Turnbull, are a few of the new faces that highlight a roster that is raring to go after missing out on the postseason in 2024.

"It's that first-time feeling," said Head Coach Tom Soehn who is set to embark on his seventh season at the helm for Legion FC. "We've made a lot of changes and meeting (the new players) in your environment and sharing some details of their lives, it kind of gives it an intimate feel, which makes the first day always fun.

"It's about getting to know each other and set expectations for what every day is going to be like and what the demand is."

Soehn will get his first real look at his 2025 squad soon, with Legion FC welcoming Atlanta United FC to Protective Stadium for a special MLS in BHM match on February 1 to kick off the preseason slate.

Setting the expectations for the new season helps when the trio of Suarez, Damus and Turnbull have already combined for 140 appearances in USL Championship play. In fact, Damus and Turnbull are both coming off of runs to the USL-C Final a season ago, with Damus helping propel Colorado Springs Switchbacks SC over Turnbull and Rhode Island FC.

Now those two join forces in hopes of playing a part in Birmingham's own run to the title, which is something that captain Phanuel Kavita and the rest of the Legion FC veterans welcome.

"I love and enjoy getting to know people," explained Kavita as he begins his fifth season with the club. "They all come from very good backgrounds and very different backgrounds which is nice. When I know I'm going to be spending a lot of time with someone, I like to get to know them personally and then with the footy, that also helps out."

For Kavita, as well as a host of notable returnees that include Enzo Martinez and Matt Van Oekel, the new season cannot get here soon enough. They all have spent much of the offseason reflecting on the trials of last year and are champing at the bit to turn that into much better results in 2025.

"Expectations are high," Kavita said. "I think I didn't do a good enough job (last season) and it showed. We didn't get results and we were getting scored on all the time and all offseason I've been wanting to get back and work on those things to change that. Everyone always says the goal is winning, but that starts from day one and doing the right things right and taking responsibility on every little thing."

With that mentality instilled by the Birmingham captain, the club has officially begun traversing the road that is the 2025 campaign, even amidst the icy conditions.

"You have to work incrementally," Soehn said of how he sets the goals for the squad. "We won't be the same team by the end of the season that we are in the beginning. There are steps you take and challenges that you put on the guys, but that's all a work in progress.

"The most important thing is that everyone understands what is expected of them from day one."

Legion FC kicks of the 2025 USL-C season on March 8 at home against Loudoun United FC. 2025 season ticket plans are currently available, as are single game tickets for the preseason opener against Atlanta United.

Check out the Birmingham Legion FC Statistics

• Discuss this story on the United Soccer League Championship message board...

United Soccer League Championship Stories from January 22, 2025


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central