More Than a Club: What Makes Republic FC Unique on and off the Pitch for Danny Vitiello & Jared Timmer
USL Sacramento Republic FC

More Than a Club: What Makes Republic FC Unique on and off the Pitch for Danny Vitiello & Jared Timmer

July 28, 2025 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Sacramento Republic FC News Release


In professional sports, clubs and organizations can often feel like temporary stops in a player's journey, rarely feeling like home. But for Republic FC's goalkeeper Danny Vitiello and defender Jared Timmer, Sacramento is different.

With both players signing multi-year contracts for the club, Republic FC has become more than just a club. It's a true home - a place of community, connection, and stability that has transformed their lives, especially as they both navigate the new and rewarding adventures of fatherhood.

A Family-Centered City and Club

For Jared Timmer, who recently celebrated his son's first birthday, Sacramento has hosted his welcoming to fatherhood: "I just love seeing my wife and my son all together as a family. It's something that we've always dreamed about and prayed for. I love seeing my wife interact with my son and their relationship."

He also notes the strong network of families connected to Republic FC: "Just the people that we've met here...the organization, and everyone, they seem to always help out...There's a really good group of wives and girlfriends on the team that all are together, help each other out, and are there for each other whenever they need anything."

Vitiello sums it up simply: "My family is everything to me. Just on a day-to-day basis, my family, my wife, and my son are my biggest supporters." That family focus has shifted Danny's entire perspective on life. "It's not just about me anymore...How I train, or how I play during games, it's being able to provide for him and keep a smile on his face, and just make sure I'm doing everything possible for him."

This sense of family extends beyond his own home into the heart of Sacramento Republic FC and the city itself. "This city and club, they support me, and they support their own," Danny says. "It's a unit, it's a unique bond, and I'm very lucky to be a part of it."

The club's close-knit family atmosphere extends beyond game day, as the two young fathers share milestones with their families: "Jared's son just turned one last week, and we had a nice little event for that - a party where all of us got together, with lots of smiles and running around with the kids," says Vitiello.

Home Is Where the Heart-and the Fans-Are

Republic FC's impact on both players goes beyond the practicalities of family life. It's also about the connection with the fans and community that surrounds the club.

Danny reflects on this special bond after a thoughtful fan gifted a onesie to the soon-to-be father of two, celebrating the announcement of their daughter: "They not only care about us as players, but they care about us as people, too. My favorite part about Sacramento Republic is not only obviously playing in between the white lines, it's after the games - being able to enjoy the experience with the fans, talk to them, walk around signing autographs."

The community's support especially touches him. "Being so far away from our family in New York, it really shows how much these fans and the community and the team are our family-away-from-home," says Vitiello.

For Jared, seeing the fans and feeling that connection also lifts his spirits and sharpens his focus. "When you're off the field and you know that your family is happy, that can translate to on the field. I can look up in the stands on warm-ups and see the whole group up there, and they're all happy and smiling, so that makes me feel good going into the locker room and ready to play." Last year, Timmer earned his first career assist in his first game as a new father, a perfect celebration for the newest addition to the family.

Growing Together in Sacramento

Jared regards the sense of belonging found at Republic FC as rare and valuable. "I've been on a few teams now, and here it's definitely different. They're like a really good group."

Four years into his journey with Republic FC, Danny sums up the experience: "[Me and Sabrina] we've loved it here. Each year coming in, we've felt right at home. It was really a no-brainer-with the club and the fans, we know what we're getting. We're getting that family, that connection. We really grew as people, and we're very happy to be able to start a family here and have the love around us to keep growing."

For Danny Vitiello and Jared Timmer, Republic FC is more than a club-it's a community where their careers flourish and families thrive. It's a place where the support on and off the field creates the foundation to embrace the beautiful challenges of being new fathers, while staying connected to the game and the fans they cherish.

Check out the Sacramento Republic FC Statistics



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