My City May 2023

POWERS CATHOLIC AND UW-MILWAUKEE STANDOUT RACHEL PHILLPOTTS IS EXCITED TO PLAY AGAIN IN FRONT OF HOMETOWN FANS.

FORMER GRAND BLANC ALL-STATER JENNA BLACKBURN IS ONE OF 13 RETURNING PLAYERS. for nearly 30 years, has coached three of its teams to national titles and now serves as executive director. Salmoni joined the Hawks about 15 years ago and is techni cal director. He has also coached United States U16 and U18 national teams. The trio, who will continue in their Hawks roles, began their duties in January. "It's been mostly about gathering all the players and assembling our roster since we started," says Krzisnik, a second-team All-Big Ten performer and captain at the University of Michigan who also helped Livonia Stevenson to the 1990 Class A state title. "We have good numbers and good talent and many players who are fa miliar with each other because our Hawks club is like family. Still, many are coming from different college programs, so we'll see how quickly they come together and fit with each other." Being able to work with players beyond the youth level, including so many they previously coached, was a major reason the three agreed to lead Flint City AFC. "We really wanted to work with players who came from the top end of our program and other college players to

Phillpotts started 72 of 82 games at UW-Milwaukee, finishing with 15 goals, including five game-winners, and 12 as sists. She was also part of an unforgiving defense which allowed a miniscule 0.48 goals per game. Playing in front of hometown fans is not the only thing Phillpotts is looking forward to. She is elated to be playing with cousin Grace Phillpotts at Atwood for the first time after both spent the past two seasons with Detroit City FC. "Playing with Grace is always an exciting opportunity and we both share a passion for the game and competing with family on the same team is some thing special," Rachel says. Grace, a Fenton native, recently transferred to Kentucky after three seasons at DePaul University where the defender was named to the All-Big East Freshman team in 2020. Not only will she continue to be Rachel's team mate, she is also reuniting with former teammates from the elite, Livonia-based Michigan Hawks club she played for while in high school. Krzisnik has coached Hawks teams for more than 25 years, including two national finalist

squads, and serves as the organization's director of scouting. "I’m really looking forward to play ing with and for my old teammates and coaches and continuing to play with Ra chel in front of our family and friends," Grace says. "I know this program has a lot to offer and I can’t wait to be a part of it." Familiarity on several levels is bound to be a major strength for this season's squad. In addition to the Phillpotts cousins, there are two sister duos – Fenton's Madi and Landis Canada and Celia and Justina Gaynor – who are also Michigan State teammates. There are two other pairs of current college teammates, in cluding former Grand Blanc All-Stater Jenna Blackburn and Madi Canada (Western Michigan) and Regan Dancer and Ella Offer (Xavier). The most common thread is that all but five players have been members of the Hawks and all 25 have been coached by Krzisnik or new Flint City AFC associate head coaches Doug Landefeld and Adil Salmoni. Landefeld, a former Michigan State captain who has been with the Hawks

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