PEORIA MAGAZINE June 2022

Front row (L to R): Marco Valero, Gustavo Rodriguez, Alan Kehoe, Tyler Freitas, Adria Sabater. Back row (L to R): Edgar Vargas, Joao Brum, Kevin Hernandez, Jordi Ramon, Pablo Pedragosa, Javier Nemesio Garcia.

Once the Peoria City effort resumed in earnest, it needed a coach. That’s where DeRose’s pre-Peoria days came in handy. The New Jersey native’s East Coast connections – he played col lege soccer in Vermont – helped Peoria City select Ruben Resendes. His usual gig is men’s head coach at Franklin Pierce University, an NCAA Division II institution in New Hampshire. Inthreeseasons, Resendeshascoached Franklin Pierce to a 38-5-3 record, so it appears he knows a little about soccer. But theMassachusetts native admits he doesn’t know much about Peoria, aside from DeRose and Bradley. “The more he told me about (the team) and his vision for it and how important it was going to be for the community, all those…things played a factor in my decision to want to go,” Resendes said from his home base. “I believe in what Peoria City can do for the community in bringing more people together and providing high level soccer during the summer.” USL2 is considered the fourth level of the American soccer pyramid, with MLS at the top. The second and third levels also are professional. Boston and Providence colleges and North Carolina State University will be represented on the Peoria City roster. From a pool of some 30 players, 18 will dress for each game. No Bradley

at various Peoria restaurants and bars. Some will sell Peoria City Pils, a beer BeardedOwl Brewing in theWarehouse District created as a tribute to the team. “PEOPLE ASK US ‘ WHY ARE YOU EVEN INVOLVED?’…WHAT BENEFITS IS PEORIA” Jim DeRose Expect organized groups of Peoria City supporters — complete with the chants and drumming common at soccer matches — this first season. Beyond that, DeRose and Regan aren’t sure what to expect. “A lot of people ask us, ‘Why are you even involved in this if it doesn’t benefit Bradley soccer players?’ said DeRose. What benefits is Peoria, Ill. “I saw a handful of people at this event who love soccer, who told me all about their experiences with it, and they didn’t know a darn thing about Bradley soccer. And that’s awesome.”

PEORIA CITY SOCCER SCHEDULE (Remaining Dates)

or Franklin Pierce players are eligible. “What’s hard about this league is that they’re not contracted, so they can come and go as they wish,” Regan said. “That’s why you keep your roster size fairly large, knowing that there’s some change you just can’t predict.” Some former Peoria-area high school players are expected to be in the mix. Among them are Morton graduate Wesley Gibson (Southern Illinois-Edwardsville) and Peoria Notre Dame alums McKay LaHood (DePaul), Noah Madrigal (Marquette) and Myles Sophanavong (SIU-E). Before the season opener, Peoria City conducted getting-to-know-you nights June 25 – at Minneapolis City SC July 1 – 7 p.m. vs. FC Manitoba July 3 – 7 p.m. vs. Thunder Bay Chill July 16 – at Des Moines Menace June 3 – 7 p.m. vs. St. Croix SC June 10 – at Thunder Bay Chill June 12 – at FC Manitoba June 22 – 7 p.m. vs. Des Moines Menace

Nick Vlahos is a longtime Peoria print journalist and a proud Bradley University graduate

JUNE 2022 PEORIA MAGAZINE 57