Category: Press Release

AFC Mobile Falls to Pensacola FC 2-1

Despite a dominant first-half performance, AFC Mobile suffered a 2-1 loss to Pensacola FC on the road on Wednesday night.

Early in the first half, Zubair Taylor chipped a lovely ball over the Pensacola backline to Ronaldo Fortune, but Fortune could not quite get on the end of the ball and was easily collected by Pensacola’s Jules Dechert.

Mobile’s best chance came in the 29th minute when Fortune played a great ball to Soane Deminguet. Moments later, Clairy Kengeye made a run at the Pensacola defender at the top of the box and won the ball. Kengeye took a quick shot, but it was saved by Dechert.

“These games are very difficult. We knew that coming in. We wanted to play on the front foot, we wanted to apply our game model. Unfortunately, we didn’t take chances that we created in the first half and it put us in a difficult position in the second.” AFC Mobile head coach Steve Wieczorek said.

Pensacola scored early in the second half when Jordi Ramon headed the ball in off a Pensacola corner. The home team doubled their lead in the 63rd minute when Prince Owusu scored on a Pensacola counter-attack.

In a fixture known for late dramatics, the Azaleas nearly pulled a goal back. However, Mario Gratzl’s shot was touched by Jackson Wheatley in an offside position, nullifying the goal.

Mobile cut the lead to one in the 89th minute when Iba Ndaw forcefully headed a ball downward off of a corner into the Pensacola net. However, the visitors could not find the net a second time, and the match ended 2-1.

AFC Mobile take on Port City FC on Saturday in Gulfport, Mississippi in the second leg of the Forgotten Coast Cup. AFC Mobile currently holds a 2-1 lead in the rivalry competition. The Cup is presented to the team with the better aggregate score between the two regular season matches between the teams.

AFC Mobile Rallies to a 2-1 Victory over Florida Roots FC

MOBILE – After falling behind in the 9th minute, AFC Mobile rallied to secure a 2-1 victory over Florida Roots FC. The result puts AFC Mobile to 2-1-1 for their 2021 National Premier Soccer League Season, currently sitting in 3rd place in the NPSL Gulf Coast Conference.

Mobile started the match strong containing early possession, but an early deflection from a Roots corner led to a mess just outside the 18-yard box where a screened Salvador Plaza was beaten by a quick shot by the Roots’ Liam Kearns making a late run onto the bouncing clearance.

“I think there are some things that we can clean up because we put ourselves in another difficult position when it probably didn’t call for it,” AFC Mobile head coach Steve Wieczorek said. 

From there the match shifted heavily in Mobile’s favor with AFC Mobile creating chances through the holdup play of Ibrahima Ndaw and some great combination work between Soane Deminguet and Ronaldo Fortune. Ndaw found Deminguet, who was able to cut around the Roots defense playing it onto Fortune on the left side. Fortune cut it on the six-yard box squaring the ball to a streaking Ndaw, but Roots goalkeeper Joshua Burton was able to get a piece of it, sending it out for a Mobile corner kick.

With Mobile still trailing in the 26th minute, Ndaw held the ball to play Jackson Wheatley down the wing. Wheatley played a quick pass to Deminguet who sent a late arriving Ndaw through; however, the ball was tapped out by the Root defense for a Mobile corner. The corner taken by Deminguet was headed on frame by Mobile’s Vlad Margolin, but Florida’s David Born was able to head out and deflect what  would have been the Mobile equalizer.

In the 34th minute, a ball played from Mobile’s Andrew Rhoda found a streaking Wheatley underlapping towards the box. Wheatley played the ball to Fortune, who found an overlapping Margolin. Margolin’s cross found a powerful header by Ndaw, which was again saved by a header away from Ben Lebdaoui, who again denied Mobile their equalizer.

That equalizer would come in the 39th minute. Deminguet received the ball outside of the 18-yard box. After cutting in, he took a shot, which deflected off the hand of the Roots’ Agustin Vivas de Lorenzi. Ndaw was able to take the penalty shot and send the keeper in the wrong direction, equalizing the game at 1-1.

In the 43rd minute off a long throw from Stanley Joseph, Thierry Zabarel deflected  the ball into the back of the net to give AFC Mobile a 2-1 lead.

“By chance, I’m at the right moment, at the right time, at the right area and from a deflection, I touched it with my thigh…and to be the one who scored the goal that gave us the win, that’s the most important thing I think,” said Zabarel after the game.

The game became increasingly physical as the second half progressed with a hard challenge between Wheatley and Roots keeper Joshua Burton, leading to Wheatley’s substitution at halftime for Mobile native Clairy Kengeye.

Kengeye, a long-time member of AFC Mobile, made his appearance known immediately after halftime, when in the 47th minute a ball played to him led to a powerful shot that was saved by Burton. Burton came up big once again for the Roots with a spectacular save on Kengeye, who rocketed a shot to the far post in the 74th minute.

As stoppage time approached, Vlad Margolin received his second yellow card, which left Mobile down a man for the full six minutes of stoppage. 

“We got three points at home, so anytime that happens the guys are going to feel pretty good,” said Wieczorek, “I’m happy because we did win but I also think there are some things we can clean up.”

AFC Mobile moves to 2-1-1 on the season in the NPSL Gulf Coast Conference. The Azaleas hit the road next for a mid-week matchup at Pensacola on Wednesday, May 26, followed by the second leg of the Forgotten Coast Cup against rivals Port City FC in Gulfport. AFC Mobile will return home on June 5 to host Jacksonville Armada at 7:00 p.m. at the Archbishop Lipscomb Athletic Complex in Mobile. 

AFC Mobile Announces 2021 Summer Camps

The summer, AFC Mobile is offering soccer day camps for players of all levels. These AFC Mobile summer camps will offer players entering kindergarten through twelfth grade the opportunity to train with and meet players from our National Premier Soccer League team and coaching staff.

Camps will run from noon until 4:30 PM at the Mobile County Soccer Complex (3701 Halls Mill Road, Mobile, Alabama) and will help players in both their tactical and technical ability through small sided games, full field games, and technical activities.

There will be two five-day sessions (June 14-18 and July 12-16) and two four-day session (June 28 – July 1 and July 6 – July 9). In addition to the camp itself, campers will receive tickets to an AFC Mobile NPSL soccer match!

Cost of the camp is $120 for the five-day sessions and $100 for the four-day session. These camps are open to all kids ages 6-18! There is a discount if for campers signing up for more than one session!

To register or for more information, visit https://afcmobile.sportngin.com/register/form/291599966.

10-man AFC Mobile Score Late to Secure a 2-1 Win in the First Leg of the Forgotten Coast Cup

MOBILE – A late goal from Ronaldo Fortune gave 10-man AFC Mobile a win over rivals Port City FC in its home opener, the first leg of the 2021 Forgotten Coast Cup, a rivalry trophy handed to the aggregate regular-season winner of the two clubs. The 2021 edition is the first in the NPSL for the former GCPL rivals.

It was a difficult start for the Azaleas, as Port City scored in the fourth minute of the match after a short corner was floated into the box by Renan Diniz and headed over AFC Mobile goalkeeper Salvador Plaza by Guilherme Bittencourt. Minutes later, the Sounders were awarded a penalty after the referee spotted a handball in the box. Port City’s CJ Smith stepped up to take the penalty, but Plaza saved his shot, drawing a roar from the 1,246 fans in attendance.

“Sal made a very very good save and kind of energized us a little bit,” said AFC Mobile head coach Steve Wieczorek. “Obviously, playing in front of 1300 fans helps.”

Possession shifted in Mobile’s favor after Plaza’s save. Mobile’s Soane Deminguet’s chance in the 20th minute was saved by Port City’s Owen Betz. In the 24th minute, Port City’s Andrew Elkins saw a yellow card for a professional foul on Mobile’s Iba Ndaw in the midfield. 

In the 37th minute, Fortune’s shot was saved by Betz. Fortune collected the rebound and played the ball across the box to Jackson Wheatley, who dragged his shot wide – one of several chances created by Fortune in the game. In the 43rd minute, Mobile’s Ndaw received a pass, turned to beat the Port City midfield, and played a one-two with Fortune. Ndaw’s chance sailed wide left. 

In the 46th minute, AFC Mobile’s Zubair Taylor was sent off for a late, high tackle, reducing the Azaleas to ten men just before halftime.

Despite the red card at the end of the first half, the Azaleas started the second half on the front foot. In the 53rd minute, Fortune played a ball over the Sounders’ backline and found the feet of a charging Soane Deminguet, who received the ball with his back to goal, touched back to his right and slotted the ball home to level the match for the Azaleas. 

The teams traded chances for the next twenty minutes, with both keepers called into action. The last fifteen minutes saw a flurry of subs for the Azaleas as Erik Aispuro entered the game for Thierry Zabarel and Blake Palmquist entered for Darrius Rashid, who made his AFC Mobile debut on the night. 

The deadlock was finally broken in the 84th minute when Sounders attempted to clear Soane Deminguet’s corner attempt. Fortune picked up the rebound, and his shot rolled into the lower right-hand corner of the net, giving the Azaleas a 2-1 lead. 

“Honestly, I missed five opportunities,” Fortune said. “I knew the team needed something. I tried to be as patient as possible, and when I saw the little gap, I just took it.” 

  Wieczorek had high praise for the attacking midfielder. 

“We brought him in from the University of Mobile, where he’s an all-conference first-teamer,” he said. “He’s a guy that’s going to get ten, fifteen goals in a college season. He just needed to find his feet with his new teammates in a new system playing in a position he doesn’t play for in his college team. I knew the goals would come. Today could’ve been more than one, and I’m excited to see what he can deliver over the course of the season. 

Wieczorek did not reserve his praise for the attack. He noted that the Azaleas played ten men down for 45 minutes and gave his defense high marks.

“We played 45 minutes down ten men with a back three, and those guys defended valiantly. Sal played a very good game in the second half, and the back three with our center midfielders in front of them allowed the opportunity to attack the way we did.” 

This was the Azaleas’ first win of the season, and first in their NPSL history. The win gives Mobile four points from three games and sends them to third in the NPSL Gulf Coast Conference table.

Mobile will host Florida Roots in its next match, May 22 at 7 p.m. in Mobile. The second leg of the Forgotten Coast Cup will be contested the following week, May 29th, in Gulfport. The winner of the aggregate score of the two regular-season matches will be presented the rivalry trophy, which is currently in AFC Mobile’s trophy case after the 2019 season.

Late Equalizer Sees AFC Mobile Draw New Orleans Jesters

Photo Credit: James E. Cage Jr.

NEW ORLEANS – An early headed goal from left back Mario Gratzl was neutralized by a late equalizer as AFC Mobile drew the New Orleans Jesters 1-1 in the first meeting of the clubs in the NPSL.

“I wanted us to come here, score a goal, get a point. When you look at the game in context, we’re winning, and then they score. So you start to feel disappointed because you’re in a winning position, but overall we accomplished our objective,” AFC Mobile head coach Steve Wieczorek said. 

The match was fairly even at the start of the first half. The Azaleas were on the hunt early when the ball was picked up on a giveaway in the midfield by Mobile forward Iba Ndaw. Ndaw slotted the ball to Ronaldo Fortune, whose shot was saved by New Orleans keeper Jose Santos. 

Minutes later, AFC Mobile keeper Will Blake saved an open back-post header from New Orleans’ Jackson Hulme, the first of several crucial saves for the visitors.  

Mobile took the lead in the 15th minute on a well-worked corner kick. Soane Deminguet sent the ball into the box for Gratzl to head down and into the net, scoring the Azaleas’ first goal of the season and giving them a 1-0 lead. 

The Jesters had two chances to equalize before the break, but were kept at bay by Blake with a fingertip save that tipped a long-range effort over the bar, followed by a 37th minute stop to keep the score level and send Mobile into the half with a 1-0 lead.

“You take it one save at a time,” Blake said. “I was talking to myself a lot, saying that ‘alright, just make one save, make one save.’ That adds up, and that’ll get you the points.”

The second half saw the introduction of two veteran AFC Mobile players for the first time since 2019. Zubair Taylor came into the game for Stanley Joseph, which sent center-back Vlad Margolin to right back, making the new center-back pairing Taylor and starter Thierry Zabarel. Andrew Rhoda checked in for Blake Palmquist in a deep midfield role. The Jesters switched to a back three after halftime and sent defender Mason Morise into an attacking position.  

It was a slow start to the second half. Iba Ndaw saw a yellow card in the 61st minute after a tackle to stop a Jesters’ breakaway. The Azaleas nearly doubled their lead in the 63rd minute when Deminguet sent a backheel pass to a running Iba Ndaw in the box. The forward slotted the ball into the back of the net but was flagged offside. Minutes later, the Jesters’ Jackson Hulme was carded for a rough challenge in the midfield. 

The Jesters nearly equalized in the 70th minute when Mason Walsh picked out Morise outside the box. He rounded an advancing Blake, but sent his shot wide right from a tight angle. 

The last twenty minutes saw a flurry of substitutions for the Azaleas. Chisom Ogbonna came into the match for Iba Ndaw. In the 76th minute, Erik Aispuro replaced an injured Eddie Dakwa. Will Blake made two more crucial saves in the 77th minute after a New Orleans free kick and subsequent long-range effort. 

In the 83rd minute, Erik Aispuro got in behind the Jesters’ backline, but Santos saved his shot. A minute later, Mobile’s goalscorer Mario Gratzl earned the Azaleas’ second yellow card of the night. 

In the 90th minute, New Orleans’ Mason Walsh played in a right-footed cross that was bundled home by forward Sheldon Green after a goalmouth scramble, leveling the match at 1-1. A few minutes into stoppage time, Salia Carr came on for Jackson Wheatley on the right wing. Neither team was able to find the goal in stoppage time, and the game ended in a 1-1 draw in the first meeting of the clubs since a 2017 preseason friendly.

  “The fact that after a hard-fought 90 minutes where we achieved our goals and the guys were disappointed and upset, it tells me a lot about the character of the guys that we have, so I was really really happy,” Wieczorek said. 

The Azaleas have taken one point out of a possible six on a two-game road trip to start the NPSL season. Coach Wieczorek said he was anticipating the long-awaited return of the Azaleas to the Lip.

“I’m really excited about the next match and playing in front of our fans now. We got to have our traveling supporters come, and that was awesome. Getting to see that level of support from the Rebellion and also from the Academy families. But, I think it’s going to be special finally getting back in front of our home fans, and I think we’re gonna be ready and I think we’ll get the right result.”

AFC Mobile returns to the Lip for the first time since 2019. The Azaleas will take on their former GCPL and current NPSL Gulf Coast rivals Port City FC of Gulfport, Mississippi, in the first leg of the 2021 Forgotten Coast Cup. AFC Mobile currently holds the rivalry cup, which is determined by the aggregate score of the two matches between the teams during the regular season.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at the Archbishop Lipscomb Athletic Complex, 3610 Michael Blvd, Mobile, AL 36609. Tickets are $10, and children 12 and under are admitted for free. Season tickets are still on sale and can be purchased here or at Braided River Brewing Company in downtown Mobile (package A only). Single-game tickets can be purchased at the gate on the night of the match or online here. 

AFC Mobile Falls to Southern States SC In NPSL Opener

Photo Courtesy of Southern States Soccer Club

AFC Mobile fell 3-0 to Southern States Soccer Club in the first match of the 2021 National Premier Soccer League season.

“I think in the first half, we had a good understanding of who they were and what they were going to be about, and how they were going to try and attack us,” AFC Mobile head coach Steve Wieczorek said. “We knew that based on our preparation, we might not have a lot of the ball, and we had to make good use of it when we did. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen over the course of the entire game. I think in the first half, we accounted ourselves very well.”

It was a fairly even match for most of the first half with little goalmouth action to report. The Stars controlled the play for most of the half as the Azaleas absorbed pressure from the home team. The Stars thought they took the lead at the half-hour mark, but Andre Deas’ goal off of a short corner was waved offside.

In the 33rd minute, AFC Mobile’s Ronaldo Fortune broke away on the counter-attack, but his shot pulled just left of the goal. Minutes later, Barou Ndaw made an impressive save to keep the score level. The teams headed to the locker room deadlocked at 0-0.

The Azaleas held the Stars scoreless for 53 minutes before a Julian Avila-Good goal for the Stars broke the deadlock. Avila-Good controlled the ball at the top of the box after a cross from Deas on the left-wing and struck the ball with his next touch, sending it past Ndaw to give the Stars a 1-0 lead.

Mobile created a few chances around the 60-minute mark, but none resulted in a goal. The Stars doubled their tally in the 63rd minute after Harry Baggaley tapped in a ball from Attila Sepkin. The home team scored their third and final goal in the 82nd minute when Danny Reynolds hit a shot from 20 yards outside the left of goal. The match ended Southern States 3 to AFC Mobile 0.

“I’m really excited and really happy to get out and to play a competitive game. I think that is the biggest takeaway from tonight,” Wieczorek said. “We were able to get out there and represent the club and get our first NPSL game under our belt.”

AFC Mobile will return to action Saturday, May 8th on the road vs. the New Orleans Jesters at Pan-American Stadium in New Orleans. The Azaleas will have their first home match the following Saturday, May 15th, against Port City FC at the Archbishop Lipscomb Athletic Complex. Kickoff is at 7 p.m., and tickets are $10. Season passes can be purchased online at afcmobile.net/shop.

Richard Moodie Named Director of Coaching for the AFC Mobile Academy

Mobile, Alabama – January 15, 2021 – University of South Alabama women’s soccer coach Richard Moodie will take over as Director of Coaching for the AFC Mobile Academy. 

“I am excited to announce the hiring of Richard Moodie as the club’s new Director of Coaching,” said Steve Wieczorek, AFC Mobile Academy technical director and first-team head coach. “It was clear to me in our work together last fall that he was the right person to lead our coaching staff and to instill our club philosophy and game model throughout the Academy.” 

Richard Moodie has been the head coach of the South Alabama women’s soccer team since December 2016. In his three seasons with the program, Moodie has led the Jaguars to two Sun Belt Conference regular-season titles and two Sun Belt Conference tournament titles. Three players from Moodie’s stint at South Alabama have played first division soccer in Europe: two in the Cypriot First Division, and one for Tottenham Hotspur of England’s FA Women’s Super League. 

“I am extremely grateful to Steve and the board for presenting this opportunity to me. Soccer in our community is growing at a rapid pace. Our goal is to provide another platform for our youth to grow both as people and soccer players.” 

With the appointment, AFC Mobile Academy’s boys director Ruben Risco will continue to serve in an advisory role, and will maintain his role as a first-team assistant and club ambassador. 

“Ruben is a valued and loyal member of our coaching team. He stepped in for us as we were getting our Academy off the ground, and provided an invaluable service to us. We’re glad to keep him on board, while finding a long-term solution for the Director of Coaching position club-wide.” Wieczorek said. 

Moodie is no stranger to the AFC Mobile Academy. He has been a member of the Academy project from day one, and last fall, he coached the club’s 2006 girls team. 

“With this being our first year as a club, it has been enjoyable to watch the growth in such a short period of time. Our goal is to create a player-centered program and maximize the potential of everyone in the club. I hope to work with our coaching staff to help achieve these goals.”

As Director of Coaching, Moodie will be assisting Wieczorek as the two college coaches working to implement a club-wide vision of tactical, technical, and values-based instruction – on and off the field.

“Coach Moodie and I plan to be very hands-on, working every day to continue to improve our club standards as we strive to create an elite playing experience, centered on individual player development and goal attainment through soccer,” Wieczorek said. 

AFC Mobile To Assume Management of Mobile County Soccer Complex

AFC Mobile has agreed with Mobile County to assume management of the recently opened Mobile County Soccer Complex, beginning October 1st. 

“We’re grateful the County has entrusted us with the management of this Complex, and look forward to managing it as it grows into one of the top facilities in the region,” AFC Mobile CFO Sean Landry said. “Special thanks is owed to Commissioner [Connie] Hudson, who has been a great partner for AFC Mobile and for the soccer community for years. Soccer in Mobile has never had more momentum than it does at this moment, and the on-going development and use of these fields will help the Mobile soccer community realize its full potential.”

The Complex, located on Halls Mill Road near the intersection of Interstates 10 and 65, formally opened in July of this year. The project, spearheaded by County Commissioner Hudson, is planned in three phases, the first of which consists of three lighted fields and an unlighted practice field. The Complex will eventually consist of 10 fields, including a FIFA-regulation championship field with seating for approximately 1,000 spectators. 

AFC Mobile’s vision for the complex includes drawing regional and national soccer tournaments to the city of Mobile as well as creating unique programming to ensure the fields are highly utilized and valuable to everyone in Mobile County. Furthermore, AFC Mobile hopes to ensure the complex is the destination for soccer in Mobile by making the complex available and affordable to all users in the area for practices, games, and tournaments. 

AFC Mobile to Participate in NPSL Pilot Program

Mobile, Alabama – July 2nd, 2020 – AFC Mobile will participate in the National Premier Soccer League’s U-19 pilot program.

 

“The introduction of a U-19 pilot under the NPSL umbrella represents our commitment to grassroots soccer and supporting our teams’ growth potential.” NPSL Chairman Kenny Farrell said. “This new venture positions our clubs to further refine the local pathway to the top level of soccer in their area. Players from all backgrounds will have access to a highly visible platform to showcase their talent – particularly in geographic areas where opportunities are limited.  By giving players a legitimate local option to advance, it keeps them engaged with soccer at an affordable cost for families. The U-19 pilot will give NPSL teams the chance to develop their own academies or build relationships with existing programs.”

 

The pilot program will fall under the management of the NPSL and will be affiliated with the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA). The participating teams include AFC Mobile, New Orleans Jesters, Pensacola FC and Port City FC. 

 

The pilot will run from September through November.  Each team will play a total of six games, three home and three away.    

 

The gameday roster will consist of U-17, U-18, and U-19 players along with up to three overage players. The U-19 pilot program will give AFC Mobile Academy members the opportunity to train with the senior team. 

 

“The NPSL U-19 pilot is a perfect representation of what the teams in our conference want from their academies: a direct relationship with a pathway to our senior team,” AFC Mobile co-owner Sean Landry said. “It’s exciting that the NPSL is providing  new and challenging developmental opportunities for the young players in Mobile, on the Gulf Coast, and, hopefully soon, throughout the country.”

 

AFC Mobile’s U-19 team will be managed by first team head coach Steve Wieczorek. Wieczorek led AFC Mobile to the GCPL Cup playoffs in 2019 and has recently been named the Technical Director of the newly formed AFC Mobile Academy. He is also the current head coach at Spring Hill College. 

 

Those interested in playing for AFC Mobile’s U-19 team should contact the club at information@afcmobile.net

 

AFC Mobile Announces Formation of AFC Mobile Academy

Mobile, Alabama – May 13, 2020 – AFC Mobile, Mobile’s minor league soccer team, will form a youth soccer academy, beginning Fall 2020. The AFC Mobile Academy will develop soccer players of all ages in Mobile and the surrounding areas through a unified system of coaches, teams, and training philosophies. Working with the community of Mobile and utilizing relationships throughout the country, the AFC Mobile Academy will strive to create opportunities for young players, while building a community of passionate and knowledgeable soccer players and people.

“This is a step we’ve been talking about for a few years, but we wanted to make sure we could execute our vision and do things the right way,” said AFC Mobile board member Sean Landry. “The AFC Mobile Academy will enable us to dedicate ourselves to producing the next generation of AFC Mobile players and supporters. We’re committed to producing players who are passionate and knowledgeable about the game and their community. Our academy will be transparent and cohesive, part of one club with one philosophy from our youngest players to our oldest. Today’s announcement is the first step on a long path that we hope will lead to the continued growth of the game in and around Mobile.”

The AFC Mobile Academy intends to field teams in the Fall of 2020 and will be open to both boys and girls. The Academy’s first group of teams will be built with the players and coaches of the former Mobile Texans youth club, a satellite club of the Pensacola-based Gulf Coast Texans.

AFC Mobile head coach Steve Wieczorek will head the project as the academy’s Technical Director. Former Texans director of coaching and Indiana University forward Craig Ginsberg will assist Wieczorek as the academy director in 2020-21.

“I’m certainly excited and eager to expand my role at AFC Mobile as Technical Director of the youth academy,” Wieczorek said, “With the AFC Mobile Academy, the senior club is creating a clear pathway for young players to reach their highest potential and develop a life-long love for the game.” 

Wieczorek has served as the head coach of the AFC Mobile senior team since 2019. In his first season, he led the team to its first-ever GCPL playoff berth and secured the most points in the GCPL eastern conference. In addition to his duties with AFC Mobile, he has been the Spring Hill College men’s soccer coach since 2015. In 2017, his team secured the best finish in program history by finishing 12-3 and 2nd in the Gulf South Conference. In 2018, he bettered that mark by becoming the only team in Gulf South Conference history to go undefeated in conference play, winning both the Regular Season and Gulf South Conference tournament championships. He has won more matches than any head coach in the program’s history. 

Prior to moving to Mobile, Wieczorek served as an assistant coach at Siena College, the University of Bridgeport, Duquesne University and Oregon State, during which time he coached and recruited multiple future professional players, including Pac-12 player of the year and MLS No. 2 overall draft pick Khiry Shelton. He holds an NSCAA Premier Diploma and a “C” License from the Football Association of Wales, with plans to complete the UEFA B License in 2021. He is a candidate for a PhD in Sports Management, with a projected completion date of August 2020. 

“From the first day as coach of our senior team, Steve has been unbelievably passionate about our club and its growth. I’ve rarely encountered anyone with the technical and coaching knowledge he has. With that passion, his experience coaching all over the country, his track record of coaching players who have seen success in the highest professional and collegiate ranks in America, our young players will be in good hands,” Landry said. “Throughout the planning process for this launch, he’s shown himself to be absolutely dedicated to the personal development of every player in our academy, on and off the field. He brings a clear vision of how he wants AFC Mobile teams to play, and how to develop players from our junior academy to our oldest teams. We’re thrilled to work with him in this expanded capacity, and I know our academy coaches will be as well.”

More information and a player interest form can be found  http://www.afcmobile.net/academy. Be sure to keep up with the latest developments by following the AFC Mobile Academy on Facebook and on Twitter @AFCMobAcademy. 

AFC Mobile is Mobile’s minor league soccer team, competing in the National Premier Soccer League. The 2020 NPSL Season has been canceled due to the ongoing COVD-19 pandemic. Follow AFC Mobile on all your favorite social media platforms to keep up with the latest news and information about the club.