Professional soccer is officially in Southwest Florida. For the first time ever, FC Naples hosted its inaugural tryouts this weekend. The newest pro team in SWFL will be joining USL League One in 2025.
“Finally, finally get to do the job that I was hired for," FC Naples Head Coach Matt Poland said.
"Finally" is right. After announcing the creation of the team in January, releasing the club's branding in June, and hiring Poland in July, FC Naples finally got to see some players on the pitch this past weekend. Fifty-five guys showed up to Paradise Coast Sports Complex in Naples to showcase their talents in front of the club's coaches and executive team.
“It’s incredible, and as I told the players, they’re the first guys wearing the crest," Poland said.
The players all came from different backgrounds. Competitively, they were mostly recent college graduates or current amateur players looking for their first professional contract. Geographically, some came from as far as Virginia and California, but most hailed from the Sunshine State. There was even a good amount of Southwest Florida talent at the tryout, including Gateway Charter alum Fielder Blaze.
"I’ve been waiting, I’ve been waiting for so long," Blaze said. "Seeing the stadium, I was like, 'there’s no way we don’t have a pro team yet.' Hopefully, the coaches take me and I can be a true home-grown story.”
Roster decisions are still yet to be made; however, a couple of guys did catch the coach's eye.
"There were a few players that we’re definitely excited about getting a little deeper look into for the future," Poland said.
The demand for FC Naples is still going up. There are over 200 more players on a waitlist right now. So the team plans on holding another open tryout next month. They will then cut it down to a private, invite-only tryout later in the Fall before finalizing their first-ever roster.
"The best thing for a coach is to make myself hard," Poland said. "So the more players that try out and want to be involved, it makes my life harder."
The club is also in discussions with other professional players and international talent, as they hope to field the most competitive team possible for their Southwest Florida fans.
"I absolutely love it," Poland said. "You have to be thankful and excited to see the response from the community.”
"We were just really having fun," Blaze said. "Just doing what we love to do."
FC Naples also began selling season tickets this past week. Some sections of the stadium have already sold upwards of 80% of their seats.
The rise and interest of FC Naples is just beginning. The club begins its inaugural season in March.