The Official Store of Lansing Common FC
It may seem a bit strange to be reading a “year in review” post from a team that has existed for about a year now but not yet kicked a soccer ball, but here we are. While we didn’t step on the field in 2020, it was still a busy year for Lansing Common FC.
Welcome to “We are Common”, our series where we showcase members of the Lansing Common community. In this feature, we introduce you to Westen Shelton.
I have lived in the Lansing area for about 5 years. I’m originally from the metro Detroit area. I like the city feel but on a small scale. There’s a good amount to do in town, but it’s not as crowded and hectic. It’s also a very friendly area and I’ve been able to meet a lot of great people since moving here.
I went to my first Lansing United game in 2018. I remember being sucked in by the energy The Ransom (Lansing United supporters) had throughout the game. I was fully bought in after the Milk Cup semifinals, which still remains one of the craziest games I’ve ever seen.
Lansing Ignite got me even more invested in Lansing soccer with the exciting team and great group of guys they put on the field.
With the group of people that were looking to start this team, I knew it would be done right, and I knew I would want to be involved. I’m very passionate about the Lansing area having their own men’s team, as I believe there are many like me that will get stuck in with the sport when they have a team to see live and call their own within their own community.
I host the podcast “The Robin Needed a Podcast,” which I hope allows people to feel more connected with the team as it forms. I also have experience running some podcast social media pages, so I have been helping with team social media.
I think the board has mostly set up this team to succeed as best they can. From here, I think it’s on us as fans to evangelize to our friends and family and get them involved. Lansing Common likely won’t have any real marketing budget, so it’s on us to spread the word and make this as big as I think it could be.
I think by that point, if we all do our part, it will be an integral part of the Lansing community, and hopefully on the path to even bigger and better things.
If you would like to be featured on a future “We are Common”, please head here to submit your answers to these questions and upload a picture. It’s a great way to introduce yourself to the many who are “common”.
Welcome to “We are Common”, our series where we showcase members of the Lansing Common community. In this feature, we introduce you to Andrew Hammerstein.
I’ve lived in Mason for 5 years now. I love the Lansing community growing. It’s nice to walk downtown or in Old Town. It’s an amazing city. The culture is vibrant and there’s tons to do! It’s wonderful to see all the changes and how much the city has grown in the past couple years alone.
Seeing Lansing having a team truly about the community. There is something special about being part of an organization that is grass roots. Every voice has a say and every person can take ownership in the club.
I want to cheer for a local team that has the spirit of the community flowing through it. A team that takes the ideals and values from the community and runs with it is an amazing thing to be a part of. Also, it’s great to say “I was a fan before they won all those titles”! I believe a member’s role is to support the team however they can. Attending games, repping the kit, and being a proud supporter of the organization.
A voice from the community. Too many teams overlook the most important part of the organization, which is the fans. A team doesn’t exist without the fans, and actively listening to their opinions and thoughts about the organization can ensure success for many years to come.
Hopefully growing into a larger club with a solid foundation of supporters to give them room to grow. Eventually growing into an MLS club maybe! But that is far off and starts right here on our doorstep with having an amazing group of fans and an excellent culture.
If you would like to be featured on a future “We are Common”, please head here to submit your answers to these questions and upload a picture. It’s a great way to introduce yourself to the many who are “common”.
Welcome to “We are Common”, our series where we showcase members of the Lansing Common community. In this feature, we introduce you to Patrick Jacobs.
I’ve lived in Lansing for just over a year and I lived in Grand Ledge for 32 years before that. What I enjoy the most about Lansing is the whole atmosphere of Lansing itself. Whether I’m in Old Town, or downtown, to Delta Township, or anywhere in the city there’s always something to do and always wonderful people to meet. Lansing never disappoints when looking for things to do even if you been around the city all your life.
Lansing United and the Lansing Ignite are what got me really invested in soccer especially at the supporter level and wanting to really make soccer games a very vibrant and exciting event to be at. It’s also the greatest way to meet everyone from all over the area joining to cheer on our team.
I wanted to be apart of the history of restoring Lansing soccer and making people know that the sport never left this city. I was highly invested in supporting Lansing Ignite and I want to bring that same investment and enthusiasm to Lansing Common so becoming a member was a simple decision. As a member, I wanna make sure everyone that isn’t from Lansing knows what Lansing Common is by supporting the club at every moment that I can.
Being a very competitive team on the field that will play from start to finish and representing Lansing proudly win, lose, or draw. Off the field, giving back to the community as much as possible and helping teach youth players at camps or having youth players attending Lansing Common training sessions and see what it’s like to practice at that level.
In five years I see Lansing Common FC becoming a bigger and better part of Lansing. I see Lansing Common being a very successful team on and off the field and really showing that Lansing is a soccer hotbed that will be constantly competing for titles every year.
If you would like to be featured on a future “We are Common”, please head here to submit your answers to these questions and upload a picture. It’s a great way to introduce yourself to the many who are “common”.
Welcome to “We are Common”, our series where we showcase members of the Lansing Common community. In this feature, we introduce you to AJ Badge.
Born and raised, so just under 4 decades. I love the “big city” feel in a small-town setting. I can always find something to do. Great local bars and restaurants as well as a multitude of parks and sights to see. Lansing is home.
I started following United the moment they were announced. I remember attending the first game. I was sitting in the middle bleachers at Archer with a friend of mine and my oldest son. To the right of us were the Sons of Ransom. They were loud. Singing, chanting, and drumming. I turned to my son and said ” those guys know how to do it. I need to be there. ” From the second game on, I was always in the supporters’ section.
Everything. I love being a part of something bigger than myself. It gives me a place to meet with friends. It gives me a platform to yell, chant, and sing for my club. And that right there is my role with the club, to stand and yell for 90 minutes. To support our club and push the players to victory.
People. Not just fair-weather fans or diehard supporters, but getting people to know the name. Being able to talk about LCFC anywhere, and have people know about it. From radio shows or podcasts to barbershop or supermarket discussions of how the squad has been doing, directions they should be going, or even past great moments…… Sweet merch also helps.
Competing at a high level. Whether that be in our current league or another. I would rather build a great product (on and off the field) slowly, than try and go big to quickly.
If you would like to be featured on a future “We are Common”, please head here to submit your answers to these questions and upload a picture. It’s a great way to introduce yourself to the many who are “common”.
What’s your voting plan? Whether you plan to vote in person or absentee, having a plan is key. If you plan to vote in person, click here to find your polling location. If you’re voting by mail and want to drop your ballot off early, click here to find the closest drop box to you.
Whether you’re voting in person or online, visit the Michigan Voter Information Center to see what’s on your ballot and make sure you’re prepared when you go to cast your ballot.
Questions about the election? Click here to find your local clerk.
Registration Deadlines:
October 19 – Online voter registration deadline
November 3 – In-person registration deadline
Absentee Ballot Deadlines:
October 30 – Request must be received by October 30 by 5:00 PM
November 3 – Absentee ballots returned in person must be turned in by November 3 at 8:00 PM
Lansing State Journal Voter Registration Guide
Election 2020: Info on candidates and key races for Ingham County Voters
To celebrate the launch of our first ever home kit, we talked to Lansing Common VP and kit designer Geoff Sykes to discuss his work in the business of design and to get some insights into his thought process for the kit.
Geoff: My love for designing sports uniforms goes all the way back to when I was in kindergarten. My mom was a teacher at the time, so on game days I would draw pictures for the athletes in her classes. Not long after I got bored of drawing the same uniforms, so I would get creative with the uniforms they wore. An obsession was born.
Naturally, my specific love of soccer kit design came about around the same time that I really fell in love with the sport itself. Seeing kits with stripes like AC Milan, or Hoops like Celtic, really opened new possibilities for me in terms of how interesting sports uniforms could be. I still believe soccer kits are the best “canvas” in sports uniform design.
Geoff: Typically, my design process begins with an examination of existing brand elements. I’ll make sure I have the right colors and logos on hand. I will take a look at what the team has worn in the past to look for elements that remain consistent over time.
My next step is to do what research I can on the greater community around the organization. I really like and appreciate when I can learn something about a new place simply by looking at kits. So I will identify regional landmarks, important historical events, etc. and place them on my vision board. After that, it is simply a case of trial and error with different concepts until I come up with some ideas to present to the client.
Designing for Common was tricky because I was creating the brand marks at the same time as the kit concepts. This means there were a lot of ideas left on the cutting room floor. As the club grows, the culture around the club will grow with it, and hopefully, inspire even better kits down the road.
Geoff: First and foremost I wanted to start with a traditional element. I believe a home kit, while changing every year, should maintain an iconic element in each edition. With the bird standing on a sash in our crest, I felt that was the most consistent element we could use out of the gate. So that’s the element I felt strongest about using year one. That can certainly change as time goes on.
I did decide on the red-orange home this year. I feel that it is a little more energetic and exciting to look at. Energy and excitement is what we are all feeling right now, and that is what we hope our team on the field becomes as well, so it is fitting. I really do love the brown, and hope to do much more with it down the road.
Geoff: Yes. I’ve really loved working with our colors. Knowing that we already have unique colors takes away the pressure of trying to stand out. We will stand out just by being ourselves so there is no need to overthink it. I just get to relax and play around with ideas. There are also some cool things coming down the road that I can’t wait for people to see.
Geoff: I was happy with all three that were chosen to be the kits voted on. I originally had around 12 different designs and had to whittle down the list. Of the three up for nomination, the winner was my favorite. It just has a classic feel that starts us off on the right foot.
Geoff: They go back into the design vault. I literally never delete anything that I have worked on, so there is a chance that they may come back in some way, shape, or form.
Will they come back next year? Probably not. Design trends will change between now and season number two. Additionally, we will have a better grasp of what the club’s culture and fanbase looks like and will be able to better incorporate those elements in future designs. But like I said, there is always a chance down the road, some elements might see the light of day again.
Geoff:
Bold.
Loud.
Robins.
I think people will really like what they see.
If you like what you see from the 2021 Lansing Common home jersey, they are available for pre-order right now at https://lansingcommonfc.com/shop/.
If you want to have a voice in choosing the next home kit design, become a member today so that you can have a vote.
Welcome to “We are Common”, our series where we showcase members of the Lansing Common community. In this feature, we introduce you to Jeff Backoski.
I moved to Lansing in 2003 from Grand Rapids. What I enjoy most about Lansing is all the different things that you can do in the area without traveling too far. Obviously sports, farmers markets, unique events like the annual “be a tourist in your own town,” and the many breweries to try.
The first Lansing United match, that was actually the first time I watched soccer. It was $5 and right down the road. The action was great and The Ransom brought the atmosphere. I didn’t miss a home match that season. I always tell everyone I sat the furthest away from the supporters the first match and by the end of the season, I was standing with them.
Lansing deserves a men’s soccer club. After Lansing United men’s went away I would often talk with friends about how we could make our own team, this started as early as Ignite was announced. That feeling intensified after Ignite folded. As soon as I was aware Lansing Common was a thing, I knew I was going to buy whatever founding membership that was offered. My role with the club is to try to bring the noise on matchday, I can’t sing, can’t carry a tune, but I’m loud. 1 out of 3 is pretty good, haha.
To be successful the team needs to reach the people like I was originally, they have to get those that don’t have a history with the sport, get them in the door and let the show keep them coming back. Make game-day an event, something that makes it a can’t miss thing on a person’s busy schedule.
Still competing. Being a place that my son and I can kick around a soccer ball in the parking lot before the match and yell for 90+ minutes during the match.
If you would like to be featured on a future “We are Common”, please head here to submit your answers to these questions and upload a picture. It’s a great way to introduce yourself to the many who are “common”.
Welcome to “We are Common”, our series where we showcase members of the Lansing Common community. In this feature, we introduce you to Matt Schartow.
Almost my whole life, outside of a few college years and out-of-state Summer jobs. I love how Lansing unites over MSU sports as if they were a pro team. A Lansing specific team could allow the community to unite in a similar fashion but include those who are not a fan of Michigan State.
The moment I got the message to vote for the name of the new Lansing soccer team in 2014. Full disclosure: I voted for Mid-Michigan United, but Lansing United won. I played all my younger years and a couple of years in college but never got to experience the supporter culture. I never had a local team to root for and was determined to support a local team so that younger generations had a local team to cheer for.
I want soccer to succeed in Lansing, which is why I’ve purchased season tickets since day 1 of Lansing United, even years I knew my job travel schedule only allowed me to attend half the games. So of course I was on board with a community-owned team.
I think roles are defined by where your strengths lie. I recall asking a friend who played with me on our college team (who was the president of a supporters group of an MLS team) why his season tickets weren’t in the supporter section and he wasn’t over there screaming and yelling. His response, “Gotta know your roll, I know mine.” There are a lot of roles in an endeavor like this and I would encourage anyone who has taken the time to read this far to take one that suits them, and it doesn’t have to involve yelling a lot.
Supporters. A team run by its fans needs fans…but if we’re a community club, we need supporters who represent the community. That means we need to recruit a much more diverse group of supporters than showed up for Lan U or Ignite games. Only 55% of Lansing is the demographic that normally showed up for those games, which means almost half of the area was not represented. Given Lansing is a fairly diverse area, I believe we need supporters of all races and cultures represented in this area to be sustainable.
Realistically – Self-sustaining and not worried about if there will be a “next season.”
In my dreams – In a league that at the very least guarantees us a spot in the US Open Cup. While winning a league and Milk Cup, and games like Rafa’s shirt and Rafa’s shirt 2: Electric Boogaloo were awesome, winning a game in the Open Cup as an underdog is priceless. Those that were there know.
If you would like to be featured on a future “We are Common”, please head here to submit your answers to these questions and upload a picture. It’s a great way to introduce yourself to the many who are “common”.
Josh Oakley has been named Head Coach of Lansing Common FC, which begins play in 2021. Oakley, who is also the Head Coach at Spring Arbor University, brings 23 years of coaching experience to Lansing Common.
“Josh is the perfect coach for what we’re building with Lansing Common,” said club President Eric Walcott. “He has got the experience to help us establish the type of club culture we’re looking for so we can hit the ground running when we kick-off next spring. Josh has connections to soccer in the Greater Lansing area and is a highly regarded coach in Michigan college soccer who will be able to attract talented players to the club.”
“I’m excited to be here in Lansing. I’m excited to re-start [men’s] soccer in this great city,” said Okaley. “We want to put a football club out on the field that will work hard for supporters, and be uncommon in the things we do every day.”
After working as the top assistant coach at Eastern Illinois University from 2000-2002, Oakley became the head coach at Asbury University in Kentucky and served in that role from 2002-2010. Following his time at Asbury, Oakley was hired by Alma College, where he coached from 2010-2018, before being named the men’s coach at Spring Arbor University. Over the course of 18 seasons, Oakley’s college teams have progressed to a total of 9 region and conference finals, winning 5 championships.
Oakley arrives with a connection to Lansing, having lived and coached in the area for more than a decade. For three years, Oakley served as a staff coach for Lansing’s TNT soccer club. His 2005 U18 TNT team played in the Michigan State Cup Final.
Oakley has coached All-American soccer players at every institution he has served. Over a half-dozen of his college and club players have been drafted or signed to play at the next level. They include local standout DeJuan Jones (TNT), who currently plays for the New England Revolution in Major League Soccer, and most recently, Jake Crull (SAU) who plays for Union Omaha in USL League One.
“Josh’s excitement about what we’re building and his passion for soccer in the Lansing area were evident from our first conversation,” said Walcott. “He’s proven his ability to build quality soccer programs and we’re confident he will help us do the same with Lansing Common.”
“In terms of engaging the community, obviously through the game that’s number one, but also there’s other ways,” said Oakley. “We can hopefully pull in local people to work on our staff that have been here their whole lives, and that they want to see soccer, but they want to see soccer as a tool to bring community together.”
Lansing Common FC is a member of the Midwest Premier League and is scheduled to begin play in May of 2021.
