Lansing Common FC will kick off its first-ever game at Eastern Stadium on Saturday, May 15. Head Coach Josh Oakley and his team will debut their season in a friendly match-up against Fort Wayne Sport Club.
“A lot of people worked hard to get this team together, and I’m very excited to get started,” said Oakley.
Oakley’s coaching staff for this season includes John Greer, Brent Sorg, Nick Strait, and Mike Mignano. More information about each coach can be found here.
The first official practice began on May 6 at Eastern Stadium, where the team added six trialists onto the final roster and started training regularly. Oakley’s squad of 33 players is ready to bring high-level men’s soccer back to the city of Lansing.
“I coached a lot of these players at the club level when they were young kids, and to be able to coach them after so many years is special for me,” said Oakley.
The team features players from different colleges and soccer programs across the state, including six from Spring Arbor University, two from Michigan State University, and six from Western Michigan University.
This team will play together until July 31 in a series of friendlies and league games in the Midwest Premier League’s East Division.
Oakley faced Saturday’s opponent recently.
“My team in the past season played them (Fort Wayne) in a scrimmage where we got to see their players,” Oakley said. “We’re excited, and having played them before gives us a good chance to prepare well.”
Fort Wayne Sport Club recently defeated Cincinnati Soccer Club in the second round of the Region II Amateur Cup, where Fort Wayne won 5-0 on April 25. They will face Ann Arbor FC in the quarterfinals on Saturday, May 22.
Oakley will take advantage of the friendly’s unlimited substitutions to experiment and rotate the squad against Fort Wayne.
“We want to play as many of our players as we can against Fort Wayne,” Oakley said. “This gives a chance to see what players are like in match situations, as opposed to training.”
Saturday’s kickoff is scheduled for 6:00 PM at Eastern Stadium in Lansing.
How to Watch
Home games will be streamed live on the Lansing Common FC YouTube page. Games will also be streamed live at Ozone’s Brewhouse in Old Town.
Game Day Information
Saturday, May 15th – 6:00PM – Eastern Stadium
Gates open at 4:30PM. Face masks required for entry. Capacity is limited to 450 spectators.
Click here to review the stadium’s COVID-19 guidelines.
To reduce stadium entry wait times, please complete your COVID-19 self-screening prior to your arrival by using workplace code 6995-6140 at https://misymptomapp.state.mi.us/.
Tickets are available for purchase through the Midwest Premier League’s ticketing partner Passage: https://app.gopassage.com/venues/3483
