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Monterey Bay Football Club Visits Carmel Valley Elementary School

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Monterey Bay Football Club Visits Carmel Valley Elementary School

CARMEL, Calif. (Tuesday, October 24, 2023) – Monterey Bay Football Club (Monterey Bay F.C.) forward Jesús “Chuy” Enríquez and defender Hugh Roberts II visited Carmel River Elementary School in Carmel, California on Thursday, October 19 after the school earned a player appearance as part of the Club’s new Community of Schools Program.

Enríquez and Roberts met the entire Carmel River Elementary School student body and staff in a field directly behind the school that boasts the incredible Carmel River State Beach as a backdrop. The players spoke to the students with a focus on teamwork, sportsmanship, and the importance of fair play. Enríquez and Roberts then handed trophies out to the winners of the school’s fitness competition for the month of September before signing autographs for the kids to wrap the visit. 

Local schools and/or educational institutions interested in joining Monterey Bay Football Club’s Community of Schools Program or learning more may contact Sales Executive Brady Bergeron at brady@montereybayfc.com.

Quote Sheet: MB 0-1 OC

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Quote Sheet: MB 0-1 OC

Cardinale Stadium; Seaside, California
Saturday, October 14, 2023

Sporting Director & Head Coach Frank Yallop

On his initial takeaways from the season:
“It’s a difficult one because we are pretty close to being a good side, but we’re not quite good enough. We lost some games here that we should’ve done better and got results in, but that’s football. That’s what we are right now. I’m just disappointed for the guys. They tried their hardest. I thought tonight was a pretty good example of how we’ve probably played most of the year. We played well enough to get a result, but didn’t finish our chances. We had a couple of opportunities and didn’t score. Disappointed, but have to focus and look forward to next season. That’s all you can do now.”

On the good performance to end the season despite the result:
“I tried to relax the guys for this game. There was nothing on the line, so they were probably playing more relaxed than normal anyway. But I think we’ve played pretty good at times here, we’ve just been punished by mistakes and bad play once in a while here and there. It’s a tough league, it’s very equal. We only missed the playoffs by a few points. I can go back to the game against San Diego at home. If we win that game and then go to Oakland and hold onto that game, we’re in the playoffs. It’s just a crazy 10 minutes where we concede two against San Diego and then a late goal against Oakland. We can go through the season and look at that and most teams will, but we had the games in our hands where we should have sorted through and won it. I think that’s kind of us at the moment. We’ve got to defend better though as a group. We can’t give up easy goals in our league because there’s some very good players, including tonight. Iloski doesn’t have many touches, but scores the winning goal. We didn’t have that. So for us it’s about regrouping and trying to get better for next season.”

Defender Hugh Roberts II 

On the season:
“We have some stuff we can hang our heads high on. We got to third place, which is so rare. Honestly In my tenured career I have only gotten to third place two or three times. We had the perseverance when we dropped below the playoff line, to then win five in a row and get back above the line is a testament to our mentality. It’s unfortunate we didn’t close out the job, but we have something to hang our heads on. Even in this game tonight, we didn’t take the victory, but I feel like this was one of our best performances overall and something that we can move into next year with.”

On using the sting from this season as fuel for 2024:
“We had a similar mentality coming into this year too, but this year was probably better than last year. Last year we weren’t exactly right there, but this year we were – it came down to the last game. So it’s a step in the right direction, and we’ll bring that same feeling into next year too. This season was a step up from last year, we finished one win away from playoffs. Now next year we have to get in.”

Monterey Bay Football Club Attends Marina Fire Department’s Annual Fire Prevention Open House

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Monterey Bay Football Club Attends Marina Fire Department’s Annual Fire Prevention Open House

MARINA, Calif. (Thursday, October 12, 2023) – Monterey Bay Football Club attended the Marina Fire Department’s annual Fire Prevention Open house on Tuesday, October 10 in Marina, California. The entire team was in attendance to mingle with local community members, take pictures, sign autographs, and help with fan giveaways. The event was held outside of the Marina Fire Department and gave community members a chance to meet the firefighters, learn hands on CPR, and tour an authentic fire truck. 

In addition, kids had the chance to participate in a firefighter obstacle course and enjoyed face painting, treats such as popcorn, food from local Peregrino Taqueria, music from Monterey DJ John, and more. Monterey Bay players Chase Boone, Mobi Fehr, Max Glasser, and Ugo Okoli even took part in a race to see who could gear up in a firefighter suit the fastest. 

Other local community vendors were also in attendance such as Marina Youth Arts, Friends of Marina Library, Citizens for Sustainable Marina, Red Cross, Save the Whales, Compass Church, Monterey for Maui, the Cub Scouts, Tara Mangan Keni, Cheesecake Dreamations, and Luxury Nutrition.

Monterey Bay Football Club Celebrates Juneteenth, Partners with BackYardFooty for Launch of Charitable & Educational Merchandise Collection

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Monterey Bay Football Club Celebrates Juneteenth, Partners with BackYardFooty for Launch of Charitable & Educational Merchandise Collection

Monterey Bay Football Club is joining team captain Hugh Roberts’ BackYardFooty in celebrating Juneteenth and supporting the local community through a new merchandise collection that embodies the history of the holiday. 100% of the proceeds from this special-edition Juneteenth collection will be donated to both the Monterey County Black Caucus and the United Black Players of the United Soccer League, with majority going to the former.

The MBFC x BackYardFooty special-edition Juneteenth collection includes a long sleeve t-shirt, a hat, socks, a drawstring bag, a bag tag and a sticker, with each item available online now at MBFCShop.com. In addition, with every purchase from this collection, fans will receive a QR code that directs them to a webpage with more information about the donee, the Monterey County Black Caucus, as well as educational information about the holiday of Juneteenth itself. 

“In every little way, we wanted to make sure that the majority of the donations were staying local to help our community here grow,” explained Roberts, MBFC defender and Co-Founder of the United Black Players of the USL. “I commend the Club a lot for doing this for the local community, especially the local Black community. It means a lot to me because not only are we representing the culture with this collection, but we are also helping to educate the community about this historic day, about this important moment in time.”

Juneteenth is celebration of freedom that commemorates the effective end of slavery in the United States of America. It marks the day in 1865 that federal soldiers freed the last remaining slaves in Galveston, Texas, nearly thirty months after the Emancipation Proclamation had been signed. Now, the holiday serves as a day to look back at the progress that’s been made and consider all of the ways we can continue to move forward.

Monterey Bay F.C. encourages fans to learn more about Juneteenth and the Club’s special Juneteenth partnership with Roberts’ BackYardFooty by visiting BackYardFooty.org/byfjuneteenth. Learn more about BackYardFooty itself by following @BackYardFootyy on Instagram and @BackYardFooty on Twitter.

“It’s very important to me for the fans to get behind us here at the Club and help us galvanize the community on and about a day like today,” Roberts continued. “Obviously, today is an important day in history, but this can also be an everyday thing too. You can support your local Black businesses on any day at any time, so it’s educational for the community to understand which businesses are around them, build a little bit of a connection there and then start spreading the word. In a lot of ways, this is a stepping stone to a greater avenue of community growth.”

The MBFC x BackYardFooty Juneteenth collection will be available for purchase in person at all MBFC Team Shop locations when gates open prior to Saturday’s home match against Miami FC on June 24. Tickets to the match are available now, visit www.MontereyBayFC.com for more information. Learn more about Monterey Bay F.C. by following @MontereyBayFC on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, as well as online at MontereyBayFC.com.

Quote Sheet: MB 1 – 2 SA

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Quote Sheet: MB 1 – 2 SA

Cardinale Stadium; Seaside, California
Saturday, April 1, 2023

Sporting Director & Head Coach Frank Yallop 
On the new formation:
“We went three at the back, three centerbacks. I felt in this game especially, that Morey [Doner] and Sam [Gleadle] would get a bit of joy and it kind of worked out that way. I thought Morey was excellent tonight, Sam getting his goal. It was really tough because I felt that it was the best we played in a 90 minute game. Possession was good, we created some good chances. And on the first goal, someone has to realize that Hugh [Roberts] gets tripped. They didn’t, and then they are one nil up and it’s always tough chasing the game. We got back into the game which was great, but then you have to hand it to the kid who scored the goal. It was a hell of a finish. Maybe we could have done a little bit better, but it’s just frustrating and I am upset for the guys. I think they put everything into the game and played very well. To get nothing out of it is tough.”

On the message at halftime:
“I just said that it’s the best half we played all season. You are outplaying a team that won the championship last year, handily. I thought we moved the ball well, we created chances. They had the one moment and scored. They had a couple of things obviously, it wasn’t all one-way traffic. But for us to play that well against a team of that caliber, was great for us. I said right now I am proud of you guys, let’s keep going, let’s get back into the game. I felt we were going to win the game 2-1. I said it at halftime, I felt we were going to. We got to the 1-1 and I was waiting for the next goal. We did really well tonight and if we play like that all the time I think we have a good chance of doing well. I just really feel for the guys tonight though, it was a tough one to take.”

Defender Hugh Roberts II 
On San Antonio’s style of play:
“They had two chances, two opportunities to finish so credit to them for finishing them. We felt like it was a chaotic game, but on our side we normally feed off that. We are a good counter team, a good pressing team and this is our home. We felt confident from the beginning, but it was definitely chaotic. We tried to settle the game down a little bit and we did enough to come back, but it was unfortunate that they hit a little bit of a worldy goal to win it.”

On the message to the backline at halftime:
“We’ve been here before. Last year we were in plenty of situations down 1-0. This is our home and we were up for this game, so even when they scored early we really felt that we could win 2-1. Coach came in and gave us a good speech to pump the boys up as well, but our mentality as soon as they scored one goal was no more goals the rest of the half and we did that, that speaks to our mentality. It speaks to us getting back into the game. The second goal was unfortunate but that is our mentality to push ourselves for that second goal.”

Quote Sheet: MB 0-1 LOU

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Quote Sheet: MB 0-1 LOU

Cardinale Stadium; Seaside, California
Saturday, March 18, 2023

Sporting Director & Head Coach Frank Yallop
On the defense’s performance this week:
“We’re at home, we expect to win. We’re playing against a good side obviously. We had a couple of chances in the first half, but we didn’t play well for 30 odd minutes. Then I thought for the last 15 minutes at the end of the first half we played well. We got back to ourselves a little bit and had a couple of chances. It looked like Chase [Boone] had a really good chance but it squirted wide. We had a couple of good looks here and there, but it was just kind of frustrating. We didn’t play very well tonight for whatever reason, didn’t pass the ball well, didn’t create the chances we normally create. Maybe you can credit the opposition. They made it difficult for us, but still we are better than that and I think that we just had one of those nights where maybe it was a little bit off for us.”

On how the play changed after Louisville City’s sending off:
“We huffed and puffed and had chances, I think JJ [Johnson]’s header was a pretty good chance. I don’t think we had many other ones that were pretty clear cut, but that looked like a good chance for us. Sometimes they go in and sometimes they don’t and it was one of the nights where we struggled in front of goal. Last week we couldn’t miss and this week we couldn’t score. Disappointed, but the guys give a lot of effort and there’s nothing wrong with our effort and there is no lack of trying. It’s maybe tactical. It’s my fault because I thought we wanted to sit back a little bit and try and counter them in the first half, but it didn’t quite work and the guys figured it out and went a little higher. I shouted from the bench to push up a bit, but you know it could have been nil nil tonight.”

On the message to the team about bouncing back next week on the road:
“We’ll look at the tape and try to go over some stuff. I just think we were not as direct when it went to ten men. We should have created more chances. We were a little tentative with the ball, instead of being positive and getting some good service into the box and getting good balls in. I thought Christian [Volesky] was a bit unlucky with a few balls that he took on his chest and tried to finish. Again, we gotta maybe hand it to them. Their defending was sharp and good, they didn’t allow us many shots in the middle of the goal other than the header that JJ had at the end.”

Midfielder Sam Gleadle:
On the match:
“It was a tough game. I don’t think we started very well. We had some half chances. Still, I don’t think we gave them too much, we were pretty tight defensively. They had a lot of the ball so that’s tiring for us. Then I think the last 15-20 minutes of the first half we found ourselves a little bit, we pressed a bit higher and we had some joy with that. So we were looking to take that into the second half, but obviously they got the goal and that hurt us. Overall, it was an OK game. We will review it and see some things we can do a bit better on both sides of the ball.”

On playing against a team that goes a man down:
“They are a good team, they are experienced. They kind of sit in and make it hard to play in the gaps. They force the ball wide, so we have to put in a good ball or do something special and we didn’t quite do that today. Any team that sits back like that in those blocks of four or five whatever it is, it’s going to be tough and obviously, they are a top team. It’s something that we haven’t seen this year only being game two so we will learn from it. It’s something that we can work on.”

On getting off to a slow start:
“I think it’s always on us to dictate the tempo from the start and bring the energy. Again, they are a top side and they have been for years now in this league, so you have to give credit to them. They made it difficult, but I think looking back we would like to do things differently and obviously start from the very first whistle.”

Defender Hugh Roberts II
On feeling like a goal was coming:
“That’s exactly how we felt. We got fortunate against them last year and honestly had full confidence coming into this game. Even when they scored their goal, we were pressing. We knew it was coming, we had that belief, but we got unlucky unfortunately. Gleadle and a couple of the other guys had some good chances, but on our day we will finish those. It was a good hard fought game against a good solid team. It was good for us to see this early because it is similar to a playoff environment. We know we are going to see them down the road so it’s a good test for us right now.”

On playing against a team that goes a man down:
“It’s a challenge because you want to press forward, but you have to stay wary of the counter attack and they’re good at that. But for us it needs to be our time to dominate on the ball, create a bunch of chances and throw extra guys into the box. It’s got to be like an ultra press when they are down a man. And that’s what we kind of did, even before in the last fifteen minutes of the first half. We switched the game plan from the first 30 minutes where we sat back and let them have the ball, to pressing and getting after them. When they went down it was more so to throw an extra body in the box and create more crosses and more shots, trying to press for that goal.”

On if the defense regressed coming out of the half:
“I don’t think we regressed, we actually were in a full on press from their goal kicks. We were on them, we were ready. They caught us. Maybe we were sleeping on a set play, not aggressive enough on that one play. But one little moment, one switch off creates a goal and that’s all they needed. But from our standpoint, regardless of their goal, we were pressing before and after they scored. We thought, let’s redeem ourselves. We’re our home, let’s at least draw – get a good result out of this. We were unlucky with that, but that’s our mentality. Even down a goal we were still pressing to win this game.

Monterey Bay F.C. Positional Preview: Defenders

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Monterey Bay F.C. Positional Preview: Defenders

by Eli Corona & Steven Vargo

Next up, a breakdown of the defense heading into 2023. With nine clean sheets in the Club’s final 18 matches, including a run of five consecutive shutouts that extended for a total of 558 minutes (ninth longest in USL Championship history and third longest for a first-year club), the backline proved to be the strength of the Union in its second half surge.

Monterey Bay F.C. retained the services of talisman Hugh Roberts, as well as his centerback partner Kai Greene. This pairing proved effective over the past season and the re-signing of both defenders to new deals allows for an optimistic outlook for the defense in the upcoming season. The most dynamic part of the defense last season was the play of both fullbacks, Morey Doner and Grant Robinson. These two defenders combined for eight goal contributions in 2022, highlighting their dual importance in the attacking phase of play. While the starting back line from the inaugural season is back under contract for 2023, there have also been a couple of offseason additions to the defensive unit in young defenders Alex Lara and Max Glasser.

Morey Doner
Doner won 64.5 percent of his defensive duels over the course of the season, representing his important contributions on the defensive front. Doner started in all 34 regular season matches in 2022, leading the team with 3,047 minutes played. Flying up the right sideline, Doner recorded a team-high five assists and led the team in non-set-piece chances created with 30.

Max Glasser
A regular starter for the Aggies in the final two seasons of his collegiate career, the Novato, California native will be looking to impress in his first professional season. At UC Davis, Glasser became known for his intelligence on and off the ball and his skillful dribbling ability. In his debut with the Crisp and Kelp against the San Jose Earthquakes this preseason, Glasser made quite the impression. Do not be surprised to see the 22-year-old challenge for meaningful minutes throughout the campaign and earn plenty of opportunities to play this season.

Kai Greene
Greene started in all 31 of his appearances for the Union last season and recorded an impressive 107 clearances on the year. Greene also added two assists last season, including the game-winning assist to Roberts in the club’s first-ever victory. With nearly 170 appearances and over 13,700 minutes played in his USL Championship career, Greene’s experience and prowess make for an invaluable combination.

Alex Lara
Former Las Vegas Lights FC defender Lara has been brought in and will provide reinforcements on the backline, filling a much needed role heading into the new campaign. The addition of Lara allows for greater positional flexibility as well, as a back three can now be a viable option for Head Coach Frank Yallop while still maintaining the midfield setup.

Hugh Roberts II
Roberts returns to Seaside as the captain of the Crisp and Kelp in 2023. He started in all 30 of his matches played for Monterey Bay F.C. while donning the armband and recorded a team-high 124 clearances. In addition to scoring the goal that secured the first win in Club history, Roberts climbed the individual rankings among league history. During the campaign, Roberts moved to third all-time in USL Championship history with 18,627 minutes played and seventh in league history in total games played with 233. His unrivaled experience in the USL Championship will prove vital to the team’s success this season.

Grant Robinson
In addition to his dynamism in the attack, Robinson averaged 5.9 interceptions per 90 minutes, showcasing his ability to both read opposition play and position himself defensively to cut off passing angles. He appeared in 27 matches for the Union in 2022, created a total of 15 chances and scored his first professional goal in a match at Cardinale Stadium in September.

The Club created previews for each position group going into 2023. Each breakdown can be read here:

Monterey Bay F.C. Holds Annual Media Day, Looks Ahead to 2023 Campaign

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Monterey Bay F.C. Holds Annual Media Day, Looks Ahead to 2023 Campaign

SEASIDE, Calif. (Monday, March 6, 2023) – Monterey Bay Football Club (Monterey Bay F.C.) held its annual Media Day last week. A Proud Partner of the Club, Monterey Marriott, hosted the occasion at its downtown location. The Union have worn the white tops from last season in every preseason matches thus far, so while it was the first time in 2023 for returning players, it was the new players’ first-ever time donning both the primary Kelp kits and secondary white kits in full. Thousands of photos and videos preceded questions from the media about the Club’s mindset heading into its sophomore season – and a clear theme emerged among the team’s leaders: unfinished business.

Defenders Morey Doner and Hugh Roberts
On the potential for this team in 2023:
Roberts: “Honestly we have a sour taste in our mouths from last year. We felt that we should have been a playoff team. We were unfortunate to not be in there after the last couple of games of the season. We felt like we were right there so we are itching to get back going. With our core group of guys back, we’re aiming for a top four finish in the conference. We are desperate to bring a home playoff game to Seaside. That’s one of our biggest goals and we know we can do that with our defense especially, but also with our core of attacking guys. Everyone is coming through, continuing to gel, and we’re all on the same page. There’s unfinished business. We have high expectations.

Doner: “The main thing for us will be consistency. Last year we were too fluctuating, we were always up and down. Obviously the first part of the season we were only on the road, but for me personally, one of my favorite quotes that I love to live my career and my life by is ‘keep your highs low and lows high.’ So if bad things happen, don’t get too low, but if good things happen don’t get too high. We need to stay level headed. I just want the group to be focused every week. We have goals on the board for a reason – these are the things that we are looking at to get the best out of each other. Come October, we should be where we want to be hopefully.”

On the goals for the defense:
Roberts: “We have high expectations for ourselves. We finished the season on a decent note, but we know we can carry that on for a full season. Realistically our goal is to be top five, maybe top four in the entire league. We want to be one of the top team’s in terms of shutouts and goals against average as well. We have high hopes for this group, especially with our back four returning and the goalkeeper. We already have that chemistry which is rare in this league.”

Doner: “To have us back as the core is really important, for me in particular, to have that familiarity and just that confidence with each other. That’s really important for me. Going forward, a few teams have left the USL Championship this year so everything is going to be a little bit more competitive. I am looking to emulate last season for myself personally, but Hugh [Roberts] is a great leader and Kai [Greene] has over 150 appearances in the league, so I just want to keep learning. Hugh and the other guys are always communicating – I just want the best for us and he brings that out of us.”

On Doner playing in every match last season:
Doner: “A lot of people don’t know that I started my career late. I only started playing pro when I was 24, so of course that helps, but I look after my body, and take really good care of myself. Sometimes I am very particular about my routine, but I think over the days and months in a season that really helps me become the best player I can be on the pitch. I just want to do what I love and I don’t take it for granted so whenever I am out on the field I give my 100%. I just want to keep doing what I love and keep appreciating every moment.”

On Doner’s decision to return to Monterey Bay:
Doner: “Firstly, Frank [Yallop] has given me a lot of belief. He is Canadian as well, so we have that link, and I think this was one of my best years as a pro. To have that confidence is always important. You want to try to bring yourself to be the best you can be. Frank brings that out of me and now I have rewarded him by playing well, but once you do well you want more for yourself. Coming back here, I want to keep pushing on individually, but also with Hugh and the other guys – we want a playoff game. We want a home playoff game. That is something that we are aiming towards. We really want to represent this community in the best way that we can. That comes with every training session and there are things that we do off the field that not a lot of people see. We are trying to put it all together. We have 85% of the minutes played back this year, so there’s really no excuses. We have the core, we have camaraderie, we have everything we need. Now we’re looking to be consistent and to perform every week.”

Roberts: “Having guys like Morey [Doner], one of the top leaders who holds himself to a high standard helps bring the whole group’s standard to a high level. You have to have people at the top to help keep that standard high and he is one of the top guys here. He was a stalwart last year and he is coming into this year with the same kind of energy. We only had three days before the Earthquakes game when camp started, but guys kept in shape and kept themselves ready. Morey was a great example of that. He showed everybody that they have to keep themselves ready preparation wise both on the field and off the field, both are equally as important. I commend him for coming in strong both mentally and physically because we expect to be flying from the jump next week.”

On one word to describe the defense in 2023:
Roberts: “Tenacious. We are very hungry out there, all of us. We’re hungry to block shots, block crosses, keep a zero on that score board. It takes a tenacious effort. We came together last year halfway through and decided that our performance had been unacceptable from a defensive standpoint. At the end of the day we can’t control the offense, but we can control stopping some of these shots and these goals. And we came together as a back five and buckled down, and it helped the whole group gain confidence out there. We are tenacious out there.”

Defenders Max Glasser and Alex Lara
On playing professionally close to home:
Glasser: “It’s super nice, family can come to games and they are really enjoying it. Grew up in NorCal, went to school at UC Davis, so I’m staying local. I love NorCal, it’s super nice here and I’m excited to be here. Being close to home definitely played a part in me being here. I’m big on my family having a chance to see me play so I am happy it worked out. I am blessed.”

Lara: “I am excited to be here, I am from Southern California so it’s not too far away either. Being closer to home and having the opportunity for your loved ones and friends and family to come up and see you play and do what you love is definitely a blessing. I am happy to be here.”

On what he will bring to the team:
Lara: “Personally, I want to help out as much as I can defensively. Try to get shutouts and really contribute on the defensive end of the game. That’s what I will try to do all season. My goal is to contribute as much as I can whether that be getting minutes, helping getting shutouts – that’s really what I came here to do. Help the back line by reinforcing what is already here. There is a lot of experience here with Kai [Greene] and Hugh [Roberts] so adding onto that would benefit the whole team.”

On an aspect of the team that has stood out:
Glasser: “It’s a tight knit group, a really close team. Everyone knows each other. That’s a big help at the start of the season and has given me a lot to learn from. Everyone is super helpful and I’ve really enjoyed it.”

On the potential for this team in 2023:
Glasser: “Everyone’s goal is to get into the playoffs, ideally get a home game in the playoffs and I don’t see why we can’t do it. That’s the goal.”

Lara: “I agree. Not only are we aiming to make it into the playoffs, but also to make a run in the playoffs. Everyone is on the same page when it comes to that. We are setting the standard pretty high for ourselves and we’re hoping to accomplish those goals.”

Midfielder Sam Gleadle
On Year 2:
“We learned a lot as a group last year and we brought that big core group back so I am excited to push our limits even more and build on the momentum that we built in year one.”

On having the core group back:
“It’s huge, we have a lot of different guys at different levels of their careers bringing that experience in. We all bring different things to the table that we can all learn from. We will work really well together and work really hard for that goal of playoffs and a home playoff game. We have high aspirations.”

On how the new guys have meshed in:
“Yeah the guys that we have brought in, the two Alex’s [Dixon and Lara], they have been very good and are bringing their USL experience, and Max [Glasser], the rookie, he has jumped in very well and has shown what he is good at really quickly. So all of these little pieces, the gaffer and the coaching staff know what they are doing. Dixon and I have shown a little bit together already, so I’m glad to get more going.”

On his mindset going into 2023:
“Any great team, you have to have those high aspirations and goals. We have a lot of different experience level guys. Guys like Hugh [Roberts], being the captain and everything, he brings a lot of knowledge and experience in. He’s seen the playoffs, he knows what it takes. You have to have those goals. It makes us want to improve every day, every week and every game. There is no losing. If we do get a bad result, we learn from that and the next time we won’t make those mistakes.”

Midfielders Walmer Martínez and Adrian Rebollar
On the biggest difference coming into this year:
Rebollar: “A big difference is that we have a big group of guys returning this season. We know our tendencies and how each other plays. As everyone can remember, the last segment of the season, we were on fire. And we want to start off this season just how we ended it. We showed what kind of team we are and we’re here to prove it in year two.”

Martínez: “Like he said, we are bringing a big core of the group back. We have that chemistry already and that plays a big role. We have unfinished business to take care of. Near the end of last season, we expected a lot more from us. This year, we all have it in our minds that we have one goal and one goal only and that is to make the playoffs and then go as far as possible.”

On the idea of bringing a championship to their hometown:
Rebollar: “It would be a dream come true. We are local guys, we love our community. We love seeing everyone come out to our games. To be able to bring a trophy to the 831, that’s the end goal.”

Martínez: “It’s every footballer’s dream to win a championship and how great would it be for two local guys to win a championship in their city. It would be a big inspiration to all of the kids growing up. I know it’s a big dream for them too. As we continue to live out our dreams, they are dreaming as well.”

On the higher expectations this year:
Martínez: “We are not satisfied with what happened last year. In our heads, we know we have the talent in our group to go as far as winning a championship. Everybody coming in, it’s already set in our minds that we are going to do way better than last year. We were disappointed last year because we know that we could have accomplished great things last year but it didn’t happen that way. This year we have our heads on straight, we know what we want and we’re determined to accomplish it one way or another.”

Rebollar: “These expectations are from everybody, not just the manager, but everyone in the organization. We know we had a rough start at the beginning of last year, but then we really saw what we are capable of. So we are aspiring to get as many results as possible, make the playoffs and then go from there. It’s definitely a different mentality this year. Everyone coming in is buying in and that’s a beautiful thing.”

Goalkeeper Antony Siaha
On the upcoming season:
“I am very excited, working hard everyday. I can’t wait until our home opener on March 11. The chemistry that we have coming back is very important in soccer and the guys that we have coming in are going to really help the team. Personally, I have been ready. This last game against Sacramento is going to get us ready for the opener. I think we’re 90% ready, just need another 90 minutes in and then get everybody healthy.”

On his goals for himself and the team:
“For myself and the defense, our goal is definitely to get the most shutouts, keep that zero as much as possible. And then of course to go as far as possible. We are definitely a playoff team so we are going to make sure we get there this time.”

On fans often mentioning him alongside bagels and where that came from:
“Every time the team gets a shutout, everybody who has a ticket gets a free bagel. So that’s pretty good and it only motivates us to get as many shutouts as we can to give everybody those bagels. Honestly, stuff like that just makes me smile.”

Forward Alex Dixon
On his decision to join Monterey Bay:
“It was nice to be wanted to come out here and it definitely made my decision a little bit easier to know that I would be the first guy to come in outside of the returning core group. I am just excited to be here, get to work and get the season started next weekend. Hopefully we will have some success. What also drew me here was the fans. I watched some of the games, went back and did some research. Plus the good group of guys coming back. Obviously there was some bad luck last year with some of their results, but I thought that we could be a contender. I didn’t come here to do anything less than compete. We have big hopes and big dreams and we hope to achieve those this year.”

On the team’s expectations this season and having unfinished business:
“I picked up on it talking to the guys during the offseason, the guys that were here last year. They had a nice run of form last year followed by some tough games. Obviously that left a bitter taste in everyone’s mouth, so I’ve picked up on that and I’m raring to go.”

On his excitement for heading into the season:
“This is like my 13th or 14th year, but it still feels like year one for me. I am never going to lose that feeling and the home opener next weekend against Hartford, one of my former teams, I am definitely looking forward to that. I want to start the year off with a bang. Three points and nothing less. Playing against a former team is always fun, but I look forward to every game. It’s about going out and competing, and proving to everyone in the league that we are one of the better teams. We just have to take it game by game, week by week, and be the last team standing at the end of the season.”

On the fan support through the preseason:
“The San Jose match three days into the preseason was a crazy experience. I was not expecting the fans to come out in full force like that, so that was definitely exciting. I just can’t wait to see how crazy it’s going to be once the regular season gets started.”

Goalkeeper Carlos Herrera
On heading into year two:
“I think it’s really special to be a part of the core group that was here from year one. It gives the players a sense of pride in defending the badge and giving it everything for the club being that you’ve been entrusted to stay as a part of this group going into its second year.”

On the fan support through the preseason so far:
“I was thrilled with the Earthquakes game. We weren’t really sure what to expect, obviously we expected a lot of support, but it was a rainy night and it was cold. Thankfully it didn’t rain the whole game, but the fans stayed until the final whistle playing their trumpets, beating their drums, chanting – there were a couple of moments in the game where I just had to take a step back, appreciate it all and be thankful that I am in the spot that I’m in.”

Forward Jesse Maldonado
On his excitement for the new season:
“I am very excited. As a player personally, I would like to get on the pitch a lot more, common goals individually. As a group, I am very excited. This is a good group and we have something to look forward to.”

On being a part of the core group that returned this season:
“There are a lot of key players in the core group from last year and they have all said it. There is unfinished business. We just have to take care of it this year. We are looking forward to doing that.”

On the new guys learning about the team’s fan support:
“They can feel the energy, they can see the atmosphere, I feel like they have picked it up on their own. It’s not something we have to tell them about, it’s just something that they can already see from our fans, our staff, everyone. It’s the complete atmosphere here.”

Forward Chase Boone
On bringing back the group and the role it plays in reaching the team’s goals:
“It’s huge for our goals moving forward. Last year we struggled as we had never played together before, but this year we don’t have that excuse anymore. I think it’s going to be great for us because we’ve had a whole year under our belt building chemistry – we know each other. Now we use that moving forward.”

On being a part of the returning group:
“It’s pretty special. It’s really cool to be a part of a team in its inaugural year. Especially here at Monterey Bay, everybody is a family. From our front office to our coaching staff, everybody is a part of it. It’s a huge collective and it’s really special to be a part of. It’s always good to be wanted, especially here. It felt great to be invited back and I am excited to get to work with my brothers and my family.”

On his goals individually and for the team:
“Individually I just want to keep building off what I did last year by hitting the ball into the back of the net and getting some assists. I just want to help the team overall. As a team we have a lot of unfinished business. Our goal is obviously to make the playoffs, but we are looking beyond that as well.” 

On the effect of the fan support throughout the preseason:
“Seeing that we had 5,000 people at our first preseason game against San Jose – we have great fans and we love them. We’re a community team. We do a lot for the community and they do a lot for us. It’s a give-give. I’m really excited about moving forward with the team because we’re only going to get more fans and grow bigger in the area. I’m excited to see where it goes.”

Monterey Bay F.C. Agrees to New Contract with Defender Hugh Roberts

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Monterey Bay F.C. Agrees to New Contract with Defender Hugh Roberts

SEASIDE, Calif. (Thursday, December 8, 2022) – Monterey Bay F.C. announced today that the club has agreed to terms with Hugh Roberts on a new one-year contract with an option to extend for a further year, pending league and federation approval. Captain of the Crisp and Kelp in 2022, Roberts’ return secures the fourth and final member of last season’s starting back line ahead of the club’s sophomore campaign in USL Championship.

The Olney, Maryland native led an impressive defense for the Union that caught its stride near the middle of the campaign and finished the year with 11 shutouts. He logged 2,735 minutes across all competitions and started in 30 of his 31 total appearances, with the lone appearance off the bench coming in U.S. Open Cup play.

“It’s great to have Hugh back, he had a really good season with us. He is a natural, experienced leader,” said Monterey Bay F.C. Sporting Director and Head Coach Frank Yallop. “It’s great that we’ve got all of the back four that had a great stretch of games and a ton of clean sheets last season. We have a good foundation now.”

Roberts recorded three goals and one assist for the Crisp and Kelp last season, including the game-winning goal in the 90th minute in Oakland on March 26 to secure the first win in club history with a 3-2 result. In addition, Roberts recorded a team-high 124 clearances, 40 interceptions, 29 blocks, and 28 tackles. He also represented the Union in USL Championship’s Team of the Week on two separate occasions last season; week 3 and week 23.

Now entering the 10th campaign of his professional career, Roberts finished the 2022 season ranked third all-time in USL Championship history with 18,627 career minutes played and 7th all time in USL Championship history in career appearances with 233. Roberts needs just 1,451 minutes to climb up to second in league history next season, and just 10 appearances to climb into fifth all-time in that category.

“It feels great to come back, we have some unfinished business to take care of. Last year was an amazing first year, but we’re returning a lot of guys and we’re ready to make another powerful run,” said Roberts. “We feel like we just started our season those last three months, so we’re really just getting started. We have big goals and high expectations this year. The defense ended on a strong note, and the offense just got clicking. The last couple of results were unfortunate, but all of us have an unfinished business mentality coming into this season, trust me. We’re going for a playoff run, more importantly a home playoff game – we want to bring trophies to this city.” 

Roberts continued, “We love the home atmosphere here and there’s nothing better than that. We’re hungry and we’re ready to bring some excitement to you guys for a full season this time, rather than getting started in May. We want to see everybody supporting us and cheering us on. We need you guys, and we can’t wait to see you all out there. I’m also excited to make my way throughout the community to see everybody again, so come say hello to me, I can’t wait to make an impact here.”

Monterey Bay F.C. and FC Tulsa Share Moment of Unity and Remembrance at Black Wall Street Memorial Before Match in Oklahoma

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TULSA, Oklahoma (Thursday, October 12, 2022) – Prior to last night’s match in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Monterey Bay Football Club and fellow USL Championship club FC Tulsa walked side by side on the Pathway To Hope to the Black Wall Street Memorial in a moment of unity, remembrance, and education for all involved.

“It was an impactful and important experience,” explained Monterey Bay F.C. captain and defender Hugh Roberts. “Keeping in mind everything that transpired over the past week, it’s important for all races to come together and educate themselves on the history and struggles that their teammates may be going through. I have heard about this memorial in the past and have always wanted to see it. It was impactful. I could feel the history of my people there and sometimes just experiencing things first hand can completely open your mind, giving you a better understanding and more empathy to the issue.”

The 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre was one of the darkest moments in our country’s history. The Greenwood District in Tulsa, known as Black Wall Street, was home to hundreds of Black-owned businesses. When the questionable arrest of a young black man named Dick Rowland took place in the area on May 31, 1921, tensions flared between black and white armed mobs outside of the local courthouse before shots were fired. Outnumbered, African Americans were forced to retreat to the Greenwood District. Just twenty four hours later, the district was left almost entirely in ruins, burned to the ground by white rioters, and as many as 300 people may have died.

“After a tough week, it was difficult to see all of that,” said Monterey Bay F.C. midfielder Simon Dawkins. “It was history that I had learned about before, but to be there and experience it, it was definitely good for me to see. It touched me to my heart because it was black people that went through that struggle. And to actually be there, it took me by surprise. I didn’t think it would impact me the way it did. For me it was good to see and especially after the week we’ve had, it was important for us and Tulsa to come together. For anybody who didn’t know the history behind that memorial, it was good for them to experience it as well.”

The night’s events resonated with FC Tulsa’s staff and players as well. “Yesterday’s Walk of Hope demonstrated our solidarity in the fight against racism,” said Bradley Bourgeois, defender and captain for FC Tulsa. “Awareness is always important, but action is what makes change.” 

Before the walk, FC Tulsa provided t-shirts to each player and staff member from both clubs with the message ‘United Against Racism’ written across the front of the shirt. Both teams wore these shirts on the walk and for pregame warm-ups. Then, moments before the match began, players from both sides stood in solidarity around the center circle at the middle of the pitch.

“The experience on the walk was really emotional. For the clubs to come together like we did, it had nothing to do with soccer. We prioritized the human side of all of this, and it was important for us to do that,” said Monterey Bay F.C. Sporting Director and Head Coach Frank Yallop. “Overall, the night was really well done by FC Tulsa, we really appreciated it. It was a strong message and an emotional night.”

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