Ballard FC

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Ballard FC
Ballard FC logo.png
Nickname(s)The Bridges
FoundedDecember 1, 2021
StadiumInterbay Stadium
Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Capacity900
Owners Lamar Neagle
Chris Kaimmer
Sam Zisette
Head coach James Riley
League USL League Two
2025 1st, Northwest Division
Playoffs: Runners-up
Website https://www.goballardfc.com
Soccerball current event.svg Current season

Ballard FC is an American soccer club based in Seattle, Washington, competing in the Northwest Division of USL League Two. They began play in the 2022 season and won their first league championship in 2023. The team plays their home matches at Interbay Stadium alongside their women's affiliate, Salmon Bay FC. Their temporary home venue for the 2024 season was Memorial Stadium at the Seattle Center.

Contents

History

The club was founded in 2021 and is owned by former Seattle Sounders FC player Lamar Neagle, Chris Kaimmer, and Sam Zisette. It is based in the Ballard neighborhood and would play home matches at the Interbay Stadium. [1] [2] The club's largest supporters' group is The Bridge Keepers. [3]

Ballard FC made their league debut on May 21, 2022, defeating Lane United FC 6–1 in front of 1,200 spectators. [3] The team finished second in the USL2 Northwest Division behind Oregon's Capital FC and qualified for the league playoffs. They advanced to the Western Conference Final in Des Moines, Iowa, where Ballard FC lost 2–1 to the eventual league champions Ventura County Fusion. [4] [5] Captain and defender Lesia Thetsane was a finalist for the USL2 Player of the Year Award and was one of 14 players to return for the club's second season in 2023. [6]

Head coach Jason Farrell left the club in July 2023 after they had clinched a playoff berth and was replaced by Ethan O'Neill on an interim basis. [7] Ballard FC secured their first Northwest Division title and hosted several playoff matches at Interbay Stadium. [8] The club advanced to the USL League Two Championship, which they would host at Starfire Sports Stadium in Tukwila, Washington, against Lionsbridge FC on August 5, 2023. Ballard FC won their first championship 2–1 with a goal in stoppage time scored by Cameron Martin in front of a sellout crowd of 3,416. [9] [10] The club are the second from Washington to win the league's championship, after Kitsap Pumas in 2011, and earned qualification to the 2024 U.S. Open Cup. [11]

On March 20, 2024, Ballard FC played their first U.S. Open Cup match at Memorial Stadium, their temporary home during year-long renovations to Interbay Soccer Field. The team lost 1–0 to Spokane Velocity FC, a new USL League One team based in the state. [12] The two teams met again in the first round of the 2025 U.S. Open Cup and played to a scoreless draw in regulation time at Interbay Stadium in front of a record 1,508 spectators. Spokane won 1–0 in extra time. [13]

Stadium

Ballard FC plays their home matches at Interbay Stadium, a 900-seat stadium [14] in the Interbay neighborhood south of Ballard. The stadium was built in 1997 for the Seattle Pacific Falcons collegiate soccer teams and is also used by the sister team Salmon Bay FC. [1] It has a grass pitch and a maximum capacity of 1,200 spectators when including standing areas. [15] In 2023, Ballard FC signed a sponsorship agreement with Pagliacci Pizza, a local chain, to rename the pitch to the Pagliacci Pitch. [16]

The team temporarily moved to Memorial Stadium at the Seattle Center for the 2024 regular season while renovations at Interbay Stadium are made to comply with accessibility requirements. [17] Ballard FC returned to Interbay Stadium for the 2024 playoffs. [18]

Club identity

The club crest, designed by a Ballard-based agency, was released alongside the founding announcement in December 2022. [19] [20] The crest depicts the Ballard Bridge over a sunset.

Ballard FC's primary jersey is cream-colored with red accents; the inaugural 2022–23 home jersey included a sublimated wave pattern derived the Flag of Seattle. [21] The club collaborates with local artists for third jerseys each year, such as Seattle-based muralists Ryan Henry "henry" Ward, [22] dozfy, [23] and Stevie Shao. [24]

Home

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2022
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202324
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2025

Away

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202223
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2024

Third

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2022
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2023
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2024

Players and staff

Technical staff

Technical staff of Ballard FC
PositionName
Head coach Flag of the United States.svg James Riley
First assistant coach Flag of Zambia.svg Mutanda Kwesele
Assistant coach Flag of the United States.svg Josh Chasan
Head of goalkeeping Flag of the United States.svg Ben Dragavon
Assistant GK coach Flag of the United States.svg Sean Rash
Head of strength & conditioning Flag of the United States.svg Bo Pearson

Roster

Ballard FC roster
PositionNameNumber
Defender Flag of the United States.svg Christian Engmann 2
Forward Flag of the United States.svg Austin Brummett 5
Midfielder Flag of the United States.svg Joe Dale 8
Forward Flag of the United States.svg Richie Aman 11
Midfielder Flag of the United States.svg Ray Mendez 15
Forward Flag of the United States.svg Elliot Spatz 17
Defender Flag of the United States.svg Isaac Ketcham 20
Midfielder Flag of the United States.svg Sean Sent 23
Forward Flag of the United States.svg Charlie Holmes 25
Midfielder Flag of the United States.svg Rafi Otero 8
Midfielder Flag of Armenia.svg Andre Philibbosian 26
Midfielder Flag of the United States.svg Cameron Cruz 27
Goalkeeper Flag of the United States.svg Charlie Lanphier 30
Defender Flag of the United States.svg Luke Hammond 33

Year-by-year

Season records for Ballard FC
YearDivisionLeagueRegular seasonPlayoffs U.S. Open Cup
2022 4 USL League Two 2nd, Northwest DivisionConference FinalsDid not enter
2023 4USL League Two1st, Northwest DivisionChampionsDid not qualify
2024 4USL League Two1st, Northwest DivisionConference Quarterfinals1st Round
2025 4USL League Two1st, Northwest DivisionRunners-up1st Round

Honors

League

Player

Honored players on Ballard FC
YearPlayerCountryPosHonor
2022Ian MejiaFlag of the United States.svg USA FWAll-Western Conference Team [25]
Lesia Thetsane Flag of Lesotho.svg LES DF
2023 Lesia Thetsane Flag of Lesotho.svg LES DFTeam of the Year [26]
Stas KorzeniowskiFlag of the United States.svg USA FWNorthwest Division Player of the Year [27]
2024Christian EngmannFlag of the United States.svg USA DFTeam of the Year [28]
2025Abeselom ZemenfesFlag of Ethiopia.svg ETH MFWestern Conference Player of the Year [29]

References

  1. 1 2 Evans, Jayda (December 1, 2021). "Seattle is getting a minor-league soccer team. Here's how Ballard FC went from vision to reality". The Seattle Times . Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  2. "About – Ballard FC". Ballard FC. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  3. 1 2 Evans, Jayda (May 21, 2022). "Ballard FC kicks off its existence with passionate fan base already installed and an easy win". The Seattle Times. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
  4. Van Belle, Greg (September 21, 2022). "Ballard FC: An Inaugural Season to Remember". Sounder At Heart. Retrieved May 23, 2023.
  5. Evans, Jayda (July 28, 2022). "Ballard FC look to continue 'surreal' run in USL2 playoffs". The Seattle Times. Retrieved May 23, 2023.
  6. Evans, Jayda (May 20, 2023). "Ballard FC looking to build on success of first season in Year 2: 'We set the bar really high'". The Seattle Times. Retrieved May 23, 2023.
  7. "Head Coach Jason Farrell Taking Next Step in Career, Leaving Ballard FC". Ballard FC. July 3, 2023. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
  8. Walker, Meghan (July 18, 2023). "Ballard FC to host U.S. League Two playoffs in Interbay Stadium this weekend". MyBallard. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
  9. Kennedy, Paul (August 5, 2023). "Ballard FC wins USL League Two title" . Soccer America . Retrieved August 6, 2023.
  10. "Lionsbridge FC falls in national championship game on stoppage-time goal near Seattle". The Virginian-Pilot . August 6, 2023. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
  11. Evans, Jayda (August 5, 2023). "Ballard FC prevails in a thrilling USL League Two final". The Seattle Times. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
  12. Evans, Jayda (March 20, 2024). "Ballard FC falls to Spokane Velocity in U.S. Open Cup after late controversy". The Seattle Times. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
  13. "Ballard FC Suffers Heartbreaking Open Cup Defeat to Spokane Velocity in Extra Time" (Press release). Ballard FC. March 20, 2025. Retrieved March 31, 2025.
  14. "Interbay Soccer Stadium". Seattle Pacific Falcons . Retrieved December 23, 2024.
  15. Evans, Jayda (October 11, 2023). "Ballard FC moves matches to Memorial Stadium for 2024 season". The Seattle Times. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
  16. "Welcome to Pagliacci Pitch! Ballard FC Announce Partnership with Pagliacci Pizza" (Press release). Ballard FC. April 10, 2023. Retrieved March 19, 2025.
  17. Van Belle, Greg (October 10, 2023). "Ballard FC will play 2024 season at Memorial Stadium". Sounder At Heart. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
  18. "Playoff Preview: Ballard FC Hosting First Two Rounds at Interbay Stadium". Ballard FC. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  19. "Ballard FC Launches into USL League Two" (Press release). Ballard FC. December 1, 2021. Retrieved April 14, 2024.
  20. "Ballard FC". Flying Eye Design - A Seattle Graphic Designer -. Retrieved April 14, 2024.
  21. "Ballard FC Inaugural Home Jersey Revealed, Available for Pre-Sale". Ballard FC. Retrieved April 14, 2024.
  22. "Introducing the 'Henry Kit'". Ballard FC. Retrieved March 31, 2025.
  23. "The Dozfy Kit". Ballard FC. Retrieved March 31, 2025.
  24. "Ballard FC Release Newest Artist Collaboration "The Stevie Shao Kit"". Ballard FC. Retrieved March 31, 2025.
  25. https://www.uslleaguetwo.com/news_article/show/1238214
  26. https://www.uslleaguetwo.com/news_article/show/1281377
  27. https://www.uslleaguetwo.com/news_article/show/1281338
  28. https://www.uslleaguetwo.com/news_article/show/1317249
  29. https://www.instagram.com/p/DNYUIFtRsSe