Triangle Brigade FC

Every year, the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup includes a new batch of amateur clubs hoping to be the tournament’s latest Cinderella story. And every year, TheCup.us introduces soccer fans across the country to these teams that have been the heart and soul of this competition for more than a century. This year, we are expanding our annual “Meet the USASA” series to include the USSSA and US Club Soccer. We bring you “Meet the Underdogs.”

For Triangle Brigade FC coach Jason Sisneros, every moment is an educational opportunity. Each game, each practice, each tournament is a chance to learn and grow with the overall goal to create an elite level of amateur soccer in North Carolina and the surrounding region.

That focus on learning and growth shouldn’t come as a surprise—Sisneros is an assistant coach for the women’s team at the University of North Carolina. Teaching is part of his job description.

As a coach for the UNC women’s team, he often got to work with the UNC men’s club soccer team, against whom the women regularly trained. After observing the club players for a few months, witnessing their work ethic and passion, Sisneros pushed forward with an idea to create an amateur team, Triangle Brigade FC.

“I knew that these guys needed a more consistent environment. This would give guys an opportunity to train, and to play and seek out better competition,” Sisneros said.

The club was launched in January 2014 and gained entry into the Triangle Adult Soccer League (TASL). Pulling from Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill and surrounding areas, more than 50 people tried out and or trained with the team initially. Some of those players are used in TASL, but some players needed even more opportunities to learn and grow.

So, the club tested itself at higher levels. In its first year of existence, Triangle Brigade entered the USASA Region III Open Cup Tournament, with the winner getting a chance to progress to the national tournament as well as earning a berth in the 2015 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

To the surprise of the head coach, the team did not just compete well, it won the tournament. After going 2-1 in the group stage, Brigade beat North Texas champions and perennial Open Cup entrants NTX Rayados 4-1 in the final.

“I personally knew we were capable of competing, but I wasn’t thinking about winning the tournament,” Sisneros said. “It was about testing ourselves at a higher level. We knew we would get to play games against teams that have historically done really well. The tournament really pushed us. We were humble and proud to win.”

In addition to knowing his team would get a chance to compete nationally, Sisneros also scheduled a number of non-league games to push his team. Triangle Brigade has played teams like Gate City SC of the NPSL and the Carolina Railhawks reserves. Sisneros said that the eventual goal is to get Triangle Brigade into the NPSL.

“We have so many different kinds of players and levels,” he said. “I create opportunities for all these different levels of players because it makes everyone better. The best players will push everyone else to higher levels.”

A couple of key players for the Brigade include UNC club player Jonathan Rivera, who played a big role for the team in the Region III tournament and one of the club’s founders, Hayden Gridley. Gridley is back after nursing an injury, and was unable to play at regionals because he was working in Africa. One unknown comodity will be the club’s new Brazilian import Gabrielle De Silva.

The next major hurdle for the team was the USASA National Open Cup Tournament. Drawn against Region I champions Maryland Bays, Triangle Brigade fell to a 4-1 defeat. While he and his team were initially unhappy, they were extremely excited at getting that national experience.

Sisneros said, “Maryland was excellent, which is what we are searching for. We want to know what the best teams are doing and how they play. If you want to be great, you have to find great competition.”

Triangle Brigade will get another chance at “great competition” in this year’s US Open Cup. The team was drawn away to the NPSL’s Upward Stars out of South Carolina. The game will take place at 7 p.m. on May 13. Looming large is a potential second-round contest against the Charlotte Independence, a newly-formed pro team from the USL.

“If we are able to advance and play a professional club, it’d be huge and so much fun. It’d be a dream come true opportunity for our guys,” Sisneros said.

But for now, Triangle Brigade is taking things one step at a time, focusing on its first-ever Open Cup match. One thing is certain—Sisneros will make sure, win or lose, his team learns something from the experience.

Michael Berton is a freelance soccer writer out of the Philadelphia area. He also works at the Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia and you can follow him on Twitter @MichaelBerton.