FireBall become pleasant surprise

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They could have had years to plan, instead of months.

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They could have fielded more seasoned upperclassmen, instead of mostly college freshmen. They could have built a permanent stadium, instead of throwing up bleachers in a community park.

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The Augusta FireBall could have had every detail meticulously in place for its inaugural soccer season and it wouldn't have prevented the one primary flaw.

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Rain.

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The weather wreaked havoc on the FireBall's debut Premier Development League season - particularly at home where two games were cancelled and a third was called at halftime, leading to the club's lone home loss in four outings.

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"We had the worst luck," said owner/coach Alec Papadakis of the weather that condensed the already truncated United Soccer League PDL schedule to a scant four local appearances.

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Weather permitting, the FireBall will give one final performance Saturday evening at Patriots Park before dispersing for the school year. The FireBall will play host to Atlanta's Super Y team at 5 p.m. in an exhibition game.

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Papadakis said the bad weather never dampened anyone's enthusiasm for Augusta's newest sports franchise. The general feeling among the players and coaches is that they can't wait to get back to Augusta next summer. In fact, they can't wait to make themselves even more at home.

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"If you can believe it, they all want to live in Augusta full time next year," Papadakis said of his squad, which spent the bulk of this summer commuting from places such as Birmingham, Ala., and Atlanta. "Having players in Augusta will make a difference. Having to commute took it's toll."

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The transient work factor was one of the many logistical issues the FireBall needed to contend with, having thrown together the PDL franchise in a little more than three months. Considering everything, they couldn't complain too much about what they got in return.

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"For sure it has been a lot better than I expected," Papadakis said. "I was not expecting the response we received from citizens of Augusta. We had to prove ourselves that we can bring quality team to Augusta and I think we did that."

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The FireBall have tried to bond with the community through a simple philosophy - never say no to anything. From free youth clinics to visits with the local hospitals, the youthful players have developed a fan base that served them well.

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"The interaction of players with fans was the biggest drawing card," general manager Brad Usry said.

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Averaging around 600 paid fans per home game, the FireBall ended up being the third-best draw in the 54-team developmental league. The local support from youth soccer players and their parents was strong enough that other franchises have been calling to figure out how they did it.

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"It was quite a scene there," Papadakis said of the makeshift stadium at Patriots Park that accounted for more spectators than the ones who officially paid. "All the bleachers were full and people stood around on the hill."

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"We think we can make that better," Usry said of the franchise's long-range goal of building a soccer specific stadium in Columbia County.

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Next summer, the FireBall will be a full-fledged league member eligible to compete for a spot in the playoffs after the 16-game regular season schedule. This year's 6-7 record revealed just how much harder the club will have to work to compete with the more established programs.

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"We could use a couple more players as far as depth," Papadakis said. "We know what level we need to reach to compete for a championship. As far as the level of competition, we're fairly close. There are always areas to improve."

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This transitional year was not about results, it was about support. Papadakis was so encouraged by the FireBall's initial foray into the Augusta market, the Atlanta lawyer is moving ahead with plans for expanding the scope of the local soccer scene. He'll meet Saturday to discuss starting Super Y boys and girls teams next summer. A year later he thinks he'll have a W League women's program up and running.

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"Everything was done in a hurry this year," Papadakis said. "We take each step now as it comes."

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To make it even more successful in the future, Papadakis plans to sit down with leaders from all of the various area youth programs to make sure they understand that the benefits can reach far beyond the home base in Columbia County.

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"The Super Y is something that can be shared by all the clubs," he said, "so I have to sit down with all the organizations and get them to be more involved."

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The county and club officials are in the midst of applying for grants to help fund a soccer-specific stadium.

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"Patriots Park did a marvelous job in a short period," Papadakis said. "We need to improve in presenting a more entertaining environment."

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Unless the future plans call for a domed facility, however, summer rain will always be a built-in factor.

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"We'll have to do better with the guy upstairs," Papadakis said.

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Reach Scott Michaux at (706) 823-3219 or scott.michaux@augustachronicle.com.

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