By KELLY HALL 

Daily Sports Writer

A teenage YMCA volunteer 

crouched in the grass and aimed 
her radar gun at a five-year-old girl, 
who pumped her arms, lengthened 
her stride and bolted through the 
agility course.

“Thirteen miles per hour,” the 

volunteer told the young AFC Ann 
Arbor fan, who squealed with 
delight.

It may not have been the main 

event at Hollway Field at Pioneer 
High School on May 1, but it was 
definitely a highlight for the girl’s 
father, who high-fived his daughter 
after her flat-out sprint and reward-
ed her with a freshly-made donut 
from one of the local food trucks.

On the field adjacent to the 

YMCA course full of small victo-
ries, Associate Football Club Ann 
Arbor’s inaugural game in the Great 
Lakes Premier League was set to 
begin. The players come from all 
different skill levels, and about half 
are associated with the University 
of Michigan, competing at the club 
and varsity level. The other half 
comes from all over the nation, and 
some from across the world.

To the crowd’s enjoyment, two 

skydivers delivered the game ball 
from the cloudless blue sky just 
before kickoff. Over 2,000 fans 
attended 
the 
inaugural 
game, 

and the Main Street Hooligans — 
AFCAA’s rowdier fans — banged 
drums and delivered a bevy of 
chants from behind the home bench 
as the skydivers descended onto the 
field.

The chants projected across the 

pitch to the families sitting in the 
grandstand, where the bleachers 
were littered with green- and blue-
clad fans. Some donned apparel 
that boasted the team’s slogan, 
“Strength in the Oak.”

Even after the 2-1 loss to San 

Marino, fans crowded the tables 
where players signed autographs. 
All throughout the stadium, it was 
clear that the city’s newest team 
had planted its roots in the heart of 
Ann Arbor.

***
A ragtag group of players make 

up the roster. Two play on Michi-
gan’s club team, five compete at the 
varsity level and three used to rep-
resent the block ‘M’ in their college 
years.

There are 12 Division I soccer 

players on the roster, five of which 
play for Michigan: redshirt sopho-
more defender Michael Kapitula, 
redshirt 
sophomore 
midfielder 

Tyler Anderson, sophomore mid-
fielder Tristan Jacob, junior defend-
er Lars Eckenrode and senior 
defender Jack Brown.

Of the five, only Ann Arbor native 

Jacob was available for the inaugu-
ral match against San Marino. It 
was Jacob’s first day of eligibility, 
and also his first time playing with 
his new teammates.

Jacob graduated from Pioneer 

High School in 2014, but hasn’t 
played on Hollway Field in three 
years. He didn’t play for Pioneer in 
his final two seasons because of his 
involvement with the Crew Soc-
cer Academy Wolves, so he feels 
that he’s finally getting that missed 
experience back.

“It was great,” Jacob said. “My 

family was here, and I saw so many 
of my friends’ families here. Even 
my neighbors came out, and it made 
for an amazing atmosphere.”

Jacob is awaiting the arrival of 

his Michigan teammates, many of 
which went home for a week to visit 
with family, and he can’t wait to 
practice with them once more.

AFCAA coach David Hebestreit 

(pronounced heeb-street) is look-
ing forward to having the rest of his 
players for the summer as well.

“We’re waiting for 12 Division I 

players to show up, but that doesn’t 
mean the players that were here 
tonight won’t compete,” Hebestreit 

said following the May 1 loss to San 
Marino. “I think Lars Eckenrode 
will be a huge addition when it 
comes to leadership out of the back. 
Tonight we had good play out of the 
back, but we didn’t have leadership 
out of the back, and I think Lars will 
bring that.”

There are also players from Col-

gate, Xavier, Stony Brook, Albany 
and Liberty. The team boasts more 
than just players from all over the 
United States though.

“We have players from Switzer-

land, Nigeria, Germany and colleges 
all across the United States,” Hebe-
streit said. “It’s not a challenge at all 
— I mean it can be challenging (but) 
it’s not something I don’t want to do.

“I find it remarkably energizing 

to bring all of these people together 
and get into a training sessions and 
just let everyone be themselves and 
see what we can do with it.”

***
This isn’t the first time Hebe-

streit has brought a community 
together.

He has been the coach of the 

Michigan club soccer team for nine 
years, while also teaching creative 
writing, composition and literature 
at Livonia Public Schools. Now, 
he can tack on another title: head 
coach of AFC Ann Arbor.

“All three jobs are the same 

thing,” Hebestreit said. “All three 
jobs are community building, work-
ing with young adults and trying 
to help make an impact on their 
growth, whether that be in the 
classroom or on the field.

“I feel so fortunate, like I stum-

bled and somehow fell into a pot of 
honey. The ownership group bal-
looned, and then the community 
got involved, and then the players 
showed up. It’s really an amazing 
thing and I feel so fortunate to be a 
part of it.”

Hebestreit keeps in close contact 

with Michigan coach Chaka Daley, 
updating him on his players’ chal-
lenges and improvements. Unlike 
most colleges, where there’s a clear 
divide between the club and varsity 
level, Hebestreit has maintained a 
close relationship with Daley.

The two work together at the 

prospective player camp in the sum-
mer, allowing Hebestreit to become 
familiar with all of the club and var-
sity players. It made the transition 
to minor league soccer easier for 
some of the varsity members.

His familiarity with the game 

and the community seem to be 
working for AFCAA so far.

“I think it’s pretty evident that 

the team is important to the com-
munity,” Hebestreit said. “Our first 
game, which was just a friendly, had 
2,500 people there. It was just won-
derful, the whole event.” 

***
While attending a game at Hol-

lway field, there are two different 
seating options. The field is simply 
laid out, with an east section labeled 
“a little rowdier” and a “family seat-
ing” section on the west.

From the get-go, AFCAA’s co-

owners aimed to have both fan 
groups. According to co-owner 

Adam Lowenstein, both crowds are 
necessary for the team’s success.

“I think it will be something that 

people really look forward to every 
summer,” Lowenstein said. “Some-
thing that is engrained in the fabric 
of Ann Arbor, just like Top of the 
Park or Sonic Lunch.”

Adam Schmader sat on the oppo-

site side of the field while his two ele-
mentary-aged sons ran around with 
friends. He goes to some Michigan 
men’s soccer games with his fam-
ily, but was happy to hear that Ann 
Arbor would have its own team.

He enjoyed the game while his 

children explored. They could have 
been down by the fence watching 
the game, in the YMCA Kids Skills 
Area or listening to live music while 
eating snacks from one of the food 
trucks.

Fans are accustomed to buying 

name-brand foods from large cor-
porations at most sporting events, 
but AFCAA’S dining options are 
different. The trucks are all owned 
by locals, and they serve as a tes-
tament to Hebestreit’s dream of a 
soccer club and community inter-
twining. 

***
Since May 1, AFCAA has tacked 

on another loss with the absence of 
the majority of its 12 Division I play-
ers, but it also recorded its first vic-
tory in club history.

In its win against AFC Cleveland, 

the connection to the University 
was quite evident.

“We had eight or nine players that 

had ties to Michigan, so that makes 
it a little bit easier, but I thought the 
morale and chemistry was pretty 
spectacular yesterday,” Hebestreit 
said. “Even in those tough moments 
when we were up 3-0 and gave up 
two goals, there was no yelling at 
each other and people were still 
supporting one another.”

Its second home game is on May 

15 against Oakland United, and Ann 
Arbor fans can expect to see their 
neighbors, both in the stands and 
on the field. They can expect to see 
kids running through the YMCA 
skills course, trying to break their 
previous record.

And most importantly, they can 

expect to see their family to grow 
from beyond that of the Big House 
just across the street. With a pas-
sionate coach and a vibrant com-
munity, the ‘Oak’ can only grow 
stronger.

12

Thursday, May 14, 2015
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
SPORTS

ALLISON FARRAND/Daily

AFC Ann Arbor has developed as a community-oriented soccer club, and returns to Hollway Field Friday at 7:00.

AFCAA plants its roots in Ann Arbor

ALEXANDRIA BODFISH/Daily

