WRCBtv.com | Chattanooga News, Weather & SportsChattanooga Football Club puts its best foot forward in first season

Chattanooga Football Club puts its best foot forward in first season

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WRCB) -- Like many soccer standouts around the area, CSAS graduate Elliot Anderson has been waiting awhile for an opportunity to play at the next level.

But that wait ended this summer for Anderson and the chosen few who earned their way onto the Chattanooga Football Club.

"I've lived in Chattanooga my whole life, so 24 years is a long time to wait for it. But I know a lot of the older guys have been waiting a lot longer," said Anderson.

"I think the youngest player's 18, and the oldest player's 32. So it's a great age gap, just with players who are very skilled."

As a member of the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), this semi-pro team boasts the best set of booters this area's ever seen.

"We're that minor league team for soccer in the area, and we're the next level of soccer," said Baylor School head coach Jimmy Weekley, who serves as an assistant for Chattanooga FC.

In addition to the top local talent, the team has pulled from the international ranks to bring in rising stars from around the globe.  Countries represented on this year's inaugural squad include Scotland, Mexico, Honduras, and Canada.

"We're a different variety of cultures, but we connect really well. We have a lot of banter, a lot of laughs," said Joshua Scott, who hails from England.

"It's really neat seeing the guys mesh together, from a kid to scotland, to a kid from canada, and then a local guy in there and seeing how they create a friendship," said Weekley.

They've also created quite a buzz in their debut campagin.

The team has won two in a row heading into Saturday night's contest at Finley Stadium, where its first two home matches have already attracted nearly 3,000 fans.

"Being a first-year program, I really wasn't expecting anything great," said Scott.  "But to be honest with you, I couldn't have asked for anything more, from the professionalism, to the organization."

Between the CFC's support success in such a short time, the sky seems to be the limit for this first-year franchise.

"It's been beyond our dreams so far, and we're just looking to build on it each game and looking forward to working on next year when we get to that point," said Weekley.

Saturday's 7pm kickoff with Rocket City is the team's third of four home games this year.  They're currently 2-2 this season after beating South Division-leading Atlanta FC last week on the road.

The team's final home game at Finley Stadium is July 4th at Finley Stadium.