If there's one thing that is certain, as the Carolina Railhawks prepare to take up the fight in the USL D1 in 2007, it is that they are in an envious position. The support in Cary looks promising, the stadium is an absolute asset and there is ownership with a track record backing them up. Being in one of the richest areas for college soccer players should also prove valuable when it comes to recruiting them to the professional ranks before or after graduation.
A lot of people, hopefully the local press will not be among them, will bring up the past efforts in the Triangle area of North Carolina to dampen spirits as this club gear up for 2007. However, there's a lot more to be optimistic about this time around.
With the news coming out of player signings it appears that they could shape up to be quite the rival for clubs in the USL D1. The sooner the club wins games and shows it is up to the task of playing at this level, logic would follow, that the home support would grow.
SAS Soccer Park has the potential to be just as nice a facility as Paetec, Blackbaud, and Re/Max Greater Atlanta with a little more fine-tuning and added amenities. From the ground up, though, it gives this club a much better starting point than past attempts in this area. Heck, it gives them a better position than most expansion teams that have shown up in the USL over the years.
Then you have to turn an eye to the team itself, which starts with their coach. As much as some fans around the league might not like the style of Scott Schweitzer, ask around in Charleston if you are wondering, you have to admit that he brings something to the table as coach of this new team that few managers have right off the bat: respect from players as a recent player. Add to the mix a player that many fans will willingly share their opinions on, Chris Carrieri, and you already have the makings of a team that will cause some sort of stir around the league.
W. Jarrett Campbell of the Triangle Soccer Fanatics, supporters club for the 'hawks, addressed this with uslfans.com saying, "For years, the Rhinos have been the model of how to run a USL pro soccer franchise in this country and with our administration bringing that experience here, I'm 100% confident that pro soccer will succeed in the Triangle where it has had a rocky past." He went on to say, "With the number of players and front office staff involved in Cary that have had a part in the winning tradition that Rochester has shown over the last 11 years, I think it's safe to say that the RailHawks will come out of the gate with big ambitions." Take this how you want if you are a fan of another club in the league but until someone proves their ambitions to be false you will have a hard time convincing their supporters that they are not on their way to being a worthy rival to the Rhinos' legacy.
Speaking of other clubs in this equation, specifically with regard to Atlanta and Charleston, it looks like we could have the makings of a far more interesting Southern Derby this year. All three clubs should be very competitive in the 2007 season based on past pedigree for the Battery and Silverbacks and the early signs in Cary are promising. The Railhawks might not light the league up in the first try but if they carry the style and attitude of their coach they will prove to be formidable to break down especially on their home turf. The other promising thing to note about this rivalry will be that all three clubs will also be playing essentially in their own stadiums. Granted, the Railhawks are not the sole intended tenant of SAS but they have to be considered the anchor for it.
Campbell already looks forward to their inclusion in the Southern Derby. "There's quite a few fans around here that would like to see a Triangle area team hoist the Southern Derby Cup again for the first time since its inaugural competition in 2000 when the Raleigh Capital Express took the title." says Campbell. He also says the supporters are looking forward to road trips to the exotic locales of Blackbaud and Re/Max Stadiums as well as visits to Virginia Beach and maybe even a trip to the U-20 World Cup hosted by Canada this summer if it so happens that their team will be playing in Montreal or Rochester during that stretch.
The supporters in Cary have a lot of things going for them. Hopefully, their numbers will grow into a fanbase large enough to be the envy of those around the league. The front office has been cordial as the supporters' efforts have been met with enthusiastic appropriation from management. Campbell says, "the entire front office staff at the franchise have been absolutely fantastic!" and that "With the front office's help, Triangle Soccer Fanatics has already been able to establish ourselves as a very active supporters club in the community and we hope to have large numbers of fans in the south end of SAS Soccer Park from match one." If the supporters are able to keep a positive rapport whilst keeping some autonomy intact it should blossom into a healthy relationship all around.
The Railhawks could prove to be the prototypical expansion franchise, the model the USL points to when prospective owners contact the league offices and a motivator for existing teams to raise their game on and off the field. However, the many teams that have taken breaks, demoted themselves to lower leagues or just shut up shop indicates the cautionary tale that is life in the USL. Still, one has to look at the situation in Cary as one brimming with tremendous potential for success and almost minimal risk. Here's hoping when the gates are flung open for the Railhawks' home opener that they get a packed house and start realizing that potential.
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