Players from all over the world on the team hope to advance their careers
Henderson, which has always had a passionate sports community, has now embraced semi-professional soccer with the founding of Reál Henderson SC.
The club played its inaugural match on March 21, battling the Midwest Hooligans, out of Evansville, to a 1-1 draw.
The two teams figure to strike up a bitter rivalry in the coming years. The founding of Reál Henderson SC, however, is not just about bringing competitive soccer to the area, but also building a deep connection to the community and growing a love for the sport.
Reál Henderson SC is a member of the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL), playing in its KY-TN division. Its home matches will be hosted at the new Deaconess Henderson SportsPlex.
The UPSL serves as a bridge to the higher levels of professional soccer in the American structure. Many players and coaches join the league hoping to develop their skills and increase their exposure, while a select few are able to achieve higher aspirations such as reaching Major League Soccer.
UPSL allows teams from all over the country to compete even with limited time and resources. UPSL consists of nearly 400 clubs nationwide operating in the fourth tier of U.S. soccer, with MLS being the highest.
There is no system of promotion or relegation in American soccer as there is in many other leagues worldwide. However, even teams in lower levels of competition, such as UPSL, have the potential to qualify for and compete in the U.S. Open Cup, giving teams of all levels the chance to compete against elite competition, including against MLS teams.
This was a major draw for team founder and owner Brandon Potts, who started Reál Henderson as a way to continue his soccer career, while providing a semi-professional outlet for the growing pool of local soccer talent.
“When I played college soccer, I wasn’t fortunate enough to get a lot of playing time, so once that chapter was sealed, I was looking for competitive soccer,” Potts stated. “I moved back to Henderson almost two years ago and was playing in Liga and the annual Henderson County alumni game and noticed some quality talent here. I decided it was enough talent to create
another team that could thrive.”
The name Reál Henderson SC was chosen as a nod to many of the well-known teams in La Liga, Spain’s highest level of competition. Most notably, even casual fans would likely recognize Reál Madrid, which was home to Cristiano Ronaldo among its many other well-known superstars.
Reál Henderson’s colors are navy, gold, and maroon. The word Reál translates to “royal” in Spanish, leading many of these teams to include a crown in their logo as Henderson’s team has. The maroon coloring happened to be a coincidence fitting with the city’s history.
“You could almost say this city was built for a team as Henderson is a royal, historic town offering great activities such as Ellis Park and John James Audubon to name a few,” Potts said.
When it comes to player selection, Potts said the team is always looking for commitment. He wants players who “want to be here and are hungry to win.” That has led to the formation of a large roster with players from all over the world, as well as many players from Henderson and other communities in western Kentucky. The team currently sports 46 players, representing 13 different countries and all walks of life, including at least two current high schoolers.
Such a large roster is necessary, as many of the players have varying availability due to playing with other teams, mostly at the collegiate level.
“So far, one of the challenges we have faced is trying to figure out a 20-man roster because we have a good group of guys that have gelled together in a fast manner,” Potts said. “Player selection will change from situation to situation as some teams may require a different personnel group on the pitch.”
Leading the way for Reál Henderson is a team of local soccer minds. Josh Benton is the head coach, with Kyle Lambert and Kevin Shields serving as assistants. Dominic Nunez is the team’s administrator and Director of Community Relations.
“We want to get the community involved, from youth players to parents, so we can grow and hopefully be successful this season,” Benton stated of one of his team’s main goals.
Benton expects his team only to need a few games to “get its feet wet” due to the level of talent they have been able to acquire, noting that around “60 or 70%” of their players are playing in college. He describes himself as an offensive coach and would like to see his team be aggressive on the attack once they’ve adjusted to the league’s gameplay.
“I think we can finish in the top four unless something’s changed with some of the teams that I saw last year (in UPSL),” Benton said. “We should be pretty competitive.”
Benton’s oldest son, Jace, has been named one of two captains for the team, along with Ahmed Abdullahi. Benton also has another son on the team, Jax, who will play with Reál Henderson temporarily as he continues to pursue a pro career overseas. All three Bentons played soccer for Henderson County High School at some point in their careers.
“It’s a great honor. It’s what I’ve dreamed of being for a while; to be seen by professional coaches and teams from all around. This is a great opportunity for me to make it further,” Jace Benton said.
Reál Henderson’s goal to be a “pathway to the pros” has already begun to pay dividends. Two of its players, Dominic Blanford, a junior at Madisonville-North Hopkins, and Gabe Sandefur, a senior at Daviess County, have been given the opportunity to travel to Valencia, Spain, near the end of May for a 10-day training session with both professional coaches and scouts. More information about these players and their journey can be found at their fundraising website.
Nunez is excited for what the future holds for Reál Henderson SC, stating that the KY-TN division plays host to some of the best competition in the country. Nunez specifically mentioned his club’s upcoming match against Tennessee Tempo FC, who are the reigning national champions. He wants to see a large home crowd when Tennessee Tempo visits the Plex at 2 p.m. on April 4.
Potts and Nunez also hope that they can build a devoted fan base in Henderson as they grow their community connections.
“The fan experience should be quite fun as most of our players are from the 270 community,
creating a more personal experience rather than random players here to obtain a salary. It will be pure soccer and for the love of the game as these players are trying to find ways to make it to the next stage in their soccer careers,” Potts said.
Fans can follow Reál Henderson on Facebook and their Instagram, @realhendersonsoccer. Updates on their roster, schedule, and results can be found on their website realhendersonsc.com. Links to fan gear and other merchandise can be found on all their social media pages. See home and away schedules below.
