“By the time we get to the home opener, it will look and feel different...”

Dan Rutstein, President of Business Operations for Orange County Soccer Club, announced to the small gathering at media day, referencing the new deal that the team had come to with the City of Irvine at the end of 2023. OCSC, fresh off of an appearance in the Western Conference Semifinals, goes into 2024 with the bulk of their previous year’s squad intact, including now-permanent head coach Morten Karlsen. Add on the fact that the team will be in Championship Soccer Stadium for the next five years (and likely an additional five after that), and it seems that things are business as usual for the 2021 USL Championship Champions.

But in fact, if there was a throughline for the entire theme and atmosphere of media day, it was this one sentence from Dan.

A spattering of reporters, journalists, and podcasters arrived Tuesday prior to the opening weekend of the season and were greeted by a fresh OCSC banner emblazoned over the gates into Championship Stadium. People trickled in and took their seats shortly before media day began just before 12pm. It began with Dan and Peter Nugent, recently promoted to President of Soccer Operations and General Manager, taking questions from the crowd. From early on in the press conference, it was clear that the team is excited for 2024 and beyond, and folks got the sense that there was something different in the air this season. Dan talked about how the stadium deal has allowed them to feel like this is OCSC’s home now, and they no longer feel that they are “tenants in an empty stadium”. And it’s true; from the new banner to the new concession stands that are being finalized, there is a new sense of permanence for the club. And, as we saw at the end of 2023 with our friends south down the 5, permanence is never a guarantee in the USL. But you wouldn’t know that from listening to Dan and Peter speak.

The new President and GM beamed as he discussed how positive it has been to see other teams around the league attempt to replicate Orange County’s success at fielding a competitive team in the league while simultaneously setting record transfer fees and sending players abroad. Peter voiced his dedication to the “Support Local” mantra that the County Line Coalition echoes, acknowledging the high number of players on the team who are from California, including Ashton Miles, the first member of OCSC II to sign a contract with the first team. Peter and Dan emphasized that their goal is to prove to players that there is a viable pathway to professional soccer that runs through Orange County.

Helping players learn how to succeed in Europe is a primary objective for Dan and Peter, but they’re also committed to competing, including in the US Open Cup. They noted that, for young kids in England, the pinnacle of success is playing in the FA Cup, and that cup competitions are a vital part to a healthy soccer culture in any country. Especially in a country that does not have promotion and relegation, the open format of the cup should be protected, and both men are excited to compete for hardware in both the USL and the USOC.

As questions wrapped for Dan and Peter, Head Coach Morten Karlsen, in full training raiment, jogged up from the stands and took a seat at the table. I asked him about balancing league play with the Open Cup, and he said he knows that the team can focus on both, and confidence from one competition will help the other. He expressed that he loves the energy of this team and wants to continue working to get better. Echoing Dan and Peter’s sentiments, he likes to win, but he also likes to see players develop and succeed at higher levels beyond OCSC. He reported positive developments from the pre-season, saying that it’s always a work in progress to integrate new players into the team, and he’s been working to identify strengths and weaknesses prior to opening weekend. Several new players, such as Ethan Zubak and Cameron Dunbar, help at positions of need on the team, and Coach Karlsen cited that there’s an increase in competition for minutes on the team. When asked about the departure of perennial Golden Boot contender Milan Iloski, Coach Karlsen said it’s an opportunity for other players to pop up. Before ceding the floor to the players, Coach Karlsen said that “experts” ranking OCSC low gave the team fuel last season, and he feels the team can be even stronger this year. He repeated his insistence that the team added several quality players.

A number of players were then available to the media for questions, interviews, and soundbites (be sure to tune in each week to the Orange & Black Soccercast for some of these moments). Not all players were available, but there was a great mix of new faces (Zubak, Dunbar) and seasoned veterans (Seth Casiple, Colin Shutler, Brian Iloski). As this was my first media day, this was the highlight of the day. So often as fans, we forget the stories behind the numbers and names on the kits, and getting to chat with and interact with so many players helped to remind me of some of those stories (and introduce me to some new ones as well; for example, did you know that Cameron Dunbar makes music?). One player that stood out for me was Brian Iloski. Soft spoken and humble, but with a good sense of humor (he heard they’re building a statue for him outside the stadium), Brian expressed how much he’s enjoyed his time with the club, and the team will do everything they can to bring another championship to Orange County.

As players cycled through, it was easy to see and feel that there was something special about this year. All the players we spoke to talked about the team in glowing terms. Whether they were new faces or vets like Seth Casiple (who confirmed he loves our chant for him), it was clear that this team and community means a lot to all involved. There’s a camaraderie among the team, and watching the players and staff interact with one another, it’s clear that this is more than just a soccer team, full of good natured ribbing (Coach Karlsen’s favorite Iloski is “the one he hasn’t met yet”) and a deep well of support. OCSC is an opportunity. It’s an opportunity to make a statement that soccer, local soccer especially, matters. And with the recent “For County” kit reveal, it’s clear that the team embraces their connection to Orange County and the supporters in a way that not every sports team would do.

There is a bit of a shroud over US Soccer right now with MLS’ abhorrent decision to drastically reduce their participation in the US Open Cup as well as USSF’s decision to not hold the top league in the country accountable for blatantly skirting their D-1 requirements. But within that shroud, there are pockets of sunshine and warmth that exemplify what soccer in the United States could aspire to. And on a sunny Tuesday in Irvine, CA, we all found one of those pockets in our own backyard.

Editor: We’re still working through all our Media Day video, but you can catch them on our YouTube Channel Playlist as we find time in our busy personal lives. We’re also posting updates to social media so keep an eye on our Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or TikTok.