FC Offutt gearing up for Defenders Cup

  • Published
  • By Ryan Hansen
  • 55th Wing Public Affairs
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. --  For the third straight year Football Club Offutt will be heading to San Antonio over Labor Day weekend for the Defenders Cup, an annual military soccer tournament.

Last year the team took third place out of 28 teams from around the world and this year they have their eyes set on going even further.

"We have a much stronger team than last year and I anticipate us coming home with the cup," said Cristobal Ibarra, FC Offutt head coach and U.S. Air Force staff sergeant with the 55th Comptroller Squadron.

Ibarra said the competition will be even tougher this year as more military teams are signed up to compete than in recent years.

"It will be harder this year as we will be playing against more teams than ever before," he said. "The Hawaii team is comprised of players from bases all over the island and they had over 100 people show up for their tryouts."

The team has been playing in the highly competitive South Omaha League and Ibarra said that has given them a chance to find their best mix of players as well as a formation that suits their strengths.

"We have changed our formation to meet the needs of the team," he said. "I'm really confident this year."

Leading the team this year are returning veterans Michael Hatch, a U.S. Navy petty officer 3rd class with the 55th Security Forces Squadron, Albert Preli, a U.S. Air Force Airman 1st class with the 1st Air Command Control Squadron, and Nicholas Green, a U.S. Air Force senior airman with the 55th Force Support Squadron.

"We set a standard for ourselves to get better every year and we have done that so far and would like to keep that going," Hatch said.

In addition to those returning from last year's squad, Ibarra said FC Offutt have also added, "some really great players."

Marco Oronos, a U.S. Air Force captain with the 343rd Reconnaissance Squadron, is one of those newcomers as is Marc Sica, a U.S. Air Force senior master sergeant with the 55th Intelligence Support Squadron.

"The new guys are making a huge impact on the team," Preli said.

"They are filling the gaps we need and the spots where old players left the new guys are filling excellent," Hatch said.

"Marco will blow everyone away at the Defender's Cup," Ibarra said.

"We call Marc the commander of our team and with his experience and ability; he will do great things for us," he added.

Ibarra said FC Offutt is blessed to have a few members who are even talented enough to be invited to try out for roster spot on their all-service teams.

"We have five or six players who have been hand-picked by their respective services teams to play for them," he said. "Most teams are lucky to have one such player."

In a final warm-up before the Defenders Cup, FC Offutt will face the Iowa Western Community College Reivers in an exhibition game at Lewis Central High School in Council Bluffs, Iowa, at 7 p.m., Aug. 25.

"I would love to invite all of Team Offutt out to see us play," Ibarra said. "We have a really good team, and we're proud to represent the base."