Brave SC is no stranger to high expectations.
This year, though, the expectations have only increased, following the best season in the club’s history, which included Southeast Division and Southern Conference titles in 2023 and ended in a penalty kick shootout in the USL League Two semifinal.
“We raised the bar last year, so the expectations are high,” returning goalkeeper Mathias Tieppo said. “We feel that we owe the staff and the fans and everybody from the club the national championship. We got so close and lost on PK’s, so we are hungry for it.”
With several players from last year’s roster returning to the squad in 2024, that motivation of coming so close to the ultimate goal is driving Brave’s new additions, too.
“Talking to the boys, there’s that feeling of not having accomplished what we want,” midfielder Fabio Rodrigues said. “We haven’t gotten there, so I think it’s fueled us a lot to come to practice, give 100%, play aggressive, and I think that’s definitely a good fuel to push us to make history and win that national championship.”
That will be the ultimate goal this summer and the only feather remaining to add to the Buffalo’s already impressive cap, having won their conference twice, their division four times, and qualified for the playoffs in every season of the club’s history, save one.
However, the regular season is not to be overlooked, especially in the ultra-competitive Southeast Division.
“The expectation is high and, right away, we think about how all that was left from last season was to win the title,” head coach Anderson DaSilva said. “However, we’re in a very tough division and we need to really focus on qualifying for playoffs, which requires us to do well in our division. I don’t want our boys to lose focus in thinking that we’re already there. Obviously, that’s the ultimate goal, but we need to have both feet on the ground and focus on the first step, which is to win the division.”
The season begins with a pair of road tests — the season opener against the perennially strong Florida Elite in St. Johns and against League Two newcomer Brooke House FC out of Orlando.
“The points at the beginning are very important,” DaSilva said. “You don’t want to get to the end of the season depending on other teams to win to make it through. You want to get to the last three or four games already qualified — that would be the best scenario. We’re not taking the beginning of the season lightly. We know how important it is, especially playing two away games without our fans being there.”
Both DaSilva and the players are optimistic about the talent of this year’s group, though. The Buffalo feature returning players in every section of the field and added talent around them that can match or improve on last year’s roster.
“I’m really optimistic,” Tieppo said. “We had some guys that came back, which gives us some structure because we already know each other, but also some new guys that aren’t a drop-off from the guys they’re replacing, so I think we’re going to be just as competitive as last year.”
DaSilva and the players all noted that the on-ball skill across the lineup is strong, but it’s the passion of this team that the fans will be able to see clearly when the Buffalo make their home debut against Brevard SC June 1 at the H.G. Morse Range.
“They can expect a lot of effort, a lot of guys who will die for the badge,” defender Leo Andrade said. “I think we have a strong sense of that this year.”
Brave SC will open the season at 7 p.m. May 20 against Florida Elite at Creekside High School in St. Johns.
For more information about Brave SC, including the roster and complete schedule, or to purchase tickets, visit BraveSC.com.