April 4, 2016. First practice, first season.
"Today is the first practice day for our season. This is a dream come true for me. We have been working really, really hard and this is it — this is the day, this is the start. We're not gonna take it lightly. Even though it's our first year, we want to make history. We expect to do a good job, and to make the finals." — Anderson Da Silva
Seven seasons on, we have advanced to the playoffs six times, and no club in Florida has been more consistently competitive in USL League Two.
2016. Southeast Division champions in our first season.
2018. Southern Conference champions.
2019. A trip to Al Lang Stadium in St Petersburg to play Tampa Bay Rowdies in the U.S. Open Cup — a club two tiers above us.
"This is a special tournament that we have the privilege to participate in. I told them, look — if you ever dream about playing a professional game, in a professional environment, this is it. You're going to step onto a beautiful field, with a big crowd, in a nice stadium, playing against a professional team. So I told them to enjoy it and play with their heart." — Anderson Da Silva
Also 2019: our first practice on our own field.
"Just seeing the way it is right now — it's all green, because we've been doing grading for quite some time. This is our new baby now. My aunt and I were walking on the field yesterday and we looked at each other going: is this real? It looks so nice. It's like a carpet."
"Coach Sergio, our goalkeeper coach, and I were joking around. I said, okay, once we put the goal together, I'll go and score the first goal. He said no, no — if you take a shot, I'm going to save the first ball."
The first match on it was June 8, 2019, a 4–2 win over FC Miami City.
And that season we won the division at home, decided by a goal from Gabriel Cabral.
"I saw the play developing on the opposite side. My idea was only to get in the box, and I just followed through. I'm glad the ball came to my feet and then I just had to work to put it in the back of the net." — Gabriel Cabral
"We had the chance to win the season in our home facility. Everything is new here. Being able to finish it here with the trophy, with the title, with the qualification — everything is amazing. Celebrating with the team and with the fans. We're not going to stop now." — Anderson Da Silva
2021. Another divisional championship.
2022. Back to Al Lang Stadium for the second round of the Open Cup against the Rowdies — and this time some of our Villages High School players were in the squad.
"The professionals just show their quality, but I think we took to it. We had some good instances where we had good possession. Overall I think the boys did really well."
"It's a dream come true to be able to play this team — not just to learn from them, but to see how they play. And under the lights is nice."
"I worked really hard to be here. I gave my all in practices. It wasn't given to me — I earned it in practice. I just came out, had fun, and tried my best to help the team."
One of that group is Joao, who worked his way up from ball boy to a place in this squad.
"Coach doesn't give it to us. We have to earn it, every practice and every game. But it's been really fun, and great being part of The Villages as a family. Being a Buffalo."
2023. We moved our home matches to The Range at The Villages High School's Buffalo Ridge campus — golf cart accessible, more stands, better facilities for the people who come.
"We play to represent the club and to represent the people. If it's better for them that we play at the high school, then that's the sacrifice we needed to make." — Pedro Santos
And this month we won a fourth Southeast Division Championship.
Commitment. Discipline. Sacrifice.
Friday we play Little Rock Rangers in the Southern Conference Championship, in Newport News, Virginia.
