Ventura County Fusion feeling right at home in inaugural season
Pro soccer team's roster filled with TOHS graduates
By Thomas Gase tgase@theacorn.com

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers BATTLE FOR THE BALL- Ventura County Fusion's Dylan Riley, left, fends off San Jose Frog Daniel DeGeer during recent match.

They may be a first-year team in the United Soccer League's Premier Development League, but the Ventura County Fusion franchise is playing like it's been around for years.

The Fusion, who are the only professional team in Ventura County, are currently in fourth place in the Southwest Division, with a record of 7-3-1, and have yet to lose a game at home, where they are 5-0.

General manager Ranbir Shergill said he's not surprised with the team's success.

"What we planned from the outset is what we've achieved," Shergill said. "The only thing I've been surprised at is that there wasn't a team here before us. It's been a great community, and the fans have really supported us well."

About 18 months ago Shergill founded the Fusion and in the process became the youngest general manager in professional sports at age 26. Soon after, a series of tryouts took place consisting of more than 250 players competing for 25 roster spots.

"We've been successful this year because of the people we have working on the field and off," Shergill said.

"Guys like Steve Hoffman, Rudy Ybarra, Ross Greaney and John Daykin have been a tremendous help. Put that together with a team that's been winning, and everything has worked out how we've wanted it to."

The team now consists of seven players from either UC Santa Barbara or UCLA, the two teams that competed in the 2006 NCAA Men's Soccer Championship game. Eric Avila, who scored one of the two goals for UCSB in the title game, is on the Fusion roster.

"This area is a real hotbed for great soccer players," Shergill said. "There is a lot of quality talent from this area, and the community does a great job rallying around this team."

Joining Avila on the roster are four ex-Thousand Oaks High players: Dylan Riley, Chance Myers, Jason Leopoldo and Diego Barrera. Barrera's brother, Daniel, is on the roster and attends TOHS.

"This year has been so much fun for me," Riley said. "It's been like a high school reunion playing with some of these guys again."

Myers echoed Riley's statement.

"I never would have thought two years ago that a bunch of us would be playing here on the same team," Myers said. "I think that's one reason why we have been good this year is we are all so used to playing with each other."

Head coach Graham Smith said he's been pleased with his team, adding that many of his players have the potential to play on a major league soccer team or elsewhere around the globe.

"I know that a lot of our players are capable of being the future stars of tomorrow, but the real acid test is whether they can maintain that talent on a consistent basis," Smith said.

"We are in a development league, and it would be nice to win trophies here, but our main aim is to provide attractive open soccer and give our boys the opportunity to move on to a higher level."

The team has been playing especially well at their home field, which is located at Buena High, where they've outscored opponents 12-4.

"It's a real tribute to how well we've played at home since we aren't even playing where we originally were going to play, which was Ventura College," Shergill said.

"The college couldn't get enough stadium seating for us, and we had to find another venue. We played one game at Newbury Park High and received a good response there before coming to Buena."

Shergill said the thing he's enjoyed most in the Fusion's inaugural season is the feedback he gets from fans throughout the county.

"We get around 1,400 fans a game, and that is mostly on just word of mouth," Shergill said. "It's nice to play in an area where you can leave your house, go on a two-minute walk and be at a professional soccer game. We have been trying to interact with the community more by bringing in more exhibition games."

Another way the team has been touching base with the community is by having promotions at home games.

During the June 29 game against the San Jose Frogs, anyone under the age of 18 wearing an AYSO jersey received free admission and a chance to get their favorite player's autograph after the game.

"We want to try and give the young soccer players in this area something to strive for," Shergill said. "The kids around here, a lot of them go to camps in which the players are the instructors. Then the kids go to the game, and they're like, 'Hey, that guy is my coach.' So it's a real thrill for them."

The Fusion's next home game is Sunday at Buena High against the San Francisco Seals. Game time is set for 2 p.m.