Community

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – What makes The Magic City so magical is its people within, and Birmingham Legion FC is honored to be giving them the spotlight with the launch of BHM Built. Beginning this week and running throughout 2025, this new video series will highlight individual and organizational efforts that contribute to growth and development throughout Birmingham.

“BHM Built is an ode to our city,” said Legion FC Community Engagement Manager Julio Sanclemente. “It is our way of showcasing the vibrant, rich, and diverse community that defines the very essence of Birmingham. A city made up of hard-working individuals that strive to build a better Birmingham for all.”

Each episode will focus on a community member’s leadership, empowerment, cooperation and participation in Birmingham. Additionally, the individual’s personality and their story of how they established roots in the city will be explored, emphasizing why they are doing everything in their power to give back. Episode topics will range from advocacy, environmental sustainability, minority representation and more.

“We have a clear goal for BHM Built,” Sanclemente explained. “It’s to portray these individual’s tenacity and grit that is synonymous with the city of Birmingham and its history.”

Subjects for BHM Built episodes will be selected by Legion FC and its fans and partners. For more information on the series or if you have a submission, contact Sanclemente at jsanclemente@bhmlegion.com.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Birmingham Legion FC is proud to announce that its first efforts in keeping the local rivers clean and pristine were a rousing success. In partnership with Cahaba River Society and Black Warrior Riverkeeper, the Legion FC River Cleanup Project oversaw more than a thousand pounds of waste collected at both the Cahaba River and East Lake Park – a tributary of the Black Warrior River.

“We are proud to have worked with our local riverkeepers to provide our future generations a safe space to live and enjoy.” said Legion FC Community Engagement Manager Julio Sanclemente. “The club is committed to the preservation of these beautiful and crucial areas and we look forward to continuing and expanding our efforts for many more years to come.”

The project made its first stop on Wednesday, October 30 with Legion FC front office staff, along with members from Cahaba River Society and Alabama Power canoeing down Little Cahaba River to collect 658 pounds of assorted trash and debris. The mission continued on Friday, November 1 with Legion FC goalkeeper Matt Van Oekel, midfielder Jake Rufe and Defender Phanuel Kavita joining Black Warrior Riverkeeper in picking up 524 pounds of waste in and around East Lake Park.

“We had a great time on the Little Cahaba River and at East Lake Park with Legion FC and Black Warrior Riverkeeper,” Cahaba River Society Fields Programs Director Will Rainer said. “Water is a universal but finite resource and it’s always so wonderful to have so many organizations aligned around a singular goal of cleaner Alabama waters.”

Legion FC thanks the Cahaba River Society and Black Warrior Riverkeeper for partnering with the club for this worthwhile endeavor. The club also extends its gratitude to all of the volunteers who came out on either day to help make the event possible. After a successful first outing, Legion FC is in the process of planning for more future stops for its River Cleanup Project.

For more information and to get involved, contact Sanclemente at jsanclemente@bhmlegion.com.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Birmingham Legion FC is excited to announce that it is partnering with Cahaba River Society and Black Warrior Riverkeeper for its River Cleanup Project, in an effort to protect the environment and preserve the pristine waterways of Alabama.

“We’re proud to team up with both Cahaba River Society and Black Warrior Riverkeeper for such an important project,” said Legion FC Community Engagement Manager Julio Sanclemente. “As a team, we believe in taking action to care for our environment and, hopefully, inspire the community to do the same so that we can make a lasting impact both on and off the field.”

The club will work with the non-profit organizations to host clean up events for the Cahaba River on Wednesday, October 30 and the Black Warrior River on Friday, November 1. Both outings are free and open to anyone who would also like to participate.

“Litter is a problem that we can all work to solve,” Black Warrior Riverkeeper Outreach Coordinator Katie Holmes said. “We are grateful for this partnership and for the volunteers who will be helping us take care of the Black Warrior River and Cahaba River watersheds at these upcoming cleanups.”

Both outings for the River Cleanup Project will take place from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. CT. Those that would like to participate can visit www.bhmlegion.com/legion-fc-river-cleanup/ to register and for the meeting locations.

“We love getting to partner with local organizations to support our mission of protecting and restoring our rivers and their diversity of life,” said Cahaba River Society Field Programs Director Wil Rainer. “Only 20 spaces are available, so sign up soon to reserve your spot.”

For more information and media inquiries on the Legion FC River Cleanup Project, or for any other club philanthropy opportunities throughout the Birmingham community, contact Sanclemente at jsanclemente@bhmlegion.com.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Birmingham Legion FC is proud to announce that the inaugural year of its summer reading program, Learning With Legion, was a hit amongst the greater Birmingham area.

The program launched last May with the goal of weaving the love of soccer and the passion of literature by awarding tickets for Legion FC matches to young readers. Over 50 local schools and organizations participated for a total of 1,125 books read and 375 tickets earned this summer.

“We are thankful for the outpouring of support from the City of Birmingham and local organizations that helped us champion this effort,” Legion FC Community Engagement Manager Julio Sanclemente said. “It was an incredible first year and we are looking forward to seeing even more young readers be rewarded for their efforts in literature and learning overall for many more years to come.”

Of those that participated, The Birmingham Public Library Central Branch won the friendly reading competition as the organization/school with the most books read. It will be honored at halftime of Birmingham’s upcoming home match against the Tampa Bay Rowdies on Wednesday, September 11.

As part of the outreach this summer, Legion FC also held public readings at Barnes & Noble locations throughout the area, as well as Robinson Elementary School, giving children an opportunity to interact with players in an engaging and personable environment. Additionally, the club held book donations outside of Protective Stadium for each of its home matches.

“It is incredibly important that kids read throughout the summer,” said Birmingham-resident Jared Vanderbleek, whose children participated in the program, “This was a great way to reach out to the kids in the area and it shows Legion FC’s commitment to success not only on the field, but off of it as well,”

Legion FC would like to thank all who participated this summer for Learning With Legion, as well as its program partners who helped make this worthwhile cause possible. Those partners are: City of Birmingham, Barnes & Noble, Birmingham City Schools, Alabaster City Schools, Homewood Public Library, Housing Authority – Birmingham District, NorthStar Ministries, Homewood Public Library, Alabaster Public Library, El Nido, Inspiritus, ¡HICA!, Birmingham Department of Youth Services and The Literacy Council.

After a stellar debut, the club is excited to push Learning with Legion to even greater heights for 2025 and beyond as it continues to spread its mission of supporting the education of local youth through soccer.

If your organization or business would like to be part of Learning With Legion next summer, contact Sanclemente at jsanclemente@bhmlegion.com.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The new Birmingham Legion FC training facility is open for business. That became official following a ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by the club on Thursday, signifying the beginning of a new state-of-the-art base of operations for many years to come.

“This project has truly been a labor of love,” said Team President and General Manager Jay Heaps. “When it was finally finished, you really can sit back and see what was built and appreciate the collaboration of all these different groups to finish this. It’s an exciting projected, but I’m really excited about what this can be for our team and our community going forward.”

Legion FC is currently active in the process of identifying a partner to share in the naming rights for new facility. Construction was fully and privately funded by club ownership.

“We believe a lot in our soccer culture,” said Legion FC coach Tom Soehn. “So when people see the infrastructure match the culture it not only draws more fan interest, but player interest as well. Now we’re here and it gives you a home, which is important.”

Located off of Hwy 280 at 1021 Dunnavant Valley Rd. in southeast Birmingham, north of Chelsea, the new facility was introduced to the public with the help from Shelby County Manager of Tourism and Events Kendall Williams, who said a few words before leading the countdown to the ribbon cutting. Legion FC fans were in attendance to show support, as were members from UAB Medicine.

In addition to the spacious locker rooms, gym that includes a weight room and turfed space, multiple meeting rooms, video rooms, staff offices and team dining/lounge area, the 9.000 sq. ft. complex also boasts a fully staffed UAB Medicine Physical Therapy clinic that will provide its top-notch services to the team, as well as to local residents.

“Having UAB in there is such a valuable part of this,” explained Heaps. “To have a clinic that is open to the public allows for people to do their work next to while they are coming back from injury, it can really motivate weekend warriors and younger people to get to do it next to professional athletes.”

In addition to the resources inside, the new facility also features five full-sized outdoor training fields that Legion FC has been using for the past three seasons. With new bleachers installed, the fields will also serve as a home for future Legion WFC and Legion FC 2 matches.

“This is a place that will help us improve as a team,” said midfielder Dawson McCartney. “It definitely helps when you have a place that you can come in everyday, come in early and stay late and do all the stuff that helps a team become a championship team,”

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Birmingham Legion FC is happy to announce that it has completed construction on its brand-new training facility. To celebrate the grand opening of the landmark project, the club will hold a special ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, August 15.

“Legion FC is proud to unveil our new state-of-the-art training facility designed to elevate our athletes’ performance with the latest in sports technology and innovation,” said Legion FC President and General Manager Jay Heaps. “In partnership with Shelby County, this demonstrates the commitment to the growth of soccer in the state, and with the addition of a UAB Medicine Physical Therapy clinic in the building, the facility is one of kind in Alabama.”

Located at 1021 Dunnavant Valley Rd., the new 9,000 sq. ft. training facility features a spacious weight room, locker rooms, a team dining/lounge area, plus multiple video and meeting rooms.  UAB Medicine Physical Therapy at Dunnavant Valley, as a tenant, will have a fully staffed clinic in the building to provide physical therapy services to local residents as well as Legion FC players.  

“Whether you are a weekend warrior, professional athlete, or just someone who loves to be active, our team at UAB Sports and Exercise Medicine is dedicated to providing world-class care to each of our patients both on and off the pitch,” said Fred Horton, Executive Administrator of UAB’s Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. “We are thrilled to partner with Legion FC to be among the first in the state to bring a localized facility like this to the residents of Shelby County to fulfill any of their physical therapy needs.”

The facility overlooks five soccer fields at Dunnavant Valley Fields, which Legion FC has trained at for the past three seasons. Now with construction of the training facility completed, players and staff will be able to utilize a new base of operations for the rest of their 2024 season and beyond.

Legion FC is currently active in the process of identifying a partner to share in the naming rights for this great complex.  A private tour of the new facility will occur following the ribbon cutting ceremony.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – As Chris Richards strolled out onto the Protective Stadium pitch minutes before a midweek matchup kicked off between Birmingham Legion FC and Rhode Island FC, a wry smile cracked across the lanky 24-year-old’s face.

Ahead of performing the honorary coin toss, a video on the scoreboard ran through clips of the star defender’s numerous highlights with Crystal Palace and the United States Men’s National Team. That followed with three simple, yet powerful, words.

Welcome Home, Chris.

“It’s so great to be home,” Richards said. “It’s been such a crazy summer, so it’s good to be able to come back here for a few days, spend time with the family and all the comfort that comes with that.”

That crazy summer saw him hopping on plane not even 24 hours later, destined for South London to rejoin his Crystal Palace teammates for preseason training, although he will soon be coming back across the Atlantic at the end of July with the club for some stateside friendlies. It’s all part of a barnstorming tour for Richards that has already seen him make multiple stops across America with the USMNT during the 2024 Copa America – with Richards playing every minute of every match for the squad. After that, it was time for a well-earned vacation in Cabo San Lucas.

However, no matter where the travel itinerary had him going, Richards always knew he would find his way back home to Birmingham at some point. So taking in Wednesday’s Legion FC match with a whole host of his immediate and extended family in a suite, everything felt right in the world.

“This will always be home,” he said. “My family is still here, so no matter how far I go, I know I will always be coming back here.”

And The Magic City is always happy to welcome Richards back with open arms.

In the lead up to the coin toss, Richards passed by the Legion FC locker room on his way to the field, but made sure to stop and chat with some players as they walked by, including Kobe Hernandez-Foster who Richards first met in Germany during his time with Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich – Hernandez-Foster spent time there on a trial. And once that legendary and affable grin peaked through the southwest tunnel, a cheer reverberated throughout the stadium as kids quickly ran down the aisle for a picture and/or an autograph.

The Hoover High School-alum was happy to meet with them all. After all, it wasn’t that long ago that he was in their shoes and coming up through the youth ranks at Hoover Soccer Club.

The only difference then, when Richards was their age, was that there wasn’t a professional soccer team in the city to act as a beacon for a community that has shown the ability to cultivate top-tier soccer talent over the years.

“Obviously everyone knows about the football in Alabama, but we are producing soccer players,” Richards explained. “Not only guys like myself but Tanner (Tessman) is having success in Italy and is about represent us in the Olympics. There is a lot of potential here and it’s good to see the growth of Legion happening now. It can only mean great things for our game here.”

This was Richards’ second time attending a Legion FC match, and the club presented him with a personalized “Richards #3” Sprite Chill kit that debuted that night. However, one does wonder if the Birmingham-native could’ve worn the Legion shield even more if the timeline worked out with the club’s existence coinciding with his youth career.

Instead, after it became abundantly clear that Richards was destined for great things on the pitch at Hoover SC, the only way to continue his growth as a young player was to head west to Texas where he broke through with the FC Dallas Academy from 2017 to 2019. That caught the attention of Bayern Munich… and the rest, as they say, is history with the Magic City kid going on to realize the magical dream of playing with and against the world’s best.

Richards’ hope going forward is that those same dreams can be realized for hometown kids with their hometown club.

“It’s been fun to watch what Legion has meant to the Birmingham kids and the community since it started,” he said. “As the club continues to grow it will provide more and more opportunities here for our best players to come in and get that professional experience early on which will only mean great things going forward for them.”

And that is a big reason why Richards enjoys coming back to Birmingham and taking in a Legion FC match when his schedule allows. He understands and is fully onboard with the mission of pushing the city’s soccer culture to new heights. Essentially, it’s his way of giving back to a community that molded him as the player and the man that he is now.

That’s why, no matter where his soccer journey has taken him and no matter how many soccer cathedrals he has played in throughout Germany and England, Richards found himself immensely enjoying himself being a spectator and a fan on Wednesday evening.

He got to spend it with his family.

He got to come home.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – For the third time in club history, Birmingham Legion FC is honoring Juneteenth with a special limited-edition kit.

Unveiled in front of a large crowd at The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute’s Juneteenth: A Celebration for the Culture event on Saturday, this new and unique kit is the brainchild of both the club and Black-owned soccer-specific creative agency, Kitboys Club. It will make its debut on the Protective Stadium pitch for Legion FC’s Juneteenth match this Wednesday against San Antonio FC.

“Juneteenth is very important to our entire club and community, so we wanted to drive awareness in a unique way with these kits,” said Legion FC President and General Manger Jay Heaps. “It was exciting to see the fans’ reactions to the kit today. We want to thank BCRI and its partners for allowing us to be a part of such a special celebration.”

The kit’s design pays homage to BCRI and the iconic 16th Street Baptist Church, symbolizing solidarity, strength and hope in the fight for equality. Serving as a headquarters throughout the Civil Rights Movement, the church was paramount in offering both solace and security to Black Individuals.

“We are grateful that our hometown soccer team has chosen to honor the Birmingham Movement of 1963 with this year’s edition of their Juneteenth kit,” BCRI President and CEO DeJuana Thompson said. “It matters that each of us in the community remembers and celebrates the powerful history that we all share in our great city.”

Emblazoned on the kit is the church’s famous Wales Window, which commemorates the tragic 1963 bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church, a key moment that would lead to the monumental passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

A silhouette of the “Four Spirits” sculpture is located on the bottom right of the kit. Located in Kelly Ingram Park, the sculpture memorializes the four victims of the bombing – Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carolyn Robertson and Cynthia Wesley.

“A Love That Forgives” was the title of the sermon given at the church on the day of the incident, September 15, 1963. That slogan is featured on the inside of the collar with the date in roman numerals on each sleeve.

The kit also features luminous 3M detailing in tribute to Kitboys Club’s guiding principle – Black excellence shines bright – which celebrates the remarkable achievements of Black players, coaches and professionals throughout the sport. The detailed fabric represents the nation’s rich and cultural heritage, as well as its ongoing journey towards bringing inclusivity, equality and empowerment through the sermon of soccer.

A limited number of Legion FC’s Juneteenth kits will be available to purchase, on a first-come-first-serve basis, at Protective Stadium for Wednesday’s match. Kick-off is set for 7 p.m. CT with gates opening at 3:30 p.m. for the Legion WFC match against the Greenville Liberty at 4 p.m. Tickets can be purchased HERE.

Proceeds from this limited run of kits, including those worn by Legion FC players in the Juneteenth match that will be auctioned off afterwards, will be donated to BCRI and the 16^th Street Baptist Church.

To lend support to BCRI and its many worthwhile causes, donations to the institute can be made HERE. To donate to the capital campaign for the 16th Street Baptist Church, visit HERE. For more information on Kitboys Club, visit its website HERE.