By Pat Caveye, Reporter
Nov. 10, 2021
Omaha, Neb. — When Werner Park isn’t hosting fans for Omaha Storm Chaser baseball and thirsty Thursdays, it serves another purpose as the home for Union Omaha soccer. Yoskar Galvan, club member and Lexington native, is humbled to be a part of Nebraska’s only pro soccer team and Omaha’s first pro tournament championship in any sport.
“I’ve lived here all my life,” Galvan said. “I’ve been around to a lot of places, but never felt at home anywhere else but here.”
Last year, former UNO and current Union Omaha head coach Jay Mims lead the Owls all the way to the tournament championship game before that was cancelled due to COVID. This year, the Owls hope to finish the job.
Union Omaha carries a 14-5-9 record and a regular season championship into postseason play. They clinched the regular season title after beating Richmond 2-0 on Oct. 24, and a first-round bye the following week. They hope to use these last few weeks as motivation and momentum to win the tournament championship.
With so much momentum and the anticipation of not knowing whom they play next, it may become hard to keep focus. However, Coach Mims said that his team is focused. It’s just a matter of getting them rested and ready.
“These guys are pros. They know what they want. They want another trophy. They are very focused and have a great mentality,” Mims said. “I think it’s more of getting the right rest and getting the right balance of training and rest and rhythm.”
Others on the team, like Jaime Ponce, are both grateful and ready to start postseason play.
“It’s been a great experience being around everybody and being a part of something big,” Ponce said. “You know, best team in USL League One in the entire United States. It’s obviously something I’m very grateful for and a really high level of play I’m happy to be a part of.”
Capturing both the regular season and tournament championships will put not only them, but the city of Omaha in some uncharted waters. Not only would it be the programs first tournament championship in only their second year of existence, but it will be Omaha’s first, and only, championship for its only professional sports team.
The Owls’ first game in their hunt for the tournament title will take place Saturday, Nov. 14 at Werner Park. They will take on FC Tucson at 4 p.m.
