Over the past decade, the Little Rock Rangers Soccer Club has made its name in the central Arkansas sports scene. It’s recruited players and coaches from top level play into Little Rock each season through the men’s and women’s teams and offseason training programs, and its youth development program has advanced the talents of 1,000 children and teens across the state.
Founder and president Jonathan Wardlaw says the idea started in 2014 out of concern for his own son’s soccer growth potential.
“When my older son was about 9 years old and started playing competitive soccer, a bunch of us dads were standing around and discussing how our kids still just weren’t competing at a level that was adequate compared to everywhere else,” Wardlaw says. “We started talking about how we could improve the soccer scene here and keep kids in the sport. One of those ways was to create an ‘Arkansas Travelers of soccer,’ so I just went down that path and started asking around” to gauge interest.
Because the Arkansas Razorbacks dialed back their presence to one football game a year in Little Rock, War Memorial Stadium was immediately on board when Wardlaw inquired about using the facility.
“That whole process had no roadblocks,” Wardlaw says. “Everything just fell into place, and then it was to the point of, ‘I guess all we need is to have a tryout.’”
Word spread like wildfire, and they were shocked when about 200 people showed up.
“We were so unprepared,” Wardlaw laughs. “We were tripping and stumbling through every single little event and, on top of that, it was 40 degrees and pouring rain that day, so we had to bring everyone into the [War Memorial Stadium] breezeway and line them up.”
After about eight hours, the crowd was finally whittled down into a team.
“Our first couple games were pretty bad, but we got better as the season went on,” Wardlaw says. “We only missed the playoffs by one game, so it was a relatively successful first season. The crowds were great, and the fan base was great, so financially it was successful, too.”
Despite initial positive outcomes, Wardlaw still felt slightly in over his head and began looking for backup.
“One of the parents said, ‘Well, you know there’s a former [Major League Soccer] player that’s living in Little Rock, right?’”
That former player was Ante Jazic, whose soccer resume included playing professionally in Croatia, Austria, Russia and in the MLS for seven years for the Galaxy and Chivas USA. Jazic met Annemarie Dillard during his time in Los Angeles, and after marrying, the couple settled in Little Rock.
“We both felt it was time to start a family, and she wanted to choose between Little Rock and Dallas so we could be closer to her family,” Jazic says. “I always liked Little Rock because it reminded me of my hometown of Halifax [Nova Scotia, Canada]. So, we made Little Rock our home base.”
It soon became clear to Jazic that coaching the Youth National Team of Canada and traveling 180 days out of the year just wasn’t conducive to being a family man. Wardlaw reaching out seemed serendipitous.
“I blindly reached out to him and was like, ‘I need help. Would you be interested?’” Wardlaw recalls. “That first year, he would go and observe the men’s team practices. He wasn’t involved directly, but would text me later with suggestions.”
His involvement grew each year until he finally found his ideal fit in the organization as director of soccer operations and the youth academy.
“We started the academy, which has been my passion,” Jazic says. “We started with 15-20 kids and now we have close to 50 teams in the Arkansas State League. We’ve grown from basically zero into a sizable academy.”
Wardlaw and Jazic say the youth academy and the Rangers are more interconnected than many might think.
“Our goal is to develop our kids within the Rangers so they have a pathway to our team,” Jazic says. “And for those kids that want to excel in soccer and go to the collegiate or professional level, that’s an avenue they can explore through us. It’s been great to see the growth we’ve had and the development we’ve had as a club so far.”
The club is developing coaches from within as well. Former coach Nick Doyle was a Rangers captain before rising through the ranks to coaching staff.
“What made my time with the Rangers so special, both as a player and as a coach, were all the incredible people I was lucky enough to cross paths with over the years,” Doyle says. “I’m truly blessed to have had the chance to both play for and coach this team, and the memories we created together are ones I’ll carry with me forever.”
New head coach Francesco “Bruno” Brunetti is a team veteran as well.
“I’m truly honored to step into this role and continue building on the strong foundation the Rangers already have,” Brunetti says. “What excites me most is the opportunity to work with this group of athletes and help them grow, not just as players, but as leaders and people.”
“[Brunetti] shares the same philosophy about giving young players the opportunity to play, especially within the academy, so he’s prepared for the challenge,” Jazic says. “He’s the natural progression, and he’ll take this club to the next level.”
That shared team philosophy is to prioritize individual development over a results-driven focus.
“It’s making sure these kids have a passion for the game and are developing fundamentals individually,” Jazic says. “[As players improve], we move them up quickly so they will be challenged, not just stay with the same team so they can have better results.”
“My vision is to create a culture that values hard work, accountability and teamwork while also keeping the community engaged and proud of what we’re building together,” Brunetti adds.
The league’s first team is showing the fruits of all that development and labor, qualifying the past two years for the prestigious Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, the oldest soccer tournament in the country.
The tournament includes all three tiers of soccer so teams can face opponents in higher leagues with larger rosters, payrolls and more experience. When the Rangers drew second tier Birmingham Legion FC for their first game, they couldn’t believe their bad luck.
“They are one step beneath the MLS, and I’m talking full rosters, paid professionals and they were in the middle of their season while we hadn’t even started yet,” Wardlaw says. “They were gelling as a team, and we were trying to piece together a roster.”
The Rangers were selected to host, but because of field size regulations, the game had to be played at the Episcopal Collegiate School instead of War Memorial Stadium.
The results stunned everyone: The Rangers won 1-0.
“That was definitely the highlight of the season, and we hadn’t even started yet,” Wardlaw recalls.
The first team went on to pick up the USL2 division title, and the club’s Los Dos men’s second team won the United Premier Soccer League OK-AR conference championship.
The Rangers have once again qualified for the U.S. Open Cup and will compete in mid-March.
The resurrected women’s team, born from a partnership with Arkansas Rising, also had a successful first year back, picking up several titles and trophies on the way to the national final of the UPSL Women’s League. The team originally formed in 2017, but Wardlaw says the timing wasn’t right and the competition nearby was scarce. Eventually, the culture around women’s soccer shifted, so the club decided to give it another try.
“It was good to see them get the league play and have a full season under their belt,” Wardlaw says. “I know all the girls that were part of that team really enjoyed it, so I hope we can build upon that as well.”
While they came up short in the national final game, Wardlaw acknowledges getting there during your first year back is a huge feat.
“They did extremely well,” Wardlaw says. “If you ask them, they failed. They were heartbroken. But for the first year coming back, it was a huge success.”
Wardlaw and Jazic have many aspirations for the future of the Rangers, including the continuation of fostering local talent.
“We’re hoping to have a few more academy kids involved and be able to earn more playing minutes,” Jazic says. “A lot of our good players come from out of state, and they are great guys and great ambassadors for the club, but I’m hoping to see more of our academy kids get opportunities.”
The duo’s ultimate dream would be the construction of a soccer-specific facility in Little Rock in the future.
“We would love to eventually have a smaller stadium in a more intimate venue with the proper soccer dimensions,” Jazic says. “War Memorial Stadium has been great for us in terms of location and the fan experience, but the narrow field is not ideal for viewing quality soccer.”
Wardlaw adds that a soccer facility would also allow the team to collect revenue from parking, concessions, merchandise and other avenues instead of just ticket sales.
“Hopefully the infrastructure of the city could grow over time that can support the demand for the sport,” Jazic says. “In terms of the club, I think we’re growing at a rate that we’re happy with, and we’re trying to keep that quality high.”
Wardlaw and Jazic encourage community members to join their diverse fan base that includes all ages, the most devoted of which call themselves The Red Watch.
“You don’t even have to be a soccer fan to have a good time,” Wardlaw says. “The game day experience at War Memorial Stadium is fantastic. We have food trucks. It’s a safe environment for kids. Just come to a game, check it out and hopefully we can create some more Rangers fans that way.”
Wardlaw jokes that another selling point is the short length of soccer games.
“My wife initially knew nothing about the sport, but when we got married and she started watching it, she pointed out that it’s actually a pretty short game compared to other sports,” Wardlaw says. “It’s two 45-minute halves and then 15 minutes at halftime, so you can definitely plan your night around it.”
Rangers leadership has its sights set on two types of goals for the program’s future. With Wardlaw’s management, Jazic’s passion for youth development and Brunetti’s leadership, successful seasons are getting that kickstart.
“Over the next few years, my goals are to develop our younger talent, compete at the highest level and establish a program that is consistent, sustainable and respected,” Brunetti says. “More than just wins and losses, I want us to represent Little Rock with pride and be a team that inspires the next generation.”
Learn more at littlerockrangers.com.
PHOTOGRAPHY
JASON MASTERS