Falvey helping push Red Wolves in inaugural season
Chattanooga Red Wolves SC defender Colin Falvey has devoted his life to soccer and hopes his expertise in the sport can carry him much further even after his playing days are over.
Since scoring in his professional debut in the League of Ireland at the age of 18, Falvey has played in 363 pro matches. Now in his 16th season, he continues to strive for a championship.
“Over the course of a professional soccer season you get on each other’s nerves, joke around with each other and go through all the emotions and ups and downs. We are all in it together,” Falvey said. “What drives me every single day is the chance to win silverware and have that sense of achievement and success.”
In his 11th season of American soccer, the talented center back has helped lead his clubs to three USL Second Division championships and a pair of National American Soccer League titles.
Although Falvey has appeared in only three of 18 USL League One matches for the Red Wolves (6-57), who host first-place North Texas SC (10-3-4) tonight at 7, his knowledge has served the team extremely well.
“In the past I have played with and against a lot of our roster, which I helped Tim (Hankinson, the coach) build, so my teammates know what I am all about,” said Falvey, who scored on a header in a home draw with Toronto on June 1. “They know my standards, how I see the game and what I want. I think they are very quick to understand and respect anything that myself, Tim or Coach David (Barrueta) try to get across to them.”
Still hopeful to appear in a few more matches this season and help lead the back line, which the former 2013 USL pro defender of the year has done so well over his career, Falvey has been a helpful leader.
During the week he has helped break down video for the team with coaches and other veteran players, while on match day he often can be seen standing right next to Hankinson on the sideline, helping direct the team.
Once in the bottom of the league standings, Chattanooga has turned things around and is 4-1-5 over its past 10 matches to put itself in the playoff hunt with 10 regular-season games left.
“I tell these guys all the time, we are the first ever professional soccer team in this city and the first in club history,” Falvey said. “We can set a standard and a benchmark for the rest of our club’s history. We have that opportunity and capability in our hands.”
The fifth-place Red Wolves will need to have some “dog” in them for tonight’s match against the league leaders.
Both teams are coming off losses, including a 4-0 defeat by the Greenville Triumph for North Texas SC, which might bring loan players from FC Dallas such as Ricardo Pepi to play. Chattanooga fell 3-2 in the season opener at North Texas as Pepi recorded a hat trick.
As the only team in the league with an undefeated record at home, the Red Wolves will try to extend that streak at David Stanton Field.
“It’s all about getting back to business and trying to kick on and put ourselves into the playoff picture as high as we can,” Falvey said. “If you don’t buy a ticket, you can’t win the lottery. We need to push ourselves into the playoffs to give ourselves a chance.”
Contact Patrick MacCoon at pmaccoon@timesfreepress.com.