Will homegrown talent and relentless pressure lead to a breakthrough?
With third-place finishes in consecutive seasons, Lansing Common FC will be hoping for a breakthrough in 2025. They are looking to reach new heights with a high-risk, high-reward play style designed to create an explosive offense in Lansing.
“We want to attack the opponent in every phase of the game; with the ball, without the ball. That’s our mentality,” LCFC head coach Brent Sorg said. “I think we’re going to have a breakout year and score more goals than we ever have.”
Even with a relentless focus on scoring, Sorg understands that applying constant pressure out of his flexible 4-2-3-1 formation can come with downsides.
“Because of how we’re going to play, does that mean we give up some?” Sorg said. “I think the answer is yes.”
Still, with the potential for a lot of goals and many players returning from last season’s young core, fans have plenty to cheer about. That core has developed from a group marked by inexperience and some growing pains into a unit that is now fully in sync.
It includes standout 2024 players like Joey Farhat, Owen Resch, Roarke Watterson, Samy Omar, and is headlined by Xtreme Hauk. A rising freshman at Calvin University, Hauk played in every Calvin match by season’s end and earned both MIAA Freshman of the Year and All-MIAA First Team honors.
Even with an exciting amount of young talent filling the roster, it is hard to retain everyone. Key players like defender Kevin Payne and goalkeeper Sean O’Meara are no longer with the team, but new faces are stepping in to fill the void.
Two notable additions are East Lansing native Myles Foster, a defender coming off his redshirt sophomore season at Michigan State, and Haslett native Brooks Boersma, a goalkeeper who just wrapped up his redshirt sophomore year at Butler.
“Do you lose some experience? Of course you do. KP (Payne) played a vital role. But I’m excited that we have Myles Foster, Michigan State center back, with us this year,” Sorg said.
Replacing Payne is not just about filling a skill gap. It is also about leadership. Sorg will be looking to a few returning players to step up in that role.
“I look at a kid like Max Crawford,” Sorg said. “He’s well respected because of how he goes about his business, he takes the right approach, he’s hardworking, and he’s committed.”
Another player Sorg highlighted is Ali Ahmad, whose presence carries weight in the locker room.
“Ali’s a guy that players do look up to because of what he’s been through and how he works,” Sorg said.
Even though success is seen on the field, Lansing Common remains rooted in values that extend beyond it, especially their commitment to community and team culture. A key part of that identity is building the roster with local talent and emphasizing character just as much as skill.
When building the roster, Sorg did not just look for good soccer players. He looked for even better people. That approach has shaped a culture where representing Lansing means more than wearing the jersey.
“We want good people in this organization. We want to represent the Lansing community, and we want to do it the right way and when you’re building a roster that’s an important piece to it,” Sorg said. “We don’t want bad apples in our organization, and I do the best that I can within my control at least from a player standpoint to make sure that we do our part to bring good people here.”
After winning both 45-minute friendly matches in their community kickoff event on May 3 against Troy United and Detroit Badgers FC, the Robins are preparing for their next match this weekend. On Saturday, they will take on Ypsilanti Athletic FC in a friendly at Eastern Stadium at 6 p.m.
The full 2025 season schedule can be found on the schedule tab or the club’s Instagram page.
Only time will tell how successful this group will be throughout the season, but Sorg is confident that his team will be focused on the same goal.
“I feel like, with this group, there’s no egos,” Sorg said. “They just want to go and compete, and try to put out the best product they can, and then win, of course, for Lansing.”
Lansing Common returns to action Saturday, May 10 at 6 p.m., when they host Ypsilanti Athletic FC at Eastern Stadium. Tickets are just $5 online or $7 at the gate. Get Loaded, Craveable, and Another One Bites the Crust food trucks will be at the game in addition to Lansing Common’s regular concessions menu.
