Kickoff

When Julia Lester seems to be across the roster, it would not take lengthy for the reminiscences from her 4 years of soccer to hurry again.

“The primary phrase that involves thoughts is simply consolation,” mentioned Lester, now a central defender for the Sporting Jax girls. “We have constructed such an ideal relationship down there in school. Our coaches down there actually knew deliver us all collectively.”

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As Sporting Jax prepares for its official preseason kickoff, set for 7 p.m. Aug. 2 towards on the College of North Florida’s Hodges Stadium, a powerful Gainesville taste runs by Jacksonville’s first top-division girls’s skilled soccer group.

Sporting Jax schedule:

From the again line to the entrance workplace, Gators are in every single place:

, the NCAA champion coach who led the Gators from 1995 to 2021, has labored as a Sporting Jax guide since shortly after the membership acquired its Gainbridge Tremendous League franchise in Might 2023.

Alan Kirkup, Burleigh’s longtime assistant coach from 2006 to 2021, now serves as Sporting Jax affiliate head coach below

And Sporting Jax’s enjoying roster features a trio of gamers who lined up for Florida in school: Lester and Parker Roberts spent 4 seasons on the roster from 2016-19 (Roberts additionally performed a fifth yr in 2020-21) and Davi Vaka competed for UF in 2023 and 2024.

Sporting Membership Jacksonville defender Davi Vaka (23) tries to flee the strain from midfielder Sophia Boman (3) and ahead Andrea Fernandez (11) throughout soccer observe on July 28, 2025. [Clayton Freeman/Florida Times-Union]

Roughly half the Sporting Jax roster brings a Sunshine State background, whether or not from rising up in Florida or attending school within the state. Fairly often, that is in Gainesville.

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“They do not neglect these moments and people experiences, the place they’ve come from and the place they’re now,” Balaam mentioned. “I believe it is actually particular.”

Sporting Jax’s Gainesville return

These Gators additionally acquired the possibility for a short-term homecoming. Sporting Jax scheduled a July 29 go to to Gainesville for a coaching recreation alongside the present Gators girls, who’re in preparation for the beginning of the SEC season in August. As a non-public coaching occasion, the Gainesville match was scheduled behind closed doorways with no fan or media presence.

“Actually, I obtained like pleased chills once I heard that we have been going to play there,” Lester mentioned.

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As Roberts famous at the beginning of coaching camp, her soccer profession would possibly nonetheless be on maintain if not for Jacksonville. Signed by the Orlando Pleasure of the Nationwide Ladies’s Soccer League in 2021, she noticed part-time obligation over two NWSL seasons earlier than taking a break from the game. When she discovered that Sporting Jax was getting ready for kickoff, the previous U.S. Below-23 worldwide midfielder determined to present professional soccer one other shot.

“I am near my household and I am near the place I went to high school,” Roberts mentioned. “I like being a Gator. I am very grateful.”

For the Gators on the Sporting Jax roster, these school connections have smoothed the method of growing cohesion and concord in a group that is developed quickly over the summer season.

“To return again and play with Parker after which with Davi, despite the fact that we did not play collectively [at UF], simply having that enjoyable little ‘Go Gators!’ each couple of occasions,” Lester mentioned, “it is simply enjoyable to be round.”

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