By Ahmad Smith
Tuskegee University men’s soccer is making history in its first season, marking the first men’s soccer program in the university’s 145-year history.
Coached by Matt Tarpley and assisted by Kyle Beard, the program is looking to help grow the global game at HBCUs across the country.
More than six months after my initial conversation with Tarpley, I circled back with the first men’s soccer coach in Tuskegee University history to get his thoughts on the program’s first exhibition game and his perspective now that the season has officially begun.
If you remember my last story, you may remember the line: “Just wait until the fall.”
Well, fall has arrived, and the Tuskegee men’s soccer program is already generating plenty of attention.
The program has surpassed 1 million views, 200,000 likes and 3,500 new Instagram followers, according to the program’s social media metrics. And all of that attention came after Tuskegee scored the first goal in program history.
Scoring a goal is a big deal when you have never done it before, right?
I started our interview by watching the goal Tuskegee scored against Enterprise State Community College. I wanted to know immediately from Tarpley, “How much exposure have you gotten since we last talked before this school year?”
Tarpley responded:
“We have gotten over 241,000 views within the year. We have had interviews with ESPN, with ‘The Voice’ based in Atlanta, Georgia. We have also gotten interest from local news out of Montgomery, Alabama, HBCU FC, Soccer Down Here, plenty of media and plenty of press.
“I think our young people deserve the attention, as well as the university. These are amazing stories to share, and all of the other HBCUs deserve to be highlighted in this way as well.”
We moved on to discuss the goal and how it came about. I also wanted to learn more about Tuskegee’s style of play.
Tarpley said he gets asked that question often and always gives a straightforward answer.
“Simple, simple, simple,” he said. “Make the easy pass. We want to be patient, build out of the back, but when we get into the attacking third is when we can use our personality.”
I followed up by asking Tarpley about the exposure the program has received after just one exhibition against a local junior college team.
“With the kind of exposure you are getting after one exhibition against a local junior college team, do you think HBCU soccer is on the rise, and could your program help be a trailblazer for HBCUs across the South?” I asked.
“I certainly hope so,” Tarpley said. “We wanted to create a blueprint that other HBCUs could follow. They are now understanding the revenue, the buzz, the media, and if there is something I can do to help an HBCU start a program, I’m going to do it. I want to help if I can create those new opportunities.”
Next, I asked Tarpley about his biggest takeaways from the program’s first college soccer game, which ended in a 1-1 draw.
His response highlighted the toughness and resilience of his team, but he also talked about something that surprised the entire program: the amount of community support.
Tarpley estimated that several thousand people attended the game to watch and cheer on the brand-new program.
Many fans also told Tarpley that it was the first soccer game they had ever attended.
The support came in many forms, from the large crowd in attendance to the Tuskegee men’s basketball team joining the celebration on the field at halftime. The school’s drumline also helped create an electric atmosphere.
As we wrapped up the interview, I wanted to know whether Tarpley believes HBCU soccer programs have the potential to gain respect on the national stage.
“That’s the plan,” he said. “There are tough mountains to climb and tough bridges to build. But we are thinking long term. What will we be doing in two or three years? It is a work in progress and growth model we have created.”
For now, the goal is ambitious.
“The plan is to dominate D2 soccer at the moment,” Tarpley said.
Tuskegee’s first exhibition game against Enterprise State ended in a 1-1 draw on Aug. 17.
The program’s next test is Aug. 24 at 5:30 p.m. against Faulkner University.
For Tuskegee, this season is about more than simply putting a soccer team on the field. It is about building something that has never existed at the university before and potentially creating a blueprint other HBCUs can follow.
And if the attention surrounding the program is any indication, Tuskegee men’s soccer has already given fans something to watch.
