Soccer club provides free space to grow and socialize

When Lakewood Ranch’s Mateo Orlandini, 16, moved to the area two years ago, he had lost his interest in the sport he once loved for a dozen years — soccer. He didn’t know anyone and was expecting to attend Lakewood Ranch High School as the quiet new kid.

Orlandini was at Summerfield Park when he noticed a group of people playing the very sport he loved, including four other kids with whom he would go to school. Once he found out it was free to play, he joined in ready to show everyone his skills. 

He got his spark back. He tries his hardest, chasing after every ball. 

“I like the passion, running and watching soccer,” Orlandini said. “I like the feeling, the adrenaline. It's just something that nothing else can replicate.” 

Photo by Madison Bierl

The Lakewood Ranch Resident Soccer Club was founded by Lakewood Ranch’s Carrie David in 2024. With Lakewood Ranch being such a soccer community, she wanted to give players of all ages the opportunity to play for free. It started with 20 players and now there are 153. 

Five years ago David, who had grown up playing basketball, started playing soccer. She compared it to learning a new language and she wanted to create a space for players all all ages and abilities to come together. She was struggling mentally at the time and believes she is where she was meant to be all along. 

“Parents and some of the adults were in tears after it really started to kick off,” David said. “Some of these people were suicidal because they left their own home states and had nowhere to play. It's basically unaffordable, and so their parents and adults would come up in tears to hug me and thank me, and still do.”

Andy Rodríguez, a 33-year-old Lakewood Ranch resident, joined the group in a similar way to Orlandini — by simply asking to play. He said there was no hesitation to let him join. Since then, the group has been like a family. He knows he will always have someone to turn to that would help him overcome any situation life might throw at him.

Photo by Madison Bierl

“It feels great to be able to play this beautiful sport and get to de-stress from the life that we all carry while meeting people that also share the same love and passion for this city and club,” Rodríguez said. 

Photo by Madison Bierl

East Bradenton’s Alex Molina, and his dad, have been part of the group for a couple years after being invited by a friend. Alex Molina played soccer in college and professionally in Venezuela for a year.

Alex Molina has been playing soccer since he was 4 years old and appreciates that it gives him an opportunity to have fun and not think about work. He loves that even when the sun goes down, the players still play because they are having so much fun that they don’t want to leave. 

“There's no judgment, so that's why it's welcoming to people that want to play,” Alex Molina said. “It's not too serious, but at the same time it's competitive. As long as you like the game and you want to play, you can play here.”

David said it can be intimidating to try something new, especially when trying something new. She encourages anyone interested in joining to try it out. 

“It's intimidating enough to get out there with a ball and not trip,” David said. “They make it just so amazingly fun, and that's why I'm so proud of everyone here. Not one person out of all the 153 people, there's never been one moment of aggressive behavior, arguing, fighting or conflict. It's beautiful, it really is.” 

“When I come out here, everything just disappears,” Orlandini said. “It's just me and the ball, having fun with my friends. Having fun with people I never knew I'd know — people from different countries, different ethnicities — and we all play the same game.”