Flint, MI–Flint’s lineup of professional and pre-professional sports teams will be growing by one this coming spring when the newly announced Flint City AFC, a women’s soccer club, takes to the pitch inside the historic Atwood Stadium.
Formerly known as Corktown AFC, the franchise was recently acquired by the Flint City Bucks in an attempt to further diversify Flint’s growing sports scene. In addition, Corktown’s acquisition by the Bucks lines up perfectly with the launch of the United Soccer League’s W League, which will be composed of only women’s teams across the country.
Costa Papista, president of the Flint City Bucks, said he is looking forward to watching the team perform come May.
“I think it’s great, I’m very excited about it. I’m excited that it’s an established franchise that has done very well. So when we begin playing in the spring, the team should be very competitive right out of the gate. I think the team is a great addition to our soccer project for Flint,” Papista said.
With teams like the Bucks, Flint United, Flint City Handball Club coming to Flint in the last three years, Papista said the time is right for addition to the list.
“I think it’s a big positive, I think it shows what a great sports town Flint is and always has been. I think in the case of the women’s soccer team I think it’ll be a big deal for all the girls that are playing soccer not just in Flint but in Genesee county and all of mid-Michigan, they’re going to have a team that they look up to. They’re going to get a chance to see some of the very best collegiate soccer players in the country that will be playing right there in Atwood Stadium,” Papista said.
Eddie Hudson, owner and founder of Corktown, much like Papista, the opportunity to partner with the Flint City Bucks came at an opportune time for the then Detroit-based team.
“When the opportunity presented itself, we jumped at it. Our objective from day one has always been to field the best team and play the best competition and we feel like in our area, what the USL has done by creating the W League has created the best competitive environment for us,” Hudson said.
After having been shown around Flint by Papista and seeing Atwood Stadium, Hudson said he was left “impressed” with everything he saw. Seeing the chance to fill the void in women’s soccer present in much of mid-Michigan, the two men jumped at the opportunity to work together.
“We hope that the Flint community is going to come out and support us. I think if given the opportunity, you’ll really see what we’re talking about and it won’t sound like we’re just bragging because it’s true. I hope the community comes out and supports us because they won’t be disappointed,” Hudson said.