By Kim Dunbar

Worcester is a melting pot of ethnicities, bound together by, amongst other things, a very powerful common denominator: soccer.

In August, the 6th annual Worcester World Cup drew 2,000 fans, all cheering for one of the 20 countries participating in the soccer tournament. Phong Le knew that if an event of that level could attract such large interest, his venture of bringing professional soccer to Worcester would succeed.

“It’s the right time,” said Le, president of Worcester Hydra FC, the city’s newest sports team.

Le had been dreaming of bringing a professional soccer club to Worcester since he moved to the city from Vietnam in 2001. Le studied ESL at Quinsigamond Community College before transferring to WPI, where he ultimately earned a Master’s in electrical engineering in 2007. After working a few years at Nokia, Le launched his own business developing mobile apps.

“I have the entrepreneurial spirit and always had a passion to start a team,” Le shared.

His determination paid off last fall when Le was awarded a United Soccer Leagues (USL) Premier Development League (PDL) team. “If they think you’re in the right market, they’ll award you a franchise,” Le explained.

According to Emmanuel Paye, a Worcester World Cup alum who will be working with Le and the Hydra in its inaugural season, which runs from May through August, Worcester is the perfect market. “It’s a very exciting time for soccer here,” Paye said. “The city is ready for it. And we’re looking forward to taking it to the next level.”

Le, who hopes to sell out Foley Stadium at least three times this year, promises he and his staff will be creative and innovative in everything they do in order to make sure fans enjoy both the game and the event. This promise includes creating a club run by and for the fans and focusing on homegrown talent ~ from players to management. “We want to give locals that chance to shine,” Le said.

Another local talent, Ebrima Badgie, who plays for the University of Minnesota Morris and will hit the pitch for Worcester this spring, thinks Hydra FC will be huge. “Worcester is so big and this can bring everyone together,” he said enthusiastically.

Paye agreed: “Worcester World Cup is something everyone looks forward to. Now soccer is going to be a constant in the city. Instead of rooting for a country, everyone can root for Worcester.”

For more information, visit www.HydraFC.com.