USL Second Division team to play at SoccerPlex

Real Maryland becomes county’s first professional soccer franchise

The Monarchs are the second Maryland-based team to join the league, along with Crystal Palace Baltimore.

In an introductory address to the media, Real Maryland F.C. General Manager Bienvenido Martinez stated a tight-knit community and diverse population as driving factors behind the club’s decision to base itself in Montgomery County.

‘‘The mission of Real Maryland is to reach out and be a subculture of our community, which we think is going to attract a lot of young people,” said Martinez, who worked with D.C. United of Major League Soccer for six years. ‘‘We’re going to create a family environment, so I think we have a great shot at making a very successful team.”

Martinez said he expects the SoccerPlex to be filled for the Monarchs’ 10 regular-season games, with ticket prices going no higher than $15 and family packages to help generate an interactive youth culture.

Silvino Gonzalo, who has a wealth of experience in the local soccer community at several levels, will coach the team. Notably, Gonzalo coached the Northern Virginia Royals of the PDL from 1998-2007, as well as the boys soccer team at the Barrie School in Silver Spring. The Super-20 League team, a feeder for the parent club, will be coached by Roger Fernandez.

Though the team is not finalized, Gonzalo says Real Maryland has signed at least seven players. At the press conference last Tuesday sat three of them: Nilson Perez, Joseph Pena Tempo and Prince George’s County native Daryl Ferguson, who plays for the Barbados National Team. The team’s biggest signing was its first, 32-year old Salvadorian Ronald Cerritos, who played 10 years in MLS, scoring 70 career goals for four different teams, including D.C. United.

The USL Second Division serves as ‘‘the underpinning of the professional structure” of the First Division. Though its players come from far and wide — the Monarchs’ first official tryout featured players from Romania, England and Japan — it has a regional focus.

In particular, the league has a strong Latin-American influence, which Real Maryland hopes to manifest in Montgomery County. It also plans to offer busing and metro service to and from SoccerPlex, not only for games but in hopes of garnering interest in their budding club programs.

For the Monarchs, the goal is two-pronged: to get local support, but also to field the best players it possibly can from across the globe.

‘‘We are proud to represent not only Maryland, but Montgomery County, as well,” said Gonzalo. ‘‘This area has such quality soccer, especially at the club level, and we would like to have as many local people as possible. Because of the level of play, I’m not sure how possible that will be right away. But that would be the dream.”