Spokane Velocity returns after shocking run to championship final during inaugural season

When a team is in its first season, as an expansion team is, expectations are rightfully spirited and the energy around the team can be intoxicating for the fans and the community.

Throughout the 2024 season, Spokane Velocity FC head coach Leigh Veidman preached patience, togetherness and identity as the team found its footing.

The chances of success were unknown, but last season Spokane bucked the probable growing pains by the end of the season and made the USL League One title game in its first year of existence.

Originally, Veidman said the first-year goal was to establish a team identity, the second year was to become a consistent contender and host playoff games and the third was about vying for a championship.

“Obviously, in year one, we kind of fast tracked that, but I think it’s super important to reflect on what those goals are,” Veidman said.

Spokane entered the 2024 postseason on a seven-game winless streak. The Velocity were seventh in the standings and had a goal differential of minus-nine.

Some of that had to do with a poor finishing record, one of the worst in the league. The Velocity’s 26 league goals were third fewest in League One.

Veidman said that through three-quarters of the season, the Velocity were one of, if not the best, attacking teams. He pointed to the metrics and the secondary stats as proof.

He believes execution in the final third of the field was the primary problem.

“Some key additions were needed in those areas to make sure that we now convert those opportunities that we’re creating,” Veidman said. “We identified some key targets that are going to help with that, and now we’ve got them all here, signed and ready to go.”

Velocity ownership has expressed a strong desire to win – and win early – since the beginning. It gave the club the resources and flexibility to move forward this season as the technical staff began to hunt for new blood.

Eight new players were brought onto the squad with 13 returning from 2024.

One goalie, three defenders, two midfielders and two forwards make up the new faces. Each has experience in USL League One or an equivalent level.

The additions bumped the average age of the roster from around 26 to 27½, the club said. That was due to many of the nonreturners being recent college grads and a majority of the new players are multiyear professionals.

The age is still low in regard to opening a window of success, but not so young that volatility could follow.

Luis Gil, the 2024 captain, said the team in its first season had a lot of ups and downs with consistency that fluctuated from week to week. Now, with quality from top to bottom on the team sheet, he’s excited to show the rest of the league who the Velocity are now.

“We have a lot of guys with quite a bit of experience, especially in this league, which is a good thing,” Gil said. “Last year, we had guys like Andre (Lewis), Derek (Waldeck) who are just as much of a leader as I was off the field. We all kind of played roles in different ways, but the guys who have come in, they’ve been a big part of it as well, and I think they fit in quite well.”

Gil had 11 goals and five assists in all competitions last season.

Lewis, who had six goals and four assists in all competitions, and Waldeck were major contributors a season ago and are expected to continue their roles.

Waldeck’s 39 chances created were second on the team behind only Gil’s 40.

“The staff has put a lot of trust and confidence in me to be on set pieces and to be one of the guys that creates chances from dead ball situations,” Waldeck said. “But then in the flow of play too, I’m blessed with the motor to be able to get up and down on the left side, and that’s definitely an area of my game that I’ve aimed to improve over the last few seasons.”

Veidman clearly trusted Waldeck last season as the left fullback appeared in all but one game .

Veidman said one of the biggest difficulties in 2024 was to identify and bring in the proper players, due to the unknown resources and the new environment.

He said players last season did a fantastic job since they made the championship game, but the second year was when he expected to take that next step with the squad .

“We’ve earned a lot of respect,” Veidman said. “Those players who are going to help us take our game to the next level now became more attainable, because they see the product that we put on the pitch and see the product that we have at our stadium and what the front office does, the environment that they create on a day-to-day basis. So, we’ve got a very sellable product now, and those higher-level players see that, and they want to be a part of this journey.”

The newest signing, announced Thursday, is Jalen Crisler, a 6-foot-4 defender from Everett.

He was a four-year starter at Gonzaga between 2013 and 2017 and spent the past six seasons as a pro and the past five in League One.

“It’s a dream come true to represent the city of Spokane again,” Crisler said in news release. “Last year was a great first step for the club and this amazing city and fans deserve even more. I look forward to seeing you all soon and working to bring championships to this great city.”

Crisler will be playing close to home for the first time since his GU days. Veidman said in the same release that the 30-year-old will bring a wealth of experience, leadership and competition to the backline.

Spokane opens its season Sunday at home against One Knoxville SC, which finished fifth last season and got knocked out in the first round of the playoffs by Greenville Triumph SC.

The game kicks off at 4 p.m. at ONE Spokane Stadium. The game will be broadcast locally on KSKN channel 22.

The teams faced off twice a season ago, with each matchup resulting in a draw.

Fans on Sunday will see a slightly altered jersey from the 2024 season. On Thursday, the club announced a new jersey – or kit – sponsor.

There was no redesign, but it has the addition of the Spokane Tribe Resort and Casino on the front and the tribe’s logo on the front right leg.

Gallagher Insurance and Lumberbeard Brewing will be on the back neckline.

Capelli Sport is still the manufacturer of the jerseys.

“It’s important to have those connections with the community,” Gil said. “It’s a blessing to have those types of connections with those sponsors.”