LEGION TRAINING NIGHT
Alabama FC is excited to further enhance the player development process with exclusive ECNL/ECRL weekly training will prove to be a vital partner to the growth of the players within Birmingham at all levels.
Academy, State League, and SCCL complimentary camp dates will be announced soon. Alabama FC is the only youth-affiliated soccer program with the Legion and we look forward to growing this partnership
Training Schedule
Summer Training Schedule
TBD
Academy Clinic
TBD
Competitive Clinic
TBD
Camp Schedule
Free to ALL SCCL, Competitive, and Academy players.
Coaches Bios
Eric Avila:
Avila spent the 2021 season coaching the San Diego Nomads under-15 MLS Next Academy team. He played for San Diego Loyal SC in the USL Championship in 2020, made 34 appearances with four assists for Legion FC in 2019, spent 2018 with the Las Vegas Lights, 2017 in Phoenix with Rising FC, and 2016 with the Rowdies in Tampa. Before Avila joined the Rowdies, he appeared in 174 games across eight seasons in Major League Soccer with FC Dallas, Toronto FC, Chivas USA, and Orlando City SC.
The now 34-year-old also had a successful college career, capped off by scoring the game-winning goal for UC-Santa Barbara in the 2006 NCAA Division 1 Men’s Soccer Championship. While in college, Avila played in USL League Two for the San Fernando Valley Quakes and Ventura County Fusion. As a youth player, Avila was in residency with the United States U-17 National Team program at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, and spent time playing with the Under-20s. He was also a member of the Chivas USA U-19 team before enrolling at UCSB. Avila recently earned his USSF ‘B’ License
Matt VanOekel:
VanOekel, who is the current goalkeeper and goalkeeper coach for the Legion FC first team, began his coaching career in 2008 with the Minnesota United Academy girls’ program. Since 2008, his previous coaching stints include the men’s and women’s goalkeeper coach at St. Olaf College, associate head coach for the men’s and women’s program at Dakota County Technical College, and the goalkeeper coach at Carleton College. Since 2018, VanOekel founded Front Foot GK, a goalkeeping training company that hosts camps, clinics, and private training for aspiring goalkeepers.
Entering his 14th pro season, and third with Legion FC, VanOekel’s playing career dates back to 2008 when he signed for Minnesota United in the NASL. After seven seasons with Minnesota, he played for FC Edmonton, Real Salt Lake of MLS, and Oklahoma City Energy. Collegiately, VanOekel played at Longwood University before transferring to Rutgers University from 2005-2007. VanOekel holds his USSF “C” License.
In 27 appearances for the Three Sparks in 2021, Legion’s Defensive Player of the Year earned himself 9 clean sheets (tied for 4th in USLC) and 84 saves (7=) with a 76.4% success rate. In addition, VanOekel made 11 catches, 13 punches, and 21 clearances. During the Black and Gold’s rival match versus Memphis at the historic Legion Field on May 15, VanOekel recorded his career-first assist that led to a 1-0 shutout victory for Birmingham. VanOekel made 14 appearances for Legion FC in 2020, racking up four clean sheets (tied for 9th in USLC) and 36 saves (12th) for goals against average of 1.21. He also added 13 clearances, six catches, seven punches, and played a vital role in the game-tying goal at Charlotte on August 12.
Legion FC’s captain and Goalkeeping Coach made 30 appearances for Birmingham in 2019 in his first season with the club and finished fifth in the USL Championship in shutouts with five. In 2018, he played for OKC Energy FC and in 18 matches, allowed just 26 goals. He signed with Real Salt Lake in 2017 and played in six matches for RSL. In 2015, VanOekel signed with NASL team FC Edmonton and was named the 2016 NASL Golden Glove winner.
Phanuel Kavita:
Team MVP in 2021, Phanuel Kavita thrived in his first season with Legion FC. Always making an impact, Kavita played in every game with 32 appearances and was only subbed-off once. He led the club with 25 blocks and an 87.7% passing accuracy. Additionally, he racked up 87 clearances and 33 interceptions. He was a key part of Birmingham’s rock-solid backline throughout the 2021 season which led them to having the second least goals conceded in the league.
Kavita moved from Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, to join the Real Salt Lake Academy, before playing collegiately at Clemson University from 2011 to 2014. As a Tiger, he started in all 81 games in which he featured and captained the team to the ACC Tournament Championship, where he was named to the All-ACC Tournament team in 2014. The defender then signed a homegrown contract with Real Salt Lake in 2015, and made one appearance for the club, but spent most of his time in Utah with the Real Monarchs. He made 38 appearances for the USL side and scored one goal across the 2015-2016 seasons. In 2017, he played for Puerto Rico FC in the North American Soccer League, where he made 27 appearances and scored another goal.
Kavita then spent the past three seasons playing for Saint Louis FC where he made 88 appearances, 84 of which were starts, and bagged three goals and one assist. In 2019 and 2020, he started 54 of the 56 STLFC matches and played every single minute in all 54 of those games. He finished this past campaign as Saint Louis’s leader in passes, blocks, and minutes played, was second in clearances, and fourth in tackles and tackles won.
