ALLENTOWN, Pa. — The Lehigh Valley’s new arena soccer team is set to take the PPL Center field in about six months as the Spirits.
Co-owner Rob Brooks helped unveil the franchise’s new name — and its leaders — during an event Thursday afternoon at Chickie's and Pete’s inside the arena complex.
“What the Phantoms have built over the first 12 years has given us the confidence to bring another team here, which we’ve always wanted to do."PPL Center co-owner Rob Brooks
The Spirits name pays homage to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms hockey franchise and looks to build on its success since 2014, which inspired brothers Rob and Jim Brooks to launch another professional team, Rob Brooks said.
“What the Phantoms have built over the first 12 years has given us the confidence to bring another team here, which we’ve always wanted to do,” he told LehighValleyNews.com.
The fraternal ownership team “looked at several different sports, but we believe soccer is the right fit for this community,” he said.
Incoming Sporting Director Guliano Oliviero echoed Brooks’ confidence in quickly establishing a strong fan base.
“We know that the Lehigh Valley has a massive youth soccer population, and it's not just recreational soccer, it's competitive, it's high-level,” he said.
He said he wants to build “a team that is great not only on the field but in the community.”
The Spirits will look to host free clinics and camps for local players as the team works to become a part of the Lehigh Valley fabric, like the Phantoms have, Brooks said.
Kids could also get opportunities to play on the turf field before games, he said.
Building 'from the ground up'
Oliviero, 52, boasts an extensive playing and coaching career, much of it spent in Wisconsin, where he recently was inducted into the state’s soccer Hall of Fame.
He played more than 250 games for the Milwaukee Wave from 2005-2014, and scored 143 goals, before serving as manager for almost a decade until 2024, according to online statistics.
But the opportunity to “build this team from the ground up” and conversations with the Brooks brothers about its potential convinced Oliviero to pull up roots and fly to the Lehigh Valley.
“This is something I can’t pass up,” he said.
“We want to put a competitive team here to play to win, play to win the championship," he said. "That's what we're all about, that’s what pro athletes’ dreams [are] about.”Spirit Assistant Head Coach Jeremy Ortiz
William Banahene, 32, is set to support Oliviero as the Spirits’ assistant general manager and head of community relations, while Jeremy Ortiz will serve as associate head coach.
Ortiz, 40, joins the team fresh off winning the championship in MASL2 with Harrisburg Heat last season. He played collegiate soccer at La Salle University before a 12-year professional MASL career.
Ortiz said Thursday he’s “super excited to start this project” and wants to “develop a culture” within the new organization.
“I can see myself building something here with these guys,” Ortiz said.
“We want to put a competitive team here to play to win, play to win the championship," he said. "That's what we're all about, that’s what pro athletes’ dreams [are] about.”
The Lehigh Valley Spirits’ inaugural season in the MASL is scheduled to launch Dec. 5. But the team still has no players.
That’s set to change Tuesday as the MASL holds its first-ever Expansion Draft.
Bob Rotruck, the Phantoms’ radio broadcaster, invited potential new Spirits fans to Chickie's & Pete’s that evening to see the team take shape in real-time.
