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  • This Has Always Felt Like a Soccer State to Me

    This Has Always Felt Like a Soccer State to Me
    2026/09/15
    Send us Fan MailWhat does the voice behind a match bring to the experience—and what can one person’s soccer journey reveal about the history of the game in Vermont?In this episode of the Pink and Green Podcast, A.J. and Chris sit down with Andrew “Drew” Lafrenz, the public-address voice of Vermont Clover FC, an experienced college soccer coach, educator, musician, and longtime member of Vermont’s soccer community.Drew explains how his background in music, singing, athletics, and game management prepared him for the microphone. He shares what happens inside the Clover match-day booth, from tracking substitutions and confirming goals to coordinating with referees, broadcasters, and media staff while helping supporters connect with the action.The conversation then traces Drew’s path through Vermont soccer. After arriving in the state in the 1990s, he played at Johnson State College before moving into coaching. That journey eventually took him to Boston University, Newbury College, and back to Johnson, where he coached both the women’s and men’s programs while teaching sport management.Drew reflects on the relationships created through Vermont’s small colleges, the importance those institutions hold in their communities, and the rich soccer tradition built at schools such as Johnson, Castleton, Lyndon, and Green Mountain.The group also discusses Vermont Clover’s role in creating opportunities for homegrown players. Drew explains why Vermont has always felt like a soccer state to him, why giving local talent a sense of relevance matters, and how Clover can help demonstrate the quality of Vermont soccer regionally and nationally.The episode closes with a look at the infrastructure Vermont still needs, the continued growth of the state’s soccer pathways, and Drew’s belief that Vermont players are ready to prove what they can accomplish.In This EpisodeDrew talks about:Becoming the public-address voice of Vermont Clover FCHow music and singing influenced his work behind the microphoneWearing multiple hats in small college athletic departmentsArriving in Vermont and finding community through soccerPlaying at Johnson State CollegeBeginning his coaching career alongside Brian BoucherEarning a master’s degree in coaching at Boston UniversityCoaching at Newbury College and Johnson StateLeading both men’s and women’s college programsProtecting players and programs during coaching transitionsThe upheaval surrounding Vermont’s state collegesWhy small colleges matter to rural Vermont communitiesVermont’s rich small-school soccer traditionWhat happens inside the match-day boothHelping create an engaging experience for Clover supportersWhy he volunteered to become involved with the clubThe importance of showcasing homegrown Vermont playersBuilding pathways for players and future coachesVermont’s need for more soccer infrastructureWhy he believes Vermont can compete nationallyHis work as a solo musician and with Steep Creek FrenzyAndrew Lafrenz is a former college soccer player and coach, an educator, musician, and the public-address voice of Vermont Clover FC.Follow Andrew’s music on Facebook and Instagram by searching Andrew Lafrenz Music.Vermont Clover FC is home to both men’s and women’s semi-professional soccer teams, with sponsorship opportunities ranging from jersey placement to match-day, digital, and community partnerships. Interested in becoming a Vermont Clover FC sponsor? Contact us at info@vermontclover.com.Vermont Clover FCWe are focused on creating opportunities for VT's top players. Capelli SportThe official uniform sponsor for all Vermont Clover FC teams. Slide In PubThe Office Pub of Vermont Clover FC! Located at 3762 Shelburne Rd Ste 6, Shelburne, VTSupport the showFollow the Pink and Green Podcast for more conversations about Vermont soccer, community, and culture.Follow us on Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/pinkandgreenpodcast/Follow Vermont Clover FChttps://www.instagram.com/vermontcloverfc/https://www.youtube.com/@VermontCloverFCGet tickets to the next Vermont Clover match!https://tickets.vermontclover.com
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    48 分
  • I Just Have to Say Yes and See Where It Takes Me

    I Just Have to Say Yes and See Where It Takes Me
    2026/09/08

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    Soccer journeys rarely follow a perfectly straight line.

    In this episode of the Pink and Green Podcast, Vermont Clover FC midfielder Rieanna Murray shares the decisions, relationships and determination that have carried her from youth soccer in Vermont to the college game in Florida.

    Rieanna traces her path from Queen City and CVU to UMass Dartmouth, where she began her college career. After realizing it wasn’t the right long-term fit, she entered the transfer portal, reached out to the schools that interested her and ultimately accepted an opportunity to join Division II Barry University.

    Moving to Florida—and stepping into a faster, more competitive environment—was intimidating. But Rieanna decided she had to say yes and see where the opportunity might take her.

    Throughout the conversation, she reflects on the coaches, teammates and family members who helped shape her as a player. She explains why those personal connections mattered more than the reputation of a particular club, how being left off the varsity team fueled her development and why pressure tends to bring out her best.

    Rieanna also discusses the private work behind her progress: taking touches in the backyard, running in the summer heat and continuing to train when nobody is watching. For her, confidence and improvement come from expecting more of herself every day.

    The conversation also returns home to Vermont as Rieanna describes joining Vermont Clover FC’s women’s team, reconnecting with former coaches and teammates, and turning old high-school rivals into new teammates.

    In this episode:

    • The childhood deal with her grandmother that kept Rieanna in soccer
    • Growing up with Queen City and the importance of trusted coaches
    • Choosing relationships and the right environment over club reputation
    • Her experience playing for CVU and responding to early setbacks
    • Beginning the college recruiting process later than expected
    • Recognizing when UMass Dartmouth was no longer the right fit
    • Entering the NCAA transfer portal and choosing Barry University
    • Adjusting to Division II soccer in Florida
    • Using doubt, pressure and rejection as motivation
    • Developing as a midfielder and putting the team first
    • Why meaningful improvement happens when nobody is watching
    • The support young athletes need from their families
    • Joining Vermont Clover FC and returning to play in Vermont
    • Her advice for young players who are pursuing ambitious goals

    Rieanna’s story is a reminder that changing direction does not mean abandoning the goal. Sometimes progress requires trusting yourself, leaving a comfortable situation and saying yes before you know exactly where the next step will lead.

    Vermont Clover FC is home to both men’s and women’s semi-professional soccer teams, with sponsorship opportunities ranging from jersey placement to match-day, digital, and community partnerships. Interested in becoming a Vermont Clover FC sponsor? Contact us at info@vermontclover.com.

    Vermont Clover FC
    We are focused on creating opportunities for VT's top players.

    Capelli Sport
    The official uniform sponsor for all Vermont Clover FC teams.

    Slide In Pub
    The Office Pub of Vermont Clover FC! Located at 3762 Shelburne Rd Ste 6, Shelburne, VT

    S1 Goalkeeper Gloves
    The Best Goalkeeper Gloves! Pro quality, cost effect. Worn by all Vermont Clover FC Keepers!

    Support the show

    Follow the Pink and Green Podcast for more conversations about Vermont soccer, community, and culture.

    Follow us on Instagram
    https://www.instagram.com/pinkandgreenpodcast/

    Follow Vermont Clover FC
    https://www.instagram.com/vermontcloverfc/
    https://www.youtube.com/@VermontCloverFC

    Get tickets to the next Vermont Clover match!
    https://tickets.vermontclover.com
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    1 時間 8 分
  • Success Isn’t Based Solely on Winning

    Success Isn’t Based Solely on Winning
    2026/09/01

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    What does it take to build a soccer club that serves players, families and an entire region?

    In this episode of the Pink and Green Podcast, we sit down with Brandon Smith, President of Vermont Fusion Soccer Club, to explore the growth of soccer in southern Vermont and the work required to create meaningful opportunities for young players.

    Brandon walks us through Vermont Fusion’s structure, its relationship with local recreational programs and the challenges of bringing players together from communities spread across a large geographic area. We discuss the importance of cooperation between clubs and towns, creating pathways for players who want a more competitive experience and making soccer accessible to as many families as possible.

    The conversation also explores what success should look like for a youth soccer organization. Winning matters—but Brandon explains why a club’s impact must also be measured by the environment it creates, the experiences it provides and the kind of teammates and people its players become.

    Brandon also shares the behind-the-scenes realities of leading a soccer organization, from facilities and tournaments to marketing, volunteers and the many different roles required to keep a club moving forward.

    In this episode:

    • How Vermont Fusion grew and whom the club serves
    • The relationship between recreational and competitive soccer
    • Creating opportunities for players across southern Vermont
    • Why cooperation between communities strengthens the game
    • Building memorable tournament and game-day experiences
    • Measuring club success beyond wins and losses
    • The importance of culture, attitude and being a good teammate
    • The volunteer work that happens behind the scenes
    • Brandon’s own connection to soccer and what makes the game so compelling
    • The future of Vermont Fusion and soccer throughout the state

    This episode is a thoughtful look at youth soccer not simply as a competition, but as a community—and at the people working to give more Vermont players a place to experience the game.

    Vermont Clover FC is home to both men’s and women’s semi-professional soccer teams, with sponsorship opportunities ranging from jersey placement to match-day, digital, and community partnerships. Interested in becoming a Vermont Clover FC sponsor? Contact us at info@vermontclover.com.

    Vermont Clover FC
    We are focused on creating opportunities for VT's top players.

    Capelli Sport
    The official uniform sponsor for all Vermont Clover FC teams.

    Slide In Pub
    The Office Pub of Vermont Clover FC! Located at 3762 Shelburne Rd Ste 6, Shelburne, VT

    S1 Goalkeeper Gloves
    The Best Goalkeeper Gloves! Pro quality, cost effect. Worn by all Vermont Clover FC Keepers!

    Support the show

    Follow the Pink and Green Podcast for more conversations about Vermont soccer, community, and culture.

    Follow us on Instagram
    https://www.instagram.com/pinkandgreenpodcast/

    Follow Vermont Clover FC
    https://www.instagram.com/vermontcloverfc/
    https://www.youtube.com/@VermontCloverFC

    Get tickets to the next Vermont Clover match!
    https://tickets.vermontclover.com
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    1 時間 14 分
  • Renaissance Coach

    Renaissance Coach
    2026/08/25

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    This week, AJ & Chris are joined by John O’Connor, Head Coach of the VSU Castleton Men’s Soccer team & the Vermont Wild.

    OC talks about why he loves coaching (spoiler: it’s about relationships), the differences in coaching a wide variety of teams, what he’s excited about in Vermont soccer, how clubs work together, and being a sports dad.


    Vermont Clover FC is home to both men’s and women’s semi-professional soccer teams, with sponsorship opportunities ranging from jersey placement to match-day, digital, and community partnerships. Interested in becoming a Vermont Clover FC sponsor? Contact us at info@vermontclover.com.

    Vermont Clover FC
    We are focused on creating opportunities for VT's top players.

    Capelli Sport
    The official uniform sponsor for all Vermont Clover FC teams.

    Slide In Pub
    The Office Pub of Vermont Clover FC! Located at 3762 Shelburne Rd Ste 6, Shelburne, VT

    S1 Goalkeeper Gloves
    The Best Goalkeeper Gloves! Pro quality, cost effect. Worn by all Vermont Clover FC Keepers!

    Support the show

    Follow the Pink and Green Podcast for more conversations about Vermont soccer, community, and culture.

    Follow us on Instagram
    https://www.instagram.com/pinkandgreenpodcast/

    Follow Vermont Clover FC
    https://www.instagram.com/vermontcloverfc/
    https://www.youtube.com/@VermontCloverFC

    Get tickets to the next Vermont Clover match!
    https://tickets.vermontclover.com
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    1 時間 10 分
  • I Want to Give the Players Freedom

    I Want to Give the Players Freedom
    2026/08/18
    Send us Fan MailHow does a young coach turn a love for soccer into an opportunity to shape the next generation of Vermont players?In this episode of the Pink and Green Podcast, A.J. and Chris sit down with Oscar Loomis, a Vermont Clover Elite 11 coach and the new head coach of the Middlebury Union High School boys’ soccer team.Oscar shares how growing up in a small Southern Vermont community led him to soccer, from joining the sport at age 12 or 13 to playing varsity at Long Trail School and continuing his career at Burr and Burton Academy. After time away from the game, an unexpected opportunity to coach brought his passion roaring back.The conversation explores Oscar’s first coaching experience, the simple message that opened the door for him at Vermont Clover, and what he learned from working alongside the club’s coaching staff. He also discusses taking over at Middlebury, creating a fresh and merit-based environment, and establishing a style of play built around pressure, freedom, technical confidence, and relentless effort.Oscar reflects on the positive and negative coaching experiences that shaped his philosophy. He explains why players need to feel safe making mistakes, how coaches can handle difficult moments without adding to the chaos, and why strong relationships away from the field produce better chemistry on it.The group also examines Vermont’s homegrown soccer culture, the financial and geographic barriers that keep talented players from accessing opportunities, and the need for more people to become involved in coaching. For Oscar, coaching provides young players with more than instruction—it gives them an outlet to express themselves.In This EpisodeOscar talks about:Discovering soccer as a young teenager in Southern VermontPlaying for Long Trail School, Fusion, Summit, ODP, and Burr and BurtonFalling back in love with the game through coachingReaching out to Vermont Clover and asking to become involvedLearning from the Vermont Clover coaching staffLeading the club’s Elite 11 programBecoming Middlebury Union High School’s new head coachGiving players freedom within a system that benefits the teamBuilding a relentless, aggressive style of playCreating trust and psychological safety for young athletesKeeping composure during difficult momentsDeveloping relationships and chemistry beyond the fieldThe coaches and experiences that shaped his philosophyVermont’s close-knit, homegrown soccer communityFinancial and geographic barriers to player developmentWhy Vermont needs more youth coachesSoccer as a form of creativity and self-expressionHis hopes for the next stage of his coaching careerOscar Loomis is a Vermont soccer coach who worked with Vermont Clover FC’s Elite 11 program and is beginning his first season as head coach of the Middlebury Union High School boys’ soccer team.Vermont Clover FC is home to both men’s and women’s semi-professional soccer teams, with sponsorship opportunities ranging from jersey placement to match-day, digital, and community partnerships. Interested in becoming a Vermont Clover FC sponsor? Contact us at info@vermontclover.com.Vermont Clover FCWe are focused on creating opportunities for VT's top players. Capelli SportThe official uniform sponsor for all Vermont Clover FC teams. Slide In PubThe Office Pub of Vermont Clover FC! Located at 3762 Shelburne Rd Ste 6, Shelburne, VT S1 Goalkeeper GlovesThe Best Goalkeeper Gloves! Pro quality, cost effect. Worn by all Vermont Clover FC Keepers!Support the showFollow the Pink and Green Podcast for more conversations about Vermont soccer, community, and culture.Follow us on Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/pinkandgreenpodcast/Follow Vermont Clover FChttps://www.instagram.com/vermontcloverfc/https://www.youtube.com/@VermontCloverFCGet tickets to the next Vermont Clover match!https://tickets.vermontclover.com
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    1 時間 13 分
  • I Get asked That A Lot

    I Get asked That A Lot
    2026/08/11

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    What does it mean to lead a new team while also helping establish its identity?

    In this episode of the Pink and Green Podcast, A.J. and Chris sit down with Vermont Clover FC captain Michael O’Connor. A Vermont State University Castleton alumnus, Michael reflects on his soccer journey, the experiences that shaped him as a player, and what brought him to Vermont Clover.

    Michael discusses his approach to leadership, what it means to wear the captain’s armband, and why trust must be earned through consistency, accountability, and the way a player carries himself every day. The conversation also explores the importance of team culture, the different personalities and backgrounds within the Clover locker room, and what it takes to bring a newly assembled group together.

    Michael shares his perspective on Vermont’s soccer community, the opportunity Clover is creating for local players, and the pride that comes with representing the state. He also talks about maintaining high standards, learning through challenging moments, and his hopes for what Vermont Clover can become.

    In This Episode

    Michael talks about:

    • His path through Vermont soccer and VTSU Castleton
    • Joining Vermont Clover FC
    • Being selected as the team’s captain
    • The difference between holding a title and being a leader
    • Building trust and accountability within a new team
    • Creating chemistry among players from different backgrounds
    • The responsibility of setting a standard for the group
    • Representing Vermont and growing the local game
    • What he hopes supporters see when they watch Clover play
    • His ambitions for the team and his own future in soccer

    Michael O’Connor is a VTSU Castleton alumnus and captain of Vermont Clover FC.

    Follow Michael on Instagram: @michaeloc_

    Vermont Clover FC is home to both men’s and women’s semi-professional soccer teams, with sponsorship opportunities ranging from jersey placement to match-day, digital, and community partnerships. Interested in becoming a Vermont Clover FC sponsor? Contact us at info@vermontclover.com.

    Vermont Clover FC
    We are focused on creating opportunities for VT's top players.

    Capelli Sport
    The official uniform sponsor for all Vermont Clover FC teams.

    Slide In Pub
    The Office Pub of Vermont Clover FC! Located at 3762 Shelburne Rd Ste 6, Shelburne, VT

    Support the show

    Follow the Pink and Green Podcast for more conversations about Vermont soccer, community, and culture.

    Follow us on Instagram
    https://www.instagram.com/pinkandgreenpodcast/

    Follow Vermont Clover FC
    https://www.instagram.com/vermontcloverfc/
    https://www.youtube.com/@VermontCloverFC

    Get tickets to the next Vermont Clover match!
    https://tickets.vermontclover.com
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    48 分
  • Thank you

    Thank you
    2026/08/04

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    In this episode A.J. puts his co-host in the hot seat and we get to learn a little bit more about Chris George!

    We also recap what this first season for Vermont Clover FC has been like and talk a little bit about what next season may bring.

    Vermont Clover FC is home to both men’s and women’s semi-professional soccer teams, with sponsorship opportunities ranging from jersey placement to match-day, digital, and community partnerships. Interested in becoming a Vermont Clover FC sponsor? Contact us at info@vermontclover.com.

    Vermont Clover FC
    We are focused on creating opportunities for VT's top players.

    Capelli Sport
    The official uniform sponsor for all Vermont Clover FC teams.

    Slide In Pub
    The Office Pub of Vermont Clover FC! Located at 3762 Shelburne Rd Ste 6, Shelburne, VT

    S1 Goalkeeper Gloves
    The Best Goalkeeper Gloves! Pro quality, cost effect. Worn by all Vermont Clover FC Keepers!

    Support the show

    Follow the Pink and Green Podcast for more conversations about Vermont soccer, community, and culture.

    Follow us on Instagram
    https://www.instagram.com/pinkandgreenpodcast/

    Follow Vermont Clover FC
    https://www.instagram.com/vermontcloverfc/
    https://www.youtube.com/@VermontCloverFC

    Get tickets to the next Vermont Clover match!
    https://tickets.vermontclover.com
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    1 時間 9 分
  • We were on the greatest team in the world

    We were on the greatest team in the world
    2026/07/28

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    Chris & AJ talk with Assistant Coach Alfred Karam about how Al fell in love with the game, how he got to Vermont (spoiler: it was soccer), and what he’s been learning on the VT Clover staff.


    Vermont Clover FC is home to both men’s and women’s semi-professional soccer teams, with sponsorship opportunities ranging from jersey placement to match-day, digital, and community partnerships. Interested in becoming a Vermont Clover FC sponsor? Contact us at info@vermontclover.com.

    Vermont Clover FC
    We are focused on creating opportunities for VT's top players.

    Capelli Sport
    The official uniform sponsor for all Vermont Clover FC teams.

    S1 Goalkeeper Gloves
    The Best Goalkeeper Gloves! Pro quality, cost effect. Worn by all Vermont Clover FC Keepers!

    Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

    Support the show

    Follow the Pink and Green Podcast for more conversations about Vermont soccer, community, and culture.

    Follow us on Instagram
    https://www.instagram.com/pinkandgreenpodcast/

    Follow Vermont Clover FC
    https://www.instagram.com/vermontcloverfc/
    https://www.youtube.com/@VermontCloverFC

    Get tickets to the next Vermont Clover match!
    https://tickets.vermontclover.com
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    37 分