LA Force: Finding A Home In The Harbor

By Oliver Tensley.

LONG BEACH, Calif. — On Saturday, June 22, fans witnessed the LA Force cruise to a 2-0 win over Capistrano Football Club. They left Veterans Memorial Field at Long Beach City College, drove past the Long Beach Airport not even a mile away, and passed under the 405 or 710 freeways on their way home.

This was not always the route out of LA Force matches. A year ago it was Irvine streets that fans drove home and a year before that East Los Angeles ones. However, the club which has been all around Greater Los Angeles has found its community in the harbor.

Long Beach, Calif. residents, like the Force, have seen their surroundings change over the years. A port city, once regarded as a small town by the ocean, later made famous for Southern Californian street culture, and now one of the most expensive areas in California – Long Beach has been known for many reasons.

Gentrification cannot wipe away the city’s past. One drives through the city and sees Snoop Dogg murals mere blocks away from oil rigs making them question if it’s the 2020’s, 1990’s, or 1960’s. Coffee could be $7 at the wrong shop, but a taco truck will be out front selling three tacos for the same price.

The Force was moved to 2024 Long Beach, yet represents every era of the city.

Kara Acajabon is the club’s social media director. As a native of Southern California, she acts as a conduit for players to connect with their new area. She said, “I use my role on the team to engage players in local businesses…if it’s just every morning putting them on my favorite coffee spot or telling them what kinds of restaurants to eat at…even that goes such a long way.”

These connections are for the community around the club as much as the players themselves.

Head coach, Dekel Keinan, said, “A lot of the time we invite local businesses to our games and I think it’s good, we started to build a relationship with the city of Long Beach…every time we can give back to the community I think it’s great for the community and for our players to understand how lucky they are.”

On the field, the club has a chip on its shoulder reminiscent of an older Long Beach. Every call against the Force is challenged and tackles are often put in with an extra crunch. Defender, Ivan Hernandez, disagreed with a yellow card he was given in the first half. When his booking was announced he sarcastically waved to the crowd while defending the ensuing free-kick. Hernandez would get sent off for a second yellow card later in the match.

Yet, when one looks into the crowd it is families who are scattered around the stadium. When walking along the bottom of the bleachers one must be careful to watch out for children playing, laughing, pausing briefly to watch a corner kick, and returning to their games of tag.

When a goal is scored it is parents of players who celebrate the hardest, but parents of Long Beach kids looking for something to do on a Saturday night clap along with them. “Let’s go Force, let’s go” is chanted from all ages in Veterans Memorial Stadium.

When the whistle blows kids rush the field to meet coaches or their favorite players.

Keinan, whose career has seen him play in the English Premier League and UEFA Champions League, now holds a player-manager role at the Force. He wants his club to be welcoming to the youth. He said, “We know a lot of time kids just need someone to believe in them or someone to look up to and we’re glad we have the opportunity to do it.”

Keinan sticks to his word. Kids so young they may not even remember the event get to take pictures with him and his players, pose in the goals, and shoot on them before the stadium is cleared out.

Michael Salazar opened the scoring in the first half and a young ball boy yelling, “Salazar! Salazar!” did the “floss” dance toward him until the player did it back at the end of his celebration. The boy said, “he told me he would do that!”

Salazar is originally from Belize but spent much of his teenage years in Southern California. He also spent a season with the LA Galaxy II in 2019. He said, “[the people here] treat me good and I try to give back…I’m gonna give everything for the community…we’re doing everything to go around, help the kids, talk to them, try to engage with the community and I think it’s starting to show.”

About the rest of the year, he said, “We want to stay on top of the table and represent L.B.C.”

If those were the goals at the start of this season then so far so good. The win on Saturday restored the club’s status as first in NISA Pro’s Western Conference.

Players warming up to the sound of “California Love,” surely remember where they are and who they represent. The club which uses the letters “LA” to represent “the L.B.C.” could not be better fitted to its new community.

There are many LAs and the Force has finally found its home in the harbor.