#lfr1881

Welcome to the first in a line of interviews with players, coaches and staff of Arizona United SC

Name: Devon Grousis 

Position: Defender 

Twitter: @Devndevs 

LFR: Who was you mentor and/or who got you into soccer? 

 DG: My brother Kyle is 5 years older than me so I watched him play, when I was really young, and I was almost jealous of how much fun it looked.  So I'd say him or my father, who really pushed me back into the games late in high school. 

 LFR: Besides United, who do you support? 

 DG: I've been a real big AC Milan fan since I was about 16.  Sac Republic is the closest professional team to my home, so as the move into MLS and I move out of the game I'm sure I'll become fond of them. 

 LFR: AZ United looks to be a really strong side this year, what would you consider to be a successful season for the club? 

 DG: It's definitely the most technical team I've ever been a part o, and I don't think it's going to take long for teams to dread playing us.  But I'm not a fan of predictions, so I'll say our goal is to make the playoffs and leave it at that. 

 LFR: Which club do you think will be the toughest to compete against in the western conference? 

 DG: Sacramento played good football last season, but they've had some interesting pre season results so I'm going to go with the Galaxy II 

 LFR: Last season you didn't get many minutes,what are you doing to change that this year? 

 DG: I've always believed that it's all about staying positive and getting a little better everyday.  I want to continue getting better at being a leader in the locker room and training sessions. 

 LFR: You've obviously made a very strong connection to the local fans, how did it feel to have so many fans fighting to bring you back for 2015? 

 DG: A little overwhelming actually.  It was great to see them voicing their opinion so passionately, because it shows how much they care about the club. Since I got here in 2013, I've really grown to love this place, and the fans. It was cool to see that love reciprocated. 

 LFR: You are very active on Twitter, who are your favorite people to follow? 

DG:London (@LondonWoodberry), Marc Andreessen (@marca), Jason Calacanis (@Jason), and the ruthless Brittney Brennan (@BrennanBritt) 

 LFR: Worst team mate you've had to share a room with? 

2015 is here at last, and with it, comes a new stadium and a new city for our dear USL Pro club. Tempe and ASU Soccer Stadium, so 2013. Phoenix and Reach 11? Yeah, that was the dark times of 2013 that we like to forget. Peoria and Peoria Sports Complex, that's so 2014. This year the phoenix that seems to represent soccer in the Valley of the Sun makes its nest in Scottsdale at Scottsdale Stadium. Thankfully, the club doesn't have to be reborn this time, for Arizona United endures to fight another season, with no signs of stopping. Perhaps Kyle Eng has finally gotten rid of the phoenix stigma of soccer here, and replaced it with John McClain. You know, because Die Hard, instead of rise from the ashes.

It really is refreshing starting the year knowing where your club is going to play, that is has in fact signed players, and for better or worse, won't stop calling you about season tickets. Arizona United isn't the laughing stock that was the Phoenix FC Wolves, where the only good thing we could say was that we weren't Antigua. We have a club we can take pride in now in Arizona, and that is truly an exciting thing. 2014 is in the books, and 2015 is here. 2015 belongs to you, it belongs to me, it belongs to LFR, and it belongs to Arizona United. Kyle Eng and the Knights of Eng (Yes, I did just make that up to refer to the rest of the staff at Arizona United SC) are doing their job to make this a fantastic year, but to truly make it one for the record books, we need to do our part. Rise up Red Fury. Let's ride (to go drink and stuff) BROs (Bar Reconnaissance Operators -Credit to Riobard). Let's get out there and yell WE ARE UNITED!

Now, can I get a Yippeee Ki Yay Motherf*$@er!