Interview: South Georgia Tormenta Co-Owner & President Darin Van Tassell
Image Credit: South Georgia Tormenta (Twitter)
On January 19, we conducted an interview with South Georgia Tormenta’s co-owner and President, Darin Van Tassell, regarding his club heading into the 2025 season. What was preached was a win-now focus and excitement for the future of the club, both on and off the field. We’d like to thank Mr. Van Tassell for his time, and his interview is below.
1. After a solid season but missing out on the playoffs, how does your organization make sure the club won’t miss out in 2025 and get back to the highs of the 2022 title?
Van Tassell: Our goal each year is to win championships. We had a busy offseason. All teams are constantly recruiting for this season, the next season, and the season three years from now. It is perhaps one of the greatest challenges in pro soccer.
2. What are your club’s specific goals when roster building? There has been a lot of turnover this year, and the new signings seem to indicate using MLS NEXT Pro players to build around Sebastian Vivas and Conor Doyle.
We have wanted to place an emphasis on a team that can win right away. We have nice mix of talent this season, with players that are hungry to win now and have a work-ethic that fits well into our team culture. We have a full preseason to build team chemistry. And that process is part of what makes team sports so appealing.
3. How would you review the signings made so far? There have been some big splashes in the market for players like Austin Pack and Taylor Gray.
And we have quite a few more exciting players to announce soon. Stay tuned. Having Austin Pack in goal is certainly a massive addition (Editor’s Note: The promise has so far been kept as the club brought back Gabriel Cabral and signed Handwalla Bwana).
4. Do you have any comments on the team’s exciting Open Cup run this past season, and if there are any steps being taken to save the tournament in the long run (amidst an unknown level of MLS involvement)?
It’s our national tournament. And it’s well over 100 years old. Seems to me all pro soccer teams have an obligation to be a part of our national tournament. Tormenta has had nice success historically in the Open Cup and here’s hoping 2025 is memorable as well. We should have more details from US Soccer in the next few weeks (Editor’s Note: The club will enter in the first round and play an amateur opponent).
5. There has been some mystery over the last few years regarding continued development of Tormenta Stadium. Will there be more upgrades to the ground in the future, and if so when will they be implemented?
No mystery at all, in fact. We are building an extensive stadium-centered entertainment and live, work, eat play district. With over 100 acres being developed, much of the initial retail Construction is almost complete. Projects of this size take lots of patience and planning. Fans will be exited to see the area immediately adjacent to the stadium underway this spring.
6. What is your opinion on the new USL Jäegermeister Cup Format, and how will it benefit Tormenta FC?
I’m a giant fan. Our work on the Sporting Committee and the hard work of the USL owners in League One and the Championship should pay off nicely and give us a brilliant competition.
7. I want to end on a very positive note, how proud are you of the club’s community work and how will it continue in 2025?
We’ve seen the club do a multitude of supply drives, outreach events, and also work with the Unified team. You can’t ask the community to be a part of our club if our club isn’t a part of the community. Our staff and players live here, so being present in the community seems like one of the easiest things we can do as a club.