The latest addition to the UNA Lions sports community, a men’s club soccer team started by students, will play its first game at the University of Alabama Sept. 9.

David Augustus, president of the Pride Soccer Club and senior from Huntsville, played a key role in starting the club team. He said he and fellow students decided to turn a shared passion into something more.

“It started off with knowing that a lot of students had a passion for the sport, and when I saw that they had a passion and I had a passion, (I saw) that something could definitely be made,” Augustus said.

The team, which consists of 22 players, is still looking for students who share this passion; it will hold its last tryout Thursday at 10 p.m. on the UNA soccer field.

Lindsay Hanlin, UNA junior and the team’s secretary, said there has been a good deal of interest in the team so far.  

“Everyone seems to be really excited about what this year holds with the Pride Soccer Club,” Hanlin said.

Hanlin said she hopes UNA students will share the excitement and come support the Pride.

“I hope that UNA students will get excited and come support the soccer club because I think we really need that support, especially with this being a new thing starting up,” Hanlin said.

The team’s season will go through Nov. 20 and include a handful of home games on the UNA soccer field, as well as many away games.

Augustus said the most challenging teams the men will face are Auburn, Alabama, Samford and Ole Miss.

“They just have more experience because we just started,” Augustus said.

He also said the bigger schools they will face have more resources, which gives them an advantage.