David Davila, the 6-foot-4 forward who’s been tearing it up for the Northern Indiana Football Club for two seasons, is officially headed to an NCAA Division 1 program at the University of New Hampshire this fall. This isn’t just a big move for Davila, it’s a massive shout-out to the semi-pro NIFC squad and everything they’re building in South Bend.
NIFC’s Season Proves the Climb Is Real
The NIFC crew, members of the USL2, just wrapped up their fourth season with an 8-5-0 mark after a Central Conference quarterfinal playoff appearance. Talk about progress! They actually won their final five regular-season matches before the season ended in a tough 1-0 loss to Steel City FC on July 17. Head coach Thiago Pinto, who’s been a force in South Bend soccer for over two decades, isn’t holding back on the significance. He straight up said, “We made huge progress this season and it was a success making the playoffs. It was a huge milestone to do that.” Pinto, a Bethel College alum and the Bethel men’s soccer coach since 2009 with an NAIA national title in 2022, knows what winning looks like, and he sees it happening here.
More Than Just Goals: The NIFC Way
What really makes NIFC tick, beyond the wins and losses, is their “From the Community, For the Community” philosophy. Pinto, a Brazil native, makes it clear: “The way we are going about it with NIFC is as important to us as the success with the produce on the field. This team is from the community and we care deeply about this community. We try to invest heavily into it. Soccer is just a means and a way to impact the community.” With nine staff members, including President Pablo Rodriguez and General Manager Steve Dregits, they’re all in on attracting local elite talent for their 21-player Travelers Roster. They played six home matches from May through July at Saints Field, bringing high-level soccer from teams like Dayton and Louisville right to their backyard.
Davila’s Next Chapter and What Pinto Sees
Davila isn’t just moving on; he’s carrying the NIFC spirit with him. As a key performer and an Elkhart native, he was all-conference and the top scorer for the University of Southern Indiana last season. He credits NIFC for his growth, saying, “It’s been a very good experience the past two years for me playing for NIFC. It’s a really good thing to play at a high level like that against some excellent players. The players on our team pushed me every day too. Coach Pinto is a very good coach with a very good approach. He gets the best out of you.” That’s high praise. Pinto, for his part, sees big things for Davila. He calls him “a pure product of our local community,” highlighting him as “one of our most improved, dynamic and committed players. He has a huge upside. A humble young man, a hard worker and someone who I believe could grow into a pro.” Davila’s D1 leap is massive, and with Pinto’s belief, we’re all gonna be watching to see if this talent really does hit the pro level.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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