FC Naples Father’s Day stories show how soccer in Southwest Florida is more than a game. For several FC Naples players and staff, the sport began at home, shaped by fathers, stepfathers, family traditions, and local roots. These stories offer Collier and Lee Counties families a closer look at the people behind the region’s first professional soccer club.
In Southwest Florida, soccer is shared across generations. Parents teach children. Coaches guide players. Longtime teammates become part of a wider soccer family.
At FC Naples, those relationships are woven into the club’s early history. From postgame phone calls to proud parents watching from another state, the team’s story reaches far beyond the final score.
How Did Soccer Begin at Home for FC Naples Captain Lalo Delgado?
When Edward “Lalo” Delgado (#1, goalkeeper and captain) was four years old, his father handed him a soccer ball. “As soon as I turned four, I had to touch a ball no matter what,” Delgado recalls.
The routine was intentional. Delgado’s father had played soccer in Mexico before a back injury ended his career early. Growing up, he had also played alongside future Mexican national team star Rafael Márquez as a neighborhood friend and teammate. He understood both the discipline and opportunities the sport could bring, and he wanted to share that with his son.
Delgado originally played as a forward and holding midfielder, eventually becoming one of the top U13 and U14 players in the country while competing with Santa Barbara Soccer Club in California. But a rapid growth spurt during adolescence led to knee pain and coordination issues that disrupted his progress. His father and coach encouraged him to try a different position: goalkeeper.
The move changed everything.
“I forgot how to touch the ball with my feet,” Delgado jokes. But the instincts he developed as an attacking player became an advantage in goal, helping him anticipate what opposing strikers want to do before they do it.
Today, Delgado serves as FC Naples’ 2026 captain — the first captain in club history — and ranks among the top goalkeepers in USL League One, currently sitting second in the league in clean sheets. During the club’s 2025 playoff run, he made several critical saves as FC Naples shut out reigning champions Union Omaha in the quarterfinals, becoming the first expansion team in league history to host and win a playoff match in its inaugural season.
But one tradition has remained constant throughout his career: the phone call with his father after every game.
“We could win a game and he’s still yelling at me,” Delgado says with a laugh.
The conversations are less about criticism than continued improvement — and about sharing a love of the game that started when a four-year-old first picked up a soccer ball.
Who Is Dominick Bachstein’s Number One Fan?
For FC Naples striker Dominick Bachstein (#18), one of his biggest supporters is his father, Dr. Thomas Bachstein.
Dominick Bachstein and Dr. Thomas Bachstein. Photo courtesy of FC Naples
A dentist in Berwyn, Pennsylvania, Dr. Bachstein regularly watches FC Naples matches on ESPN+ and frequently shares updates about his son’s career on social media. For a young player adjusting to professional soccer, that support matters.
Bachstein, a native of Malvern, Pennsylvania, signed with FC Naples on Aug. 5, 2025, after a standout season with Des Moines Menace, where he scored 11 goals in 12 USL League Two matches. He quickly contributed to FC Naples’ inaugural playoff run and continued building his role in 2026, appearing in nine USL League One matches with two goals while also scoring in U.S. Open Cup play.
At 6-foot-3, Bachstein brings a strong physical presence to the striker position, making him a reliable late-game option in close matches. And whether from Pennsylvania or in person in Southwest Florida, his father continues to follow every moment.
How Did Naples Roots Shape a Professional Soccer Moment?
On April 15, a club-record crowd of 4,782 fans filled Paradise Coast Sports Complex for FC Naples’ U.S. Open Cup Round of 32 match against Orlando City SC.
Among those connected to the evening was Harvey Sarajian, a Naples High School graduate selected fifth overall in the 2025 MLS SuperDraft by Orlando City. On the opposite sideline stood FC Naples Assistant Coach Chris Gores — Sarajian’s stepfather.
The matchup created an unusual local storyline: a stepson connected to Orlando City and a stepfather coaching FC Naples during one of the biggest matches in the young club’s history. Although Sarajian was not on Orlando City’s active matchday roster, he spent time reconnecting with former teammates, coaches, and friends from Naples.
Sarajian’s soccer career has advanced quickly. The 2023 Southwest Florida Boys Soccer Player of the Year, he helped lead Naples High School to a Class 4A state championship with 23 goals and 12 assists as a senior. He later earned Sun Belt Freshman of the Year honors at Georgia Southern University before transferring to Wake Forest University and eventually being selected in the MLS SuperDraft.
For Gores, seeing that progression firsthand — from youth soccer in Naples to the professional level — made the evening especially meaningful.
Why Do These FC Naples Father’s Day Stories Matter to Local Families?
In only two seasons, FC Naples has built a strong connection with the SWFL community while establishing itself as a competitive club on the field.
Behind the results are stories like Lalo Delgado’s postgame calls with his father, Dr. Thomas Bachstein following his son’s career from Pennsylvania, and Chris Gores and Harvey Sarajian sharing a memorable professional soccer moment tied to their hometown roots.
This Father’s Day, those stories are a reminder that the game’s impact often extends far beyond the final score.