Riley set down roots in the Seattle area after his time with the Sounders – across Lake Washington from Seattle in Bellevue. And though he wasn’t in the market for a club coaching job, the folks in charge at Ballard FC were ambitious and hungry and not planning to take no for an answer.
With the club crowned national USL League Two champions in only their second year (2023) – and drawing huge crowds to the city’s historic Memorial Stadium – Riley became a natural target for Ballard FC. And when the team qualified for this year’s Open Cup, the very tournament that’s essentially a repository of Riley’s biggest successes as a pro, the stars were aligned in just that way where refusal wasn’t an option.
Riley Guiding Young Hopefuls
“In my 11-year career I was in a lot of teams that had a lot of talent, but, for whatever reason, couldn’t put it together,” Riley said, remembering his time with the likes of Chivas USA and D.C.. “That’s why I’m always telling young players, you can never take winning for granted. Sometimes you can have everything and everyone lined up, but it just doesn’t fit together.”
Ballard FC have the proverbial target on their back as a result of winning the league in their inaugural season of 2023 and finishing first in the USL League Two regular season against last year. Even so, opening in the 2025 U.S. Open Cup for a second year running against local USL League One pros Spokane Velocity, his youngsters will be heavy underdogs.
WATCH: 2024 Open Cup Highlights | Ballard FC 0-1 Spokane Velocity
It’s a common theme in the Open Cup – and one Riley knows better than anyone.
“It’s a great opportunity to go out and play a pro team,” Riley said, heading into a second straight Open Cup opener with the side from Spokane. “It’s not a friendly; it’s a meaningful game with consequences – and we’re in a no-lose situation as the underdog. We haven’t had a lot of time to train. Our goal is to go out and compete.”
It’s there that Riley – who’s seen all angles of the Open Cup – takes a pause: “I tell them to look forward to a wild game,” he smiled. “I’ve seen it all and, trust me, anything can happen in the Open Cup.”
Fontela is editor-in-chief of usopencup.com. Follow him at @jonahfontela on X/Twitter.
