Indoor soccer: Tropics draft Southeastern University's Skylar Funk
It wasn’t as if the Florida Tropics needed to travel overseas to find its first selection in the first-ever Major Arena Soccer League draft.
The Tropics just needed to look right here in its very own backyard. Southeastern University’s Skylar Funk, a forward, was the local Major Arena Soccer League team’s selection in a draft that was held Tuesday. Fourteen other teams selected three players each, with the first two rounds considered territorial picks and the final pick being an “at large” selection.
But Florida chose to stay local, selecting Funk, who is a native of Alton, Illinois. Funk played all four years at Southeastern, a program that plays home games about 2 miles from the Tropics home field at the RP Funding Center. Florida also selected the University of South Florida’s Gabrielle Privitera’s in the second round and Rollins College’s Ninrod Picado as the last pick.
Funk, the 11th overall pick, is familiar with the Tropics, who are coached by former Southeastern head coach Clay Roberts.
“Skylar has an athleticism built for indoor soccer,” Roberts said. “He brings a talent that we’ve found in the past in other players that translates well indoors. His physicality and his ability to play with his back to the goal are among his biggest assets as well. He’s going to be a good player to grow and develop.”
Overall, Funk played six years of college soccer, accumulating extra seasons because of being redshirted one year, and racking up an additional year of eligibility because of COVID-19. He played 52 games for the Fire, producing 15 goals and six assists. Funk’s first two years were at Lewis and Clark Community College in Illinois.
Funk said he can’t wait to learn the indoor sport even more.
“I played a little indoors in St. Louis from where I’m from, but nothing like this, so the transition from outdoor to indoor, it’s going to be helpful to learn from a great team with a lot of veterans,” he said. “They’ve given me advice. Vini (Dantas) gave me a good one that little is good, meaning stay calm, too much movement is easier for defenders, and if you lose the ball, get right back after it.”
Meanwhile, Privitera, a midfielder and native of Venezuela from Orlando, played in 25 games for the Bulls, registering three goals. Pinrod, who is from Ocoee, competed two years at University of Wisconsin Green Bay before heading to Rollins. As a defender he scored one goal in 10 games with Rollins.
“Gabe is an attacking player. He’s been a tremendous player and helped USF have a lot of success,” Roberts said. “He’s a local player we want to build up.”
Florida went down to the Baltimore Blast Wednesday by a score of 5-4. Florida’s next game will be vs. Utica City FC 6:05 p.m. Eastern at the Adirondack Bank Center.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Southeastern University's Skylar Funks gets drafted by Tropics
