Lexington Sporting Club

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Lexington Sporting Club appointed Benjamin Willis as assistant coach/ goalkeeper coach of the club’s inaugural USL Super League squad.

Willis, a former USL Championship player in his own right, began coaching shortly after the end of his playing career.

Prior to arriving in Lexington for the Super League, a top tier league in women’s soccer, Willis held three separate roles in Seattle.

He was the head coach of the 2009 girl’s youth team for Seattle Reign FC while also leading the 2005-6 girl’s squads as well, an assistant coach and goalkeeper coach at the University of Puget Sound  at the NCAA Division-III level in women’s soccer, and the head coach of FC Olympia in the USL W League.

Before joining FC Olympia, Willis was an assistant coach and goalkeeper coach for Ballard FC in the USL League Two from 2022-24. With Ballard, Willis was part of a staff that finished in the national quarterfinals in 2022 and won the national championship in 2023. He helped coach the Divisional Player of the Year and the Team of the Year.

Other coaching accolades include coaching the Conference Player of the Year and Conference Goalkeeper of the Year at Puget Sound.

As a player, Willis graduated from Gonzaga at the NCAA Division-I level with a Bachelor’s Degree of Science in Kinesiology.

He then suited up for Lane United at the USL League Two level before signing with the now defunct Rio Grande Valley FC in the USL Championship from 2018-20.

Willis holds a United States Soccer Federation level one goalkeeping coach license and expects to receive a B License in December while holding a C License in coaching.

“I am thrilled to join Lexington Sporting Club and be part of this dynamic and ambitious team in such a vibrant community. The opportunity to work with talented players in Lexington, a city with a rich sporting history and passionate fans, is incredibly exciting. I look forward to bringing my experience and passion for the game to help the team achieve success both on and off the field, and to become an integral part of the Lexington community.”

Lexington SC will kick off its first ever USL Super League season on August 25 away at Carolina Ascent FC before hosting its home opener on September 8, facing the Tampa Bay Sun in Lexington SC’s brand-new stadium. 

About Lexington Sporting Club

Lexington Sporting Club is a U.S. Soccer professional soccer club competing in USL League One (U.S. Soccer third division men’s professional soccer), and in USL Super League (women’s professional soccer launching in 2024). The two professional teams are the pinnacle of the soccer ecosystem in Lexington that features more than 1,000 players within its youth and academy systems. Lexington SC in the process of building the club’s formal stadium, performance center and training fields.

Lexington, KY – August 6th, 2024 – West Sixth Brewing and Lexington Sporting Club of the United Soccer League (USL) are excited to announce the launch of Stadium Ale, a new beer crafted to celebrate the passion and community spirit of Lexington soccer fans.  

Stadium Ale, the official craft beer of Lexington SC, will be available at multiple areas throughout the club’s new Lexington Stadium, set to open on September 8 of this year, as well as at all West Sixth taprooms and retail locations and bars throughout Lexington.  

The beer is a light, refreshing ale with a subtle malt profile that yields to a hint of fruity hoppiness. Stadium Ale’s smooth drinkability makes it the perfect companion for a soccer game, whether you’re tailgating in the parking lot, cheering from the stand or your favorite local bar, or watching with friends at home. 

“We’re thrilled to partner with Lexington Sporting Club to bring Stadium Ale to life,” said Ben Self, Co-Owner of West Sixth Brewing. “This beer embodies the spirit of teamwork and community that both our brewery and Lexington SC value deeply. We have fans throughout our team and can’t wait to share this special beer with Lexington SC fans to enjoy it at games and beyond.” 

“We’re excited to collaborate with West Sixth Brewing on Stadium Ale,” said Kim Shelton, Lexington Sporting Club CEO. “As two organizations strongly rooted in Lexington, our mutual love for this community and the game of soccer served as a foundation of the collaboration. We’re looking forward to a strong partnership with West Sixth rooted in the pride and spirit of Lexington.” 

Special Beer Release at the Lexington Stadium Site Pavilion 

To celebrate the release of Stadium Ale, Lexington SC and West Sixth will host a special pop-up beer garden at the new Lexington SC Youth Complex Pavilion on August 23, 2024. The event will offer fans the opportunity to be among the first to taste the new beer and see the progress of the nearly completed Lexington Stadium. Several local food trucks will also be part of the beer garden pop-up, including Bad Ass Coffee Truck, Bluegrass Kettle Masters, Nourished Folks, Sav’s Chill, The Flying Waffle, and West Sixth Cantina. 

Fans will also be able to purchase tickets and gear up for the opening of Lexington Stadium for Lexington SC’s first home game in the USL Super League, the new women’s professional soccer league, on September 8 against the Tampa Bay Sun FC. Season tickets can also be purchased online by visiting lexsporting.com/tickets.  

Stadium Ale will be available for purchase starting August 23, at the pop-up beer garden. It will also be available at West Sixth Brewing taprooms, local retailers in 19.2oz cans and 12oz can 6-packs and select bars and restaurants.  

For more info about West Sixth Brewing, follow them on Instagram at @westsixth or online at westsixth.com.  

About Lexington Sporting Club 

Lexington Sporting Club is a U.S. Soccer professional soccer club competing in USL League One (U.S. Soccer third division men’s professional soccer), and in USL Super League (women’s professional soccer launching in 2024). The two professional teams are the pinnacle of the soccer ecosystem in Lexington that features more than 1,400 players within its youth and academy systems. Lexington SC in the process of building the club’s formal stadium, performance center and training fields.  

About West Sixth Brewing 

Founded in 2012, West Sixth Brewing is an award-winning brewery based in Lexington, Kentucky, operating a taproom in our home city, a farm in Frankfort, a Louisville taproom in the NuLu neighborhood, and new Covington Haus taproom in Covington, KY. We produce a wide variety of beers that we distribute throughout Kentucky. We’re driven by brewing high-quality creative beers, making a positive social impact on the communities we’re a part of, and creating an awesome place to work for our team. To learn more about West Sixth Brewing, visit us at www.westsixth.com.