About Excalibur FC
Excalibur FC is a youth soccer club that was established in 1992. Our mission is to provide a fun and supportive environment for young athletes to develop their soccer skills and foster a love for the game. We offer professional coaching and a strong sense of community to help each player reach their full potential both on the field and later on in life.
founder: thomas messerscmidt
The Story Behind Excalibur
From our founder:
After fulfilling my dream of playing soccer at the highest level, an injury forced me into early retirement. Determined to stay connected to the game I loved, I decided to pursue a college degree so I could coach and share my passion with future players. This journey brought me from Germany to Lubbock, Texas, where I enrolled at Texas Tech University.
While coaching in the local association, I noticed a gap in player development. The focus was primarily on soccer skills, but little attention was given to shaping players as complete individuals. Coming from Germany, I was accustomed to a system often referred to as “The Machine” a culture where players supported one another, coaches cared about life on and off the field, and discipline was a cornerstone of success. I wanted to bring that philosophy here and offer players something more.
Around that time, a new league, the West Texas Premier League, was forming in Midland. I admired their vision and decided to create one of the first travel/select teams in the area. Our goal was simple: provide players with higher-level coaching, training, and competition. That’s how Excalibur Soccer Club was born.
From the start, Excalibur was built on a foundation of discipline and holistic development. We emphasized not only soccer performance but also academics, behavior at home, attendance, and personal accountability. Players were held responsible for their actions and pushed to achieve both individual and team goals. Our mission was clear: develop exceptional athletes and outstanding individuals. This approach mirrored what I experienced growing up in Germany, where success came from focusing on the whole person, not just the player.
The results spoke for themselves. Our first team won 21 consecutive games before experiencing its first loss, 1–2. Opposing coaches praised our European-style possession play, sportsmanship, and discipline. That team became the cornerstone of Excalibur Soccer Club, which went on to become one of the longest-standing clubs in West Texas.
Eventually, Excalibur merged with Lonestar Soccer Club and went dormant, until recently. Former players, inspired by the values they learned with us, wanted to revive the club and pass those lessons on to a new generation. The original mission remains unchanged: develop complete individuals who succeed on the field and in life. Our rules may have seemed strict, but they were always designed to prepare players for success beyond soccer, equipping them with the skills and character needed to thrive in today’s world.