MOBA Proud

2016 - a year full of ... well ... anything and everything you could possibly think of, from happiness to heartbreak. Peyton Manning took home a Super Bowl ring in his final season. Román Torres scored the game-winning penalty kick as Seattle Sounders FC took home its first MLS Cup title. The Chicago Cubs took home their first World Series title in over 100 years. We also lost a number of big names in Prince, Craig Sager, Muhammad Ali, David Bowie, Arnold Palmer, and others. However, in this up and down year, soccer in the state of Georgia took a huge step forward on the back of the MOBA Soccer Academy. Peachtree City MOBA Making Waves in the PDL Coming into 2016, word was spreading that the PDL was coming to Peachtree City in the form of Peachtree City MOBA, but little did we know the effect that would have on the community. Preparations began, and the talent flooded to the area as head coach Jordan Davis and owner Volker Harms looked to build a team to compete. Slowly but sure...

In January 2015, it was announced that the German company MOBA Mobile Automation AG would be meeting with Peachtree City to discuss plans to build a new 50,000 square foot office building and soccer complex on Highway 74. A strange combination of projects, several months later, the project was approved, and construction began almost immediately. In a mere few months, it became arguably one of the best decisions the board has ever made. Fast forward to December 2016, the new MOBA Soccer Academy is nearing completion, and already the effect it was intended to have on Peachtree City sports is being felt. When the idea was proposed, Mr. Volker Harms said he hoped to provide Peachtree City and the surrounding area with an opportunity to unite out on the pitch, and that is just what happened. The facilities aren't even complete, but the fields are, and that's all we need. They may be soccer fields, but that doesn't mean only soccer has to be ...

The collegiate post-season is getting into full swing as schools from around the nation make their bid for the national championship. With that in mind, we take a look back at some of the schools that played host to our very own Peachtree City MOBA players for the fall. From Atlanta to Johnson City to Laie, MOBA players were making magic happen out on the pitch with some outstanding performances. Out in Morrow, Georgia, some of the top MOBA players from the inaugural season were making their presence known. This Lakers team has been covered on MOBA Proud before, however after the outstanding year these players had, I felt that they deserved special recognition. The season may not have gone the way the Lakers had hoped record-wise, as they finished the season 4-13 (2-7 PBC). However, it was not without its fair share of excitement, most notably by forward Ryan King. Out of Durham, England, King channeled his inner Paul Pogba as he exploded for twelve goals, including tw...

After an exciting two and a half months of college soccer, the regular season finally comes to a close. The season was full of drama, excitement, outstanding showings, and tremendous heartbreak, but that's all out the window now, as the best of the best go head to head looking to grab the trophy of their respective conferences. However, that does not stop us from remembering some of the best performances of the brief college soccer season. In a similar fashion to the end of the PDL season, the one-man panel here at MOBA Proud would like to recognize one player from the 2016 MOBA roster that went above and beyond this collegiate season, putting up outstanding offensive numbers and leading his team to a remarkable regular season. Many of the MOBA players had phenomenal years, including midfielder Ryan King and forward Iain Smith. The captains of the Clayton State Lakers soccer team were both named to the All-Peach Belt Conference second team, the first time both players have bee...

It may be the offseason, but preparations never stop for the PDL executives, teams, and players. As the players and coaches are off at their respective colleges making a name for themselves and striving for a title, the league is already getting to work on making the 2017 PDL season the best one to date. In a sport where success is #1, everybody wants a piece of the action. This time last year, the Premier Development League was welcoming Peachtree City MOBA, Tormenta FC, Tri-Cities FC, San Diego Zest, FC Golden State, SF City FC, The Villages SC, and South Florida Surf into the ranks. Well, it's expansion time once again, and three new teams have been announced as the 2017 expansion to the already massive 67-team league, pushing that number up to 70. Lakeland Tropics On September 19, the first expansion team was announced to be the Lakeland Tropics, headed by CEO Andrew Haines and the Central Florida Sports Ventures. The Tropics, the eighth Florida-based team in the PD...

College soccer is now in full-swing, and spoiler alert: Peachtree City MOBA players are playing really well. All around the United States, from Atlanta to Hawai'i, MOBA players are making a name for themselves and proving they can play with the best of them. Clayton State: MOBA Playground Okay, there is no way the nets at Clayton State are regulation size. After just seven matches, Iain Smith, Ryan King, and Bilal Nakhli are responsible for nine of the eleven total goals scored by the Lakers this season. After King came out of the gates hot, scoring a hat trick against Barry, Nakhli put his name in the books by grabbing Clayton State's only goal against Eckerd in a 4-1 loss. Smith then looked to get a piece of the action and led the Lakers to their first win of the year against Auburn Montgomery by scoring two goals and assisting on the other in a dominant 3-1 victory. Sitting at 1-6 on the year, the schedule-makers didn't do the Lakers any favors, as they face E...

Week two of NCAA soccer comes to a close, and with that, everything is beginning to take form. The best teams are racking up the wins, and the worst are, well, not having the best time. Player success, however, is not based on wins and losses, but how well each individual player performs in the heat of the moment. MOBA players have seen success so far this season, and this week we take a look at some of the big stories featuring members of the 2016 Peachtree City squad, including both dominance, and heartbreak. King, Smith, Nakhli take the Lake Clayton State is one of two schools that features multiple talents off the MOBA squad, along with Georgia State. Despite sitting at 0-3, including a tough 2-0 loss to #5 Palm Beach Atlantic, MOBA players Ryan King, Iain Smith, and Bilal Nakhli are off to strong starts. All three players played in the first three games, and Smith and King are responsible for all four Laker goals this year, including Ryan King's hat trick...