Control the chaos — one of the core principles for Head Coach Kevin Sawchak and Crown Legacy FC.
Controlling the chaos helped Crown Legacy top the Eastern Conference during the regular season and stay in first place for 25 of 28 matchdays, including the final nine.
With the regular season finished, Crown Legacy now turns its focus to the MLS Next Pro Playoffs and Red Bull New York II on Sunday at 7 p.m. at the Sportsplex at Matthews.
“I think that's been the biggest key to our success this year, we have a lot of players that are willing to put the team first,” Sawchak said. “We have a lot of talent, but then it's just the players that are willing to run for each other and fight for each other and do what it takes to be successful on the field.”
The team-first mindset was put into the Club’s head from the very beginning of the year, resulting in the team coming together to get to know one another off the field.
One event was a barbecue among the players during the preseason. Captain Willian Sangoquiza helped organize the event to bring together the squad to make sure the chemistry wasn’t just being built on the training ground. As a result, the barbecues have become a semi-regular event that has helped contribute to their success on the pitch.
“Teams probably don't do as much stuff off the field as they should,” Andrew Johnson said. “I think events like that are super important to team chemistry because I think knowing your teammates and getting close with them off the field is such an underrated thing.”
Following the preseason, Crown Legacy barbequed their opponents and were unbeaten in their first nine matches with a 24-11 goal differential.
As the season went on, the team’s success was showcased by players beginning to receive opportunities with Charlotte FC, not just in the Leagues Cup and the U.S. Open Cup, but also in MLS play. Ten players who appeared in multiple games for Crown Legacy have played for Charlotte FC this season, including Rodolfo Aloko.
After starting the 2026 season with Legacy, Aloko signed a first-team contract with Charlotte FC in April and has been a crucial part of The Crown’s attack. He has appeared in 17 games and started five of those, recording a goal and six assists in all competitions. He most recently played a crucial part in Charlotte FC’s comeback against FC Dallas, coming on in the 69th minute and notching two assists.
Sawchak’s approach to training has been helping his players be prepared for the moment that they receive an opportunity to play with Charlotte FC but also win in the present with Crown Legacy.
“We really push in our training and in the games that we really want to play an intense style and train with an intense style so when they do get opportunities in the first team, the physicality isn't something that holds them back,” Sawchak said.
The intense style of play has resulted in a high-scoring offense for Crown Legacy, leading the league with 67 goals including Charlotte FC’s new signings – Hugo Mbongue (14) and Nathan Richmond (9) – leading the Club. The high-energy approach has also led to Legacy allowing the sixth-fewest goals in the league, led by a backline of Johnson and Sangoquiza.
The stout defense from Crown Legacy can in some part be attributed to Sawchak’s soccer background. Before he transitioned into the coaching world, Sawchak played professionally, playing midfield in leagues across Finland and the United States. Due to his professional pedigree, he has been able to transition his knowledge onto his players.
“(Kevin) Sawchak, because he was a player before, he knows all our stuff and he understands us as a player because he lived that,” Sangoquiza said. “Sometimes he joins the training with us so he makes the training more enjoyable so we can understand and learn. He tries to put some pressure on us as his players that if he’s doing that job that we need to do, we need to do it even better.”
Going into the playoffs, Crown Legacy’s regular season form and their first-place finish now just become a number beside the Club’s name.
Ahead of Sunday’s match, Sawchak asked the club how many of them had played in a playoff before. Among the team, less than half of them raised their hands. One of those who did was Johnson, who played in the NCAA Tournament three times during his time at Cornell, going as far as the Round of 16.
“The reality is that playoff soccer is so much different,” Johnson said. “I think it's a lot more to do with duels and who wants it more rather than who can play prettier football. The game's not going to look pretty, and I think we all know that, so we're all having the mindset of having to fight for 90 minutes, which I think we've done a really good job of throughout the season.”
Crown Legacy has had plenty of time to prepare for the upcoming match, with their final regular season game having occurred on September 20. However, the time between the end of the regular season and the beginning of the playoffs has allowed the players to have a natural buzz about the game and build anticipation for what’s to come.
Sawchak doesn’t want the players to stress about the game, instead making sure that they take it in and can enjoy the experience of being in the playoffs.
“The message has been making sure they enjoy it, making sure they stay present, making sure they stay in the moment, because I think they're going to remember these weeks and these playoff games,” Sawchak said.
While he wants them to enjoy the experience, he is stick to what has made them successful all season — controlling the chaos — a mentality that becomes even more important in the pressure of win-or-go-home soccer.
“The main thing is, let's stick to us, let's stick to our habits, let’s make sure we don't change our process too much. We want to approach it like we have all season because it's been successful so far,” Sawchak said.
