In addition to the green grass and blue skies, Statesboro residents can look forward to their summer being filled with black, white, navy and magenta.
    Less than a month from the first match in franchise history, Tormenta FC unveiled its official uniforms — or kits, in the soccer world — to the public at the Statesboro Chamber of Commerce’s “Business After Hours” event Thursday evening at Citizens Bank.
    Tormenta FC was announced as one of the newest clubs in the Premier Development league last summer and will play its first season May-August.
    Team apparel consists of a grey uniform for practices. The away setup will feature white shirts and shorts while goalkeepers will always be sporting an all-magenta look. One option for the home kit is a black top with black shorts and bright magenta socks. As the season progresses, Tormenta will also include a home kit featuring navy shorts and a shirt that is navy in the front and back, with magenta running down the sleeves and sides.
    All kits will feature the PDL logo, the infamous Nike ‘swoosh’, and logos of team sponsors from The Grove, The Clubhouse and Jarrard Pre-owned Vehicles.
    “These colors and uniforms will really help us to make our brand known,” Tormenta owner and president Darin Van Tassell said. “I especially like the magenta and how it jumps out at you. I wrote a letter to Crayola asking them to rename their crayon Tormenta Magenta. I’m still waiting to hear back on that.”
    Event attendees were told that they’d get a look at the kits, but Tormenta FC also made an announcement that will have a much greater impact on their inaugural season.
    Borja Perez was initially introduced as the club’s head coach at a press conference in February. Unfortunately, difficulties in bringing Perez to Statesboro from his home in Spain have continued to be delayed.
    Without any more time to spare, the decision was made to move forward with team general manager Ben Freakley now stepping into the head coach’s role.
    “We’re going to work hard to get Borja over here and keep him in the fold,” Van Tassell said. “But I’m also excited to announce that we’re moving in a different direction with (Freakley).”
    Of the four Tormenta players on hand Thursday, Freakley has watched all of them play throughout their youth careers. Freakley also researched and targeted many on the roster specifically for this club, so familiarity shouldn’t be an issue during the coaching change.
    And an intense and exciting attitude won’t be a problem either.
    “These uniforms you got to see tonight are amazing,” Freakley said. “These uniforms do not define us. The quality of the uniforms are great. The quality of the people wearing them are better.
    “Darin said it twice. I’ll say it a third time. (Our motto is) pros start here.”
    With many of the behind-the-scenes announcements now taken care of, all that is left is the sprint that leads up to Tormenta’s first match. Players are scheduled to arrive May 1 and two hurried weeks of practice will ensue before their first PDL contest May 13 at the Tri-Cities Otters in Johnson City, Tenn.

    Mike Anthony may be reached at (912) 489-9408.