It's remarkable that a white-and-black ball can serve as a bond between generations.
 
Chris Petrucelli, Kenny Bundy, and Darren Powell are forever united by their experiences as UNC Greensboro (UNCG) men's soccer players. They shined during their time as Spartans.
 
Now, they are using the many lessons they learned and applying it to impact others while enhancing the sport. Petrucelli earned his degree from UNCG in business administration in 1984. Powell graduated in 1995 with a degree in leisure studies. Bundy earned his degree in anthropology after his playing days concluded and when he was a UNCG assistant coach.
 
Three UNCG alums. Three professional head coaches. Amazing.
 
Petrucelli, a two-time national Coach of The Year who led SMU to the 1995 NCAA championship, was recently named head coach of the Chicago Red Stars. Bundy is the head coach of Houston Dynamo 2 in MLS Next Pro. Powell is the head coach of USL League One side Inter Miami 2, formerly Fort Lauderdale CF, also in MLS Next Pro.
 
The cradle of coaches: Greensboro, North Carolina.
 
"Three alums as head coaches speaks to the quality and longevity of the soccer program," Petrucelli said. "Soccer became an important piece of the culture at UNCG. I like to think that those early teams started those traditions. There are quality soccer teams at UNCG to this day. There have been great coaches and great players who kept the tradition of winning moving forward. A byproduct of that is there are numerous alums who know the game and continue to contribute to the game. It's fantastic to see."
 
Bundy, Petrucelli, and Powell contributed their share of memories that's part of the UNCG men's soccer encyclopedia of excellence. Petrucelli was a member of UNCG's 1983 national championship team. Powell was part of UNCG's first team at the Division I level that participated in the NCAA tournament in 1993. Bundy's final season at UNCG was 2003.
 
"I have many great and fond memories from attending UNCG both on and off the field," Powell said. "On the field, there are so many memories, so many to choose from such as opening night versus Campbell in a sold-out stadium opener as a freshman in 1991 to winning back-to-back conference championships in 1993 and 1994. Those victories earned the program its first bids to NCAA Division I tournament. Off the field, the friendships and camaraderie we had as a team was a wonderful experience."
 
The tapestry of family connects the Spartans. They enjoyed following last season's team that won 13 games, the Southern Conference regular season championship, and was nationally ranked for most of the season.
 
They had a sense of pride when UNCG beat Clemson and finished the season leading the country in four national statistical categories.
 
Bundy related a story of meeting Theo Collomb in person for the first time at the MLS Soccer scouting combine in December. He was familiar with Collomb from following the Spartans this past season from a distance. However, when he saw Collomb, there was an instant connection between the two.
 
"The social media presence has been a huge part of keeping people engaged," Bundy said. "It makes people seek out what is going on. My parents still have UNCG gear, and my dad still wears his shirt from 2001. UNCG men's soccer was an important part of my life. From day one when I arrived here as a student-athlete, there was a pride behind the program and since it's been consistently successful, the expectations have gotten higher and higher, which is good."
 
Playing for the UNC Greensboro (UNCG) men's soccer program has been a special experience. With its five Division III national championships and several trips to the NCAA Division I tournament, the Spartan program has always been one of the elite nationally.
 
The foundation of success was built at UNCG for Bundy, Powell, and Petrucelli.
 
"UNCG taught me many lessons," Powell said. "Through learning and observing during those times I knew ultimately I wanted to become a coach. (Former UNCG) coach Michael Parker gave me an opportunity not only on the field but also had me as a volunteer coach after I graduated. UNCG helped me to better understand time management balancing classes, training, work and the discipline of getting those in the correct order was needed to be successful.
 
"The challenge of the classes was difficult for me. They often took me out of my comfort zone, but you learn that those experiences makes you grow in confidence and help you later in life when you do face adversity."
 
The circle is so small.
 
Powell influenced Bundy.
 
Petrucelli played under legendary UNCG coach Mike Berticelli.
 
"I was lucky to play for a great coach in Mike Berticelli and play with a bunch of really talented teammates," Petrucelli said. "That experience is part of the fabric of who I am. I've been fortunate to work at some great places. I've tried to create the team environment I enjoyed at UNCG at each of those places.
 
"The bond with my UNCG teams continues to this day. We aren't always in touch, but we are always connected. I learned a great deal about discipline and sacrifice at UNCG. We also gave back a good deal to the community which is something I continue to stress to players."
 
All three coaches reminisce on their time at UNCG fondly. They also appreciate current head coach Chris Rich including them in every aspect of the program and integrating them with the current student-athletes.
 
"I was on a call with Chris last year after the season ended," Bundy said. "There are so many alums that care and that speaks volumes about the culture that's been created and enhanced over the years. I've tried to build that here with my guys.
 
"It's great to see several UNCG alums coaching at the professional level. I worked very closely with Darren when he was assistant coach. He was a mentor to me and the connection at UNCG sparked all that. When I got to the end of my career, I wanted to mirror what (former coaches Carl Fleming and Rusty Scarborough) gave me. I am very fortunate that each one gave me something different, which made an impact on me.
 
"Now, I get to do the same thing as a coach, which is great for our sport and UNCG."