Re: USSF Division Two Soccer Puerto Rico vs. Carolina in the final. Carolina was the no. 2 seed, while Puerto Rico was the 8th seed. Puerto Rico picked up the road win, 2-0 in extra time vs. Vancovuer. I'll be hoping to see a Puerto Rico victory in this one as it would really be a solid send off to the NASL teams that casued the whole mess of the USSF D-2 in the first place.
Re: USSF Division Two Soccer will they? I thought they were worried about meeting the new USSF standards for a second division team.
Re: USSF Division Two Soccer The North American Soccer League (“NASL”) is proud to announce the addition of the Puerto Rico Islanders. The Puerto Rico Islanders currently compete in USSF Division 2 and have qualified for the group stage of the CONCACAF Champions League for three consecutive seasons. “We are honored and proud to welcome Puerto Rico to the NASL. The Puerto Rico Islanders, who are the preeminent Caribbean team and whose remarkable accomplishments in league and international play, have elevated second division soccer in the United States,” said NASL CEO, Aaron Davidson. “The Islanders have been at the forefront of the remarkable growth the sport has experienced on the island of Puerto Rico and their addition to the NASL makes our league stronger.” http://www.nasl.com/article/puerto-rico-islanders-join-nasl
Re: USSF Division Two Soccer NASL Concludes Successful AGM and Finalizes USSF Application The North American Soccer League (“NASL”) recently concluded its 2010 Annual General Meeting held in Miami, Florida on November 7th and 8th. The meeting was highlighted by the approval of two additional teams for the 2011 season - the NSC Minnesota Stars and the Atlanta Silverbacks - and their inclusion in the application to the United States Soccer Federation for sanctioning as a Division II league. The completed application, which was originally submitted with six teams on September 28, 2010, was submitted to the Federation immediately following the conclusion of the meeting. The application also includes San Antonio (which will commence play in 2012) and an additional team to be announced (which will commence play in 2013). The NASL is looking forward to favorable consideration of the application by the Board of Directors of the USSF at its meeting on November 21 in Toronto, Canada. “This is an exciting time for the NASL as it nears the finish line in its two year quest for second division sanctioning from the USSF. We were encouraged by fans to return second division soccer to Atlanta after a two season hiatus and are thrilled that over twenty years of continuous professional play in Minnesota will continue in 2011 and beyond ” said Aaron Davidson CEO of the NASL. Club owners and general managers will continue working on developing the schedule for the 2011 season over the coming weeks. The NASL plans to release the opening weekend schedule of games later this month. http://www.nasl.com/article/nasl-concludes-successful-agm-and-finalizes-ussf-application
Re: USSF Division Two Soccer Champions, PR Islanders, to Host Open Tryout in Florida The Puerto Rico Islanders FC, 2010 USSF D-2 League Champions, announced a special open tryout on December 14th, 15th and 16th at the Seacrest Soccer Complex in Delray Beach, Florida. Coach Colin Clarke, a former international for Northern Ireland and Head Coach of the Islanders, will be evaluating potential players for the 2011 season. The three-time CONCACAF Champions League participants, who are also the 2010 CFU (Caribbean Football Union) Champions, are the first Puerto Rican soccer team to win both a Caribbean as well as a North American Soccer Championship http://www.nasl.com/article/islanders-to-host-open-tryout-in-florida
Re: USSF Division Two Soccer ATLANTA (December 1, 2010) The Atlanta Silverbacks, in a press conference at Atlanta Silverbacks Park formally announced today a long term joint venture with Traffic Sports that will see the Atlanta Silverbacks Men's professional team join the North American Soccer League ("NASL") for the 2011 season and beyond. The press conference was attended by local media, and area sports leaders. "After working five years to create a league that is team-owner controlled and managed we are thrilled that USSF has sanctioned the NASL and we are excited to get back to playing soccer again," said Boris Jerkunica, Chairman of the Atlanta Silverbacks. Michael Oki, President of the Atlanta Silverbacks stated “This is a historic day for soccer in Atlanta. We look forward to working with Traffic Sports as a key strategic partner in bringing their soccer expertise from around the globe to our organization.” "Atlanta is a first class sports market with a rich history of supporting the highest level of professional soccer," said Aaron Davidson, Chief Executive Officer of the NASL and Vice President of Traffic Sports. "Returning professional soccer to Atlanta at a high level reinforces the vision and ambition of the NASL and our member teams share with the supporters in this market with whom we had extensive meetings the past several days and will continue to engage meaningfully in the re-establishment of men’s professional soccer in this region." Fernando Clavijo, Director of Player Affairs for the NASL and Director of Soccer for Traffic Sports USA stated “The Atlanta market has a great history of developing top talent for the professional game including US Youth International, Brian Dominguez of Miami FC, who has joined us today. We are excited to be here and will work diligently to create a positive environment for local talen http://www.nasl.com/article/atlanta-silverbacks-to-play-in-nasl
Re: USSF Division Two Soccer FCTB Exercises Options On Four Players FC Tampa Bay has kept four additional players from the 2010 squad under contract. The club elected to exercise contract options on forward Aaron King and midfielders Mozzi Gyorio, Long Tan and Jonny Steele. Steele’s option was picked up back in August due to the structure of his contract. Tan had been training with the Vancouver Whitecaps in its MLS camp as a result of the July 2010 trade between Vancouver and Tampa Bay, which brought Ricardo Sanchez and Jonny Steele to Tampa Bay. Steele was in training recently at Hearts, currently third place in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League of Scotland, and MK Dons of League One in England. FC Tampa Bay also confirmed that the club has declined its option to keep defenders Gordon Kljestan and Joe Donoho and midfielder Kwame Adjeman-Pamboe. The club also holds options for next season on defender Graham Tatters and midfielder Stanley Nyazamba but has not made a decision in regards to the two players yet. In October, FC Tampa Bay declined its 2011 contract option on Ricardo Sanchez but the club has made Sanchez a new long-term offer and continues negotiations with Sanchez. Quick 2010 Stats on Players: •Gyorio played in 18 matches for FCTB, including nine starts with two goals and two assists in his first year as a professional. •King ended the 2010 season as FCTB’s leading goal scorer and third in USSF D-2 Pro League with 12 goals. King played in 28 of the 30 matches with 12 starts, playing in 1,196 minutes. •Steele joined FCTB in July 2010 after a trade from Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Steele started in nine of the 10 matches played, scoring one goal and assisting in three. •Tan played in 25 of FCTB’s 30 matches this season. Tan was ranked fourth on the squad with eight points after scoring three goals and two assists.
Re: USSF Division Two Soccer In the upcoming weeks and months, we will be unveiling more details about Miami FC's plans to honor the legacy of the Fort Lauderdale Strikers in 2011. Stay tuned to www.strikers2011.com for more information. In the meantime, learn more about the legacy of the Strikers in South Florida soccer and World Football history here at www.Strikers2011.com
Re: USSF Division Two Soccer Crystal Palace Baltimore to Sit Out 2011 Season Crystal Palace Baltimore announced today that they will not be fielding a team in the North American Soccer League (NASL) during the 2011 season in order to restructure with an intended re-launch for the 2012 NASL season. The re-launch will include a complete re-branding of the club to coincide with opening a soccer facility in downtown Baltimore. In addition, the club announced that it is ending its four year relationship with Crystal Palace FC of England’s Championship Division. Crystal Palace Baltimore was the first trans-Atlantic partnership of its kind in North America but the relationship between the clubs could not survive the financial struggles that resulted in Crystal Palace FC entering administration in England. The club is currently working with the City of Baltimore to secure a venue for 2012 and beyond. “We want to be downtown and believe doing so will allow us to better connect to our fans and the City” said Pete Medd, part-owner and President of Crystal Palace Baltimore. “We would like to thank our loyal fans who have stuck with us despite not having a place to call home and we are committed to giving them what they deserve and what all of our future fans in Baltimore deserve; a venue that honors their loyalty and commitment to the club.” http://www.nasl.com/article/crystal-palace-baltimore-to-sit-out-2011-season
Re: USSF Division Two Soccer FC Edmonton Names New Head Coach FC Edmonton is pleased to announce the signing of its new Head Coach, Harry Sinkgraven. Sinkgraven comes highly recommended by former FC Edmonton coaches Dwight Lodeweges and Hans Schrijver. “When Dwight and Hans first told us about Harry, we felt like he would be the perfect coach to pick up where the two left off,” said General Manager Mel Kowalchuk. “Harry has gone through the same Dutch coaching program as Hans and even has experience working with both Dwight and Hans back in Holland. We’re happy to get him signed and expect the transition to be almost seamless.” http://www.nasl.com/article/fc-edmonton-names-new-head-coach
Re: USSF Division Two Soccer Glad to see everyone got all dressed up for the press conference. Any word on player movement between D2 and MLS? I haven't heard much other than the Portland/Vancouver guys making the move up.
Re: USSF Division Two Soccer Fort Lauderdale, Florida (December 9, 2010) - Miami FC announced today that is has come to terms with Playbook Management International (PMI) for the 2011 season. With this agreement, PMI and Miami FC plan to use all their resources to create a tradition, culture and fan-fare worthy of the Strikers’ name. “We are focused on bringing back the Strikers in a meaningful way which connects with the original Strikers fans - Striker Likers - and the soon-to-be Striker Likers,” said Aaron Davidson, President of the team. “ Our partnership with PMI which is led by Michael Hitchcock who has been so successful in building fan bases for several MLS clubs and other sports is one of the first critical steps in working towards a successful launch of the Strikers in the NASL on April 9, 2011.” http://www.nasl.com/article/club-partners-with-pmi
Re: USSF Division Two Soccer Rodrigo Rios Named Atlanta Director of Soccer ATLANTA, GA- The Atlanta Silverbacks announced the appointment of Rodrigo Rios, former captain of the Atlanta Silverbacks and Chilean International, as Director of Soccer. In this new role with the Silverbacks, Rios will oversee the coaching staff and player development for the club. After the 2008 season, Rios moved into an operations role with Atlanta Silverbacks Park where he continued to be an integral part of the organization. President of the Atlanta Silverbacks, Michael Oki stated, “After working closely with Rodrigo for so many years, it became clear that his talents could be utilized to their full potential with the return of the Men’s professional team. We look forward to having Rodrigo in the front office and him continuing to be an integral part of this organization.” One of Rios's first duties in his new role will be to develop a coaching staff and set up player tryouts for the 2011 season. “After six years with the Atlanta Silverbacks as a player, captain, and staff member I am excited to continue to work with the organization on the re-launch of the pro team. It is an exciting time for soccer in Atlanta and we are continuing to look at ways we can improve both on and off the field,” said Rios. “I know that the community is also very interested to know about the coaching staff. We are working to finalize our selections and are taking all factors into consideration before making our announcement,” commented Rios. http://www.nasl.com/article/rodrigo-rios-named-atlanta-silverbacks-director-of-soccer
Re: USSF Division Two Soccer NSC Minnesota Stars Pro Soccer Team Announces New Ownership MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (JANUARY 5, 2011) – The National Sports Center and the North American Soccer League (NASL) announced today an ownership restructuring of the NSC Minnesota Stars to continue the rich history and tradition of professional soccer in the area. The NSC Minnesota Stars will be owned by the NASL for the short-to-mid-term as the league looks for an appropriate ownership group which meets the new heightened standards for professional soccer in North America. .Local media, fan groups and area sports leaders attended a press conference at Brit’s Pub in downtown Minneapolis for the announcement. “The Twin Cities is a first-class soccer market with a rich history of supporting the professional game,” said Aaron Davidson, Chief Executive Officer of the NASL. “Minnesota’s remarkable support for the original NASL and the professional game since 1990 is virtually unmatched in this country. It’s also important strategically to be in a market which boasts the headquarters of the third-most Fortune 500 companies in the country. Continuing on 21 consecutive seasons of professional soccer in Minnesota allows us to help fulfill our vision and ambition for the NASL and our member teams.” http://www.nasl.com/article/nsc-minnesota-stars-pro-soccer-team-announces-new-ownership-group
Re: USSF Division Two Soccer San Antonio Scorpions FC Will Be Newest NASL Team Jan 10, 2011 - It was announced several months ago that a San Antonio team would be joining the reborn NASL in 2012. Now that team has a name: San Antonio Scorpions FC. They will play their games at South Texas Area Regional (STAR) Soccer Complex in a yet-to-be-contsructed 5,400-seat stadium. Owner Gordan Hartman said the team is seeking $8 million in public funds to help build the stadium, which would be expandable to 18,000 seats with the idea of potentially hosting a MLS team. The soccer complex currently has 13 regulation fields and is mostly used for youth soccer tournaments. "STAR Soccer cost $10 million, and approximately half of the funding came from private sources," Hartman said during the press conference, noting construction will have to begin this spring in order to be ready for the start of next year. "We intend to build on the infrastructure already in place to create an up-to-date-yet-affordable playing facility for the Scorpions that can also host high school and collegiate tournaments as well as performances and other special events. To accomplish all this, we’re seeking approximately $8 million in public funding for a venue that will serve our community in many ways, not just pro soccer." http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2011/1/10/1926971/san-antonio-scorpions-fc-will-be-newest-nasl-team
Re: USSF Division Two Soccer NASL Invitational Combine Nears The North American Soccer League will hold an invitation only player combine in Fort Lauderdale, Florida between February 4th and the 6th. The event will be held at Fort Lauderdale Stadium, the training home of NASL club, Miami FC/Strikers. Invited players will have the opportunity to show their skills to representatives of all eight NASL teams and may have the opportunity to pursue a professional NASL career. http://www.nasl.com/article/nasl-invitational-combine-nears
Re: USSF Division Two Soccer FCTB To Play At Al Lang Stadium FC Tampa Bay announced today that Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg will be their home for the 2011 and 2012 seasons. FCTB kicks off the 2011 regular season on April 9th at Al Lang against future MLS team Montreal Impact. Al Lang, with a capacity of more than 7,000, is situated on the downtown St. Petersburg waterfront between the newly-renovated Dali Museum and St. Petersburg Yacht Club. The stadium previously was home to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays/Rays for spring training from 1998-2008, along with several Florida State League minor league teams during the regular season http://www.nasl.com/article/fctb-to-play-at-al-lang-stadium
Re: USSF Division Two Soccer What an awful looking venue. Any updates on that water stadium Miami was making up?
