VSI Tampa Bay FC

This article is about the professional men's soccer team. For the associated women's team, see VSI Tampa Bay FC (W-League). For the amateur team, see VSI Tampa Bay FC (PDL).
VSI Tampa Bay FC
Full name VisionPro Sports Institute Tampa Bay Football Club
Nickname(s) Flames
Founded 2011
Dissolved 2013
Stadium Plant City Stadium
Plant City, Florida
Ground Capacity 6,700
General Manager Alex Miranda
Head Coach Joel Harrison
League USL Pro

VSI Tampa Bay FC was an American soccer team based in Plant City, Florida. They played in USL Pro, the third tier of the American soccer pyramid, in the 2013 season. VSI Tampa Bay FC were owned by VisionPro Sports Institute and were affiliated with a women's team in the W-League, an amateur team in the USL Premier Development League (PDL), and a youth team in the Super-20 League.[1] All the teams folded in 2013.

History

In 2011, English soccer development academy VisionPro Sports Institute announced a venture to establish a soccer organization in the United Soccer Leagues in the United States. VSI partnered with the local Brandon, Florida area youth soccer organization, West Florida Flames, to build VSI Tampa Flames, "the perfect platform for vertical progression, giving talented youngsters the opportunity to progress from junior soccer all the way through to the professional game," according to VSI's CEO, Simon Crane.[1] The USL Pro team was to serve as the pinnacle of the youth pyramid for men; the club also included a women's team in the W-League, an amateur team in the USL Premier Development League (PDL), and a youth team in the Super-20 League. The W-League, PDL, and Super-20 League teams started play in 2012, while the USL Pro team was to join in 2013. On November 22, 2012, the team changed its name to "VSI Tampa Bay FC" and named Matt Weston as the Head Coach.[2][3]

Their first game was played on March 30, 2013, losing to Phoenix FC 1-0.[4] They defeated the Los Angeles Blues 1-0 for their first win on April 2, 2013. Antonio Neto scored the first goal in team history.[5][6]

VSI Tampa Bay chose Plant City Stadium as their home venue on April 4, 2013, moving all the teams there.[7] Matt Weston resigned as Head Coach on May 8, 2013, and Joel Harrison was named as Interim Head Coach.[8]

While the W-League and PDL teams had been successful in 2012, the USL Pro team struggled throughout its only season. The remote stadium in Plant City made it difficult to attract fans, and the team suffered from competition from the more successful Tampa Bay Rowdies of the North American Soccer League. The organization folded all of its teams after the 2013 season.[9]

Final roster

No. Position Player Nation
1 Goalkeeper Horwath, AlexAlex Horwath      United States
2 Defender McGuinness, JamieJamie McGuinness      England
3 Defender Jean Jacques, BitieloBitielo Jean Jacques      Haiti
4 Midfielder Neto, AntonioAntonio Neto      Brazil
5 Defender Cole, TroyTroy Cole      United States
6 Defender Hoffer, KyleKyle Hoffer      United States
7 Midfielder Dos Santos, DouglasDouglas Dos Santos      Brazil
8 Defender Freitas, AlexAlex Freitas      Brazil
9 Forward Budnyi, AndriyAndriy Budnyi      Ukraine
10 Forward Janneh, KarambaKaramba Janneh      Gambia
11 Midfielder Donatelli, TonyTony Donatelli      United States
12 Midfielder Silva, ChristianChristian Silva      United States
13 Midfielder Thurière, SébastienSébastien Thurière      Haiti
14 Defender Dixon, RichardRichard Dixon      Jamaica
15 Midfielder Toby, DarrenDarren Toby      Trinidad and Tobago
16 Midfielder Cutrofello, DominicDominic Cutrofello      United States
17 Midfielder Noone, J. T.J. T. Noone      United States
18 Defender Reynolds, SeanSean Reynolds      United States
19 Goalkeeper Crumpton, JeremyJeremy Crumpton      United States
20 Midfielder Chin, ShawnShawn Chin      United States
21 Midfielder Stigall, JarodJarod Stigall      United States
22 Forward Bundu, SallieuSallieu Bundu      Sierra Leone
23 Forward Salles, MauricioMauricio Salles      Brazil
24 Defender Rife, JoshJosh Rife      United States
25 Midfielder Burt, ChadChad Burt      United States
26 Defender Roberts, CheyneCheyne Roberts      United States
00 Goalkeeper Martin, DaveDave Martin      United States

Staff

Team Records

Year-by-Year

Year Division League Regular Season Playoffs Open Cup Avg. Attendance Top Scorer Goals
2013 3 USL 10th Did not qualify 2nd Round 452 Mauricio Salles 10

Head Coaches

All time VSI Tampa Bay FC Coaching Stats
Coach Nationality Start End Games Win Loss Draw Win %
Matt Weston  United States November 2012 May 2013 7 5 2 0 71.43
Joel Harrison  United States May 2013 August 2013 19 4 10 5 21.05

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "VisionPro Academy Headed to Tampa". United Soccer Leagues (USL). November 16, 2011. Retrieved August 14, 2012.
  2. ↑ "Weston joins VSI Tampa Bay FC". VSI Tampa Bay FC. November 22, 2012. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
  3. ↑ "VSI Tampa Names Weston As Coach". United Soccer Leagues (USL). November 21, 2012. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
  4. ↑ "VSI Falls in First Road Match". VSI Tampa Bay FC. March 31, 2013. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
  5. ↑ "VSI Captures First Franchise Win Over LA Blues". VSI Tampa Bay FC. April 3, 2013. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
  6. ↑ "Sports Digest". tampabay.com. April 3, 2013. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
  7. ↑ "VSI Tampa Bay FC announces 2013 USL Stadium Venue". VSI Tampa Bay FC. April 4, 2013. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
  8. ↑ "VSI Tampa Bay Announces the Departure of Coach Weston". VSI Tampa Bay FC. May 8, 2013. Retrieved May 9, 2013.
  9. ↑ Domingo, Odeen (November 17, 2013). "USL PRO to see teams fold; MLS to field squads; new team partnership". odfcnews.com. Retrieved June 25, 2014.

External links

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