North Carolina FC: Difference between revisions
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The team plays its home games at [[WakeMed Soccer Park]], where they have played since 2007. The team's colors are orange, white and blue. Their current head coach is [[Colin Clarke (footballer born 1962)|Colin Clarke]]. |
The team plays its home games at [[WakeMed Soccer Park]], where they have played since 2007. The team's colors are orange, white and blue. Their current head coach is [[Colin Clarke (footballer born 1962)|Colin Clarke]]. |
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The club is owned by [[Traffic Sports USA]].<ref> |
The club is owned by [[Traffic Sports USA]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.carolinarailhawks.com/index.php?id=111&newsid=98|title=Carolina RailHawks to play in 2011 Under New Ownership|accessdate=2012-04-12}}</ref> |
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==History== |
==History== |
Revision as of 12:07, 12 April 2012
File:Railhawks logo.png | |||
Full name | Carolina RailHawks FC | ||
---|---|---|---|
Nickname(s) | RailHawks | ||
Founded | 2006 | ||
Ground | WakeMed Soccer Park Cary, North Carolina | ||
Capacity | 10,000 | ||
Owners | Traffic Sports USA | ||
Head Coach | Colin Clarke | ||
League | North American Soccer League | ||
2011 (NASL) | Regular Season: 1st, Playoffs: Semi-Finals | ||
Website | Club website | ||
| |||
Carolina RailHawks FC is an American professional soccer team based in Cary, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 2006, the team plays in the North American Soccer League (NASL), the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid.
The team plays its home games at WakeMed Soccer Park, where they have played since 2007. The team's colors are orange, white and blue. Their current head coach is Colin Clarke.
The club is owned by Traffic Sports USA.[1]
History
The expansion of the USL to Cary, NC was announced on January 26, 2006 at a press conference at SAS Soccer Park (since renamed WakeMed Soccer Park). After a few changes in the 2008 off season the RailHawks ownership group now consists of: Wellman Family Limited partnership (Selby and Brian Wellman), HTCFC. INC (Bob Young former CEO of Red Hat, presently founder and CEO of LULU.com), Singh Holdings (Dr. H. Paul Singh) and Boris Jerkunica.
On October 11, 2006, former Rochester Rhinos defender Scott Schweitzer was named the first head coach of the RailHawks. Schweitzer played collegiately at North Carolina State University and retired from play prior to the 2006 season. On December 5, 2006, the RailHawks named the first players to sign with the franchise. Among the signings were two former UNC Tar Heel players, Chris Carrieri and Caleb Norkus, as well as several other players with Major League Soccer, United Soccer Leagues, and foreign playing experience.
On March 6, 2007, the RailHawks formed a partnership with the Next Level Academy (NLA) and the Capital Area Soccer League (CASL) to develop the youth system in the Triangle Area of North Carolina. Youth teams that currently participate under the CASL name in the Super Y-League (boys and girls 13-16) would play under the name CASL RailHawks. Also, the Raleigh Elite, who was operated by the NLA as a member of the USL Premier Development League, became the U23 team of the RailHawks program. Their name was changed to the Cary RailHawks U23's. In addition, two Super-20 League teams were launched (one for men, one for women) in 2008.[2]
The club launched their inaugural season on April 21, 2007, in front of a crowd of 6,327 at SAS Soccer Park when they drew 1-1 with the Minnesota Thunder in their first official regular season match. Midfielder Kupono Low scored the first goal in franchise history when he blasted 24-yard left-footed shot past Thunder keeper Joe Warren in the 8th minute of the inaugural match.[3] On May 8, 2007, the RailHawks earned their first franchise victory 2-0 against Chivas USA in an exhibition match.
On August 14, 2007, with a 3-0 victory over the Charleston Battery, the RailHawks secured their first piece of silverware, the 2007 Southern Derby Cup, with one match remaining in the contest. The RailHawks finished their first USL-1 season in 8th place in the league table, securing the league's final playoff spot on the last day of the regular season with a 2-0 victory away over fellow expansion franchise the California Victory. The RailHawks were eliminated from the playoff quarterfinals by the eventual league champion Seattle Sounders.
In November 2009 the RailHawks announced their intent to leave the USL First Division to become the co-founders of a new North American Soccer League, which would begin play in 2010. The league, which has yet to be sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation or the Canadian Soccer Association, would also comprise the Atlanta Silverbacks, Crystal Palace Baltimore, Miami FC, Minnesota Thunder, Montreal Impact, Tampa Bay Rowdies, Vancouver Whitecaps and a brand new team led by St. Louis Soccer United.[4]
After lawsuits were filed and heated press statements exchanged, the USSF declared they would sanction neither league for the coming year, and ordered both to work together on a plan to temporarily allow their teams to play a 2010 season. The interim solution was announced on January 7, 2010 with the USSF running the new USSF D-2 league comprising clubs from both USL-1 and NASL.[5]
Colors and badge
The team's official name, logo and colors (orange, white and blue) were announced on July 19, 2006 at the halftime interval of the 2006 USL All-Star Match. The club logo features a stylized shied with a depiction of a "Railhawk", soaring above a railway line, overlaid with the Carolina RailHawks wordmark and a soccer ball.
The RailHawk is a fictitious bird of prey that combines the speed and power of the locomotive with the aggressive and fierce nature of a hawk. Cary originally grew out from a depot on the New Bern, NC - Hillsborough, NC rail line and the CSX and Amtrak lines run directly across from the team's grounds. Hawks are indigenous to the area. The name "RailHawks" was chosen as part of a name-the-team contest which was won by W. Jarrett Campbell, a soccer blogger and founder of the Triangle Soccer Fanatics, the team's independent supporters club.[6] Campbell received two lifetime season tickets as his prize.
Stadium
- WakeMed Soccer Park; Cary, North Carolina (2007–present)
The RailHawks play their home games at WakeMed Soccer Park (formerly known as SAS Soccer Park), a soccer-specific stadium in Cary, North Carolina which opened in May 2002.
The soccer complex consists of a purpose-built main stadium, two lighted practice fields, and four additional fields. The main stadium and the 2 lighted fields (2 & 3) are all FIFA international regulation size (120 yards x 75 yards). The main stadium seats 6,883 and is expandable to 10,000 with temporary seating. Field 2 also has 1,000 permanent bleacher seats.
The park is on 150 acres (0.61 km2) that the State of North Carolina has leased to Wake County. Money to build the soccer park came from $14.5 million in county-wide hotel room and prepared food and beverage taxes. The Town of Cary assumed responsibility for operations and maintenance in 2004 from Capital Area Soccer League. On January 26, 2006, the Town of Cary council amended its lease to allow it to sublet the property to Triangle Professional Soccer through the year 2011 for the exclusive promotion of professional soccer and lacrosse events at the complex.
Club culture
Rivalries
Charleston Battery and Atlanta Silverbacks Upon entering the USL First Division, the RailHawks also joined the Southern Derby, renewing a rivalry first started in 2000 between supporters of the Charleston Battery, Atlanta Silverbacks, and the Raleigh Capital Express. By winning the Southern Derby Cup in their inaugural season, the RailHawks became the first Triangle-area team to hold the Cup since 2000 when Raleigh won the cup 3-1-0 over the Silverbacks and Battery in the Derby's first season.
The rivalry between the three clubs is further fueled by the fact that former RailHawks coach Scott Schweitzer earned a reputation among Battery supporters as the defender they loved to hate during his time as a player for Rochester Rhinos and current Atlanta Silverbacks owner Boris Jerkunica had a partial ownership stake in the RailHawks franchise.
Rochester Rhinos A rivalry developed between the RailHawks and Rochester Rhinos due to the close financial and player ties between the two organizations. Former RailHawks GM Chris Economides held the same position with the Rhinos before departing for Cary, and former Rhinos President Frank DuRoss and former CEO Steve Donner were part of the original ownership group. In addition, former RailHawks coach Scott Schweitzer was a captain and fan favorite of the Rhinos, and onetime RailHawks players Frank Sanfilippo and Connally Edozien were once Rhinos players.
Puerto Rico Islanders The Carolina RailHawks and Puerto Rico Islanders have a rivalry brewing among the two clubs. Although Islanders supporters were not pleased when the RailHawks revealed orange and blue kit colors (selected because the combination is not used by any other Triangle area sports teams, although coincidentally the same colors sported by the Islanders), the rivalry begun in earnest when Islanders President Andrés Guillemard-Noble accused the RailHawks of piracy[7] in the signing of Islanders' free agent Caleb Norkus. While the club executive insists that the Islanders had a verbal agreement with Norkus to return to Puerto Rico for the 2007 season, the player refutes that accusation,[8] saying the two sides never reached terms and cites the lack of an offered written contract as evidence of their lack of agreement.
Broadcasting
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (February 2011) |
Players and staff
Current roster
As of February 21, 2012[9]
No. | Position | Player | Nation |
---|---|---|---|
1 | GK | Akira Fitzgerald | United States |
2 | DF | Greg Shields | Scotland |
3 | DF | Kupono Low (captain) | United States |
4 | MF | Tommy Drake | United States |
5 | MF | Amir Lowery | United States |
6 | DF | James Scott | Costa Rica |
7 | MF | Austin da Luz | United States |
8 | MF | Chris Nurse | Guyana |
9 | FW | Jason Garey | United States |
10 | MF | Mike Palacio | United States |
12 | GK | Nic Platter | United States |
13 | MF | Brian Ackley | United States |
15 | DF | Austen King | United States |
17 | DF | Gale Agbossoumonde | United States |
18 | GK | Ray Burse | United States |
20 | MF | Breiner Ortiz | Colombia |
21 | FW | Brian Shriver | United States |
23 | MF | Nick Zimmerman | United States |
25 | DF | Sam Stockley | England |
26 | MF | Cory Elenio | United States |
27 | MF | Ty Shipalane | South Africa |
32 | DF | Justin Willis | United States |
— | DF | John Krause | United States |
Staff
- Colin Clarke - Head Coach
- Dewan Bader - Assistant Coach
- John Bradford - Assistant Coach
- Greg Shields - Assistant Coach
- Nic Platter - Assistant Coach
Notable former players
This list of former players includes those who received international caps while playing for the team, made significant contributions to the team in terms of appearances or goals while playing for the team, or who made significant contributions to the sport either before they played for the team, or after they left. It is clearly not yet complete and all inclusive, and additions and refinements will continue to be made over time.
- See also All-time Carolina RailHawks roster
Head coaches
- Scott Schweitzer (2007–2008)
- Martin Rennie (2009–2011)
- Colin Clarke (2011-)
Achievements
- North American Soccer League
- Winners (Regular Season) (1): 2011
- USL First Division
- Runner-up (Regular Season) (1): 2009
- USSF Division 2 Professional League
- Runner-up (Playoffs) (1): 2010
- Winners, NASL Conference (1): 2010
- Minor Trophies
- Copa Tecate (1): 2009
- Southern Derby (3): 2007, 2008, 2009
Record
Year-by-year
Year | Division | League | Regular Season | Playoffs | Open Cup | Avg. Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2007 | 2 | USL First Division | 8th | Quarter Finals | Semi Finals | 4,962 |
2008 | 2 | USL First Division | 8th | Did not qualify | 3rd Round | 3,869 |
2009 | 2 | USL First Division | 2nd | Quarter Finals | 2nd Round | 2,943 |
2010 | 2 | USSF Division 2 Pro League | 1st, NASL (4th) | Finals | 2nd Round | 2,241 |
2011 | 2 | NASL | 1st | Semi Finals | Denied Entry | 3,353 |
References
- ^ "Carolina RailHawks to play in 2011 Under New Ownership". Retrieved April 12, 2012.
- ^ "RailHawks Unveil Major Youth Soccer Partnership". Retrieved March 6, 2007.
- ^ "Carolina RailHawks 1:1 Minnesota Thunder (Box Score)". Retrieved April 22, 2007.
- ^ "USL outcasts set to launch new league in 2010". Soccerbyives.net. November 10, 2009. Retrieved April 3, 2012.
- ^ "Division 2 Professional League To Operate in 2010". ussoccer.com. January 7, 2010. Retrieved January 9, 2010.
- ^ "The Hatching of the RailHawks". Retrieved April 23, 2007.
- ^ "Pirates of the Caribbean?". Retrieved December 19, 2006.
- ^ "Norkus Refutes Islanders' Piracy Claims". Retrieved December 19, 2006.
- ^ "Roster". Carolina RailHawks. Retrieved April 3, 2012.