VSI Tampa Bay FC was an American soccer team based in Plant City, Florida that played in the USL Premier Development League (PDL), the fourth tier of the American soccer pyramid, from 2012 to 2013. The team was owned by VisionPro Sports Institute and was affiliated with the VSI Tampa Bay FC professional men's team in the USL Pro, the VSI Tampa Bay FC women's team in the W-League, and the youth team in the Super-20 League.[2] All the teams were disbanded in 2013.
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| Full name | VisionPro Sports Institute Tampa Bay Football Club | ||
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| Nickname(s) | Flames | ||
| Founded | 2011 | ||
| Dissolved | 2013 | ||
| Ground | Plant City Stadium Plant City, Florida | ||
| Capacity | 6,700 | ||
| General Manager |  Alex Miranda | ||
| Head Coach |  Sheldon Cipriani[1] | ||
| League | USL Premier Development League | ||
| 2013 | 4th, Southeast Division Playoffs: DNQ | ||
| Website | Club website | ||
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History edit
The VSI Tampa Flames were established in 2011 as part of a broader move by the English football development academy, VisionPro Sports Institute, to build a foundation for youth and professional soccer in the United States. VSI partnered with the local Brandon, Florida area youth soccer organization, West Florida Flames, to build "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.[2]
The USL PDL Team started play in 2012. The PDL Team finished with a record of 7 Wins, 5 Losses and 4 Ties. The team played their matches at JC Handly Sports Complex.[3] In 2013, the team played their home matches at Plant City Stadium.
On November 22, 2012, the team's parent club changed its name to "VSI Tampa Bay FC" and the PDL Team followed suit. The team folded after the 2013 season.
Players and Staff edit
Current roster edit
As of July 15, 2013 [4] Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Staff edit
John Mitchell – Head of Operations- Alex Miranda – General Manager
Sheldon Cipriani – Head Coach
Sam Mitchell – Assistant Coach
Record edit
Year-by-year edit
| Year | Division | League | Regular Season | Playoffs | U.S. Open Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 4 | USL PDL | 5th, Southeast Division | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2013 | 4 | USL PDL | 4th, Southeast Division | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
References edit
- ^ "VSI Welcomes new PDL Head Coach Sheldon Cipriani". VSL Tampa Bay FC. February 6, 2013. Retrieved February 8, 2013.
- ^ a b "VisionPro Academy Headed to Tampa". United Soccer Leagues (USL). November 16, 2011. Archived from the original on May 27, 2012. Retrieved August 14, 2012.
- ^ "VSL Tampa Flames PDL Page". United Soccer Leagues (USL). August 4, 2012. Archived from the original on July 16, 2012. Retrieved August 14, 2012.
- ^ "United Soccer Leagues (USL)". Archived from the original on 2013-12-08. Retrieved 2013-06-16.