San Diego Flash
Encyclopedia
San Diego Flash is an American soccer team based in San Diego, California
, United States
. Founded in 1998, the team returned to competitive play in 2011 when it made its debut in the Southwest Flight of the West Division of the National Premier Soccer League
(NPSL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid
. For the 2001 season the team was known as San Diego F.C..
The team originally spent four years playing in the A-League
, but spent almost a decade away from competitive soccer following its withdrawal from that league in 2001. Spearheaded by the efforts of former English Premier League footballer Warren Barton
with former Flash player, Jerome Watson
as assistant coach, and former US national team striker Eric Wynalda
, the team returned to the field as an exhibition team in 2010 leading to its return to competitive league play in 2011.
between 1998 and 2001, having acquired the franchise from the defunct Colorado Foxes
. The club's founder and president was Yan Skwara, and during the A-league years its head coaches included Ralf Wilhelms
, Costa Skouras, Papo Santos, and Colin Clarke.
The club averaged approximately 2,500 fans per game when playing its home games at Southwest College
and San Diego Mesa College
. The largest crowd for a Flash match was 6,500 at Mesa College for a US Open Cup match against Major League Soccer
's Los Angeles Galaxy
in 2000. In 2001, the La Jolla Nomads took over operation of the team and renamed it San Diego FC.
The Flash were fairly successful during their short stint in the league, winning the Pacific Division in 1998 and 1999, finishing second in 2000 and 2001, progressing to the quarter finals of the A-League playoffs in 2001, and reaching the third round of the US Open Cup on two separate occasions. After the 2001 season the team folded due to management and financial problems.
analyst Warren Barton
, and former US national team striker Eric Wynalda
.
The team resumed exhibition play in 2010 with the goal of returning to league play in 2011 in a league below Major League Soccer
with Barton as head coach. In November 2010, during their final exhibition season game, the club announced that they would be returning to competitive league play in 2011 in the National Premier Soccer League
, and that the team was being sponsored by Umbro
. In January 2011 it was revealed that the team would be playing in the revived Southwest Division of the NPSL and the team would be playing their home games at the football/soccer stadium on the campus of Westview High School
on the north side of San Diego. The move from their exhibition location in downtown San Diego was reached as a compromise between the Flash and San Diego Boca FC
in exchange for Boca's support of the Flash joining the league.
in the first round of the playoffs losing 2-1.
Warren Barton
(2010–present)
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Founded in 1998, the team returned to competitive play in 2011 when it made its debut in the Southwest Flight of the West Division of the National Premier Soccer League
National Premier Soccer League
The National Premier Soccer League is a United States soccer league recognized by the United States Soccer Federation and FIFA as a Division IV league...
(NPSL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid
American Soccer Pyramid
The United States soccer pyramid is a term used in soccer to describe the structure of the league system in the United States. The country's governing body for the sport, the United States Soccer Federation , oversees the system but does not operate any of its component leagues—with one temporary...
. For the 2001 season the team was known as San Diego F.C..
The team originally spent four years playing in the A-League
A-League (1995–2004)
The A-League was a professional men's soccer league which featured teams from both the United States and Canada. The A-League emerged out of the restructured American Professional Soccer League in 1995 and operated until 2004, after which it was re-branded the USL First Division...
, but spent almost a decade away from competitive soccer following its withdrawal from that league in 2001. Spearheaded by the efforts of former English Premier League footballer Warren Barton
Warren Barton
Warren Dean Barton is a former English football player and a TV Pundit for Fox Soccer Channel.-Club career:...
with former Flash player, Jerome Watson
Jerome Watson
Jerome Watson is a former U.S. soccer forward who spent time in the Western Soccer Alliance, American Professional Soccer League and A-League....
as assistant coach, and former US national team striker Eric Wynalda
Eric Wynalda
Eric Boswell Wynalda is a retired American soccer player, and former sports broadcaster. He was the co-host of Fox Football Fone-In on Fox Soccer Channel and is currently employeed as the president of international operations at Mexican third division club Murcielagos.Wynalda scored the first goal...
, the team returned to the field as an exhibition team in 2010 leading to its return to competitive league play in 2011.
A-League Flash
The original Flash played in the A-LeagueA-League (1995–2004)
The A-League was a professional men's soccer league which featured teams from both the United States and Canada. The A-League emerged out of the restructured American Professional Soccer League in 1995 and operated until 2004, after which it was re-branded the USL First Division...
between 1998 and 2001, having acquired the franchise from the defunct Colorado Foxes
Colorado Foxes
The Colorado Foxes were a professional soccer team, based in Commerce City, Colorado, that played in the APSL between 1990 and 1997. The Foxes won two APSL titles, in 1992 and 1993. When Major League Soccer started and the Colorado Rapids became the region's premier team, the Foxes tried to stay...
. The club's founder and president was Yan Skwara, and during the A-league years its head coaches included Ralf Wilhelms
Ralf Wilhelms
Ralf W. Wilhelms is a retired German association football defender who played professionally in Germany and the United States. He coached in the United States and Hungary and served in various executive positions with American soccer teams for over a decade...
, Costa Skouras, Papo Santos, and Colin Clarke.
The club averaged approximately 2,500 fans per game when playing its home games at Southwest College
Southwest College
Southwest College is a community college based in Houston, Texas. Part of the Houston Community College System, it serves the Southwest and West portions of the city, as well as the nearby suburbs of Missouri City and Stafford...
and San Diego Mesa College
San Diego Mesa College
San Diego Mesa College is a public, two-year community college perched on a mesa in the Clairemont neighborhood of San Diego, California in the United States. It is the largest community college in the city of San Diego and part of the San Diego Community College District along with San Diego City...
. The largest crowd for a Flash match was 6,500 at Mesa College for a US Open Cup match against Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
's Los Angeles Galaxy
Los Angeles Galaxy
The Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional soccer team, based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California, which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, and the league's second...
in 2000. In 2001, the La Jolla Nomads took over operation of the team and renamed it San Diego FC.
The Flash were fairly successful during their short stint in the league, winning the Pacific Division in 1998 and 1999, finishing second in 2000 and 2001, progressing to the quarter finals of the A-League playoffs in 2001, and reaching the third round of the US Open Cup on two separate occasions. After the 2001 season the team folded due to management and financial problems.
Rebirth in the NPSL
The club was resurrected in 2010 by a new ownership group, the San Diego Soccer Partners, Inc., which is headed by former Flash part owner Clenton A. Alexander, former English Premier League footballer and Fox Soccer ChannelFox Soccer Channel
Fox Soccer is an American television specialty channel, owned by News Corporation's Fox Entertainment Group, that specializes in soccer. It formerly broadcast rugby and Australian rules football, but is now dedicated strictly to soccer...
analyst Warren Barton
Warren Barton
Warren Dean Barton is a former English football player and a TV Pundit for Fox Soccer Channel.-Club career:...
, and former US national team striker Eric Wynalda
Eric Wynalda
Eric Boswell Wynalda is a retired American soccer player, and former sports broadcaster. He was the co-host of Fox Football Fone-In on Fox Soccer Channel and is currently employeed as the president of international operations at Mexican third division club Murcielagos.Wynalda scored the first goal...
.
The team resumed exhibition play in 2010 with the goal of returning to league play in 2011 in a league below Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
with Barton as head coach. In November 2010, during their final exhibition season game, the club announced that they would be returning to competitive league play in 2011 in the National Premier Soccer League
National Premier Soccer League
The National Premier Soccer League is a United States soccer league recognized by the United States Soccer Federation and FIFA as a Division IV league...
, and that the team was being sponsored by Umbro
Umbro
Umbro is an English sportswear and football equipment supplier based in Cheadle, Greater Manchester, England. The company is now part of Nike. Umbro designs, sources, and markets sport-related apparel, footwear, and equipment...
. In January 2011 it was revealed that the team would be playing in the revived Southwest Division of the NPSL and the team would be playing their home games at the football/soccer stadium on the campus of Westview High School
Westview High School (San Diego)
Westview High School is a public secondary school located in Torrey Highlands, a community of San Diego, California in the United States. It is part of the Poway Unified School District....
on the north side of San Diego. The move from their exhibition location in downtown San Diego was reached as a compromise between the Flash and San Diego Boca FC
San Diego Boca FC
San Diego Boca FC is an American soccer team based in San Diego, California. Founded in 2009, the team plays in National Premier Soccer League , a national amateur league at the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Northwest Division....
in exchange for Boca's support of the Flash joining the league.
2011 Season
The Flash had a successful first season going 12-1-1 on the field (10-3-1 officially due to two forced forfeits on technicalities). Their record was good enough to place first in the NPSL Southwest Division and home field for the first round of the 2011 playoffs. The Flash however were unable to defeat the defending NPSL champion Sacramento GoldSacramento Gold
The Sacramento Gold was an American soccer club based in Sacramento, California that was a member of the American Soccer League.Prior to the 1977 season the team was known as the Sacramento Spirits....
in the first round of the playoffs losing 2-1.
2011 NPSL Roster
As of April 7th, 2011Year-by-year
| Year | Division | League | Reg. Season | Playoffs | Open Cup | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 2 | USISL A-League | 1st, Pacific | Conference Finals | Did not qualify | |||||
| 1999 | 2 | USL A-League | 1st, Pacific | Conference Finals | 3rd Round | |||||
| 2000 | 2 | USL A-League | 2nd, Pacific | Conference Quarterfinals | 3rd Round | |||||
| 2001 | 2 | USL A-League | 2nd, Western | Quarterfinals | 2nd Round | |||||
| 2002–2010 | On Hiatus | |||||||||
| 2011 | 4 | NPSL | 1st, Southwest | Division Semifinals | Did not qualify | |||||
Honors
- NPSL Southwest Division Champions 2011
- USL A-League Pacific Division Champions 1999
- USISL A-League Pacific Division Champions 1998
Head coaches
Colin Clarke (2000) Costa Skouras Papo Santos Ralf WilhelmsRalf Wilhelms
Ralf W. Wilhelms is a retired German association football defender who played professionally in Germany and the United States. He coached in the United States and Hungary and served in various executive positions with American soccer teams for over a decade...
Warren Barton
Warren Barton
Warren Dean Barton is a former English football player and a TV Pundit for Fox Soccer Channel.-Club career:...
(2010–present)
Stadiums
- Stadium at Southwestern CollegeSouthwestern College (California)Southwestern College is a public, two-year community college located in the city of Chula Vista, California. Southwestern College's football stadium hosts Bonita Vista High School's football games...
; Chula Vista, CaliforniaChula Vista, CaliforniaChula Vista is the second largest city in the San Diego metropolitan area, the seventh largest city in Southern California, the fourteenth largest city in the State of California, and the seventy seventh largest city in the U.S....
(1998–2000) - Stadium at San Diego Mesa CollegeSan Diego Mesa CollegeSan Diego Mesa College is a public, two-year community college perched on a mesa in the Clairemont neighborhood of San Diego, California in the United States. It is the largest community college in the city of San Diego and part of the San Diego Community College District along with San Diego City...
; San Diego, CaliforniaSan Diego, CaliforniaSan Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
(2001) - Balboa StadiumBalboa StadiumBalboa Stadium is a football and soccer stadium located in San Diego, California. The original stadium was built in 1914 as part of the many buildings erected for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition located in Balboa Park. Originally called City Stadium, and designed by the Quayle Brothers...
; San Diego, CaliforniaSan Diego, CaliforniaSan Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
(2010) - Stadium at Westview High SchoolWestview High School (San Diego)Westview High School is a public secondary school located in Torrey Highlands, a community of San Diego, California in the United States. It is part of the Poway Unified School District....
; San Diego, CaliforniaSan Diego, CaliforniaSan Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
(2011–present)
External links
- Official site
- A-League archives including match reports and standings from 2000 and 2001 seasons