What. A. Year.
2019 was a breakout season for FC Davis.
In a short period of time the club went from NPSL newbie to runaway conference champions.
Hosted our towns first playoff game.
And continued building upon the foundation of our local soccer community.
On the field, we accomplished all the goals we set forth for 2019 (maybe a bonus with US Open Cup).
Off the field we took a massive step in the right direction by changing our venue to a more intimate environment.
It was a jam packed season that went by all too fast!
In case you missed out, below are the highlights of our magical season.
Lets dive in...
America! We’ve Got A Soccer Problem!
The 2019 season launched with an editorial that outlined the massive problems with soccer in America.
Most of these issues are so complex that people give up trying to put the puzzle pieces together almost immediately.
Lucky for you, I simplified everything.
In a nut-shell, the game in our country got hijacked and exploited for profit (shocker I know). This was done at the expense of you, the soccer player, coach, fan, and enthusiast.
How much money is being extracted?
Big, big bucks.
Should you be upset?
Find out for yourself.
Different issues.
Same results.
They are must reads for anyone that is involved in soccer or has a kid playing the game!
Hey! Let's Find A New Home!
After surveying fans, the overwhelming want was a smaller more intimate venue.
While we were drawing crowds of over 1.4k people, the vibe was never right with such a big space to fill.
To answer fans wishes, we moved locations to Playfields in Davis.
We pack Playfields and had some thrilling nights on pitch! Maybe no better then Lizandro Torres’ late game winner against SF:
The players always noted the amazing vibe and with more additions on the way for 2020, our game day experience will continue to improve.
A special thank to Michael Cirelli and Sonia Chavez from the City of Davis who were awesome all year long!
High School All-Area Squad
This year we released our inaugural High School All-Area Team that featured players from Davis, Dixon, Woodland and Winters.
Included in our High School awards is a program called NEXT which brings in the top two high school players in our area to train.
Next selections for 2019 were Gerardo Perez-Plata from Pioneer High School and Carsen Quick from Davis High School.
This fall Perez-Plata will be attending Folsom Lake College while Quick will be headed to Cal Poly.
Next year, we look forward to inviting in another set of players to join the team.
FC Davis will be out watching high school games! Be sharp kids!
Open Tryouts!
When 60 players from 27 different towns show up compete against each other for roster spots, you know you’re onto something special.
FC Davis 2019 Open Tryouts sold out and attracted everyone from high school standouts to former pros.
For two days, 18 - 32 year old players battled it out on the pitch and showcased their skills.
At the conclusion of tryouts, the top 16 players were selected to play in a Starting XI trial game.
After the Starting XI game, final selections were made for players to join the team.
Tryouts for our 2020 team will once again take place in February as we look to engage with more of our local community players!
Runaway Conference Champs
On paper, FC Davis had one of the most talented line-ups in the conference.
While everyone was confident going into 2019, no one could have anticipated what took place over the course of the regular season.
The Lions ripped through conference opponents, going 8-1-2 while scoring 34 goals and only giving up 18.
Consistency defined the Lions, especially on offense. The team scored three or more goals seven times during the season and found the back of the net in every single match of the season.
When the regular season concluded, Davis finished 7 points clear at the top of the table and ranked 10th in the country.
The Heart-Breaker In Davis
Playoff games in the NPSL are hard to come by.
A team is only guaranteed to host one game by winning the conference title.
It's a harsh reality that makes the fight for the top spot all that more important.
After beating Sacramento Gold in the Causeway Clasico, FC Davis secured hosting rights for the first round of the National Playoffs.
Our opponent was Academica SC, who drove into town on a picture perfect Saturday night in early July.
Less than 10 minutes went by before Davis scored the first goal and everything seemed to be going according to plan.
With a potent attack, the team created numerous opportunities that hit everything but the back of the net.
In the final 18 minutes, tragedy struck and Academica SC hit Davis for three goals to shock the home crowd and abruptly end the Lions season.
With the #1 seed Golden State Force losing in the South, had Davis won, the team would have hosted games up until the National Semi-Final.
Post-Season Awards
Fact: FC Davis has some really good players.
Noah Wilson.
Evan Barrett.
Justin Wright.
Take your pick.
The Lions put four players on the All-Conference Team
Brian Ford
Jon Laughlin
Onah Power
Miguel Acevedo
Laughlin and Acevedo were also named to the West Region Starting XI.
An amazing accomplishment by these great players.
We are proud of our boys!
A Look Forward
So much in store!
So little time!
Believe it or not, the off-season is the busiest time of year for FC Davis.
New Plans.
Revamped Plans.
Eliminating Plans.
Plans. Plans. Plans.
This off-season we have quite a bit on our plate:
In the fall, FC Davis will launch its women's team by applying for the WPSL. If accepted, the women will play starting in summer 2020. The team is supporter run, meaning investors will make club decisions year in and year out. It is an amazing project for our local community while taking another step closer towards equality for our female players.
The FC Davis Recruiting Center will launch this winter and focus strictly on California schools. The overwhelming majority of student-athletes across the country stay within their state. California is no different. To provide straightforward information and promote or local players, FC Davis will provide all the information athletes and families need in one location.
This season we did our first run at Playfields and it was a massive change. The environment “felt” right and feedback throughout the season confirmed the venue switch provided what our fans wanted. Now it’s time to keep adding to Playfields on game days to further the fan experience. This includes everything from halftime competitions to our Pub on the Pitch! Stay tuned.
Our last agenda item is to expand our work in the local community. From Breast Cancer Awareness to helping those less fortunate, FC Davis will continue to push forward issues that are close to the hearts of those within our community.
Stay up to date with all FC Davis movements by subscribing to our email list!
Everyone is welcome to attend our AYSO season-kick off party at Nugget Fields in Davis on Saturday, August 31st starting at 12:00 PM.
FC Davis will be playing a friendly against Vacaville Elite from the UPSL that kicks off at 2:00 PM.
There will be beer, wine, pizza, music and other items available all afternoon!
We hope to see you there!
More information will be made available on our Facebook Page leading up to August 31st.
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