FC Kansas City

FC Kansas City
Full name FC Kansas City
Nickname(s) FCKC, "The Blues"
Founded 2012
Stadium Swope Soccer Village
Ground Capacity 3,557
Owner Brian Budzinski, Chris Likens, Brad Likens, Greg Likens
Head Coach Vlatko Andonovski
League National Women's Soccer League
Website Club home page

FC Kansas City is an American professional women's soccer club based in Kansas City, Kansas. The team began play in the National Women's Soccer League in 2013 and won the championship in 2014 after defeating Seattle Reign FC 2-1 on August 31, 2014.[1] They repeated as NWSL Champions after again defeating Seattle 1-0 on October 1, 2015.[2]

History

Establishment

In November 2012, it was confirmed that a Kansas City-based women's professional soccer team had been accepted into a new women's professional soccer league, later named National Women's Soccer League.[3] The KC ownership group is composed of Chris Likens, his two sons Brad and Greg Likens, and Brian Budzinski, the same owners of the Missouri Comets of the Major Indoor Soccer League.[4][5]

Colors and badge

On January 11, 2013, a new logo was unveiled for the team that features the team's colors: blue, white and black. According to a team-issued press release, "the new logo also represents the ever-flowing qualities that make up the game of women's professional soccer."[6][7]

Inaugural season

On December 12, 2012, FC Kansas City announced that Vlatko Andonovski, a former professional player and head coach of the Kansas City Kings of the PASL and Missouri Olympic Development Program (ODP), would be head coach of the team.[8]

On January 14, 2013, as part of the NWSL Player Allocation, Nicole Barnhart (USA), Lauren Cheney (USA), Renae Cuéllar (MEX), Marylin Diaz (MEX), Becky Sauerbrunn (USA), Desiree Scott (CAN), and Lauren Sesselmann (CAN) were named to the team.[9][10][11][12] On January 18, the team selected Kristie Mewis, Erika Tymrak, Whitney Berry, and Nia Williams in the 2013 NWSL College Draft.[13] The team signed Sinead Farrelly, Jen Buczkowski, and Leigh Ann Robinson as free agents.[14] During the February 7, 2013 NWSL Supplemental Draft, the Blues selected Courtney Jones, Bianca Henninger, Merritt Mathias, Casey Nogueira, Tina DiMartino, and Casey Berrier.[15]

The Blues finished second during the regular season with an 11-6-5 record earning a berth to the playoffs. Post-season, the team swept the majority of the league's annual awards with Lauren Holiday receiving Golden Boot and League MVP honors, Erika Tymrak the recipient of the Rookie of the Year, and Becky Sauerbrunn winning Defender of the Year. Head coach Vlatko Andonovski won Coach of the Year.[16] Four players were also named to the league's Best XI: Nicole Barnhart, Leigh Ann Robinson, Becky Sauerbrunn, and Lauren Holiday.[17]

Players and coaches

Current squad

As of June 19, 2016:[18]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
2 United States FW Shea Groom
4 United States DF Becky Sauerbrunn (Captain)
5 United States DF Alex Arlitt
6 United States MF Jen Buczkowski Ret
7 United States MF Mandy Laddish
8 United States FW Amy Rodriguez (out due to pregnancy)
9 United States MF Heather O'Reilly
3 Canada MF Desiree Scott
11 United States FW Frances Silva
13 United States DF Brittany Taylor
No. Position Player
10 United States MF Yael Averbuch
15 United States MF Erika Tymrak
17 United States DF Amanda Frisbie
18 United States GK Nicole Barnhart (Vice- Captain)
19 United States GK Cat Parkhill
21 New Zealand MF Katie Bowen
22 United States DF Brianne Reed
23 United States FW Caroline Kastor
20 United States FW Tiffany McCarty
88 United States MF Alexa Newfield
14 United States FW Sydney Leroux (Out due to pregnancy)

Head coaches

Retired numbers

FC Kansas City retired numbers
No. Player Position Career No. retirement
12 Lauren Holiday FW/MF 2013–15 August 27, 2015[20]

Year-by-year

Year League Regular Season Playoffs Avg. Attendance
2013 NWSL 2nd Place Semi-Finals 4,626
2014 NWSL 2nd Place Champions 2,018
2015 NWSL 3rd Place Champions 3,091[21]
2016 NWSL 6th Place Did not qualify 3,162[22]

Ownership and team management

FC Kansas City's ownership group is composed of Chris, Brad and Greg Likens, and Brian Budzinski. The group also owns the Kansas City Comets of the Major Arena Soccer League.[23] Budzinski is also owner of the Kansas City Soccerdome.[24]

Stadium

See also: NWSL stadiums

During the inaugural season, the Blues played their games at Shawnee Mission District Stadium in Overland Park, Kansas. The stadium has a 6,150 seating capacity.[25][26] At that time, it was the third largest stadium in the NWSL after Providence Park in Portland, Oregon, home of the Portland Thorns and Sahlen's Stadium in Rochester, New York, home of the Western New York Flash.[27] Sporting Kansas City, then called the Kansas City Wizards, played at the stadium in a match against the Colorado Rapids during the 2008 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.[28][29]

The team announced on January 8, 2014, that they would move to the Durwood Soccer Stadium on the UMKC campus to play there through 2015.[30]

However, for the 2015 season, FC Kansas City entered into a partnership with Sporting Kansas City to use their training grounds at Swope Soccer Village for training and play matches at the complex's championship field.[31] The stadium has seating for 1500, but was expanded to 3,557[32] using the bleachers FC Kansas City had purchased for use at Durwood Stadium for the previous season.[33]

Broadcasting

FC Kansas City games are broadcast live via the team's website using YouTube. Local cable provider, Time Warner Cable's Metro SportsEight, also broadcasts eight games.

The broadcasts are called by veteran soccer commentator, Sean Wheelock, with color commentary provided by Missy Geha, a reserve player for the team.[34] During the 2013 season, a select number of league games were broadcast on Fox Sports.[35]

Supporters

FC Kansas City's official supporters group is called the KC Blue Crew.[36]

Honors

See also: NWSL awards

See also

References

  1. ↑ "2014 NWSL CHAMPIONS: FC KANSAS CITY". National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). August 31, 2014. Retrieved October 1, 2015.
  2. ↑ "FCKC NAMED 2015 NWSL CHAMPIONS IN 1-0 WIN OVER SEATTLE". National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). October 1, 2015. Retrieved October 1, 2015.
  3. ↑ "New women's soccer league links and news". Equalizer Soccer. Retrieved January 26, 2013.
  4. ↑ "FC Kansas City To Launch This Spring". FC Kansas City. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
  5. ↑ "Women's professional soccer coming to Kansas City". The Pitch News. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
  6. ↑ "FC Kansas City unveils new logo". Equalizer Soccer. Retrieved January 26, 2013.
  7. ↑ "C Kansas City Launches New Logo". Our Sports Central. Retrieved January 26, 2013.
  8. ↑ "FC Kansas City Coaching Staff Announced". FC Kansas City. Retrieved January 26, 2013.
  9. ↑ "Wambach, Morgan also allocated to NWSL teams". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved January 26, 2013.
  10. ↑ "NWSL allocation easier said than done". ESPN. Retrieved January 12, 2013.
  11. ↑ "Player distribution sees NWSL take shape". FIFA. Retrieved January 12, 2013.
  12. ↑ "New Women's League Allocates Players". New York Times. Retrieved January 25, 2013.
  13. ↑ "Eight Teams Make Selections at 2013 NWSL College Draft at NSCAA Convention in Indianapolis". U.S. Soccer. 2013-01-18. Retrieved 2013-08-22.
  14. ↑ Lewis, Scott (February 9, 2013). "FC Kansas City officially announces the signing of Sinead Farrelly". NWSL News. Retrieved December 1, 2013.
  15. ↑ "Results: Ochs taken first in NWSL Supplemental Draft". Equalizer Soccer. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  16. ↑ Kassouf, Jeff (August 27, 2013). "Holiday named 2013 NWSL MVP; KC sweeps awards". Equalizer Soccer. Retrieved December 2, 2013.
  17. ↑ "NWSL BEST XI". National Women's Soccer League. Retrieved December 2, 2013.
  18. ↑ "Roster". FC Kansas City. Retrieved 2015-11-17.
  19. ↑ "Coaches". FC Kansas City. Retrieved 2015-11-17.
  20. ↑ http://www.fckansascity.com/2015/08/19/fc-kansas-city-to-retire-lauren-holidays-number-12-jersey/
  21. ↑ "9-10-15 NWSL Statistics.pdf". ussoccer.com. US Soccer. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
  22. ↑ "9-25-16 NWSL Statistics.pdf". ussoccer.com. US Soccer. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
  23. ↑ "New Kansas City women's soccer team releases logo". Kansas City Business Journal. January 10, 2013. Retrieved December 1, 2013.
  24. ↑ McDowell, Sam (July 30, 2013). "Joco's pro women's soccer team, FC Kansas City, seeks longevity where others have failed". Kansas City Star. Retrieved December 1, 2013.
  25. ↑ "Home / News / FC KANSAS CITY NAMES VENUE FOR 2013 SEASON FC KANSAS CITY NAMES VENUE FOR 2013 SEASON". FC Kansas City. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
  26. ↑ "FC Kansas City announces venue". Equalizer Soccer. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
  27. ↑ "FC Kansas City calls Shawnee Mission District Stadium home". Kansas City Business Journal. Retrieved March 21, 2013.
  28. ↑ "FC Kansas City to Play at Shawnee Mission North". Down the Byline. Retrieved March 21, 2013.
  29. ↑ "Kansas City Wizards Qualify for Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 16". WIBW. Retrieved March 21, 2013.
  30. ↑ "FC KANSAS CITY ANNOUNCES NEW HOME VENUE". FCKansasCity.com. FC Kansas City. Retrieved January 8, 2014.
  31. ↑ "FC KANSAS CITY TO PLAY AT SWOPE SOCCER VILLAGE IN 2015". FC Kansas City. Retrieved January 13, 2015.
  32. ↑ "Lloyd scores in return as Dash draw Kansas City". The Equalizer. July 20, 2015. Retrieved August 8, 2015.
  33. ↑ Bell, Thad (January 13, 2015). "FC Kansas City and Sporting KC partner". The Blue Testament. SB Nation. Retrieved August 8, 2015.
  34. ↑ "FC KANSAS CITY ANNOUNCES BROADCAST PARTNERS". FC Kansas City. April 15, 2013. Retrieved December 1, 2013.
  35. ↑ "NWSL, FOX Sports announce TV deal". Fox Sports. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  36. ↑ "KC Blue Crew on Twitter". KC Blue Crew. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
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