Sigma FC

{{Infobox football club

| clubname = Sigma FC

| image = Sigma FC logo.png

| caption =

| fullname = Sigma Sports

| nickname =

| founded = 2005

| dissolved =

| stadium = Paramount Fine Foods Centre
Mississauga, Ontario

| capacity =

| coordinates =

| owner = Sigma Sports Solutions

| chrtitle = Managing director

| chairman = Constantine Smyrniotis

| mgrtitle = Head coach

| manager = John Zervos

| league = League1 Ontario

| season = 2024

| position = L1O-P, 9th

| current = 2024 League1 Ontario season

| website = http://www.sigmafc.ca/

}}

Sigma Sports is a Canadian youth soccer development academy and player management company based in Mississauga, Ontario. They also operate a senior academy soccer team that currently competes in League1 Ontario, as Sigma FC. Over 140 Sigma players have gone on to play NCAA or U Sports soccer on scholarships.

History

Sigma was formed in 2005 by Constantine and Bobby Smyrniotis as a private academy aimed to develop young Canadian soccer players.{{Cite web|title=Sigma Sports: About us|url=http://www.sigma-sports.net/aboutUs.html|access-date=January 18, 2015|work=Sigma}} Over the years Sigma have sent players from their academy to the NCAA and to trials overseas.{{cite web |last1=Armstrong |first1=Laura |title=Local soccer academy has become playground for future stars |url=https://www.thestar.com/sports/2016/10/23/local-soccer-academy-has-become-playground-for-future-stars.html |website=Toronto Star |access-date=April 21, 2019 |date=October 23, 2016}}{{cite web|url=https://www.league1ontario.com/news_article/show/1227116|title=A Bluffer’s Guide to Sigma|first=Matt|last=Bates|work=League1 Ontario}}

When League1 Ontario was formed in early 2014, Sigma announced they would be entering their senior academy team to compete as part of inaugural season.{{cite web |last1=Clarke |first1=Ian |title=Sigma FC: Laying the groundwork for Canadian youth development |url=http://www.rednationonline.ca/articles2014/sigmafclayingthegroundworkforcanadianyouth.aspx |work=Red Nation Online |access-date=April 23, 2019 |date=April 9, 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://www.wakingthered.com/2014/4/8/5594610/league1-ontario-announces-teams-for-inaugural-season|title=League1 Ontario announces teams for inaugural season|first=Dave|last=Rowaan|date=April 8, 2014|work=Waking the Red}} They were one of the three Ontario Soccer Association Recognized Non-Club Academies permitted to enter a team in the league, along with ANB Futbol and Master's FA.{{cite web|url=https://www.yorkregion.com/community-story/4457644-vaughan-to-field-2-teams-in-inaugural-soccer-league/|title=Vaughan to field 2 teams in inaugural soccer league|date= April 10, 2014|first=Michael|last=Hayakawa|work=Vaughan Citizen}} The Mississauga-based League1 Ontario teams - Sigma FC and North Mississauga SC (and formerly the now-Brampton-based ProStars FC){{cite tweet|number=1425633776600768512|user=CreditRiverCup|date=August 11, 2021|title=NEWS: We're excited to announce the 2021 Credit River Cup returns this Friday!}} - compete annually for the Credit River Cup, awarded by the Sauga City Collective supporters group, with the team's matches against each other during the L1O deciding the victor.{{cite web|url=https://www.mississauga.com/whatson-story/9549106-credit-river-cup-announced-for-mississauga-based-soccer-clubs/|title=Credit River Cup announced for Mississauga-based soccer clubs|date=August 14, 2019|first=Ali|last=Raza|work=Mississauga News}}

Sigma made news in January 2015 when academy player Cyle Larin was drafted first overall by Major League Soccer club Orlando City at the 2015 MLS SuperDraft.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2015/01/15/mls-superdraft-canadian-international-cyle-larin-selected-first-overall-orlando-city|title=MLS SuperDraft: Canadian international Cyle Larin selected first overall by Orlando City SC|date=January 15, 2015|work=Major League Soccer}} This was the first time a Canadian went first overall in an MLS draft.{{cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com/sports/soccer/2015/01/15/canadian-forward-cyle-larin-goes-first-overall-in-mls-superdraft.html|title=Canadian forward Cyle Larin goes first overall in MLS SuperDraft|date=January 15, 2015|first=Neil|last=Davidson|work=Toronto Star}}

On October 1, 2018, Sigma co-founder Bobby Smyrniotis was named head coach and technical director of Canadian Premier League club Forge FC. Bobby had served as technical director and first team head coach of Sigma from 2005 to 2018.{{cite web |title=Forge FC names first-ever head coach |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/4503418/forge-fc-names-first-ever-head-coach/ |website=Global News |access-date=April 22, 2019 |date=October 1, 2018|first=Anthony|last=Urciuoli}} 16 members of Forge's 2019 roster had played for Sigma in the past.{{cite web|url=https://canpl.ca/article/league1-ontario-graduates-ready-to-shine-in-canadian-premier-league-finals|title=‘It’s a high level’: Forge’s Sigma alum praise League1 Ontario platform|date=October 5, 2019|first=Armen|last=Bedakian|work=Canadian Premier League}} In 2023, they formalized their affiliation with Canadian Premier League club Forge FC, which enables Forge to send players to Sigma on short-term loans throughout the season.{{Cite web |date=2023-04-21 |title=Canadian Premier League announces downward player movement pilot project |url=https://canpl.ca/article/canadian-premier-league-announces-downward-player-movement-pilot-project |access-date=2023-05-28 |website=Canadian Premier League}}{{Cite web |last=Mahmoudi |first=Nelson |date=2023-04-22 |title=CPL Introduces Affiliation Pilot Project With Lower Divisions |url=https://northerntribune.ca/canadian-premier-league-downward-player-movement-project/ |access-date=2023-05-28 |website=Northern Tribune |language=en-US}}

Seasons

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"

!Season

!League

!Teams

!{{tooltip|Record|Wins, draws, losses}}

!Rank

!Playoffs

!League Cup

!Ref

2014

|rowspan="10"|League1 Ontario

|8–5–3

|3rd

|–

|Runner-up

|{{cite web|url=http://cansha.coffeecup.com/l1omen.html|title=League1 Ontario Historical Standings Men's Division|work=Canadian Soccer History Archives}}

2015

|12

|12–6–4

|4th

|–

|Runner-up

2016

|16

|14–2–6

|2nd, Western (5th overall)

|did not qualify

|First round

2017

|16

|17–4–1

|2nd, Western (2nd overall)

|did not qualify

|First round

2018

|17

|11–4–1

|2nd

|Group stage

|Semifinals

2019

|16

|8–3–4

|5th

|Quarterfinals

|–

2020

|colspan="7"|Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic{{cite web |title=League1 Ontario cancels Fall season plans for 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions |url=https://canpl.ca/article/league1-ontario-cancels-fall-season-plans-for-2020-due-to-covid-19-restrictions |website=Canadian Premier League |date=September 4, 2020}}

2021

|15

|4–3–5

|5th, Western (9th overall)

|did not qualify

|–

2022

|22

|9–4–8

|9th

|did not qualify

|–