St. Petersburg Kickers
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox football club
| clubname = St. Pete Kickers FC
| fullname = St. Petersburg Kickers FC
| nickname = Kickers FC
| image = File:Kickers_FC_logo.jpg
| founded = 1957
| dissolved =
| stadium = Ed Radice Sports Complex
| capacity =
| owntitle = Owner
| owner =
| chrtitle = General Manager
| chairman = George Fotopoulos
| mgrtitle = Head Coach
| manager =
| league = Florida Suncoast Soccer League
| website =
| American = true
}}
The St. Petersburg Kickers FC are an amateur American soccer team from St. Petersburg, Florida that compete in the Florida Suncoast Soccer League (FSSL). They are notable as the first team from Florida to win the U.S. Open Cup.
History
Founded by Kurt Herbach in 1957, the Kickers won their first national title, the Over-30 championship, in 1967. By 1989, the team had won eleven Florida Suncoast Soccer League championships and four Florida State Cups.[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=888&dat=19890708&id=WN8NAAAAIBAJ&sjid=QXgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6525,2898199 Mixed and matched // St. Petersburg Kickers put many personalities into one national power] The club's most prestigious victory came on the national stage winning the 1989 National Challenge Cup (now known as US Open Cup).{{Cite web|url=http://thecup.us/1989/07/10/1989-us-open-cup-results/|title=1989 US Open Cup results|date=10 July 1989|website=TheCup.us}}
In 1997, the team moved to Land o' Lakes, Florida, eventually taking the name of Florida Kickers FC. That year the club won both the National Amateur Cup and the National Over-30 championship. In 2008, it won its third national amateur championship.{{Cite web|url=http://www.tbo.com/sports/sports/2008/aug/27/pa-lol-soccer-team-wins-national-title-ar-133963/|title=LOL Soccer Team Wins National Title|date=27 August 2008|website=Tampa Bay Online}}
Honors
- National Challenge Cup winners: 1 (1989)
- National Amateur Cup winners: 3 (1990, 1997, 2008)
- National Amateur Cup runners-up: 1 (2003)
- Participations in CONCACAF Champions' Cup: 1990
Coaches
- Steve Gogas (1972-)
- Chris McMaster
- Wim Suurbier (1994)
Notable players
- {{Flagicon|USA}} Derek Backman
- {{Flagicon|USA}} Matt Clare
- {{Flagicon|USA}} Garth Pollonais
- {{flagicon|USA}} Andrew Restrepo
- {{Flagicon|USA}} Joey Valenti
- {{flagicon|USA}} Tanner Wolfe
- {{flagicon|USA}} J.P. Reyes
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.fssl.com Florida Suncoast Soccer League]
{{USOC winners}}
{{USSoccer}}
Category:Association football clubs established in 1957
Category:1957 establishments in Florida
Category:Soccer clubs in Florida
Category:Sports in Tampa, Florida
Category:Sports in St. Petersburg, Florida
Category:U.S. clubs in CONCACAF Champions' Cup
Category:U.S. Open Cup winners
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