York Region Shooters (1998)
{{Infobox Football club
| clubname = York Region Shooters
| image = York Region Shooters2.jpg
| image_size = 200px
| fullname = York Region Shooters SC
| nickname = The Shooters
| shortname =
| founded = 1994 (as York Region Stallions)
| dissolved = 2003 (merged with Vaughan Sun Devils )
| stadium = Highland Park, Aurora, Ontario, Canada
| capacity = 550+
| chrtitle = Owner
| chairman = Frank Bisceglia (original)
Tony De Thomasis (second owner)
| mgrtitle =
| manager =
| league = Canadian Professional Soccer League
| season =
| position =
| pattern_la1=_blackline|pattern_b1=_thinblacksides |pattern_ra1=_blackline
| leftarm1=FFFF00 |body1=FFFF00 |rightarm1=FFFF00 |shorts1=FFFF00 |socks1=FFFF00
| pattern_la2= _shoulder_stripes_black_shirt_alt |pattern_b2=_yellowvertical |pattern_ra2= _shoulder_stripes_black_shirt_alt
| leftarm2= FFFF00 |body2=000000 |rightarm2= FFFF00 |shorts2=000000 |socks2=000000
}}
The York Region Shooters were a soccer team playing in the Canadian Professional Soccer League from 1998 to 2002. They played their home matches in the town of Aurora, Ontario, north of Toronto.
The franchise was one of the original teams of the CPSL. The team had its origins in the York Region Soccer League and were previously known as the York Region Stallions. During its five-year stint in the CPSL the club failed to secure a postseason berth, but managed to develop some top talent for the Canada national team. In 2002, the York Region Shooters were sold by the Bisceglia family to Tony De Thomasis, and merged the club with the Vaughan Sun Devils in 2003.
History
File:Atiba Hutchinson'14.JPG Atiba Hutchinson began his career with the York Region Shooters]]
In 1994, Frank Bisceglia formed York Region Stallions and competed in the Metropolitan Toronto Soccer League.{{Cite web|url=http://www.cpsl.org/yorkregionshooters.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010423163324/http://www.cpsl.org/yorkregionshooters.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2001-04-23|title=York Region|date=2001-04-23|access-date=2016-12-26}} Later were transferred to the Newmarket Premier League under the name Aurora Shooters. In 1998, renamed the York Region Shooters they were promoted to the professional level by becoming a charter member of the Canadian Professional Soccer League, and received territorial rights to Aurora, Ontario in the York Region.{{Cite web|url=http://www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com/98cpsl02.htm|title=Canada Kicks -- News Story|last=Bailey|first=David|website=www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com|access-date=2016-12-26}} Sam Foti was given the head coach responsibilities, and made their professional debut on May 31, 1998, against Mississauga Eagles P.S.C. in a 3–1 victory with the goals coming from Mike Glasgow, and Diego Saenz.{{Cite web|url=http://www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com/98cpsl07.htm|title=York Region Shooters vs Mississauga Eagles|last=Glover|first=Robin|website=www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com|access-date=2016-12-27}} Their debut season saw the club finish fifth in the standings, but missed the final postseason berth by 2 points.{{Cite web|url=http://www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com/98cpwk18.htm|title=1998 CPSL Standings Week 18|website=www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com|access-date=2016-12-27}}
The following season the Shooters moved south to Richmond Hill, Ontario. Their performance throughout the season saw a decline as they finished seventh in the standings. In 2000, the organization brought in Bijan Azizi to manage the team.{{Cite web|url=http://www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com/00cp0031.htm|title=Canadian Professional Soccer League|website=www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com|access-date=2016-12-27}} York Region matched their 1998 season by finishing fifth in the standings just 4 points shy of a playoff berth.{{Cite web|url=http://www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com/00cp0059.htm|title=CPSL - League Standings|website=www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com|access-date=2016-12-27}} At the conclusion of the season Willy Giummarra received the CPSL MVP award.{{Cite web|url=http://www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com/00cpsl33.htm|title=LFP Sports: Croatia bags Primus Cup by upsetting Olympians|last=RUMLESKI|first=Kathy|website=www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com|access-date=2016-12-27}} Adam Pagliaroli was appointed the head coach for the 2001 season, but unfortunately failed as his predecessors in securing a postseason berth by finishing eleventh in the standings.
In 2002, a change occurred in the ownership with Tony De Thomasis purchasing the club from Bisceglia.{{Cite web|url=http://www.cpsl.ca/featuredteam.asp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050207012249/http://www.cpsl.ca/featuredteam.asp|url-status=dead|archive-date=2005-02-07|title=CPSL - Canadian Professional Soccer League|date=2005-02-07|access-date=2016-12-27}} De Thomasis returned Highland Park in Aurora, and hired Vito Colangelo for the head coach position. In preparation for the 2002 season Colangelo brought in the likes of Atiba Hutchinson, Adrian Cann, Andres Arango, Stuart Black, Piotr Libicz, and Cameron Medwin.{{Cite web|url=http://www.cpsl.ca/gallery/york_shooters.asp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030120163848/http://www.cpsl.ca/gallery/york_shooters.asp|url-status=dead|archive-date=2003-01-20|title=CPSL - Canadian Professional Soccer League|date=2003-01-20|access-date=2016-12-27}} During the season the CPSL divided the league into two Conferences with York Region being placed in the Eastern Conference. The 2002 season saw an improvement in the club's performance, but for the fifth straight year the Shooters failed to secure a postseason berth by finishing fourth in their conference. In 2003, the club merged with their rivals the Vaughan Sun Devils and united the York Region territory under principal owner De Thomasis.{{Cite web|url=http://www.cpsl.ca/news.asp?news=59|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030819072204/http://www.cpsl.ca/news.asp?news=59|url-status=dead|archive-date=2003-08-19|title=CPSL - Canadian Professional Soccer League|date=2003-08-19|access-date=2016-12-27}}
Head coaches
| class="wikitable sortable" | ||
| Years
! Name ! Nation | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1998–1999 | Sam Foti | {{flagu|Canada}} |
| 2000 | Bijan Azizi | {{flagu|Iran}} |
| 2001 | Adam Pagliaroli | {{flagu|Canada}} |
| 2002 | Vito Colangelo | {{flagu|Canada}} |
Year-by-year
==Notable players==
{{col-begin}}
Canada
- Andres Arango {{small|(2002)}}
- Stuart Black {{small|(2001-02)}}
- Adrian Cann {{small|(2002)}}
- Willy Giummarra {{small|(1999-00)}}
- Atiba Hutchinson {{small|(2002)}}
- Cameron Medwin {{small|(2002)}}
- Irvin Studin {{small|(1999)}}
{{col-end}}
References
External links
- [http://www.italiashooters.ca/index.php York Region Shooters]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20080615141308/http://www.canadiansoccerleague.ca/index.php Canadian Soccer League]
{{Canadian Soccer League}}
Category:Association football clubs established in 1994
Category:Soccer clubs in Ontario
Category:Canadian Soccer League (1998–present) teams