Clubs that have folded/merged

[Unregistered]

I have been involved with club soccer for the past 12 years so very familiar with all those clubs. The funny thing is that everyone pushed for mergers saying it would help the advancement of the players. It would give us a chance to compete against the other states that didn't have a soccer club on every corner.That was the thought but I don't think things are really improved. RSL, Strictly Soccer, and Blackwatch all had some pretty good teams back in the days.

I think the argument of needing to merge to compete has gone out the window with the existence of the DA and ECNL now. The top players will typically gravitate towards those clubs. All the mergers have done is hurt the consumer as there are fewer options. In the old days you had 5 different clubs within driving distance. Now you only have one option or having to drive an hour. I think the smaller clubs work out better for 80 to 90% of the kids and then you have your academies for top 20%.

I wish there were still other options. My son plays at a large club and the A team in his age group is top 10 in the state, but the B team is weak D2 at best. My son is a lower level D1 or top D2 player so neither team is a great fit. He can't make the A team but is the best player on the B team. Maybe it is just a freak circumstance that there is such disparity between the two teams. The problem is that there is not another option as the previous 5 local clubs have gone away/merged so he either has to play on a team that is a bad fit or encounter a long drive. I can see the point of driving for DA if you are a top player, but seems crazy to have to travel to play D2.

[Unregistered]

I wish there were still other options. My son plays at a large club and the A team in his age group is top 10 in the state, but the B team is weak D2 at best. My son is a lower level D1 or top D2 player so neither team is a great fit. He can't make the A team but is the best player on the B team. Maybe it is just a freak circumstance that there is such disparity between the two teams. The problem is that there is not another option as the previous 5 local clubs have gone away/merged so he either has to play on a team that is a bad fit or encounter a long drive. I can see the point of driving for DA if you are a top player, but seems crazy to have to travel to play D2.

There are a few medium sized clubs still around which, depending on the age group, provide a competitive A team to the top clubs but which might have have kids coming from all over for the premier team such that you get that huge disparity. Of course they may not be close to you, but if they are you may want to use the April tryouts to check them out. I would put West Pasco, Wesley Chapel, Dunedin/GPS and Lutz in this category. It may be more hit and miss, particularly on the girls side, but it might be worth a look.

[Unregistered]

I added some others at the bottom that either merged or folded



Valrico Soccer Club
South Hillsborough
Florida Revolution
Lakeland Lazers
Manatee Magic

OP here. You have a better memory than I. My oldest played against every one of those clubs except Revolution. I had completely forgotten about Valrico and the others

[Unregistered]

Cooper City wont fold as they are an Optimist that besides soccer, have football, softball, hockey, rec soccer program, etc.

I meant their U10 Boy's team.

[Unregistered]

I meant their U10 Boy's team.

They will have to fold. Those kids can't play for CCO once they've signed with Barca and Juve.

[Unregistered]

OP here. You have a better memory than I. My oldest played against every one of those clubs except Revolution. I had completely forgotten about Valrico and the others

South Hillsborough became FL Revolution and then later became an affiliate of the Houston Dynamo. Valrico merged with FL Revolution and both went under the name Houston Dynamo Tampa. Then once Orlando City was awarded an MLS franchise then the Houston Dynamo were no longer allowed to sponsor a club in the area. They have since changed their name to just Tampa Dynamo.

[Unregistered]

Countryside Lightning

I added Countryside who merged with Clearwater

Lakeland Highlands
Zephyrhills
Central Pasco
Hudson (?)
New Tampa
Fusion
Blackwatch
Player's Club
Countryside
Tampa Knights
RSL
East Lake
Palm Harbor Nighthawks
Pinellas Park
Manasota

Valrico Soccer Club
South Hillsborough
Florida Revolution
Lakeland Lazers
Manatee Magic
Countryside Lightning

[Unregistered]

I added Hillsborough County United and Largo United, both which merged into TBU

Lakeland Highlands
Zephyrhills
Central Pasco
Hudson (?)
New Tampa
Fusion
Blackwatch
Player's Club
Countryside
Tampa Knights
RSL
East Lake
Palm Harbor Nighthawks
Pinellas Park
Manasota

Valrico Soccer Club
South Hillsborough
Florida Revolution
Lakeland Lazers
Manatee Magic
Countryside Lightning
Hillsborough County United
Largo United

^^^
^^^

[Unregistered]

Northdale
Carrollwood
Greater North Tampa

All became HCU

[Unregistered]

Northdale
Carrollwood
Greater North Tampa

All became HCU

Then HCU merged with RSL and became TBU

[Unregistered]

Then HCU merged with RSL and became TBU

And then TBU was about to merge with WFF when ..... Drop the Mic

[Unregistered]

Northdale
Carrollwood
Greater North Tampa

All became HCU

That all pre-dates me. Ddd HCU come together when the Ed Radice complex opened?

[Unregistered]

Cooper City just folded.

[Unregistered]

Uh duh, not only does Player Club exist they have the U12 DA...

haha, a joke of da, one that gets beat 11-0 and 19-0 on regular basis, look it up

http://pctb.ussoccerda.com/sam/teams...p?team=1643568