West Texas FC is an American soccer team based in Midland, Texas, United States. Founded in 2008, the team plays in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Lone Star Conference of the South Region.
 | |||
| Nickname(s) | Sockers | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2008 | ||
| Stadium | Astound Broadband Stadium Midland, Texas | ||
| Capacity | 18,000 | ||
| Owners | Jason and Melina Cannon | ||
| Head coach | David Ormiston | ||
| League | National Premier Soccer League | ||
| 2021 | 3rd, Lone Star Playoffs: Conference Semifinals | ||
| Website | https://www.westtexasfc.com/ | ||
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The team has played its home games at the Grande Communications Stadium since 2009. The team's colors are white and navy blue.
Since 2022, the team has been owned by real estate investors Jason and Melina Cannon. They have won three titles.
History
editThe team joined the USL as an expansion team in 2009,[1][2] The team's ownership group included Miles Prentice and Bob Richmond, who also owned the Midland RockHounds.[citation needed] The team opened its inaugural season on April 10, 2009 with a 1–0 win over the Arizona Sahuaros in an exhibition match at Grande Stadium. The Sockers played their first official game on May 2, 2009, a 2–0 loss to the El Paso Patriots.[3]
Originally known as the West Texas Sockers, they were renamed the Odessa/Midland Sockers on February 20, 2013.[4] The club was again renamed, this time to Midland-Odessa FC, upon their entry into NPSL on December 13, 2016.[5] The team adopted Midland-Odessa Sockers FC as its branding for the 2018 NPSL season.
The team went on hiatus for the 2022 NPSL season. In December 2022, it was announced that the team had been purchased from the Midland RockHounds by local real estate investors Jason and Melina Cannon. The team returned in 2023 as West Texas FC.[6] In January 2023, Victor Domingues was named as the rebranded club's first head coach.[7]
Players
editNotable former players
editThis list of notable former players comprises players who went on to play professional soccer after playing for the team in the Premier Development League, or those who previously played professionally before joining the team.
Year-by-year
edit| Year | Division | League | Regular Season | Playoffs | Open Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 4 | USL PDL | 2nd, Mid South | Divisional Finals | did not qualify |
| 2010 | 4 | USL PDL | 4th, Mid South | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2011 | 4 | USL PDL | 5th, Mid South | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2012 | 4 | USL PDL | 6th, Mid South | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2013 | 4 | USL PDL | 4th, Mid South | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2014 | 4 | USL PDL | 3rd, Mid South | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2015 | 4 | USL PDL | 2nd, Mid South | Conference Semifinals | Second Round |
| 2016 | 4 | USL PDL | 2nd, Mid South | National Semifinals | did not qualify |
| 2017 | 4 | NPSL | 3rd, Lone Star | National Runner-Up | did not qualify |
| 2018 | 4 | NPSL | 2nd, Lone Star | Conference Semifinals | Second Round |
| 2019 | 4 | NPSL | 1st, Lone Star | Conference Finals | First Round |
| 2021 | 4 | NPSL | 3rd, Lone Star | Conference Semifinals | did not qualify |
| 2022 | On hiatus | ||||
Head Coaches
edit
Jesus Enriquez (2009–2010)
Warren Cottle (2010–2013)- Matt Barnes (2014–2017)
Luis Rincon (2018)
Johnny Clifford (2019)- Dave Jacobs (2020–2021)
Victor Domingues (2023)
David Ormiston (2024-Present)
Stadium
edit- Grande Communications Stadium; Midland, Texas (2009–present)
Average attendance
editAttendance stats are calculated by averaging each team's self-reported home attendances from the historical match archive at https://web.archive.org/web/20100105175057/http://www.uslsoccer.com/history/index_E.html.
- 2009: 2,782 (2nd in PDL)
- 2010: 2,501 (2nd in PDL)
References
edit- ^ "United Soccer Leagues (USL)". Archived from the original on October 9, 2012. Retrieved September 16, 2008.
- ^ "United Soccer Leagues (USL)". Archived from the original on December 23, 2008. Retrieved December 18, 2008.
- ^ "United Soccer Leagues (USL)". Archived from the original on May 16, 2009. Retrieved May 4, 2009.
- ^ "A New Era of Socker Dawns in West Texas – West Texas Sockers". West Texas Sockers. July 30, 2013. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved October 26, 2013.
- ^ "Midland-Odessa FC Joins the NPSL". www.npsl.com. Archived from the original on December 28, 2016.
- ^ Hadorn, Christopher (December 13, 2022). "Sockers rebrand as West Texas FC, to return in '23 with new owners". Midland Reporter-Telegram.
- ^ "West Texas FC Announces First Head Coach in Club History!". West Texas FC. January 17, 2023.
http://www.goeasternathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=10666&path=msoc
External links
edit
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