Amateur, FC Dallas, High Schools, Houston Dynamo, MLS, US Open Cup, USL Championship, YouthLeave a comment

2018 Favorite Texas Soccer Media

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Over the course of the year I watch, read and consume a lot of soccer related information. This post will attempt to highlight some of my favorite Texas soccer related media of all varieties from 2018. I obviously can’t read or watch everything and make no assertions that the media I highlight in this article are the “Best” of anything….because they are only my opinions and reflect my own taste. There will also invariably be a southern part of Texas slant because that it where I typically watch live soccer. Nevertheless, here goes and if I missed anything that readers … Continue reading 2018 Favorite Texas Soccer Media

Amateur, College Soccer, FC Dallas, High Schools, Houston Dynamo, MLS, YouthLeave a comment

2018 Top Texas Soccer Teams/Coach/Players

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Like other end-of-year lists I am publishing, this selection of various Teams, Coaches and Players is my best attempt at identifying excellence over the course of the year and not intended to be a “Best of” list. There is too much soccer activity in the State, for me at least, to make these kinds of claims. Before getting started, I would also like to highlight three Texas soccer Supporters Groups who went above and beyond this year. Dallas Beer Guardians, Houston’s Texian Army and San Antonio’s 210 Alliance were jointly awarded the Independent Supporters Council (ISC) Philanthropic Group of the … Continue reading 2018 Top Texas Soccer Teams/Coach/Players

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Favorite Texas Saves of 2018

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Like my favorite Goal of the Year post, I can’t pretend to have seen all of the saves over the course of the year in Texas. These are some of the saves that caught my attention. The winner was the double save by FC Dallas goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer against Philadelphia on April 21. The Contenders Houston Dynamo’s Joe Willis save against Portland in July https://www.houstondynamo.com/post/2018/11/02/joe-willis-nominated-mls-save-year Matt Cardone’s USL Save of the Week in September Diego Restrepo Save of the Week in May The Favorite Save of the Year Continue reading Favorite Texas Saves of 2018

FC Dallas, Houston Dynamo, MLS, US Open Cup, USL ChampionshipLeave a comment

Favorite Texas Goals of 2018

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2018 produced outstanding goals from all over the State, including the NPSL Goal of the Year. My favorite was a cheeky effort from San Antonio FC’s Ever Guzman in July, that ended up being one of the easiest goals scored this year by the time it was in the net. I can’t pretend to have seen every goal scored in the thousands of matches played in Texas this year, but I have identified some of the goals that made an impression on me here. My apologies to the goal scorers I may have missed. The Contenders The Favorite Goal of the Year Continue reading Favorite Texas Goals of 2018

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Houston Viet Soccer Tourney to be Chronicled in Documentary

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A mini-documentary, featuring a Houston Viet Association soccer tournament, will be filmed in Houston over the Thanksgiving weekend. The video is sponsored by the Non League America website and will be directed by Alfonso Bui, who delivered a superb documentary last year on the journey of Dallas area-native Lee Nguyen, currently a midfielder for Los Angeles Football Club in Major League Soccer. The Houston Viet Association Tournament The tournament will take place on Saturday and Sunday November 24 and 25 at Cullen Park on the west side of Houston.  Eight adult teams will participate, divided initially into two groups for … Continue reading Houston Viet Soccer Tourney to be Chronicled in Documentary

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New Soccer Stadium Breaks Ground in Austin

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On Wednesday United Soccer League (USL) expansion team, Austin Bold, broke ground on a new 5,000+ seat soccer specific stadium at the Circuit of Americas (COTA) complex in southeast Austin. The new $5 million stadium, which will include a covered grandstand and individual chair back seating, is planned to open early next year.  The stadium, which will be built next to the current racetrack, is designed to share infrastructure with current facilities in the COTA complex.  The natural grass soccer field will be capable of handing all potential international soccer and rugby events. Austin Bold Chairman Bobby Epstein discussed his … Continue reading New Soccer Stadium Breaks Ground in Austin

Texas Soccer History1 Comment

NASL San Antonio Thunder Resurrected Saturday night at a San Antonio FC match

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A few days ago it was reported that San Antonio FC (SAFC) recently filed applications to Trademark the name and logos for the first professional soccer team to play in San Antonio…the San Antonio Thunder. https://www.expressnews.com/business/local/article/Spurs-group-files-to-trademark-1970s-soccer-13194826.php The Thunder (1975-76) were the third Texas team to play in the version of the North American Soccer League (NASL) that ran from 1968-1984.  The Dallas Tornado and Houston Stars were the first, beginning play in 1968.  The Stars folded after a single season (two if you count the year in the United Soccer Association) when the NASL nearly collapsed at the end of … Continue reading NASL San Antonio Thunder Resurrected Saturday night at a San Antonio FC match

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College Soccer in Texas Begins This Weekend-An Overview

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Wayland Baptist University 2017 NAIA National Soccer Champions (Image Credit:  WBU Athletics) The 2018 Texas College Soccer season is underway this weekend.  College Soccer programs (both 4-year and Community Colleges) generally play a compressed 15-20 game regular season that begins this weekend and ends in late October.  Conference and National playoffs, in the respective governing organizations (e.g., NCAA, NAIA), are concluded by early December.  Some universities, especially in Division I and II, also play abbreviated spring exhibition schedules. Brief History of College Soccer in Texas In simplistic terms, the first serious organized soccer leagues in the country originated in Northeast … Continue reading College Soccer in Texas Begins This Weekend-An Overview

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Reliving the First Texas Derby Matches Played 51 years ago

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Image Credit:  naslmemories@blogspot.com Saturday night in Houston, the first of three matches in the 2018 Texas Derby between FC Dallas and Houston Dynamo will be played at BBVA Compass Stadium.  As the rivalry is resumed, it is worth remembering that 51 years ago the first Texas Derby matches were played by the first two professional soccer teams from Texas to play in a national soccer league.  At that time this was the only Dallas-Houston professional sports rivalry in existence, as there were no professional sports teams in the two cities that played in the same league at that time.  Competitive … Continue reading Reliving the First Texas Derby Matches Played 51 years ago

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Brazos Valley Cavalry 2018 PDL Mid-South Champions-Final week of Regular Season Wrap

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Brazos Valley Cavalry defeat Texas United and are crowned 2018 PDL Mid South Champions Brazos Valley Cavalry, who entered the last week of the regular season in the Premier Development League’s (PDL) Mid South Division title race in the drivers seat, left nothing to chance by defeating Texas United twice to win the Championship.  The Cavalry ended the season with six consecutive victories and a plus-23 goal differential.  They both scored the most goals and conceded the fewest in the Mid South division this year. OKC Energy, after losing a crucial home game to Brazos Valley last week, entered the … Continue reading Brazos Valley Cavalry 2018 PDL Mid-South Champions-Final week of Regular Season Wrap