All Set for Home Opener Friday Night at Jacksonville University

USL Premier Development League Team Kicks off Second Season.

JACKSONVILLE, May 17, 2012 – The Web.com FC JAX Destroyers kick off their a new season of high-level play tomorrow night at Jacksonville University Soccer Stadium at 6 p.m. against the Ocala Stampede.

The home opener is Maritime Night honoring National Maritime Day (May 22), the JAXPORT and the local military.

While this is the second season for the Destroyers men’s team, it is the inaugural season the Destroyer’s women’s team.

Tickets are available online jaxdestroyers.com, and will be sold at the gate for $5.  A limited number of season ticket T-shirts will be available for $20 at the gate.  Show your support for the Destroyers support and get access to all HOME matches for the men’s and women’s 2012 games.

The FC JAX Soccer mission is to fill the gap in adult male and female soccer opportunities to play at the highest level possible. FC JAX Soccer is a United Soccer League (USL) entity and owns franchises for Premier Development League (PDL) and W-League teams that will both play under the FC JAX Destroyers umbrella.  FC JAX Soccer is a value-based, community-focused and soccer franchise with the goal to be the most elite level of soccer in Jacksonville, Florida.

For ticket information, team roster and season schedule, visit jaxdestroyers.com.

Destroyers Bowl in Support of Children’s Miracle Network

A team of your web.com Destroyers will compete in the CMN's Bowling for Miracles event this Wednesday, May 9th at 6:00-9:00p at Lattitude 30.  Come out and meet the players, coaches and supporters in our partnership for this wonderful cause.  Go Destroyers!

More details on the event: http://www.facebook.com/events/121932474597704/

PDL Preview: Southeast Division—Mississippi faces strong challenge for division title

Friday, April 27, 2012

The Southeast Division was for the most-part a two-horse race in 2011, but the addition of three new clubs, and the additions made by IMG Bradenton and the FC Jax Destroyers to their programs, should give defending division champions the Mississippi Brilla and newly renamed Orlando City U23 a run for their money in the pursuit of the playoffs.

Read More about the Destroyers and the Division.

Women’s Open Tryouts - April 29th & May 6th

The women's open tryouts will be held for the FC Jax Destroyers on:

• Sunday April 29th -@ 9am - at Losco Park  (for college graduates, non-NCAA players)
• Sunday May 6th @ 9am - at Losco Park (for all, including NCAA/college players)

Each tryout will be approximately 2 hours long.  Each player is responsible for bringing all of their gear and water to the tryout.

For more information, please contact Coach Marc Osterberger at marco_19@comcast.net.  Please check back to the site for any additional/further announcements or updates.

Thanks and see you on the pitch!

2012 Season - Volunteers Needed!

The Destroyers are looking for a few good men...and women...to help with the operations of the 2012 season.  The season runs from May thru August 2012 and the following areas require leadership and volunteers:

• home team liaison
• visiting team liaison
• public address announcer
• ticket sales / operations
• timekeeper
• referee liaison

Please contact the Head of Operations, Roye Locklear at 904-607-4822 or roye.locklear@gmail.com, for more information and details, or to be a key part of the fleet this summer.  We hope to have you aboard!

Coach Davison Adds UK Professional Donough Holohan to Coaching Arsenal

Donough Holohan will be joining Coach Davison the Destroyers in May to help kick off the season. Holohan brings tremendous expertise and experience to the already stout coaching arsenal. 

Donough Holohan MSc, BSc, ASCC, BComm

Originally from Dublin, Ireland, Donough has held a number of roles in professional soccer in the UK over the last 12 years.  His career began at Derby County in 2000 as Head of Sport Science for the Youth Academy and he has since gone on to hold key positions at Preston North End, Charlton Athletic, Colchester United (where he worked with Jax Destroyers Coach Aidan Davison) and West Ham United.  He has also worked very closely with the English Football Association, serving as an Exercise Physiologist with the England Youth Squads, as well as enjoying a spell with one of the top ranked Americas Cup sailing teams in Valencia, Spain. Donough is a highly experienced coach educator, having delivering many Sport Science-related modules on the UEFA ‘A’ and ‘B’ license course as well as having been a lead tutor on the FA Fitness Trainers Award for several years.  Academically Donough holds a Masters Degree in Exercise Physiology from Loughborough University, England and he is a UKSCA-accredited Strength and Conditioning Coach.

FC JAX Destroyers Announce Women’s W-League Coaching Staff

The Web.Com FC Jax Destroyers announced an agreement of intent to hire Head Coach Marc Osterberger and Dave Simeone Assistant Coach and Technical Advisor for the Destroyers Women's Program. Contracts to be signed shortly, but they will begin operations immediately. A third assistant (female) Jen West may be brought on by the head coach.

PDL Regular Season Schedule Released

USL NEWS RELEASE: Thursday, February 16, 2012

2012 campaign opens April 22

TAMPA, Fla. – United Soccer Leagues released the 2012 divisional alignment and schedule for the PDL today, with the 584-game regular season getting underway on April 22 as LA Misioneros FC faces the Fresno Fuego.

Thirteen new teams have joined the PDL for 2012, including the Austin Aztex, Baltimore Bohemians, Boston Victory, CFC Azul, Chicago Inferno, FC Tucson, Ocala Stampede, Palmetto FC Bantams, Panama City Beach Pirates, Texas Dutch Lions, Southern West Virginia King’s Warriors, VSI Tampa Flames and Worcester Hydra.

Several teams have announced name changes including the Sounders FC U23 (Tacoma Tide), El Paso Patriots (Chivas El Paso Patriots), Fraser Valley Mariners (Abbotsford Mariners), LA Misioneros FC (Los Angeles Legends), West Texas Sockers (West Texas United Sockers) and Seacoast United Phantoms (New Hampshire Phantoms).

The PDL will feature 73 teams in four geographic conferences and nine divisions. The Eastern Conference features three divisions while the Southern, Central and Western Conferences feature two divisions each.  PDL clubs will play 16-game schedules in 2012, eight home and eight away. The defending PDL champion Kitsap Pumas open their 2012 campaign on Friday, May 4, when they travel to play the Vancouver Whitecaps FC U-23 at Swangard Stadium.

2012 PDL - Southeast Division

FC Jax Destroyers
Ft. Lauderdale Schulz Acad.
IMG Bradenton Academics 
Mississippi Brilla  
Ocala Stampede  
Orlando City U23  
Panama City Beach Pirates 
VSI Tampa Flames

PDL
The top developmental men’s league in North American, the PDL features 73 teams in 2012 within four conferences across the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. The PDL season consists of 16 regular season matches for each team, eight home and eight away, and provides elite collegiate players the opportunity to taste a higher level of competition while maintaining their eligibility. In addition to league play, PDL teams compete in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup as well as various exhibitions. The PDL has proven to be an important stepping-stone for top professionals now playing throughout the world.

USL Public Relations - Jay Preble / Nicholas Murray / David Wagner - Tampa, FL - 813.963.3909 - Twitter: @USLPDL

2012 W-League Schedule & Alignment Released

USL News Release, February 15, 2012

30 teams to battle for spots at 2012 championships in Ottawa

TAMPA, Fla. – The USL W-League released its divisional alignment and schedule for 2012 today, with the action slated to kick off for the 193-game regular season on Friday, May 11.  A trio of new W-League teams will make their debut in 2012, with the Central South Carolina Cobras, FC Jax Destroyers and VSI Tampa Flames kicking off their inaugural seasons to boost the league roster to 30.

“We couldn’t be more excited about what the 2012 W-League season will bring,” said Amanda Duffy, senior director of the W-League. “The league has continued its steady growth and now boasts several teams with ties to MLS clubs, so the W-League’s profile in the North American women’s soccer landscape has never been greater.”  

The W-League remains divided into three geographic conferences – Eastern Conference, Central Conference and Western Conference – though the Eastern Conference has grown to three five-team divisions.  The Central Conference features seven teams in a single division, while the Western Conference has eight teams. W-League clubs will play 12-14 game schedules in 2012, with each team facing each opponent in its division home and away in the Central and Western Conferences and teams playing three times in each of the Eastern Conference’s divisions.

2012 W-League Alignment

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division
DC United Women
Dayton Dutch Lions
Fredericksburg Impact
Northern Virginia Majestics
Virginia Beach Piranhas

Northeast Division
Long Island Rough Riders
New Jersey Rangers
New Jersey Wildcats
New York Magic
North Jersey Valkyries

Southeast Division
Atlanta Silverbacks
Central South Carolina Cobras
Charlotte Lady Eagles
FC Jax Destroyers
VSI Tampa Flames

Central Conference
Hamilton FC Rage
Laval Comets
London Gryphons
Ottawa Fury
Quebec City Amiral
Rochester Ravens
Toronto Lady Lynx

Western Conference
Colorado Force
Colorado Rush
LA Strikers
Pali Blues
Santa Clarita Blue Heat
Seattle Sounders Women
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Victoria Highlanders

The season opens on Friday, May 11 as new franchise the VSI Tampa Flames visit the Charlotte Lady Eagles. The opening weekend of the season also sees the Pali Blues and LA Strikers renew their rivalry and defending Western Conference champions the Vancouver Whitecaps travel to face the Victoria Highlanders on Sunday, May 13.

2011 USL W-League champions the Atlanta Silverbacks begin their title defense on Friday, May 18 when they host the Central SC Cobras at Atlanta Silverbacks Park, while the Seattle Sounders Women, and new signings Hope Solo and Sydney Leroux, open their season at the Starfire Sports Complex on Sunday, May 20 against the Colorado Rush.

-- more --

2-2-2-2

The final weekend of the regular season is set for July 13-15, with 27 of the 30 teams in action as the race for postseason spots winds down. The Ottawa Fury will host the 2012 USL W-League Championship presented by UMBRO, welcoming the three W-League conference champions July 27-29 to the Algonquin College Soccer Complex for the semifinals and final featuring some of the world’s top amateur, international and professional women’s soccer stars.

The 18th W-League season will see 11 teams advance to the postseason with one champion advancing from each conference. The three conference champions will join the Fury in Ottawa in a ‘final four’ format championship. The semifinals will be played on Friday, July 27 with the winners meeting for the 2012 W-League Championship on Sunday, July 29.

The W-League is recognized throughout the world for providing superior competition for female players, while offering affordable family entertainment for fans across North America. The caliber of W-League talent was well represented in the recent CONCACAF Olympic Qualifiers where all 20 Canadian National team members and 15 of the 20 U.S. National team members boasted W-League experience including 2011 W-League Rookie of the Year Leroux and Ottawa Fury Youth Program graduate and W-League striker Christina Julien.

W-League
The first and longest-standing women’s league in North America, the W-League is the highest level of women’s soccer in the United States and Canada. The 2012 W-League campaign will feature 30 teams in three regional conferences playing 12-14 regular season matches. The W-League features international and professional stars, and elite amateur players have the opportunity to compete in the W-League while maintaining their collegiate eligibility. The league is recognized throughout the world for providing superior competition for female players, while offering affordable family entertainment for fans across North America.

USL Communications - Jay Preble / Nicholas Murray / David Wagner - Tampa, FL - 813.963.3909 – Twitter: @USLWLeague

Men’s Open Tryouts - Sunday, March 11th

Where: Westside Soccer Club (directions)

When: Sunday March 11th, 9a - 4p

Format: all players should arrive promptly at 9am to register.  There will be small sided games in morning, provide your own lunch, then 11v11 in the afternoon finishing around 4pm.

You must confirm you will attend by emailing Coach Aidan Davison, click here to email.