Windsor Stars

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Windsor Stars
File:WindsorStars.png
Full name Windsor Stars Pro Soccer
Nickname(s) Stars
Founded 2004
(as Windsor Border Stars)
2011 (as Windsor Stars)
Stadium McHugh Park
Windsor, Ontario
Stadium
capacity		 1,000
Owner Filip Rocca
Coach Steve Vagnini
League League1 Ontario
2014 League1 Ontario, 6th
Website Club home page

Windsor Stars are a Canadian soccer team based in Windsor, Ontario, originally founded in 2004, and competed in the Canadian Professional Soccer League. Throughout their tenure in the CPSL/CSL, Windsor enjoyed success early on winning two Open Canada Cup, one AISL Championship, and maintaining a status of regular playoff contender. Around the 2008 CSL season the club faced financial, and player commitment problems which resulted in the league revoking the franchise. In 2011, former Windsor and CSL Defender of the Year Filip Rocca was granted a franchise and brought back Windsor to compete in the Canadian Soccer League. Following the de-sanctioning of the CSL by the Canadian Soccer Association the club joined the newly formed League1 Ontario in 2014.

The team play their home games at McHugh Park. The team's colors are sky blue and white.

History

On December 23, 2003 the Canadian Professional Soccer League granted a franchise to Windsor under the joint ownership of former soccer player Jeff Hodgson, John Dowhan, and Gary Maccagnone. Windsor would receive territorial rights to the Detroit–Windsor area, and Windsor Stadium would serve as the home venue.[1] These marked a return of professional soccer to the Windsor area since the 1980s when the Windsor Wheels competed in the Canadian National Soccer League. On January 24, 2004 the Windsor Border Stars were revealed to the public, and former Blackburn Rovers player Pat Hilton was announced the club's first head coach. The original roster consisted a mixture of former National Professional Soccer League, and Windsor Croatia players. Notable acquisitions were Alan Placek, Jeremy Harkins, Tati Errecalde, Tino Scicluna, Filip Rocca, Chris King, and Scott Patriquin.[2]

The club debuted on June 5, 2004 in a match against Toronto Croatia, and won the match by a score of 1-0 with the goal from Errecalde.[3] Overall Windsor's debut season was a success finishing third in the Western Conference, and clinching a postseason berth. Their opponent in the first round of the playoffs were Toronto Croatia, but were eliminated from the playoffs by a score of 5-0.[4][5] Windsors biggest achievement came in capturing the Open Canada Cup, where they faced Ottawa St. Anthony Italia. Errecalde scored the lone goal for Windsor, but Ottawa equalized and the match went into penalties where Windsor prevailed by winning the shootout.[6][7] At the CPSL awards banquet Justin Marshall was awarded the CPSL Defender of the Year, while Hilton received the CPSL Coach of the Year.[8]

During the winter of 2004/2005 Windsor competed in the American Indoor Soccer League for the indoor season. In their debut season in the AISL the club won the AISL Championship by defeating Cincinnati Excite by a score of 4-1. In preparation for the 2005 CPSL season, Hilton strengthen the squad with the signings of Jaman Tripoli, and Radek Papiez. The Border Stars managed to defend their Open Canada title by defeating London City 3-0.[9] In the regular season the team finished third in the Western Conference, and faced Oakville Blue Devils in the postseason. The result of the match concluded in a 3-1 defeat to Windsor.[10] At the conclusion of the season Aaron Byrd won the CPSL Golden Boot as the league's highest goalscorer, and while Filip Rocca won the CPSL Defender of the Year.[11][12]

The 2006 season saw reforms within the CPSL as the league re-branded itself as the Canadian Soccer League (CSL). Which resulted in the creation of the International and National divisions to replace the Western, and Eastern Conferences. Windsor transferred from the Western Conference to the National Division. In preparations for the 2006 CSL season, Windsor acquired the services of former NPSL players Worteh Sampson, Dominic Scicluna, and Will Kletzien.[13] The season marked an end to Windsors dynasty run as Open Canada Cup champions as the Border Stars suffered a quarterfinal loss to Ottawa St. Anthony Italia.[14] In the regular season Windsor managed to secure the final playoff berth in the National Division. In the first round of the postseason Windsor faced Oakville and avenged their previous quarterfinal loss with a 2-1 victory with goals from Sampson, and Kletzien.[15] In the next round the Border Stars faced division champions the Serbian White Eagles, but suffered a 6-1 defeat.[16] For the second year in a row Rocca was awarded the CSL Defender of the Year.[17]

Original Border Stars logo (2004–08)

In 2007 season, Windsor experienced roadblocks as team sometimes failed to assemble enough substitutes for their away matches. The team persevered and managed to clinch the final playoff berth. The club faced the White Eagles and failed to advance after a 2-1 defeat.[18] The following season the Border Stars experienced the same problem of having a shortage of reserves for away matches. As a result the season was a battle between St. Catharines Wolves, and Windsor for the final postseason berth. St. Catharines clinched the final berth by conceding less goals than Windsor, thus marking the first time in Windsors history in not making the playoffs. On April 25, 2009, the CSL revoked the Windsor franchise after they failed on their financial obligations.[19]

In early 2011, the league announced that former Border Star defender, Filip Rocca, was awarded a franchise and would resurrect the club in Windsor. The Border Stars were re-branded as Windsor Stars Pro Soccer and returned to the CSL for the 2011 season. Rocca pledged to build strong connections with the local soccer community and district association, Essex County Soccer Association, in order to avoid the failure that saw the Border Stars fold. The club owes its history and its name to the Windsor Stars of the 1970s and the Windsor Wheels of the 1980s from the Canadian National Soccer League, the predecessor of the CSL.[20]

The team re-launched with two head coaches, Steve Vagnini and Jeff Hodgson, who were announced as head coaches on February 2011.[21] Windsor brought back veterans Byrd, Anthony Santilli, Gino Berardi, and signed Canadian international Stephen Ademolu. The club finished the regular season second to last in the league with a record of 3-19-4, and missed out on the playoffs. The 2012 season brought change within the clubs performance as the team began with a slow start, but later managed a eight game undefeated streak and finished fourth in the overall standings qualifying for the postseason since the 2007 CSL season. However, Windsor did not make it out of the first round after a 1-0 defeat to York Region Shooters.[22]Steve Vagnini was awarded the CSL Coach of the Year on November 25, 2012.[23][24]

Windsor managed to secure another playoff berth in 2012 after finishing sixth in the overall standings. Once more their playoff run was short lived after suffering a 2-0 loss to Toronto Croatia.[25]Following the de-sanctioning of the CSL by the Canadian Soccer Association in 2013,[26] the Windsor Stars Pro Soccer Club was announced as one of the 10 teams participating in the inaugural season of League1 Ontario, a newly formed competition in the third division of Canadian soccer, on April 8, 2014.[27] With home games being played at McHugh Park in Windsor, the club has sought funding to turn the current field into a stadium with proper seating and scoreboard to boost interest in the area.[28]


Current roster

as of June 15, 2014[29]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
1 Canada GK Anthony Santilli
16 Canada FW Gino Berardi
Canada MF Alex Mendonca
United States DF Austin Piwinski
Canada MF Brett Holmberg
Canada MF Brydon Caesar
Canada MF Celso Carapau
Canada DF Christopher Hakim
Canada DF Christopher Suta
Canada DF Ciprian Codea
Canada MF David Kadoic
No. Position Player
Canada MF Erik Cirovski
Canada MF Gabriel Poulino
Canada DF Jamar Kelly
Canada DF Khalid Baher
Canada GK Kyle Vizirakis
United States DF Matthew Nedwicki
Canada FW Michael Pio
Canada DF Patrick Lepera
Canada DF Sleiman Habib
Canada MF Stephen Ademolu

Head coaches

Years Name Nation
2004-2008 Pat Hilton  England
2011 Steve Vagnini & Jeff Hodgson  Canada
2012- Steve Vagnini  Canada

Year-by-year

Year Division League Regular Season Playoffs
2004 (as Border Stars) "1" CPSL 3rd, Western Quarter-Finals
2005 (as Border Stars) "1" CPSL 3rd, Western Semi-Finals
2006 (as Border Stars) "1" CSL 4th, National Semi-Finals
2007 (as Border Stars) "1" CSL 4th, National Quarter-Finals
2008 (as Border Stars) "1" CSL 5th, National Did Not Qualify
2011 "1" CSL 13th Did Not Qualify
2012 "1" CSL 4th Quarter-Finals
2013 "1" CSL 6th Quarter-Finals
2014 n/a League1 Ontario 6th Group Stage
2015 n/a League1 Ontario 8th Quarter Finals

Titles

as Windsor Border Stars
2004, 2005
  • AISL Championship: 1
2005

See also

References

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  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ https://atvsports.wordpress.com/2011/02/24/soccer-is-back/ Soccer is Back
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ http://windsorstarssoccer.com/?sports_team_roster_type=players

External links

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