World-class, professional soccer is coming to the Coastal Bend. Corpus Christi Football Club begins play in 2018, the fourth expansion team in the United States to be announced before the new season. Residents were asked to help pick the new name and mascot via a Twitter multiple choice. Of the four suggested names — Sharks, Fleet, Pirates or Seasiders — Sharks had a major lead when this story was being written. Later, as the story was being posted, a shark logo appeared on the team’s twitter site. (Sharks win!)
Owned and operated by local pediatrician Dr. Kingsley Okonkwo, the new team will play its home matches at Dr. Jack A. Dugan Family Soccer Stadium on the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi campus.
“We are very excited to receive expansion rights for a Premier Development League team here in Corpus Christi, Texas,” club president Okonkwo said. “This gives us another avenue to engage and provide affordable entertainment to the community. We hope to rally the community behind the Corpus Christi FC and provide a high level of professionalism both on and off the field.”
Head coach Sammy Giraldo, who holds a USSF A License, is also a resident.
“Corpus Christi FC should be exciting for every local athlete and supporter as it gives a direct pathway to professional soccer and provides the community the unique chance of creating and molding something special for many years to come,” Giraldo said. “This is an opportunity for elite soccer athletes in the Coastal Bend and the surrounding areas to continue their development and potentially make the jump to the USL and MLS or other professional systems.”
Okonkwo worked with the TAMU-CC Innovation Center and the university’s department of athletics to formulate the business plan that brought the team to reality.
“We have confidence this will be a team of which Corpus Christi can be proud,” said Joel Nash, PDL director of business development.
Corpus Christi has shown great support for soccer in the past, and residents have proven to be loyal fans of its other two professional sports leagues: ice hockey and baseball. The area hosts more than 70 youth soccer teams and a local amateur men’s league with more than 70 clubs as well. In 2010, more than 7,000 soccer fans turned out to watch Major League Soccer’s Houston Dynamos play a former PDL team, the Laredo Heat, in a friendly match.
Part of the United Soccer Leagues, which also operates the Division II USL, the newly announced Division III league and Super Y League, the PDL has served as the proven stepping stone for aspiring professionals.
Nearly 70 percent of all MLS SuperDraft selections since 2010 have PDL experience, including a total of 59 alums chosen in 2017. Among the many players to have played in the PDL before making their professional debuts are Newcastle United FC defender DeAndre Yedlin, 2016 MLS Rookie of the Year Jordan Morris, 2016 MLS Defender of the Year Matt Hedges and U.S. Men’s National Team members Darlington Nagbe, Brad Guzan, Geoff Cameron and Tim Ream.
Anyone interested in joining the team as a player can start that process right here.
To keep track of the team, follow it on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. Visit the website at corpuscfc.com.