Carolina RailHawks

Carolina RailHawks
Full name Carolina RailHawks FC
Nickname(s) RailHawks
Founded 2006
Stadium WakeMed Soccer Park
Cary, North Carolina
Ground Capacity 10,000
Owner Stephen Malik
Head Coach Colin Clarke
League North American Soccer League
2016 Spring Season: 7th
Fall Season: 7th
Combined: 8th
Playoffs: DNQ
Website Club home page
RailHawks fans celebrate their team's 2007 Southern Derby Championship on August 17, 2007 at SAS Soccer Park

Carolina RailHawks is an American professional soccer team based in Cary, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 2006, the team plays in the North American Soccer League (NASL), the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. The record attendance for a Carolina RailHawks home game was broken in 2016, when 10,125[1] attended a match between the RailHawks and West Ham United from the United Kingdom.

The team plays its home games at WakeMed Soccer Park, where they have played since 2007. The team's colors are orange, white and blue. The current head coach is Colin Clarke.

History

The expansion of the USL to Cary, North Carolina was announced on January 26, 2006 at a press conference at SAS Soccer Park (since renamed WakeMed Soccer Park). After a few changes in the 2008 off season the RailHawks ownership group consisted of: Wellman Family Limited partnership (Selby and Brian Wellman), HTCFC. INC (Bob Young former CEO of Red Hat, presently founder and CEO of LULU.com), Singh Holdings (Dr. H. Paul Singh) and Boris Jerkunica. After the 2010 season, Traffic Sports USA took ownership.

On October 11, 2006, former Rochester Rhinos defender Scott Schweitzer was named the first head coach of the RailHawks. Schweitzer played collegiately at North Carolina State University and retired from play prior to the 2006 season. On December 5, 2006, the RailHawks named the first players to sign with the franchise. Among the signings were two former UNC Tar Heel players, Chris Carrieri and Caleb Norkus, as well as several other players with Major League Soccer, United Soccer Leagues, and foreign playing experience.

The club launched their inaugural season on April 21, 2007, in front of a crowd of 6,327 at SAS Soccer Park when they drew 1–1 with the Minnesota Thunder in their first official regular season match. Midfielder Kupono Low scored the first goal in franchise history when he blasted a 24-yard left-footed shot past Thunder keeper Joe Warren in the 8th minute of the inaugural match.[2] On May 8, 2007, the RailHawks earned their first franchise victory 2–0 against Chivas USA in an exhibition match.

On August 14, 2007, with a 3–0 victory over the Charleston Battery, the RailHawks secured their first piece of silverware, the 2007 Southern Derby Cup, with one match remaining in the contest. The RailHawks finished their first USL-1 season in 8th place in the league table, securing the league's final playoff spot on the last day of the regular season with a 2–0 victory away over fellow expansion franchise the California Victory. The RailHawks were eliminated from the playoff quarterfinals by the eventual league champion Seattle Sounders.

In November 2009 the RailHawks announced their intent to leave the USL First Division to become the co-founders of a new North American Soccer League, which would begin play in 2010. The league, which had yet to be sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation or the Canadian Soccer Association, also comprised the Atlanta Silverbacks, Crystal Palace Baltimore, Miami FC, Minnesota Thunder, Montreal Impact, Tampa Bay Rowdies, Vancouver Whitecaps and a brand new team led by St. Louis Soccer United.[3]

After lawsuits were filed and heated press statements exchanged, the USSF declared they would sanction neither league for the coming year, and ordered both to work together on a plan to temporarily allow their teams to play a 2010 season. The interim solution was announced on January 7, 2010 with the USSF running the new USSF D-2 league comprising clubs from both USL-1 and NASL.[4] The Railhawks reached the final of the USSF D-2 playoffs, but fell to the Puerto Rico Islanders.[5] After the 2010 season, the NASL and USL split, but the Railhawks faced sale by Selby Wellman on December 31, 2010. The Railhawks name was sold on Ebay and was purchased by Traffic Sports USA, who assumed operations of the club.[6] The NASL received provisional sanctioning in 2011 and full sanctioning in 2012.[7]

The Railhawks won the regular season in 2011 but fell to the NSC Minnesota Stars in the semifinals of playoffs.[8] The club hired Colin Clarke as coach after Martin Rennie left for the Vancouver Whitecaps.[9] In 2012, the Railhawks finished 4th in the regular season and fell to the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the playoff semifinals, while reaching the third round of the US Open Cup.[10]

In 2013 the NASL's format changed to a split season, and though the Railhawks finished with the most points in the league, they finished 2nd in both the Spring and Fall seasons and did not make the Soccer Bowl. However, they defeated MLS teams Los Angeles Galaxy and Chivas USA to advance to the quarterfinals of the US Open Cup.[11] In 2014, the RailHawks again defeated Chivas USA and Los Angeles Galaxy to reach quarterfinals of the US Open Cup, but fell just short of reaching the NASL playoffs.

Colors and badge

The team's official name, logo and colors (orange, white and blue) were announced on July 19, 2006 at the halftime interval of the 2006 USL All-Star Match. The club logo features a stylized shield with a depiction of a "Railhawk", soaring above a railway line, overlaid with the Carolina RailHawks wordmark and a soccer ball.

The RailHawk is a fictitious bird of prey that combines the speed and power of the locomotive with the aggressive and fierce nature of a hawk. Cary originally grew out from a depot on the New Bern, North Carolina – Hillsborough, North Carolina rail line and the CSX and Amtrak lines run directly across from the team's grounds. Hawks are indigenous to the area. The name "RailHawks" was chosen as part of a name-the-team contest which was won by W. Jarrett Campbell, a soccer blogger and founder of the Triangle Soccer Fanatics, the team's independent supporters club.[12] Campbell received two lifetime season tickets as his prize.

Stadium

WakeMed Soccer Park, the RailHawks's home stadium since 2007

The RailHawks play their home games at WakeMed Soccer Park (formerly known as SAS Soccer Park), a soccer-specific stadium in Cary, North Carolina which opened in May 2002.

The soccer complex consists of a purpose-built main stadium, two lighted practice fields, and four additional fields. The main stadium and the 2 lighted fields (2 & 3) are all FIFA international regulation size (120 yards x 75 yards). The main stadium seats 10,000 with the expansions of 2012. Field 2 also has 1,000 permanent bleacher seats.

West Stand of WakeMed Soccer Park During A League Game

The park is on 150 acres (0.61 km2) that the State of North Carolina has leased to Wake County. Money to build the soccer park came from $14.5 million in county-wide hotel room and prepared food and beverage taxes. The Town of Cary assumed responsibility for operations and maintenance in 2004 from Capital Area Soccer League. On January 26, 2006, the Town of Cary council amended its lease to allow it to sublet the property to Triangle Professional Soccer through the year 2011 for the exclusive promotion of professional soccer and lacrosse events at the complex. This deal was extended for the new ownership group through 2014.[13]

Club culture

Rivalries

Carolina Railhawks vs. F.C. Dallas 2014 U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal
Charleston Battery and Atlanta Silverbacks

Upon entering the USL First Division, the RailHawks also joined the Southern Derby, renewing a rivalry first started in 2000 between supporters of the Charleston Battery, Atlanta Silverbacks, and the Raleigh Capital Express. By winning the Southern Derby Cup in their inaugural season, the RailHawks became the first Triangle-area team to hold the Cup since 2000 when Raleigh won the cup 3–1–0 over the Silverbacks and Battery in the Derby's first season.

The rivalry between the three clubs was further fueled by the fact that former RailHawks coach Scott Schweitzer earned a reputation among Battery supporters as the defender they loved to hate during his time as a player for Rochester Rhinos and current Atlanta Silverbacks owner Boris Jerkunica had a partial ownership stake in the RailHawks franchise.

Currently, the Railhawks and the Silverbacks are no longer active, while Charleston is in USL. This has led to the end of the Southern Derby Cup.

Rochester Rhinos

A rivalry developed between the RailHawks and Rochester Rhinos due to the close financial and player ties between the two organizations. Former RailHawks GM Chris Economides held the same position with the Rhinos before departing for Cary, and former Rhinos President Frank DuRoss and former CEO Steve Donner were part of the original ownership group. In addition, former RailHawks coach Scott Schweitzer was a captain and fan favorite of the Rhinos, and onetime RailHawks players Frank Sanfilippo and Connally Edozien were once Rhinos players. This rivalry has cooled ever since the two teams joined different leagues.

Puerto Rico Islanders

The Carolina RailHawks and Puerto Rico Islanders had a rivalry brewing among the two clubs. Although Islanders supporters were not pleased when the RailHawks revealed orange and blue kit colors (selected because the combination is not used by any other Triangle area sports teams, although coincidentally the same colors sported by the Islanders), the rivalry begun in earnest when Islanders President Andrés Guillemard-Noble accused the RailHawks of piracy[14] in the signing of Islanders' free agent Caleb Norkus. While the club executive insists that the Islanders had a verbal agreement with Norkus to return to Puerto Rico for the 2007 season, the player refutes that accusation,[15] saying the two sides never reached terms and cites the lack of an offered written contract as evidence of their lack of agreement. This rivalry has died since the Islanders ceased operations.

Players and staff

Current roster

As of July 13, 2016[16]

No. Position Player Nation
1 Goalkeeper Robinson, MackMack Robinson      United States
2 Defender Black, PaulPaul Black      England
3 Defender Low, KuponoKupono Low      Puerto Rico
4 Defender Beckie, DrewDrew Beckie      Canada
6 Midfielder da Luz, AustinAustin da Luz      United States
7 Midfielder Ceballos, MarvinMarvin Ceballos      Guatemala
8 Midfielder Watson, MattMatt Watson      England
9 Forward Hassan, AlyAly Hassan      United States
10 Midfielder Albadawi, NazmiNazmi Albadawi (Captain)     United States
11 Midfielder Shipalane, TyTy Shipalane      South Africa
12 Defender Moses, KareemKareem Moses      Trinidad and Tobago
13 Defender Tobin, ConnorConnor Tobin      United States
16 Forward Fondy, MattMatt Fondy      United States
17 Forward Schuler, BillyBilly Schuler      United States
20 Midfielder Orlando, JonathanJonathan Orlando      United States
21 Forward Shriver, BrianBrian Shriver      United States
24 Midfielder Kelly, JeremyJeremy Kelly      United States
27 Defender Mensing, SimonSimon Mensing      England
31 Defender Miller, StevenSteven Miller      United States
42 Midfielder Marcelin, JamesJames Marcelin      Haiti
50 Goalkeeper Fitzgerald, AkiraAkira Fitzgerald      United States
92 Goalkeeper Sylvestre, BrianBrian Sylvestre      United States
99 Forward Bravo, OmarOmar Bravo      Mexico

Staff

Notable former players

Head coaches

Achievements

Record

Year-by-year

Year Division League Regular Season Playoffs Open Cup Avg. Attendance
2007 2 USL First Division 8th Quarter Finals Semi Finals 4,962
2008 2 USL First Division 8th Did not qualify 3rd Round 3,869
2009 2 USL First Division 2nd Quarter Finals 2nd Round 2,943
2010 2 USSF Division 2 Pro League 1st, NASL (4th) Finals 2nd Round 2,241
2011 2 NASL 1st Semi Finals Denied Entry 3,353
2012 2 NASL 4th Semi Finals 4th Round 3,883
2013 2 NASL Spring: 2nd
Fall: 2nd		 Did not qualify Quarter-finals 4,708
2014 2 NASL Spring: 4th
Fall: 5th		 Did not qualify Quarter-finals 4,551
2015 2 NASL Spring: 3rd
Fall: 7th		 Did not qualify 3rd Round 4,539
2016 2 NASL Spring: 7th
Fall: 7th		 Did not qualify 4th Round 5,058

References

  1. ↑ http://www.nsjonline.com/article/2016/07/railhawks-draw-west-ham-debut-bravo-before-record-crowd
  2. ↑ "Carolina RailHawks 1:1 Minnesota Thunder (Box Score)". Archived from the original on May 14, 2007. Retrieved April 22, 2007.
  3. ↑ "USL outcasts set to launch new league in 2010". Soccerbyives.net. November 10, 2009. Retrieved April 3, 2012.
  4. ↑ "Division 2 Professional League To Operate in 2010". ussoccer.com. January 7, 2010. Archived from the original on January 10, 2010. Retrieved January 9, 2010.
  5. ↑ http://www.indyweek.com/triangleoffense/archives/2010/10/31/puerto-rico-islanders-derail-carolina-railhawks-3-1-on-aggregate-win-ussf-d-2-championship
  6. ↑ "An inside look at the rise and fall of the Railhawks". The Independent. February 9, 2011. Retrieved June 2, 2013.
  7. ↑ "NASL Receives Full Sanctioning at USSF AGM". IMSoccerNews. March 3, 2012. Retrieved June 2, 2013.
  8. ↑ http://www.insidemnsoccer.com/2011/10/18/carolina-railhawks-vs-nsc-minnesota-stars-semifinal-video-highlights/
  9. ↑ http://www.insidemnsoccer.com/2011/12/06/nasl-news-railhawks-officially-announce-signing-of-colin-clarke-lancaster-leaves-strikers-for-silverbacks-scorpions-readying-for-1st-season/
  10. ↑ http://www.carolinarailhawks.com/page/slug/history#.U7YiW_ldWSo
  11. ↑ http://www.carolinarailhawks.com/page/slug/history#.U7YiW_ldWSo
  12. ↑ "The Hatching of the RailHawks". Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved April 23, 2007.
  13. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 14, 2014. Retrieved 2014-07-04.
  14. ↑ "Pirates of the Caribbean?". Retrieved December 19, 2006.
  15. ↑ "Norkus Refutes Islanders' Piracy Claims". Retrieved December 19, 2006.
  16. ↑ "Roster". Carolina RailHawks. Retrieved April 20, 2016.

External links

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