 | |||
| Founded | October 26, 2022 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Stadium | Charlie Cleland Stadium at Ihrig Field Sarasota, Florida | ||
| Owners | Audigr Group Inc. | ||
| Head coach | Jamie Hutchinson | ||
| League | USL League Two | ||
| 2023 | 4th, South Florida Division Playoffs: DNQ | ||
| Website | Club website | ||
|
| |||
Sarasota Paradise is an American soccer club based in Sarasota, Florida, competing in the South Florida Division of USL League Two. They began play in the 2023 season.
The club is owned by Audigr Group Inc., a joint venture between entrepreneurs Marcus Walfridson and Kenneth Bethune.[1] It plays at Charlie Cleland Stadium at Ihrig Field, on the campus of Sarasota High School. The club currently has no established supporters' group, but plans to form one ahead of the 2024 season.[2]
History
It was first announced on October 27, 2022, that a team in Sarasota would be joining USL League Two for the upcoming 2023 season, simply known at the time as Sarasota USL. Owned by operated by Sarasota Professional Soccer LLC with support from Audigr Group Inc., the clubs' branding and identity was to be decided through a Name the Team contest, with the results announced January 2023.[3]
Club branding was announced by owner Marcus Wilfridson on January 14, 2023.[4]
Sarasota Paradise made their league debut on May 20, 2023, a 1–0 loss away at Miami AC.[5] They made their home debut on June 3, 2023, defeating FC Miami City 2–1 in front of a crowd of nearly 500 spectators.[6] The team finished 4th in the South Florida Division, 6 points behind division winners Weston FC. Defender Hosei Kojima was selected to the 2023 USL League Two Team of the Year.[7][8]
On July 13, 2023, Walfridson announced his hopes for the club to turn professional and join USL League One in either 2025 or 2026.[9]
Stadium
Sarasota Paradise play their home matches at Charlie Cleland Stadium at Ihrig Field, located on the campus of Sarasota High School, just south of downtown Sarasota.
Players and staff
Technical staff
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Jamie Hutchinson |
| Assistant coach | Ed Stroop |
| Assistant coach | Paul Jennison |
| Team admin | Mandi VanKueren |
Roster
| Position | Name | Number |
|---|---|---|
| Forward |  Kai Tamashiro |
2 |
| Defender | Jaden Berman |
3 |
| Defender |  Karson Kendall |
5 |
| Midfielder | Peekay Stoffle |
7 |
| Midfielder | Rocky Perez |
8 |
| Midfielder | Valerio Tatafiore |
10 |
| Defender | Adam Senna |
12 |
| Defender | Michael Carboni |
13 |
| Midfielder | Victor Van den Broek |
14 |
| Defender |  Hosei Kijima |
16 |
| Forward | Fabrizio Bernal |
18 |
| Forward | Caleb Powell |
19 |
| Midfielder | Carson Tighe |
20 |
| Zarek Urrutia |
21 | |
| Midfielder | Ben Goldberg |
22 |
| Forward | Ryan Sims |
26 |
| Forward | Felipe Rojas |
29 |
| Forward | Isaiah Easley |
30 |
| Midfielder | Nico Villalobos | 32 |
| Forward | Oliver Dahlen |
35 |
| Goalkeeper | Josh Caron |
37 |
| Goalkeeper |  Charlie Farrar |
38 |
| Nash Gibson | 39 | |
| Defender | Roman Holt |
47 |
Year-by-year
| Year | Division | League | Regular Season | Playoffs | Open Cup | Average Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 4 | USL League Two | 4th, South Florida | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | 426 |
Honors
Player
| Year | Player | Country | Pos | Honor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Hosei Kijima | JAP |
D | Team of the Year |
References
- ↑ "Audigr Starts USL Team". audigr.com. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
- ↑ "Paradise to Create a Fan Club for 2024". USL Digital. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
- ↑ "Amateur soccer league expanding to Sarasota". ABC7 WWSB. October 27, 2022. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
- ↑ "Sarasota Paradise pre-professional soccer team set to begin play in May at SHS". Herald-Tribune. January 14, 2023. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
- ↑ "STANDINGS". USL League Two. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
- ↑ Kohn, Ryan (June 7, 2023). "Sarasota Paradise soccer team scores on and off field in first home game". Observer. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
- ↑ "Hosei Kijima Selected in THE BEST 11 of The Nation". Sarasota Paradise. August 15, 2023. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
- ↑ "Presenting the 2023 USL League Two Team of the Year". USL League Two. August 11, 2023. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
- ↑ Kohn, Ryan (July 13, 2023). "Sarasota Paradise feeds local hunger for soccer". Observer. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
