Himmarshee Football Club
| Full name | Himmarshee Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | HFC or The Himms | ||
| Founded | 2017 | ||
| Stadium | Cypress Park / Aiello Field | ||
| Owner | Supporter | ||
| Head Coach | Marlon Polo | ||
| League | Florida Gold Coast League | ||
| Website | Club website | ||
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| |||
Himmarshee Football Club is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to grow the sport of Association football in the community of Greater Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Himmarshee FC exists as part supporters group, part soccer team, and part community organization. Himmarshee FC currently plays in the Florida Gold Coast League and splits its home matches between Cypress Park and Aiello Field in Coral Springs, Florida.
History[edit]
Himmarshee Football Club was officially founded on April 9, 2017, at Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on the 40th anniversary of the original Fort Lauderdale Strikers first ever match. The initial founders included members of the Flight 19 supporters group, as well as former staff and players from the Strikers. The club was founded as a " phoenix club", to keep the tradition of soccer in the Fort Lauderdale area alive, and as a supporter owned nonprofit so as to be sustainable for the long term – in response to the 4 different incarnations of the Strikers, and many other local soccer teams, that had all either relocated or folded in relatively short timeframes.
The club got on the field quickly, playing its first matches in November 2017 in the Gold Coast Soccer Premier League (later renamed the Florida Gold Coast League). After several close results and draws, the club secured its first win on January 28, 2018 in a 3–0 vs School of Soccer, on the back of a Giovanny Soto hat trick. Despite a relatively poor finish in the regular season, the campaign would end in a trophy for HFC as they advanced to the 3rd place match in an unusual postseason format, advancing from the quarterfinals via goal difference, losing the semifinal round, and taking 3rd place via forfeit.
Another honor would come after the season, where the Himms would capture the first ever Gold Coast Community Shield,[1] a challenge match against fellow supporter-owned side from West Palm Beach Gold Coast Inter AFC (now known as Palm Beach Breakers), with a 3-1 win at Central Broward Regional Park on April 21. The trophy qualified HFC for the first ever South Florida Champions Cup in 2018/2019, an invitational tournament open to any south Florida club that has won honors in the previous year.
Despite promising results in preseason friendly matches, the 2018–19 season was strong a downturn in form, with HFC posting a 2–0–13 record in the FGCL regular season, and going 0–0–5 in the Champions Cup. Despite the poor results leading up to the postseason, HFC got some big results at the right time in the 3-game, round-robin FGCL liguilla format. The A 2–0 win vs Lauderdale SC, followed by a 0–2 defeat to FC Boca Predators (combined with the other results in the league) set up a final match on May 5 with an unlikely scenario where HFC could be crowned postseason champions. Needing at minimum 4–1 win against a very strong Palm Beach Spartans side, the Himms went in with little hope of emerging with the needed result.
After severe thunderstorms suspended the match with the Spartans holding a 1–0 lead at around the 40' mark, play was finally resumed nearly a month later, with the final 50 minutes of the match scheduled for June 2. Despite an even steeper mountain to climb, now needing to score 4 goals and concede none in 50 minutes, the implausible became reality as tallies in the 44th, 47th, 73rd and dramatically in the 90th minute got HFC to the exact 4–1 result needed to capture the crown. The Himms rode the momentum of the Ligulla triumph to a 2–0 victory over FC Boca Predators in the FGCL Super Cup on July 14th, and with it the title of overall league champions for 2018–19. The pair of trophies once again qualified HFC for the South Florida Champions Cup.
A 3rd trophy in as many games was nearly won later in July, in the 2nd edition of the Gold Coast Community Shield match. This time played in West Palm Beach, it was officially a hard-fought 1–1 draw, with the Himms falling 5–3 in penalty kicks (the first ever PK contest for the club).
The 2019–20 campaign to date has seen much more promising regular season results, with HFC posting a 4–1–3 mark through 8 league matches, and a 0–1–1 record in Champions Cup play (the January 5th match, a 1–1 draw, vs Palm Beach Breakers was counted in both competitions). However with both competitions indefinitely suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is unclear at what point, if any, play will resume for the 2019–20 season.
"The Map Kit"
In April of 2019, in an effort to address "geography education issues", the club promoted a jersey that included a map of Florida on the front and back with a star indicating where the club plays it's matches. This was in fact an April Fools' Day joke at the expense of Inter Miami CF who had recently announced intentions to play games in Fort Lauderdale instead on their namesake. The response to the joke was one not expected by the club, as soccer fans from around the country requested that the jersey actually be produced. So at the request of the fans, the club produced the jersey and sold them with portions of each sale going to the You Can Play project.[2]
Additional Information
In 2018, Himmarshee FC played opposition to Boca Raton FC in the debut of Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson. While the former NFL Pro Bowler Johnson did not score in the match, his side did finish with a 1-0 victory over HFC.
Colors and badge[edit]
The name Himmarshee Football Club was chosen to represent the greater Fort Lauderdale area and its history. "Himmarshee" was the native Seminole name for the New River, which runs from the Atlanic Ocean, through downtown Fort Lauderdale and, via an extensive canal system, throughout Broward County and west to the Florida Everglades.
The colors of Himmarshee FC are red, gold and white, taken from the traditional colors of the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. The club's secondary/change kit features a red, white and blue color scheme, inspired by the flag of the City of Fort Lauderdale. To date, Himmarshee FC is the only soccer club known to have worn the City of Fort Lauderdale flag on its uniforms.
The HFC badge is a roundel design incorporating a traditional laced soccer ball blended with an overhead view of the New River as it splits into it's north and south forks in the Sailboat Bend / Tarpon River / Riverside Park neighborhoods near downtown Fort Lauderdale. Encompassing the ball design are the traditional red and gold hoops of the Fort Lauderdale Strikers and a hidden "S", representing the symbolic connection and deep respect between Himmarshee FC and the Strikers' heritage.
Venue[edit]
2017–Present
Himmarshee FC played it first ever match at Cypress Park in Coral Springs, Florida, on November 5, 2017. The club currently splits its home matches between Cypress Park and Aiello Field, which is also located in Coral Springs, Florida.
- Cypress Park (Seating Capacity : Unknown)
- Aiello Field (Seating capacity : ~360)
In the Fall of 2018, the club was engaged in brief discussions with the City of Fort Lauderdale Mayor's office in regards to volunteering to restore the historic pitch at Lockhart Stadium, which had fallen into disrepair and was sitting unused. Due to liability issues, the initiative was unsuccessful.
Club culture[edit]
Himmarshee FC is operated in the philosophy / motto of "Unprofessional Soccer". As an amateur club operating at the lowest step of the US Soccer pyramid, the club takes a light-hearted approach to the game.
In addition to putting a team on the field, the club actively seeks to make a difference in its community, and to date has raised funds for other nonprofit/charitable organizations. The club partnered with The You Can Play Project, which promotes respect, equality and inclusion in sports (the Fort Lauderdale area has one of the largest LGBTQ+ communities in the US), and ran 50/50 fundraising drive to help pay for the club's first kits. The club still wears the original designs, which feature the You Can Play logo on the front, as of Spring 2020, and has donated a portion of the proceeds from every jersey sold to the organization.
In Fall/Winter 2018/2019 the club promoted a "Virtual 5K" that raised money for the Broward County-based Kids in Distress charity, and in Spring 2020 a preorder drive for the team's new kit designs was run, with net proceeds donated to help locals effected by the Covid-19 shutdown.
The club also believes in the sporting principle of Promotion and relegation and fully supports its implementation in the United States.
Rivalries[edit]
Lauderdale SC, Boca Raton FC, Palm Beach Breakers.
Major League Soccer side Inter Miami CF is also seen as rivals of the club. Several Himmarshee FC members (including team president Derek Reese[3]) and the supporters group Flight 19 organized vocal opposition to the MLS organization's takeover of the Lockhart Stadium site in Fort Lauderdale – supporting the rival bid for the site that was presented by the FXE Futbol group. The MLS-backed plan survived a legal challenge and was eventually approved by the city of Fort Lauderdale in 2019, and saw the venue demolished and replaced by a training center and temporary stadium.(Inter Miami CF Stadium)
Gold Coast Community Shield[edit]
The Gold Coast Community Shield[1] is an annual challenge match between south Florida's two supporter-owned clubs, HFC and Palm Beach Breakers (formally known as Gold Coast Inter AFC).
The shield itself is constructed of wood, with a soccer ball / sun design in the center, and a small nameplate with the winning club added for each year. The trophy was designed and constructed by two of HFC co-founders and brothers Derek and Zach Reese.
Himmarshee FC won the inaugural match in 2018, and the Breakers took the second edition in 2019, each time with the home team winning on home turf in Broward and Palm Beach Counties, respectively.
Supporters group[edit]
- Flight 19[4]: Based in Fort Lauderdale, the group formed in late 2010 – early 2011 in anticipation of the return of the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. It is named after the famous Flight 19 incident where five TBM Avenger aircraft disappeared over the Bermuda Triangle after taking off from NAS Fort Lauderdale (now Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport) in 1945.[5]
Players and staff[edit]
Notable former players[edit]
This list of former players includes those who received international caps while playing for the team, made significant contributions to the team in terms of appearances or goals while playing for the team, or who made significant contributions to the sport either before they played for the team, or after they left. It is clearly not yet complete and all inclusive, and additions and refinements will continue to be made over time.
Himmarshee Football Club
Giovanny Soto (2017)
Head coaches[edit]
Himmarshee Football Club
| Head Coach | Period | G | W | T | L | Win % | Honors/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Marlon Polo
|
2017–Present | 49 | 12 | 6 | 31 | 24.49% | First Head Coach in Himmarshee FC History. Led team to FGCL title in 2018–19. |
Last updated: May 1, 2020.
Achievements[edit]
Club[edit]
- Florida Gold Coast League 3rd Place Match Winners 2017/18*
- Florida Gold Coast league Liguilla Champions 2018/19
- Florida Gold Coast SuperCup Winners 2018/19
- Gold Coast Community Shield Winners 2018
- South Florida Champions Cup Group Stage 2019, 2020
*-Indicates a forfeit
Individual[edit]
- Giovanny Soto – 2017–18 Flight 19 Golden Scarf Winner presented by Global Scarves
- Pedro Yunes – 2018–19 Flight 19 Golden Scarf Winner presented by Global Scarves
Record[edit]
Year-by-year[edit]
| Year | Division | League | Reg. Season | Playoffs | FGCL Super Cup | US Open Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Himmarshee FC | ||||||
| 2017–18 | 4* | Florida Gold Coast League | 6th | 3rd | N/A | N/A |
| 2018–19 | 4* | Florida Gold Coast League | 7th | 1st | 1st | N/A |
| 2019–20 | 4* | Florida Gold Coast League | TBD | TBD | TBD | N/A |
Last updated: May 1, 2020.[7]
See also[edit]
- Fort Lauderdale Strikers (2006–2016)
- Fort Lauderdale Strikers (1977–83)
- Fort Lauderdale Sun Division 2 team of the short-lived USL (1984–85)
- Fort Lauderdale Strikers (1988–1994)
- Florida Strikers (1994–1997)
- Miami Fusion Now defunct MLS team (1997–01)
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Gold Coast Community Shield". Retrieved May 3, 2020.
- ↑ "The Joke That Backfired, Beautifully". Retrieved May 31, 2020.
- ↑ "David Beckham's Group Scores Soccer Stadium Approval In Fort Lauderdale". Retrieved May 31, 2020.
- ↑ "Hangin' With Strikers Supporters; Flight 19". Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
- ↑ "About – Flight 19". Retrieved April 30, 2020.
- ↑ "A Game of Firsts". Himmarshee Football Club. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
- ↑ "Florida Gold Coast League". Retrieved April 30, 2020.
External links[edit]
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