Philadelphia KiXX explained

Clubname:Philadelphia KiXX
Founded:1995
League:NPSL (1995–2001)
Major Indoor Soccer League (2001–10)
American:true

The Philadelphia KiXX was a professional indoor soccer team based in Philadelphia, USA. The team competed as an NPSL expansion franchise and then played in the Major Indoor Soccer League.[1]

History

The team's original owner was Ed Tepper, also president of Tepper Properties Inc, had been one of the co-founders of the original MISL. In 2001, the KiXX along with five other NPSL franchises founded the new Major Indoor Soccer League. They were originally sponsored by Oki Data Americas. The KiXX won the first MISL championship (2001–02 season) over the Milwaukee Wave 2 games to 1 (4–11, 11–4, 8–6) in the best of three game championship series. The KiXX also won the 2006–07 MISL championship defeating the Detroit Ignition 13–8 in a one-game championship. After the MISL folded in 2008, the KiXX announced that they had joined the National Indoor Soccer League for its inaugural season in 2008–09. The NISL took on the MISL moniker for its second season.

On March 2, 2010, KiXX goalkeeper Peter Pappas retired after playing his final match against the Baltimore Blast at the Liacouras Center. In honor of his years of dedication and spotless record the KiXX decided to retire the #22 jersey. Pappas spent 13 seasons with the KiXX. During that time he played in 416 matches, recording 5,399 saves and 230 wins. He was named Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) ‘Goalkeeper of the Year’ four times and an All-League selection eight times.[2] Fellow long-term KiXX member Don D'Ambra also retired in 2010. He served as head coach of the KiXX from 2002 to 2010 and played 575 games, scoring 483 goals. In April 2010, D'Ambra was named the head coach of the Saint Joseph's Hawks men's soccer team.[3]

The team went on hiatus after the conclusion of the 2009–10 season and did not return to play before the MISL folded as a league in 2014.

Year-by-year

YearLeagueReg. seasonPlayoffsAvg. attendance
1996–97NPSL II3rd East, 17–23Lost Conference Quarterfinals to Blast 8–15; 8–187,894
1997–98NPSL II1st East, 26–14Won Conference Semifinals over Crunch 10–4; 29–27
Lost Conference Finals to Wave 9–7; 5–19; 3–12; 10–16
8,637
1998–99NPSL II1st East, 23–17Won Conference Semifinals over Wave 9–11; 13–11; 14–5
Lost Conference Finals to Crunch 0–15; 15–30
8,974
1999-00NPSL II2nd East, 24–20Lost Conference Semifinals to Blast 11–15; 12–258,081
2000–01NPSL II4th American, 22–18bgcolor=#FFEBAD"Won Conference Semifinals over Heat 21–19; 19–14
Won Conference Finals over Blast 19–23; 12–8; 16–15
Lost Championship to Wave 12–16; 8–9; 8–10
5,224
2001–02 MISL II2nd MISL, 30–14Won Semifinals over Comets 18–13
Won Championship over Wave 4–11; 11–4; 8–6
5,328
2002–03MISL II1st Eastern, 24–12Lost Semifinals to Blast 6–84,294
2003–04MISL II2nd Eastern, 20–16Lost Quarterfinals to Comets 5–85,226
2004–05MISL II3rd MISL, 22–17Lost Semifinals to Force 3–6; 6–105,361
2005–06MISL II5th MISL, 10–20did not qualify6,990
2006–07MISL II3rd MISL, 17–13Won Semifinals over Storm 8–11; 10–6; 2–0
Won Championship over Ignition 13–8
6,551
2007–08MISL II7th MISL, 12–18did not qualify6,118
2008–09NISL4th NISL, 10–8did not qualify6,444
2009–10MISL III4th MISL, 8–12did not qualify4,725
Total265–222
Win % = .544
15–20
Win % = .429
6,080

Head coaches

NameYears
Dave MacWilliams1996–1999
Omid Namazi1999–2002
Don D'Ambra2002–2010

Arenas

  1. Between 1996 and 2009 the team has also played select games at the Wachovia Center, Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville, Tennessee, and at the Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton, New Jersey.[5]

References

  1. Web site: Philadelphia Kixx • Fun While It Lasted.
  2. Web site: KiXX to Retire Number of Former Rams’ Goalkeeper, Peter Pappas - Philadelphia University Rams Official Athletic Site - PHILAURAMS.COM. dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150220175627/http://www.philaurams.com/General_news/Men-s_Soccer . 2015-02-20 .
  3. Web site: Don D'Ambra – Head Coach – Men's Soccer. Saint Joseph's University Hawks. Saint Joseph's University. 29 November 2015.
  4. http://www.kixxonline.com/news/index.php?cat=17&id=894 National Indoor Soccer League Will Begin Play in November
  5. http://www.kicksfan.com/opponents/philadelphia/index.htm Sidekicks Opponents: Philadelphia Kixx