Tormenta FC explained

Clubname:Tormenta FC
Upright:0.7
Fullname:South Georgia Tormenta Football Club
Nickname:Pelicans
Stadium:Tormenta Stadium
Statesboro, Georgia
Capacity:5,300
Coordinates:32.4097°N -81.7961°W
Owntitle:Co-owners
Mgrtitle:Head coach
Manager:Ian Cameron
League:USL League One
Season:2023
Position:USL League One, 7th of 12
Playoffs: DNQ
Website:http://www.tormentafc.com
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Current:2022 Tormenta FC season
American:true

South Georgia Tormenta FC, or simply Tormenta FC, is an American soccer organization based in Statesboro, Georgia, United States. Founded in 2015, the club fields a professional team in USL League One, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, as well as a pre-professional team in USL League Two called Tormenta FC 2 (which is on hiatus since the 2023 season)[1] and a pre-professional team in USL W League. The team colors are midnight navy, sky blue, silver, and magenta. The team's crest shows an ibis.[2] [3] Tormenta FC's USL League One team and the W-League team both emerged victorious in 2022, becoming national champions in their respective leagues.

History

South Georgia Tormenta FC was founded in 2015 making it Statesboro's first pro team in any sport in 60 years, since the Statesboro Pilots of baseball's Georgia State League folded in 1955. Owned by Tormenta FC LLC, the operations of the franchise are steered by Darin Van Tassell and Netra Van Tassell. The word "tormenta" means "storm" in Spanish.[4]

2016

On May 21, 2016, Tormenta FC hosted its inaugural home match against the Carolina Dynamo in front of 3,105 fans.[5]

Tormenta FC won their first match in club history on June 16, 2016 against the Charlotte Eagles in a 2–0 decision.[6] The club then followed up that victory with a second consecutive win on June 18, 2016 by defeating the Carolina Dynamo 1–0.[7] On June 23, 2016, Tormenta FC not only scored their first ever home goal, but the team managed to win their first home match as well; a 1–0 victory over Southern West Virginia King's Warriors.[8]

Tormenta had a five-game win streak snapped in a 2–1 defeat against the King's Warriors on July 2, 2016.

The club finished 6th out of 8 in the South Atlantic Division.[9]

2018

On January 25, 2018, South Georgia Tormenta FC was announced as the first founding member of USL League One for 2019. The team had an undefeated regular season in 2018, clinching the Deep South Division championship. Tormenta FC hosted the conference playoffs in Statesboro, Georgia.[10]

2019

On March 29, 2019, Tormenta FC hosted the inaugural match of USL League One, winning 1–0 against the Greenville Triumph and setting a new attendance record of 3,519.[11] After a successful start to the season that saw the team in second place, a second-half downturn with 2 wins in their last 16 matches brought them down to 6th place and out of a playoff spot.

2020

On September 16, 2020, Tormenta announced that it had promoted John Miglarese to Technical Director, and promote previous assistant coach and head coach of Tormenta 2, Ian Cameron, to head coach of the first team.[12]

2021

On June 8, 2021, Tormenta announced they will be fielding a women's side to compete in the new USL W League beginning in 2022.[13]

2022

In the off season, the club signed former Tottenham Hotspur F.C. and English youth international player Kazaiah Sterling.[14] The club finished the season in third place, qualifying for the first round of the USL League One playoffs. In the club's first ever playoff appearance, they defeated sixth seeded Charlotte Independence and then second seeded Greenville Triumph before winning the final match against Chattanooga Red Wolves SC by the score of 2–1.[15] [16] [17]

Stadium

Tormenta FC currently plays at Optim Sports Medicine Field, a 5,300-seat soccer-specific stadium in Statesboro.[18] [19] [20] They previously played at Eagle Field at Erk Russell Park on the campus of Georgia Southern University from 2016 to most of the 2022 season.

Sponsorship

PeriodKit manufacturerShirt sponsor
2016–2018 NikeOptim Orthopedics
2019–2023 Adidas
2024–present Puma[21]

Record

Year-by-year

SeasonPremier Development LeaguePlayoffsUS Open CupTop Scorer Head Coach
PlayerGoals
2016146532218215th, South AtlanticDid not qualifyIneligible Sam Lofts4 Ben Freakley
2017147343417254th, South AtlanticDid not qualifyDNQ Jamie Merriam9 John Miglarese
20181411033010361st, Deep SouthConference Semifinals2R Marco Micaletto4 John Miglarese
SeasonUSL League OnePlayoffsUS Open CupTop Scorer Head Coach
PlayerGoals
20192891093234376thDid not qualify2R Marco Micaletto8 John Miglarese
2020165741922198thDid not qualifyNot held Nil Vinyals4 John Miglarese (2–4–4)
Ian Cameron (3–3–0)
202128814636473011thDid not qualifyNot Held Marco Micaletto11 Ian Cameron
20223012994240453rdbgcolor=goldChampions4R Kazaiah Sterling13 Ian Cameron
202332121465556427thDid not qualify3R Kazaiah Sterling13 Ian Cameron

1. Top Scorer includes statistics from league matches only.

Head coaches

Coach Nationality Start End
Ben Freakley2016
John Miglarese
Ian Cameronpresent

Players and staff

Technical staff

Front office

Tormenta FC 2

See main article: Tormenta FC 2. In January 2019, the team announced that it would continue to field a team in USL League Two while also playing professionally in USL League One.[22] The team, Tormenta FC 2, continues to play in the Deep South Division and has won the conference once in 2019. During its inaugural season, the team won the Southern Conference for the first time in organization history.[23]

The 2 team has also qualified for two U.S. Open Cup tournaments in 2019 and 2020, with the latter being cancelled and the tournament spot being transferred to 2021.[24] [25]

The club announced in January 2022 that Tormenta 2 would take a one-year hiatus from USL League Two in order for the club to focus on developing its academy.

Honors

Player honors

YearPosPlayerCountryHonor
USL Premier Development League
2016DPeyton Ericson United StatesAll-Eastern Conference Team
2018MMarco Micaletto ItalyAll-League Team
All-Southern Conference Team
MToni Soler SpainAll-Southern Conference Team
USL League One
2019DConner Antley United StatesDefender of the Year
All-League First Team
DMikie RoweGoal of the Year
2020MMarco Micaletto ItalyAll-League Second Team
2021MMarco Micaletto ItalyAll-League First Team
2022MAdrian BillhardtComeback Player of the Year
DJake Dengler United StatesAll-League Second Team
MGabriel Cabral BrazilAll-League Second Team
FKazaiah SterlingAll-League Second Team

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Tormenta FC to Elevate USL Academy Team . 2024-01-06 . South Georgia Tormenta FC . en-US.
  2. Web site: PDL Awards Franchise to Statesboro, Georgia. Premier Development League (PDL). August 6, 2015.
  3. Web site: Tormenta FC Arrives in South Georgia. Premier Development League (PDL). October 28, 2015.
  4. Web site: Frequently Asked Questions. Tormentafc.com. February 22, 2019.
  5. Web site: History in the making for Tormenta. 23 May 2016. Tormentafc.com.
  6. Web site: Tormenta FC Secures First Win. Colin. 17 June 2016.
  7. Web site: Tormenta FC moves up in Ranking with Two Consecutive Wins On The Road. 20 June 2016. Tormentafc.com.
  8. Web site: Tormenta comes through in the clutch. Statesboroherald.com.
  9. Web site: Standings – 2016 Regular Season – South Georgia Tormenta FC 2. www.uslleaguetwo.com. 2020-02-16.
  10. Web site: Tormenta FC joins USL Division III for 2019. January 25, 2018. January 25, 2018.
  11. Web site: Post-Game Notes: March 29 vs Greenville Triumph SC. O'Donnell. Bernadette. 2019-03-30. South Georgia Tormenta FC. en-us. 2020-02-16.
  12. Web site: 2020-09-16. Tormenta FC Names Ian Cameron as USL League One Head Coach. 2020-09-19. South Georgia Tormenta FC. en-us.
  13. Web site: USL announces return of the W League from 2022 – SportsPro Media . www.sportspromedia.com . 9 June 2021 . 15 June 2021.
  14. Web site: Tormenta FC Sign Former Tottenham Hotspur Forward Kazaiah Sterling. uslleagueone.com. 28 February 2022.
  15. Web site: USL League One Match Report. uslleagueone.com.
  16. Web site: USL League One Match Report. uslleagueone.com.
  17. Web site: Champions – Tormenta rules League One. stateborohearald.com. 7 November 2022. 20 December 2022.
  18. Web site: Tormenta Stadium to break ground March 27. Statesboroherald.com.
  19. Web site: Tormenta FC owners give update on new stadium, retail shops.
  20. Web site: Optim Health System Claims Naming Rights for Tormenta FC Field. 2 February 2021.
  21. https://www.tormentafc.com/news/2024/01/05/south-georgia-tormenta-fc-puma-announce-multiyear-partnership/
  22. Web site: O'Donnell . Bernadette . Tormenta FC Announces Rebrand of its USL League Two Team . South Georgia Tormenta FC . 30 January 2020 . en-us . 23 January 2019.
  23. Web site: Zimmer . Amy . Historic season for Tormenta FC 2 comes to an end . WJCL . 30 January 2020 . en . 29 July 2019.
  24. Web site: Popkin . Jackson . A South Georgia Tormenta FC Guide to the 2019 U.S. Open Cup First Round . Dirty South Soccer . 30 January 2020 . en . 8 May 2019.
  25. Web site: Sullivan . Tim . 2019 US Open Cup round 2: Nashville SC holds off pesky South Georgia Tormenta 2 . TheCup.us . 30 January 2020.