Sarasota Paradise
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| Founded | October 26, 2022 | ||
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| Stadium | Charlie Cleland Stadium at Ihrig Field Sarasota, Florida | ||
| Owners | Audigr Group Inc. | ||
| Head coach | Mirko Dakovic | ||
| League | USL League Two | ||
| 2024 | 1st, South Florida Division Playoffs: Conference Quarter Finals | ||
| Website | https://www.sarasotaparadise.us/ | ||
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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 partly owned by Audigr Group Inc., a joint venture between entrepreneurs Marcus Walfridson and Kenneth Bethune.[1] It played it's 2023 and 2024 seasons at Charlie Cleland Stadium at Ihrig Field, on the campus of Sarasota High School.
History
[edit]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.[2]
Club branding was announced by owner Marcus Walfridson on January 14, 2023.[3]
Sarasota Paradise made their league debut on May 20, 2023, a 1–0 loss away at Miami AC.[4] They made their home debut on June 3, 2023, defeating FC Miami City 2–1 in front of a crowd of nearly 500 spectators.[5] The team finished 4th in the South Florida Division, 6 points behind division winners Weston FC. Their final home game of the season garnered 1086 fans in attendance. Defender Hosei Kojima was selected to the 2023 USL League Two Team of the Year, drafted number 17 in the MLS Superdraft, and is now playing for MLS side St. Louis City SC.[6][7]
On July 13, 2023, Walfridson announced his hopes for the club to turn professional and join USL League One in either 2025 or 2026.[8]
In their second season, Sarasota Paradise secured their first South Florida Division Championship in club history with a 1-0 victory away against St. Petersburg FC. Sarasota Paradise remained undefeated at home throughout the season. Key results included a commanding 4-0 win over Miami AC, a thrilling 4-4 draw with Tampa Bay United, and a decisive 3-0 victory against Weston FC. This success earned the team a spot in the playoffs, where they faced Brave SC. [9]
Stadium
[edit]Sarasota Paradise played their 2023 and 2024 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
[edit]Technical staff
[edit]| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Mirko Dakovic |
| Assistant coach | Jamie Hutchison |
| Assistant coach | Glodi Konga |
| Assistant coach | Mark Macphee |
Roster
[edit]| Position | Name | Number |
|---|---|---|
| Forward |  Kai Tamashiro
|
7 |
| Defender | Jaden Berman
|
3 |
| Defender | Mikey Burke
|
2 |
| Defender | Roman Holt
|
47 |
| Forward | Seth Mahlmeister
|
9 |
| Midfielder | JP Jordan
|
6 |
| Midfielder | Valerio Tatafiore
|
10 |
| Defender | Enzo Panozzo
|
14 |
| Defender | Michael Carboni
|
13 |
| Defender | Felipe Rojas
|
12 |
| Midfielder | Victor Van den Broek
|
14 |
| Defender |  Hosei Kijima
|
16 |
| Forward | William Pierce
|
18 |
| Forward | Caleb Powell
|
19 |
| Midfielder | Christian Leon
|
15 |
| Midfielder | Ben Goldberg
|
22 |
| Forward | Ryan Sims
|
26 |
| Forward | Isaiah Easley
|
30 |
| Forward | Oliver Dahlen
|
35 |
| Forward | Andres Friere
|
21 |
| Goalkeeper |  Charlie Farrar
|
38 |
| Goalkeeper | Brendan Reilly | 29 |
Year-by-year
[edit]| 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 | |
| 2024 | 4 | USL League Two | 1st, South Florida | Conference Quarter Finals | Did not qualify | N/A |
Honors
[edit]League
- USL League Two South Florida Conference
- Winner (1): 2024
Player
[edit]| Year | Player | Country | Pos | Honor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Hosei Kijima | JPN
|
D | Team of the Year |
References
[edit]- ^ "Audigr Starts USL Team". audigr.com. 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.[verification needed]
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Paradise Playoff and Season Recap". Sarasota Paradise. Retrieved 2024-09-20.
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| Central Conference |
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| Southern Conference |
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| Western Conference |
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| Seasons |
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 | This article needs additional or more specific categories. (September 2024) |
- ^ "Paradise Playoff and Season Recap". Sarasota Paradise. Retrieved 2024-09-20.