Luke Winter celebrates one of his two goals this past weekend against the New Orleans Jesters.
photo by Greg Davick
The Chattanooga FC soccer team continues it's busy schedule this week with games on Wednesday and Friday in two separate national tournaments.
Chattanooga hosts the Atlanta Silverbacks on Wednesday in the third round of the US Open Cup. The Silverbacks are a professional team that plays in the NASL. The Silverbacks ended Chattanooga's run in the last year's US Open Cup with a 5-0 win. The game is set to kickoff at 7:30 on Wednesday at Finley Stadium.
Chattanooga FC and Finley Stadium will also host US Soccer and US Adult Soccer 2015 National Amateur Championships the weekend of May 29-30 in Chattanooga, TN.
The tournament is in its third year of bringing the top four amateur teams in the nation – all from different leagues – together to compete for the crown of “best amateur team in the US.”
“We are very excited to be able to compete for this title,” said Board Member Marshall Brock. “And being able to play here in front of the best fans in the country is even more exciting.” The four teams come from the National Premier Soccer League (the league Chattanooga FC participates in), the United Soccer League's Premier Development League, and the US Amateur Soccer Association’s Open and Amateur Champions. Chattanooga FC was runner up to New York Red Bull U23s in the national championship last year, but with that team joining the pro league USL this year, they are not able to compete in an amateur tournament. As NPSL finalist, Chattanooga FC will compete in their place.
Updates and streams of the games will be available the weekend of the tournament. The tournament will have two semifinal games on Friday, and the championship and consolation games on Saturday. So each team is guaranteed two matches over the weekend.
Friday, May 29 | 5:00pm // NY GREEK AMERICANS (US Amateur) vs. MICHIGAN BUCKS (USL PDL)
Friday, May 29 | 7:30pm // CHATTANOOGA FC (NPSL) vs. MARYLAND BAYS (USASA Open)
The third place matches and Championship Final will take place on Saturday, May 30 at 5:00 and 7:30pm respectively. “These teams will be very good,” said Head Coach Bill Elliott. “The matches will be extremely competitive and the fans are definitely in for a treat. If you love soccer – or you just love Chattanooga – you don't want to miss it.”
The trophy is named after Hank Steinberecher, who served as US Soccer’s Secretary General from 1990 through 2000. Elected as a builder into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2005, Steinbrecher was the recipient of this year's Werner Fricker award in 2012. Under Steinbrecher, US Soccer helped organize the 1994 Men's and 1999 Women's World Cups and the 1996 Olympic Soccer Tournament. “I’ve contributed to the game, but the game has contributed to me. Having played amateur soccer, I know that the adult amateur game is the heartbeat of soccer. I’ve had some honors: The Hall of Fame, the Commissioners Award, the Werner Fricker Award, US Soccer’s highest honor, but having this championship named after me is an incredibly distinct honor,” said Steinbrecher, who will be in Chattanooga for the tournament.