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Cal FC
Full nameCal Football Club
Nickname(s)Cal FC
Founded2006
GroundCalabasas High School
Capacity3,500
OwnerMichael Friedman
Head coachMichael Friedman[1]
LeagueUPSL
USASA Region IV
Fall 2018–20191st
Websitehttps://calfootballclub.com

Cal Football Club (Cal FC) is an American soccer club based in Thousand Oaks, California. The club was founded in 2006 and competes in the UPSL Premier Division, a fifth-tier United States Adult Soccer Association and Cal South affiliated league in Southern California. The team is coached by Michael Friedman who is also Cal FC's General Manager.

The 2012 USOC team was coached by former U.S. national team player and current Fox Soccer analyst, Eric Wynalda alongside his former co-host of Fox Football Fone-In, Nick Webster.

History

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Cal FC started to play in the La Gran Liga de Oxnard in 2009. The team was composed mainly of players whom Michael Friedman previously coached at clubs or on a college team. The team developed over the seasons to include players from SDSU and other colleges. Critical to the team's creation and continued success were the Barrera brothers, Danny and Diego. (Friedman previously coached Barrera on a U12 AYSO team). Their addition elevated the team and brought in higher level players and off-season pros looking to get a workout. They achieved great successes in the La Gran Liga and dominated other teams.

In 2012 the team entered into the USASA Region IV. The team placed 2nd over the well respected Doxa Italia club [2] and Cal FC earned a berth into the USOC.

The team received attention in the 2012 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, when the club upset 2012 PDL Champions Kitsap 3-1,[3] the USL Pro side Wilmington Hammerheads 4–0[4] and Major League Soccer side Portland Timbers 1–0 before losing to Seattle Sounders FC 5–0 in the fourth round of the tournament.

Cal FC became the first amateur team to beat an MLS club without needing penalty kicks, as well as the first from the USASA to do so (Dallas Roma F.C. had previously defeated Chivas USA in the 2006 tournament via penalty kicks).[5][6][7][8][9][10]

Cal FC, Doxa Italia, and PSA battled it out over the next few years. In 2013 Cal failed to Qualify for USOC after losing to Doxa Italia in the USASA Region IV tournament.[11] Cal FC qualified for the 2014, 2015, and 2016 editions of the tournament.[12][13][14]

On August 21, 2018, Cal FC announced their intention to join the second-division United Soccer League by 2020.[15] However, on November 15, 2018, Cal FC was listed among the founding members of the professional NPSL Founders Cup.[16] However on July 24, 2019, the Founders Cup officially re-branded to the "Members Cup" with Cal FC removed as a participant.[17]

Notable players

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Players noted below have played professionally.

References

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  1. ^ @Cal_FC (April 9, 2018). "Press Release Michael Friedman, @Cal_FC President Cal FC Announces Keith Costigan as Manager Keith comes to Cal FC with an impressive resume both on and off the field" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  2. ^ "Eric Wynalda's Cal FC joins PSA Elite from Region IV to complete 2012 US Open Cup field | TheCup.us - Full Coverage of US Open Cup Soccer". thecup.us. May 7, 2012. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
  3. ^ "2012 US Open Cup First Round: Cal FC knocks out PDL champ Kitsap Pumas, 3-1 | TheCup.us - Full Coverage of US Open Cup Soccer". thecup.us. May 16, 2012. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
  4. ^ "2012 US Open Cup Round 2: Eric Wynalda's Cal FC stuns host Wilmington Hammerheads". May 23, 2012.
  5. ^ "Cal FC upsets Timbers 1–0 in US Open Cup match". FoxSoccer.com. Associated Press. May 31, 2012. Retrieved May 31, 2012.
  6. ^ Arnold, Geoffrey (May 30, 2012). "Amateur squad shocks Portland Timbers in U.S. Open Cup". OregonLive.com. The Oregonian. Retrieved May 31, 2012.
  7. ^ Itel, Dan (May 30, 2012). "USOC RECAP: Timbers fall 1–0 to Cal FC in extra time". PortlandTimbers.com. Major League Soccer. Archived from the original on June 2, 2012. Retrieved May 31, 2012.
  8. ^ Curley, Joe (May 30, 2012). "T.O.-based Cal F.C. upsets MLS' Timbers". VCStar.com. Ventura County Star. Retrieved May 31, 2012.
  9. ^ Evans, Simon (May 31, 2012). "Timber! Portland felled by amateurs in cup upset". Reuters. Retrieved May 31, 2012.[permanent dead link‍]
  10. ^ French, Scott (May 31, 2012). "OPEN CUP: Cal FC stuns Timbers". ESPN LA. Retrieved May 31, 2012.
  11. ^ "Cal FC is doing things in the U.S. Open Cup again". Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  12. ^ "al-fc-stuns-doxa-italia-twice-to-unofficially-qualify-from-usasa-region-iv". www.ussoccer.com. December 30, 2013. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  13. ^ "Extra-Time and Penalty Shootout Wins Highlight Results in First Round of 2015 U.S. Open Cup". www.ussoccer.com. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  14. ^ "Thirty-Six Slots Awarded to Open Division Teams for 2016 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup". www.ussoccer.com. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  15. ^ "Professional soccer coming to Thousand Oaks". Cal FC. August 21, 2018. Archived from the original on August 22, 2018. Retrieved August 21, 2018.
  16. ^ "Eleven founding members to launch new league in association with National Premier Soccer League". National Premier Soccer League. November 15, 2018. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
  17. ^ "NPSL Founders Cup Relaunched as NPSL Members Cup". July 24, 2019.
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