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Columbus FC
Full nameColumbus FC
Founded1953; 71 years ago (1953)
LeagueVMSL Premier
2022–23VMSL Division Premier League
Websitehttp://www.columbusfc.ca/

Columbus FC is a Canadian soccer club based in Vancouver, British Columbia currently playing in the Premier division of the Vancouver Metro Soccer League. In 2013, the club was recognized as a Canada Soccer Hall of Fame Organization of Distinction.[1]

History

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Father Della Torre was instrumental in starting the team in 1953 as Sacred Heart soccer team, with the goal of providing a team for the many Italian immigrants who settled in the east side of Vancouver.

By 1957, the team name changed to Columbus and was under the guidance of Peter Mainardi. As president, Mainairdi gave the club stability and strong leadership and paved the way for Columbus' future successes. After joining the Pacific Coast League in 1959–60, they became one of the league's most popular and successful teams of the 1960s. After winning their first national title in 1964, they won back-to-back Pacific Coast League playoff titles in 1965 and 1966 and then finally their first Pacific Coast League championship in 1968–69. In that 1968–69 season, they won the league, the playoffs, BC Soccer's Province Cup, and Canada Soccer's Challenge Trophy.

Their domination on the field captured the imagination of the Italian soccer community in particular. The team played at Callister Park in Vancouver at that time.[2]

In all, Columbus FC played 12 seasons in the Pacific Coast League from 1959–60 to 1970–71, winning three championships (1968–69, 1969–70, 1970–71) and four playoff titles (1965, 1966, 1969, 1970). In 1972, they joined the newly formed British Columbia Premier League and won both the league and playoff title.[3]

In 1973, for having played in an unsanctioned tournament, the club and its owner Peter Mainardi were suspended. Therefore, for a few years the same players played under the Vancouver Italia name until coming back with the Columbus name in 1975.

Following the death of Mainairdi, the club came under the guidance of Paul Anthony who had joined the team as a player in 1954.

Anthony continued on as secretary and team manager and played a key role in the evolution of the club until his death in 1982. From 1982 to 1987, the administration of the club was under the leadership of Eugenio Vazzoler, Peter Greco and General manager Charlie Cuzzetto.

In 1985, Columbus entered the newly formed semi-professional Pacific Rim Soccer League with Joe Tinucci as president and Mike Bernardis as coach. Columbus as a semi-professional club, quickly became cup champions[4][5] as well as national finalists with Toronto Blizzard.

After an absence of 10 years Columbus re-emerged in 2003 under the direction of Rob Mascitti, Carmen D'Onofrio and Joe Papa. Although the passing of years has seen the influx of non -Italian players, the major part of the team still hold fast to its Italian roots, a tribute to past Coaches Gianni Azzi, Jack Hobbs 1964 (Canadian Champions) Joe Csabai 1969 (Canadian Champions), Tony Canta 1977, 1978 (Canadian Champions).

Columbus has been at the forefront of Canadian soccer and has planted deep soccer roots in Canada over the past 70 years. The team has provided more players than any other amateur club in Canada to Canada's Professional, Provincial, Olympic and National Team rosters as well as supplying Universities and Colleges. Columbus also holds the distinction of having the most players in the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame with eleven players. After the Westminster Royals, Columbus is the most successful amateur club in Canada having appeared in six National Finals and winning four. Columbus also holds the record for the largest margin of victory in a Canadian championship final game a 10–0 score against Montreal Ukraine in 1969.

The Columbus family of teams include the men's open premier team, Division 2 team, women's Division 2 team, over 35s, over 45s (Premier and Division 1), over 50s, over 55s and over 60s. As of 2015, Columbus family of teams are now associated with the Italian Canadian Sports Federation, which also include boys and girls teams from five-year-olds to adult.

Off the field the Columbus Alumni also play a major role in Canadian soccer as evidenced by the following:

  • Victor Montagliani:
    • President of CONCACAF
    • Vice-president FIFA
    • President of Canadian Soccer Association
    • Past vice-president Canadian Soccer Association
    • Past president British Columbia Soccer Association
  • Charlie Cuzzetto
    • Member of FIFA Player Tribunal
    • Member of FIFA Disciplinary Committee
    • Director of Canadian Soccer Association
    • Member of CONCACAF Appeals Committee
    • Past president British Columbia Soccer Association
    • Selected to the BC Soccer Roll of Honour
  • Joe Cuzzetto
    • Former technical director – Italian Canadian SportsFederation (ICSF)
    • Former director of British Columbia Soccer Association
    • Selected to the BC Soccer Roll of Honour
    • Author of the book The Columbus Football Club - Our Story
  • Frank Ciaccia
    • Residency recruitment officer – Vancouver Whitecaps
    • Former technical director—Mountain FC
    • Selected to the BC Soccer Roll of Honour
  • Danny Lenarduzzi
    • Director of youth soccer development — Vancouver Whitecaps
  • Sam Lenarduzzi
    • Manager of regional community programs – Vancouver Whitecaps
  • Frank Iuele
    • Technical director – Italian Canadian Sports Federation (ICSF)
    • Technical director - Burnaby Metro Program
  • Michael Findlay
    • Former BC Soccer head of soccer development
    • Former Canada Soccer Men's National Team Head Coach
    • Past Coach Grenada National Team

In addition to winning numerous league championships, Kennedy Cups, Imperial Cups and Provincial Cups, Columbus has won the Challenge Trophy four times: 1964, 1969, 1977 and 1978 and were finalists in 1968 and 2007.

In addition, Columbus Masters Over 35s also won a National Championship in 2003 and Western Championship in 2009 and 2013. The Over 40s have won two league and one cup championships. Since 2003, Columbus plays in the VMSL and have won a Provincial Cup, two Imperial Cups, two Western Canadian Championships and one Provincial Cup Finalist and one Canadian National Trophy Cup Finalist.

Season-by-season record

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Vancouver Columbus FC season-by-season record in the Pacific Coast League.[6] Note: MP = Matches played, W = Wins, D = Draws, L = Losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against

Season MP W D L Pts GF GA Finish Playoffs Province Canada
1959-60 19 11 1 7 23 51 40 2nd in PCSL Lost playoff final
1960-61 16 5 5 6 15 34 37 3rd in PCSL No playoffs Lost provincial semifinals
1961-62 25 15 4 6 34 59 45 2nd in PCSL Lost playoff final
1962-63 21 10 4 7 24 46 40 4th in PCSL Lost Final, 0–1 Firefighters Lost provincial semifinals
1963-64 21 14 5 2 33 60 23 3rd in PCSL Lost Final, 1-2 Firefighters Won 1964 BC Province Cup
1964-65 24 12 3 9 25 44 38 4th in PCSL Won 1965 Top Star Trophy Lost provincial final Won 1964 Challenge Trophy
1965-66 21 12 3 6 27 38 21 2nd in PCSL Won 1966 Top Star Trophy Lost provincial semifinals
1966-67 21 14 4 3 32 43 15 2nd in PCSL Lost playoff final series Lost provincial semifinals
1967-68 18 10 2 6 22 35 28 3rd in PCSL Lost playoff final series Won 1968 BC Province Cup
1968-69 24 19 2 3 40 63 12 1st in PCSL Won 1969 Top Star Trophy Won 1969 BC Province Cup Runner up 1968 Challenge Trophy
1969-70 16 12 4 0 28 33 4 1st in PCSL Won 1970 Top Star Trophy Won 1969 Challenge Trophy
1970-71 24 16 4 4 36 53 22 1st in PCSL Lost Final, 1-2 Croatia SC
1972 22 15 4 3 34 1st in BCPSL No playoffs

Honours

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Canada Soccer Hall of Fame: Organization of Distinction[7] 2013
Canada Soccer Challenge Trophy 1964, 1969, 1977, 1978
BC Soccer Hall of Fame: Organization of Distinction 2019
BC Soccer Province Cup winners 1964, 1968, 1969, 1977, 1978, 2007
Challenge Trophy runners up 1968, 2007
Provincial Cup Finalist 2011, 2012 (Women)
National Soccer League Cup (Semi-Pro) Finalists 1986
Open Canada Cup National Runners-up 2007
Open Canada Cup Western Champions 2007
VMSL Imperial Cup Winners 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 2006, 2007
VMSL Imperial Cup Finalist 2013, 2014
VMSL League Champions 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 2013
Pacific Coast League winners 1968–69, 1969–70, 1970–71
Top Star Trophy (PCSL Playoffs) 1964–65, 1965–66, 1968–69, 1969-70
Anderson Cup (PCSL) 1959-60
BC Premier League winners 1972
Pacific Coast Soccer League winners 1988, 1989
Pacific Coast Soccer League Cup winners 1984, 1988
Pacific Coast League Junior Division winners 1965
Pacific Rim League President's Cup 1972, 1985
Pacific Rim League Champions 1986
JFK Kennedy Cup Winners 1989
BC Masters Provincial Cup Champions(Over 30/35) 1994, 1996, 2000, 2003, 2009, 2013
BC Masters Provincial Cup Finalists(Over 30/35) 1995, 1997, 2007
BC Games Over 55 Champions Gold Medal Champions 2014, 2015, 2016
National Masters Trophy Winners 2003
Western Masters Trophy Winners 2009, 2013
American Masters Over 50 Gold Medal Champions 2016
VMSL Over 40s League Champions 2012, 2013, 2015
VMSL Over 45s League Champions 2018, 2022
VMSL Masters A Cup Champions 2016
VMSL Masters B Cup Champions 2013, 2014, 2018, 2022

National trophy winners by player for Columbus FC only

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Player Trophies Years
Eugenio Vazzoler 4 1964, 1969, 1977, 1978
Peter Greco 3 1969, 1977, 1978
Sergio Zanatta 3 1969, 1977, 1978
Vanni Lenarduzzi 3 1969, 1977, 1978
Steve Djoric 2 1964, 1969
Bob Hazeldine 2 1964, 1969
Jim Berry 1 1969
Roy Nosella 1 1964
Carlos Franco 1 1964
John Comuzzi 1 1964
Sam Lenarduzzi 1 1969
Victor Kodelja 1 1969
Elio Ciaccia 1 1978
Joe Cuzzetto 1 1978

Notable former players

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Thirteen former Columbus FC players have been inducted into the Canada Soccer Hall of Fame as honoured players.

There are other notable Columbus FC alumni who played, coached or been executives at the national and/or professional level.

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References

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  1. ^ "Honoured Members – Canada Soccer". canadasoccer.com. Archived from the original on July 5, 2018. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
  2. ^ "BC Soccer Web". BC Soccer Web. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved April 9, 2013.
  3. ^ Vancouver Sun (November 13, 1972). "Title for Columbus". Retrieved August 6, 2018.
  4. ^ "Meers marker clinches title for Rangers". Richmond Review. September 11, 1985. p. 15. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  5. ^ "Columbus win title". Nanaimo Daily News. September 30, 1985. p. 8. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  6. ^ Soccer, Canada. The Story of the Pacific Coast League. Canada Soccer.
  7. ^ "Honoured Members - Canada Soccer". www.canadasoccer.com. Archived from the original on June 24, 2018. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
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