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Category Archives: Dayton Dutch Lions

DeLass Returns to Dayton

The Dayton Dutch Lions (USL PRO) announced the re-signing of captain Joel DeLass for the 2014 season pending league approval.

Photos Courtesy of Jeremi Blurton, www.jeremiblurton.com

“Joel has been the leader of this team for the last two years and he will be returning as our captain for the 2014 season,” Dayton Dutch Lions head coach Sid van Druenen commented. “Besides his qualities on the field he is also very important off the field as he is a great leader and example for the younger and new players.”

The Spring Lake, MI native was a key cog in the Dutch Lions attack in 2013, registering six goals and one assist.  The reliable midfielder made 26 appearances for Dayton, registering 2317 minutes played.

“I’m very excited to be back in Dayton for another season. As an organization, the club has taken massive strides both on and off the field since the first year in the league,” DeLass declared. “Last year we accomplished our goal of making the playoffs, but a tough loss in the playoffs left a bitter taste in a lot of our mouths. Hopefully with the players returning, some key signings, and the affiliation with Columbus, we will be able to once again improve on our previous season and make a deeper run in the playoffs.”

Photos Courtesy of Jeremi Blurton, www.jeremiblurton.com

DeLass was named to the USL PRO Team of the Week an incredible six times in 2013.

He was a standout at Wheaton College in Illinois before joining fellow USL PRO side Charlotte Eagles in 2010. He also has experience in the PDL with West Michigan Edge.

He will wear number 8 for the Dutch Lions and can be found on Twitter @joeldelass.

DDL Strengthen Squad with Thuriere and Vickers

The Dayton Dutch Lions continued to upgrade their squad with the signing of midfielder Sebastien Maurice Thuriere and midfielder/forward Cameron Vickers for the 2014 season.

Photo Credit: VSI

Thuriere spent the 2013 season with VSI Tampa Bay, registering 24 appearances and 18 starts with the club.  He would log one goal and four assists during the season in addition to starting in the team’s first-ever USL PRO match.  He would also find himself on the USL PRO Team of the Week during Week 8 of the season.

“Sebastian had a great rookie season for VSI in 2013 and players can only get better in their second USL PRO season,” Dayton Dutch Lions head coach Sid van Druenen remarked.  “Sebastian will not be an exception. He is the perfect combination for a holding midfielder as he has strength, works very hard, and is also a technical player with a strong long pass.”

The St. Petersburg, FL native was a standout at the University of South Florida after an amazing career at Seminole HS, which included being named to RISE Magazine’s All Soccer Area Team in 2007 and 2008.

“I’m excited to be in a new atmosphere and I am also looking forward with working with the Dayton Dutch Lions coaching staff,” Thuriere commented.  “I think it is a good environment for me to grow as a footballer. My goal is to make a positive impact and help Dayton reach their goals.”

He can be found on Twitter @SebaT13 and will wear number 6 for Dayton.

Photo Credit: Garrett Cleverly/AZKicksIt.com

Vickers led Phoenix FC in assists in 2013 while making 15 appearances.  The Lake Tapps, WA native also spent time with the Portland Timbers U-23s after starring at Sonoma State University.

“Cameron is an old-fashioned winger who can get up and down the wing all game and can send a quality ball into the box,” van Druenen added.  “He brings USL PRO experience to our roster as he spent the 2013 season with Phoenix.”

He can be found on Twitter @Cvickers7 and will number 17 for the Dutch Lions.

“I’m very excited about joining the team this season,” Vickers concluded. “I admired the style of play that they had last season and am happy to be a part of it this year. I’m ready for the season to start so we can make some noise in the USL.”

International Soccer Network, LLC and ISNSoccer.com are the official media partners of the Dayton Dutch Lions (USL PRO) and Cincinnati Dutch Lions (PDL).  The two groups entered into a strategic partnership in December 2013. 

ISN and the Dutch Lions Join Forces

International Soccer Network, LLC (ISN) is proud to announce that they have entered into a strategic media partnership with the Dayton and Cincinnati Dutch Lions.

“We are very excited to partner with the Dutch Lions,” ISN Founder Gary L. Moody Jr. stated. “They are a model franchise, an organization with a clear vision for growing the beautiful game here in North America. The Dutch Lions are leaders in the sport, focused on strategic growth and player development.”

The Dutch Lions brand is one of the most highly regarded in North America, one with international ties to legendary Dutch side FC Twente. The Dutch Lions have made incredible strides in American soccer since their launch in 2009, growing into multiple teams that participate in the highest level of competition available. This includes involvement in USL PRO, Premier Development League (PDL), USL W-League, USL Super-20 League, and USL Super Y-League.

“I am extremely happy that ISN will be our official media partner for the Dutch Lions F.C.,” Dutch Lions Business and Stadium Development Manager Koen Driessen stated. “I saw immediately the extra value of ISN after I got in contact with Gary Moody. His passion, professionalism, and expertise will capture every moment of the Dutch Lions FC to bring the fans a step closer to the game.”

ISN will be working with the Dutch Lions in two major areas. First, ISN and its network of sites will carry exclusive and comprehensive coverage for the Dutch Lions.  From player features to match reports to regular branded columns, ISNSoccer.com will be the source for everything related to the Dutch Lions.

Second, ISN will serve as a consultant to the organization in matters of media/public relations and marketing. Major plans are underway to upgrade the fan experience through enhanced social media campaigns, improved content for club websites, and development of new media platforms and applications. Building further relationships with local and national media is also a priority for both organizations as they strive to develop brand awareness in a broader context.

This agreement will be executed immediately as both sides begin preparation for the 2014 season.

Columbus Crew Announces Affiliate Partnership With Dayton Dutch Lions FC Of USL PRO

The Columbus Crew today announced that the club has formed an affiliate partnership with Dayton Dutch Lions FC of USL PRO. The agreement between the two Ohio teams enables the Crew to loan a minimum of four players on its Major League Soccer roster to Dayton for the 2014 USL PRO campaign.

Photo Credit: Dayton Dutch Lions

“We are proud to unveil our new partnership with Dayton Dutch Lions FC,” said Columbus Crew President Mark McCullers. “We have known the Dutch Lions organization since they came to Ohio. This partnership creates a formal alliance that encompasses player development at its heart but also allows the Columbus Crew to partner with Dayton Dutch Lions FC in growing our respective fan bases and brands.”

 Founded in 2009, Dayton Dutch Lions FC played one season in the United Soccer Leagues’ Premier Development League before moving-up a division in time for the merger and creation of USL PRO in 2010, forming the third tier of the American soccer pyramid. Dayton is partners with Dutch Eredivisie side FC Twente. Just as the Black & Gold have become staple colors for the Crew, Dutch Lions FC is easily recognized by its orange uniforms in their home matches in Beavercreek, Ohio.

“The partnership is exciting from both a marketing perspective as well as a technical point of view,” said Dayton Dutch Lions FC President Mike Mossel. “On the marketing side, the Columbus Crew has built a very strong soccer brand in Ohio and has a great group of fans not only in Columbus, but also in Dayton and Cincinnati. The partnership brings recognition, professionalism and opportunities to market both clubs in Ohio.”

Mossel continues, “On the technical side, we will be adding several good Crew players to our USL PRO team to become a strong team in the League. On the other hand, we give talented Crew players a competitive platform to develop themselves and return as better, more experienced players in MLS.“

The Crew becomes the sixth club in MLS to form an affiliate partnership with a USL PRO side, joining the Houston Dynamo, Sporting Kansas City, the New England Revolution, Philadelphia Union and D.C. United.

The complete list of Crew players to be sent on loan to Dayton will be announced at a later date.

“This affiliation with Dayton is an important step in developing our younger players. We believe it’s beneficial for them to play competitive games at a high level, and this agreement accomplishes that goal for us,” said Crew Sporting Director and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter. “This move is specifically targeted toward players that we think have a bright future but won’t necessarily see immediate playing time in MLS, or those players that need to recapture their best form. We’re excited about this affiliation, we like the direction Dayton is heading as an organization and believe that this relationship will strengthen our squad.”

USL PRO is a 13-club League in the third tier in the United States soccer pyramid. As part of the partnership between MLS and USL PRO announced in January of 2013, MLS teams have the opportunity to partner with a USL PRO side, sending a minimum of four players to a USL PRO affiliate to develop and gain match experience.

Prior to the agreement between the two clubs, the Crew and Dutch Lions FC competed in matches that counted in Major League Soccer Reserve League play for the Crew and the USL PRO standings for Dayton. With the current agreement, the Crew will not participate in the MLS Reserve League in 2014 and the two teams would only potentially face each other in a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup meeting or in a friendly.

“For us this is the one piece that was missing in being a gateway to professional soccer,” said Dayton Dutch Lions FC Head Coach Sid van Druenen. “After we recently added Cincinnati Dutch Lions FC to play in the PDL, we now offer kids a path from playing in our Dayton Academy to PDL, and then for college players to play professionally on three different pro levels: USL PRO, MLS and European football with FC Twente. This will be a big boost for our club across the board, from the professional ranks to our academy teams.”

Dayton Dutch Lions Nominated for Multiple Awards

The Dayton Dutch Lions FC and several staff members have been nominated for seven USL awards for the 2013 season. Recently former 2013 Head Coach Patrick Bal of the Men’s team and Sid van Druenen of the Women’s team were also nominated for Coach of the Year in USL PRO and the W-League respectively, bringing the total to nine USL Award Nominations in 2013.

United Soccer Leagues will honor the teams and executives that set a standard for excellence during the 2013 USL PRO, PDL and W-League seasons at the 2013 USL Hall of Fame Banquet on Friday, December 13, at the Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach. The great seasons of both the Men’s professional team – a winning record and qualifying for the playoffs for the first time since they joined in 2011 – and the Women’s team – winning the Regular Season Conference Championship – puts the club back in the spotlight.

The DDL FC nominations for the 2013 season are:

Communication Award USL PRO – DDL FC Men’s team

Broadcast Award USL W-League – DDL FC Women’s team

Progress of the Year Award W-League – DDL FC Women’s team

Executive of the Year Award W-League – Sid van Druenen

Organization of the Year Award – DDL FC Women’s team

Betsy McAdams Key Grip Award USL PRO – Koen Driessen

Betsy McAdams Key Grip Award W-League – Satoshi Tatsumi

“It is good to see so many nominations,” DDL President Mike Mossel commented. ”It shows we are being recognized and that we are on the right track as an organization. Our plan with our Men’s and Women’s team was to improve a little bit every year off and on the field, but we made a big jump this year and are looking for another one next year. I am also pleased that several individuals are nominated, but they could not have done the job without their colleagues.”