Rio Grande Valley Ocelots FC
Encyclopedia
Rio Grande Valley Ocelots FC is an American soccer team based in Brownsville, Texas
, United States
. Ocelots FC was founded in 2010 and competes in the National Premier Soccer League
. The team plays its home games at Brownsville Sports Park.
Following the demise of the Men's NCAA Division 1 Soccer Program at the University of Texas-Pan American, a void was left for Valley soccer talent rising up from the high schools and local amateur leagues.
The loss of the program at "Pan Am" in 1997 gave rise to clubs such as Border Bandits, Excel, Sun Devils, and Estudiantes with each of these clubs making their mark with a slew of accomplishments. Select squads were also chosen by the McAllen Amateur Soccer Association (MASA) to play certain invitationals and friendlies against the likes of Club America's 3rd Division Squad, or UAT Correcaminos (Mexican 2nd Division). While the teams were strong and loaded with players from the defunct UT-Pan American squad, they were predominantly from the McAllen area.
In 1997, the idea of bringing players from across the Valley surfaced in the form of RGV Coyotes Soccer Club. With very few players being recruited by the pros, the need existed for such a team to be created. Therefore, the idea of helping to promote local talent into the professional ranks through the Coyotes' activities would be the premise of its formation. The Coyotes, founded in 1998 and also owned and coached by Sitsanthaparn, were the first soccer team from the region actively seeking recognition from the United Soccer Leagues
The Coyotes squad played its first match against Houston Hurricanes
of the USISL D3 Pro League at Tiger Stadium in Mercedes, Texas on March 28th, 1998. It would be the first time that a U.S. based pro club would play against a squad of top players from across the Valley. While the Coyotes lost a hard fought match to the Hurricanes 3-0, the bar had been raised and the standard set. Some members of the 1998 squad that hailed players from McAllen to Harlingen, included Ronnie Cabrera, Jesus Tavarez, Margarito Jimenez, Shane Hurley, Luis Almazan, Johnathan McCurley, and Hector Lopez.
It was later discovered that while the Coyotes lost to an experienced and talented Hurricane squad, they didn't lose as badly as some of the franchises that were part of the USISL D3 Pro League at the time. In 1997, Houston had reached the D3 Pro League Quarterfinals where they lost to the San Francisco Bay Seals
3-0. After the Coyotes-Hurricanes exhibition, Houston had handily beaten the Shreveport/Bossier Lions (USISL) 4-0 and 5-2, and the Tulsa Roughnecks (USISL)
5-0 during regular season play in the D3 Pro League Unfortunately, with the Mexican First Division, South American, and European soccer leagues being the bread and butter and talk of Valley soccer fans, the USISL was largely unheard of despite being a domestic league with USSF ties. Hence, the challenging quest to bring a pro soccer franchise to the Valley began.
The Coyotes tasted success on April 29th, 2000 with a 3-1 win over the Louisiana Outlaws at the University of Texas-Pan American soccer field.
The team continued to play friendlies against clubs from Mexico (Petroleros de Cadereyta) and the United States (Laredo Heat
--during its 2004 provisional season with the PDL),,. Through Sitsanthaparn's contacts in Mexico, the Coyotes managed to catch the attention of and were even able to secure a cooperative agreement with UANL Tigres
.
The Coyotes' final roster included Anselmo Aparicio, David Compean, Alex Garcia, Harvey Quenaves, Jonas Lopez, and Jaime Sandoval--all of whom were selected and signed on to play for the Lafayette Swampcats final matches of the 2004 season in the USL's Premier Development League (PDL). Swampcats brass offered the franchise to Sitsanthaparn for relocation to the Rio Grande Valley,, but in the end was not purchased due to franchise restrictions imposed on the Swampcats organization by the USL. Sitsanthaparn did not seek further inclusion with the USL and opted to fully dedicate himself to the instruction and promotion of Muay Thai,.
In 2009, the RGV Bravos FC picked up where the Coyotes left off and were successful in breaking into the United Soccer League-to bring the first professional soccer franchise to the Valley-an accomplishment which Sitsanthaparn spoke highly of and even prompted him to personally congratulate the then Bravos FC staff.
Amidst the inevitability of Bravos FC folding after only one season in the PDL, and given his previous experience with RGV Coyotes Soccer Club, Kru Kayan Sitsanthaparn, now Founder and Chairman of the Muay Thai Alliance of Texas (MTAT) was contacted by the few remaining Bravos FC staff members in an effort to find investors to keep the PDL franchise in operation.
Not able to find investors that would be willing to undertake the Bravos endeavor, Sitsanthaparn agreed to move forward with the project, and in March 2010, almost twelve years to the date of the Coyotes' first match, Sitsanthaparn acquired the franchise rights to RGV Bravos FC of the USL's Premier Development League With the same enthusiasm, attitude, and philosophy that was successful during the "Coyote" days, the team was moved to Brownsville,a city teeming with soccer talent and fanaticism, yet neglected by other sports franchises. The squad played its last season as the Bravos at Brownsville Sports Park.
On October 13, 2010, the Bravos FC brand, colors, and logo were altogether abandoned to allow for the development of a completely new franchise, with a strong philosophy and identity that reflected the Coyotes' tedious efforts and accomplishments.. Coming full circle with a project that began more than a decade ago, the Ocelots adopted the original colors of the 1998-2004 RGV Coyotes Soccer Club (Orange, Black, White, and Silver). The franchise adopted its mascot, the Texas Ocelot (an endangered species native to the area) and have the support of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
Team Owner Kru Kayan Sitsanthaparn currently sits on the Board of Directors for the Friends of the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge
. The refuge is known for being the last habitat in the United States in which the dwindling species lives. By agreement, partial proceeds from all Ocelots FC ticket sales at the gate benefit the Ocelot Adoption Program and Ocelot Foundation.
The Southern Premier Soccer League
accepted the team's letter of intent to join the league for the 2011-2012 season.
In December 2010, the Ocelots announced FBT(Football Thai Ltd.) as its official uniform supplier and its affiliation agreement with FC New York (USL Pro).
as the "Official Beer." 7UP/RC Cola Distributors is also a sponsor with Sun Drop Citrus Soda as the "Official Soft Drink." The Brownsville Herald and El Nuevo Heraldo (parent company: Freedom Newspapers) are official media partners.
Brownsville, Texas
Brownsville is a city in the southernmost tip of the state of Texas, in the United States. It is located on the northern bank of the Rio Grande, directly north and across the border from Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Brownsville is the 16th largest city in the state of Texas with a population of...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Ocelots FC was founded in 2010 and competes in the National Premier Soccer League
National Premier Soccer League
The National Premier Soccer League is a United States soccer league recognized by the United States Soccer Federation and FIFA as a Division IV league...
. The team plays its home games at Brownsville Sports Park.
History
Source:Following the demise of the Men's NCAA Division 1 Soccer Program at the University of Texas-Pan American, a void was left for Valley soccer talent rising up from the high schools and local amateur leagues.
The loss of the program at "Pan Am" in 1997 gave rise to clubs such as Border Bandits, Excel, Sun Devils, and Estudiantes with each of these clubs making their mark with a slew of accomplishments. Select squads were also chosen by the McAllen Amateur Soccer Association (MASA) to play certain invitationals and friendlies against the likes of Club America's 3rd Division Squad, or UAT Correcaminos (Mexican 2nd Division). While the teams were strong and loaded with players from the defunct UT-Pan American squad, they were predominantly from the McAllen area.
In 1997, the idea of bringing players from across the Valley surfaced in the form of RGV Coyotes Soccer Club. With very few players being recruited by the pros, the need existed for such a team to be created. Therefore, the idea of helping to promote local talent into the professional ranks through the Coyotes' activities would be the premise of its formation. The Coyotes, founded in 1998 and also owned and coached by Sitsanthaparn, were the first soccer team from the region actively seeking recognition from the United Soccer Leagues
The Coyotes squad played its first match against Houston Hurricanes
Houston Hurricanes
The Houston Hurricanes were a soccer club that competed in the United Soccer Leaguesfrom 1996 to 2000.-Description and history:The Hurricanes were a Division III franchise, and their Major League Soccer affiliation was with the Kansas City Wizards owned by Joseph "Joey" Marc Serralta Ives and...
of the USISL D3 Pro League at Tiger Stadium in Mercedes, Texas on March 28th, 1998. It would be the first time that a U.S. based pro club would play against a squad of top players from across the Valley. While the Coyotes lost a hard fought match to the Hurricanes 3-0, the bar had been raised and the standard set. Some members of the 1998 squad that hailed players from McAllen to Harlingen, included Ronnie Cabrera, Jesus Tavarez, Margarito Jimenez, Shane Hurley, Luis Almazan, Johnathan McCurley, and Hector Lopez.
It was later discovered that while the Coyotes lost to an experienced and talented Hurricane squad, they didn't lose as badly as some of the franchises that were part of the USISL D3 Pro League at the time. In 1997, Houston had reached the D3 Pro League Quarterfinals where they lost to the San Francisco Bay Seals
San Francisco Bay Seals
San Francisco Seals was an American soccer team based in San Francisco, California, United States. Founded in 1992, the team played in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2008, when the franchise left the league.The team played its home games...
3-0. After the Coyotes-Hurricanes exhibition, Houston had handily beaten the Shreveport/Bossier Lions (USISL) 4-0 and 5-2, and the Tulsa Roughnecks (USISL)
Tulsa Roughnecks (USISL)
The second Tulsa Roughnecks were an American soccer team that played in the United Soccer Leagues from 1993-99.-History:In January 1993, Tulsa businessman "Mack" Amini applied for a franchise in the United States Interregional Soccer League...
5-0 during regular season play in the D3 Pro League Unfortunately, with the Mexican First Division, South American, and European soccer leagues being the bread and butter and talk of Valley soccer fans, the USISL was largely unheard of despite being a domestic league with USSF ties. Hence, the challenging quest to bring a pro soccer franchise to the Valley began.
The Coyotes tasted success on April 29th, 2000 with a 3-1 win over the Louisiana Outlaws at the University of Texas-Pan American soccer field.
The team continued to play friendlies against clubs from Mexico (Petroleros de Cadereyta) and the United States (Laredo Heat
Laredo Heat
Laredo Heat is an American soccer team based in Laredo, Texas, United States. Founded in 2004, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Mid South Division of the Southern Conference....
--during its 2004 provisional season with the PDL),,. Through Sitsanthaparn's contacts in Mexico, the Coyotes managed to catch the attention of and were even able to secure a cooperative agreement with UANL Tigres
UANL Tigres
Tigres de la Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, often known only as Tigres or UANL, a Mexican football club that plays in the Primera División. It is one of the two professional football teams of the state of Nuevo León. The team plays home games at the Estadio Universitario, located in San...
.
The Coyotes' final roster included Anselmo Aparicio, David Compean, Alex Garcia, Harvey Quenaves, Jonas Lopez, and Jaime Sandoval--all of whom were selected and signed on to play for the Lafayette Swampcats final matches of the 2004 season in the USL's Premier Development League (PDL). Swampcats brass offered the franchise to Sitsanthaparn for relocation to the Rio Grande Valley,, but in the end was not purchased due to franchise restrictions imposed on the Swampcats organization by the USL. Sitsanthaparn did not seek further inclusion with the USL and opted to fully dedicate himself to the instruction and promotion of Muay Thai,.
In 2009, the RGV Bravos FC picked up where the Coyotes left off and were successful in breaking into the United Soccer League-to bring the first professional soccer franchise to the Valley-an accomplishment which Sitsanthaparn spoke highly of and even prompted him to personally congratulate the then Bravos FC staff.
Amidst the inevitability of Bravos FC folding after only one season in the PDL, and given his previous experience with RGV Coyotes Soccer Club, Kru Kayan Sitsanthaparn, now Founder and Chairman of the Muay Thai Alliance of Texas (MTAT) was contacted by the few remaining Bravos FC staff members in an effort to find investors to keep the PDL franchise in operation.
Not able to find investors that would be willing to undertake the Bravos endeavor, Sitsanthaparn agreed to move forward with the project, and in March 2010, almost twelve years to the date of the Coyotes' first match, Sitsanthaparn acquired the franchise rights to RGV Bravos FC of the USL's Premier Development League With the same enthusiasm, attitude, and philosophy that was successful during the "Coyote" days, the team was moved to Brownsville,a city teeming with soccer talent and fanaticism, yet neglected by other sports franchises. The squad played its last season as the Bravos at Brownsville Sports Park.
On October 13, 2010, the Bravos FC brand, colors, and logo were altogether abandoned to allow for the development of a completely new franchise, with a strong philosophy and identity that reflected the Coyotes' tedious efforts and accomplishments.. Coming full circle with a project that began more than a decade ago, the Ocelots adopted the original colors of the 1998-2004 RGV Coyotes Soccer Club (Orange, Black, White, and Silver). The franchise adopted its mascot, the Texas Ocelot (an endangered species native to the area) and have the support of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
Team Owner Kru Kayan Sitsanthaparn currently sits on the Board of Directors for the Friends of the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge
Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge
Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge is the largest protected area of natural habitat left in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. The refuge is located almost entirely in Cameron County, Texas , although a very small part of its northernmost point extends into southern Willacy County...
. The refuge is known for being the last habitat in the United States in which the dwindling species lives. By agreement, partial proceeds from all Ocelots FC ticket sales at the gate benefit the Ocelot Adoption Program and Ocelot Foundation.
The Southern Premier Soccer League
Southern Premier Soccer League
The Southern Premier Soccer League is an amateur soccer league featuring teams from Texas and Oklahoma and recognized by the United States Soccer Federation and United States Adult Soccer Association...
accepted the team's letter of intent to join the league for the 2011-2012 season.
In December 2010, the Ocelots announced FBT(Football Thai Ltd.) as its official uniform supplier and its affiliation agreement with FC New York (USL Pro).
Championship
On September 10th, 2011, Rio Grande Valley Ocelots FC defeated defending SPSL champions Houston Regals SCA 2-1 at Fairgrounds Field in Robstown, Texas. Ocelots FC now joins the RGV Vipers (basketball), RGV Whitewings (baseball), and Edinburg Roadrunners (baseball) in Valley Sports History to become the first minor league soccer franchise to win a championship for the region. Ocelots FC further has the unique distinction of winning the League title in its inaugural year.National Premier Soccer League
On October 11th, 2011, two days shy of the anniversary of the founding of the club, Ocelots FC Owner Kru Kayan Sitsanthaparn announced the club's acceptance into the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) as an expansion franchise in Texas for play in 2012. For purposes of development and future interests, the Ocelots will continue competing in the Southern Premier Soccer League (SPSL) with reserve and Under-20 players on its roster, while players on the 2011 Championship roster will compete in the NPSL.Corporate Sponsors
The Ocelots are sponsored by Glazer's Distributors/MillerCoors with Coors LightCoors Light
Coors Light is a light beer produced by the Coors Brewing Company. It was first produced in 1978.The beer has a "Cold Certified" label which turns the mountains on the label from white to blue when the beer's temperature is lowered to 4 degrees Celsius .- Promotions :In 2008, Coors Light became...
as the "Official Beer." 7UP/RC Cola Distributors is also a sponsor with Sun Drop Citrus Soda as the "Official Soft Drink." The Brownsville Herald and El Nuevo Heraldo (parent company: Freedom Newspapers) are official media partners.