Western Soccer League
Encyclopedia
Western Soccer Alliance was a professional soccer league featuring teams from the West Coast of the United States
and Western Canada
. The league began in 1985 as the Western Alliance Challenge Series. In 1986, it became the Western Soccer Alliance. In 1989, it existed for a single year as the Western Soccer League before merging with the American Soccer League
to form the American Professional Soccer League
in 1990.
in 1984 and the United Soccer League
in 1985, four independent teams - F.C. Portland
, F.C. Seattle, San Jose Earthquakes
and Victoria Riptides
created the Western Alliance Challenge Series in the summer of 1985.http://www.soundercentral.com/museum/FCupdates/1984/challenge_cup.htm They did so in order to fill the outdoor soccer void created by the failure of the NASL and USL. Many top outdoor players now languished in local semi-pro or recreational leagues. These players, along with local soccer officials, began parallel, but independent efforts to create local "super clubs". These "super clubs" then challenged other independent teams to games for little more than bragging rights. For example, in 1984 F. C. Seattle
hosted the Seattle Challenge Series against the Vancouver Whitecaps
, Minnesota Strikers
, New York Cosmos
and U.S. Olympic Team. Other teams held similar challenge series and it was from these efforts that The Western Alliance Challenge Series was born.http://www.soundercentral.com/museum/FCupdates/soccer_western_alliance.htm
Two of the Challenge Series' teams, F.C. Portland
and F. C. Seattle
were amateur teams. The other two were barely professional. However, all four teams drew their players from the ranks of ex-NASL players, local semi-pro teams, or local colleges and universities. By keeping their teams independent and amateur, Seattle and Portland could use college players without those players losing their NCAA soccer eligibility. Despite the low key nature of the teams and the loose "alliance" versus "league", the WSA would go on to attract some of the top American players of the late 1980s and early 1990s. A few of the more noteworthy alumni include Marcelo Balboa
(San Diego Nomads
), Paul Caligiuri
(San Diego Nomads
) and Kasey Keller
(F.C. Portland
). Others players which came through the league included John Doyle, Mike Lapper
, Cle Kooiman, Hugo Perez, Dominic Kinnear
, Paul Krumpe
and John Stollmeyer
.
and Canada
. However, only the games with the Brickmen counted in the rankings. F.C. Portland
hosted the first game of the series, playing F.C. Seattle in the Portland Civic Stadium. While only 2,906 fans attended this first game, the series gained significant positivie attention in the U.S. soccer press.
The collapse of the NASL had shaken the U.S. soccer community, which had hoped that soccer, led by the NASL, would become quickly established as a major U.S. sport. In hindsight, it became obvious that the NASL had overexpanded. This brought teams into the league which were not financially solvent. The four WSA teams intended to use the lessons of the NASL to avoid the failure of that league. First they maintained a loose organization, using the name alliance in order to stress the semi-pro nature of the WSA. They also reduced roster costs by using the semi-pro and amateur players mentioned earlier. The regional nature of the alliance also helped minimize travel costs. Despite the good early intentions, the WSA would in many ways mimic the rise and fall of the NASL.
The success of the 1985 challenge series led the four teams into discussions regarding the establishment of something more than the ad hoc tournament of the first year. F.C. Portland
, F. C. Seattle
and the San Jose Earthquakes voted to create the Western Soccer Alliance and elected San Jose Earthquakes president, Peter Bridgwater
, as the league's first commissioner. The Victoria Riptides
disagreed and withdrew, but was replaced by the Edmonton Brickmen
. Several other independent west coast teams which wanted to play beyond their local leagues also requested to join the new alliance. These included the Hollywood Kickers, Los Angeles Heat
and San Diego Nomads
. The WSA continued the first year practice of playing outside teams (Manchester City and Dundee
this year) with results counting in the alliance standings. Each team played 16 games and the champion was crowned based on end of year standings. The alliance would not have a post season until 1987.
leagues did exist: the MISL
and the AISA. The NASL had folded in 1984. The United Soccer League
had lasted only two years, 1984 and 1985. The second American Soccer League
had collapsed in 1983 and the third version of the league would not begin playing until 1988. Finally, the Lone Star Soccer Alliance
would not begin play until 1987. Because of this, the WSA attracted many of the top U.S. outdoor players. Some of these players also played in the MISL or AISA during the winter so they could accept smaller salaries in the summer.
In 1987, the league saw little change, except for the Edmonton Brickmen
leaving to join the newly established Canadian Soccer League. The Hollywood Kickers
also changed its name to the California Kickers. With the loss of Edmonton, the alliance reduced the number of games from 12 to 10. The alliance also established a three-team, post-season. At the end of the season, the top three teams were, in order, the San Diego Nomads
, F. C. Seattle
and San Jose Earthquakes. In the "wild card" game, San Jose defeated Seattle 3-0. However, San Jose's success ended there when the Nomads defeated them 3-1 in the championship game.
In 1988, The alliance kept the same teams as the 1987 season, but played 12 games, including games against two Canadian Soccer League teams, the Calgary Kickers
and Vancouver 86ers. The Seattle team, which had been known variably as F.C. Seattle, and the F.C. Seattle Storm, dropped the "F.C." from its name and became officially the Seattle Storm
. The league also began naming an All Star team. The alliance continued its practice from 1987 of playing only two post-season games, a "wild card" game and championship. This year, San Jose defeated San Diego 1-1 (6-5 PK) in penalty kicks. On July 30, 1987, Seattle gained revenge on San Jose for its 1987 wild card defeat by crushing the Earthquakes, 5-0, at Seattle's Memorial Stadium.
as league chairman.http://www.soundercentral.com/more_wsa_press_releases.htm The WSL also added three new teams, Real Santa Barbara
, Arizona Condors
and Sacramento Senators
. Several established teams also saw name changes, the San Jose Earthquakes became the San Francisco Bay Blackhawks and F.C. Portland resurrected the old local NASL name and became the Portland Timbers
. With the additional teams came a change in the league structure. Through the 1988 season, the WSA played as a single Division. With the addition of more teams, the league split into two divisions - North and South. The North Division comprised the San Francisco Bay Blackhawks, Portland Timbers, Seattle Storm and newly added Sacramento Senators. The South Division had the San Diego Nomads, Los Angeles Heat, California Kickers and two new teams, Real Santa Barbara and the Arizona Condors.
As the league began its 1989 season, things appeared to be going well, but the seeds of the WSL's eventual collapse had now been sown. The league, only four years from its founding as a semi-pro challenge cup, was now officially a league with two separate divisions and three new franchises. Salary and travel costs also began to rise as the league began to plan for the possibility of becoming a new national soccer league, similar to the NASL in its heyday. One of the factors pushing the WSL in this direction was the creation of the third version of the American Soccer League
on the east coast. Another was the announcement in July 1988 that USSF intended to create a national, first division league in the United States to fulfill a FIFA
requirement for the award of the 1994 FIFA World Cup
to the United States. The WSL was concerned that USSF would designate the new ASL as the Division One league, leaving the WSL as a permanent minor league.http://www.soundercentral.com/more_wsa_press_releases.htm In February 1989, the ASL and WSL announced they would merge for the 1990 season.
The 1989 season continued much as the season before, except for post season play, the league replaced the former "wild card" game with two semi-final games in which the top teams in the two divisions played the second place team in the other division. In the first semi-final, San Francisco Bay defeated Los Angeles 1-1(2-1 PK). In the other semifinal, San Diego defeated Portland 2-1. The championship game became a defensive battle, with San Diego defeating San Francisco Bay 1-0.
Following this game, the San Diego Nomads played the Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the ASL in order to crown a "national" champion. The game, played before 8,632 fans in San Jose's Spartan Stadium on September 9, 1989, remained scoreless until the 74th minute when San Diego's Jerome Watson
scored on a Thien Nguyen free kick. Just over a minute later, national team forward Eric Eichmann
scored for Fort Lauderdale. His strike was followed by one from Troy Edwards from a Marcelo Carrera assist in the 85th minute. Marcelo Carrera got a goal to join his assist when he scored in the 89th minute on an assist from Victor Moreland. The game was televised live by Pacific Sports Network. JP Dellacamera
provided play by play and Rick Davis
added color commentary.http://www.soundercentral.com/more_wsa_press_releases.htm
(ASL) to form the American Professional Soccer League
which would itself one day become known as the A-League. Despite the hopes of the WSL leadership, USSF
did not designate the new APSL as the top U.S. league. That honor would eventually go Major League Soccer
which began play in 1996. Instead, the WSL had a much less dignified end. It would join the NASL as yet another soccer league destroyed by overexpansion and high hopes. At the end of the 1990 APSL season, nearly all of the 1989 WSL teams folded, leaving only the San Francisco Bay Blackhawks to carry on as the lone WSA/WSL survivor in the APSL.
1986 Paul Caligiuri
, San Diego Nomads
1987 Brent Goulet
, F.C. Portland
1988 Marcelo Balboa
, San Diego Nomads
1989 Kasey Keller
, Portland Timbers
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
and Western Canada
Western Canada
Western Canada, also referred to as the Western provinces and commonly as the West, is a region of Canada that includes the four provinces west of the province of Ontario.- Provinces :...
. The league began in 1985 as the Western Alliance Challenge Series. In 1986, it became the Western Soccer Alliance. In 1989, it existed for a single year as the Western Soccer League before merging with the American Soccer League
American Soccer League
The American Soccer League has been a name used by three different professional soccer leagues in the United States. The first American Soccer League was established in 1921 by the merger of teams from the National Association Football League and the Southern New England Soccer League. For...
to form the American Professional Soccer League
American Professional Soccer League
The American Professional Soccer League is a former professional men's soccer league which featured teams from both the United States and Canada. It was the first outdoor soccer league to feature teams from throughout the United States since the demise of the original North American Soccer League...
in 1990.
Origins
After the demise of the North American Soccer LeagueNorth American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
in 1984 and the United Soccer League
United Soccer League
The United Soccer League was a professional soccer league in the United States in the mid-1980s.After the demise of the second incarnation of the American Soccer League in 1983, four ASL teams founded the USL...
in 1985, four independent teams - F.C. Portland
F.C. Portland
Portland Timbers, previously known as F.C. Portland, came into existence in 1985 as an independent U.S. soccer team based in Portland, Oregon. In 1989, the team adopted the name Portland Timbers. Portland was composed of both professional and amateur players. The amateur players largely came...
, F.C. Seattle, San Jose Earthquakes
San Jose Earthquakes
The San Jose Earthquakes professional soccer team is located in the San Jose, California, United States suburb of Santa Clara, and participates in Major League Soccer , the top level soccer league in the United States and Canada....
and Victoria Riptides
Victoria Riptides
Victoria Riptides were a soccer team based out of Victoria, British Columbia. The team played a single season in the Western Alliance Challenge Series in 1985.-History:...
created the Western Alliance Challenge Series in the summer of 1985.http://www.soundercentral.com/museum/FCupdates/1984/challenge_cup.htm They did so in order to fill the outdoor soccer void created by the failure of the NASL and USL. Many top outdoor players now languished in local semi-pro or recreational leagues. These players, along with local soccer officials, began parallel, but independent efforts to create local "super clubs". These "super clubs" then challenged other independent teams to games for little more than bragging rights. For example, in 1984 F. C. Seattle
Seattle Storm (soccer)
Football Club Seattle Storm, also known as the F.C. Seattle Storm, was an American soccer team based in Seattle, Washington. F.C. Seattle was a "super club" created to provide Seattle players an opportunity to play at a higher level than the local recreational and semi-pro leagues. In addition to...
hosted the Seattle Challenge Series against the Vancouver Whitecaps
Vancouver Whitecaps (NASL)
The original Vancouver Whitecaps were founded on December 11, 1973 and during the 1970s and 1980s played in the North American Soccer League . The Whitecaps achieved success, winning the 1979 Soccer Bowl. The Whitecaps of that era included international players such as Alan Ball, but also "home...
, Minnesota Strikers
Minnesota Strikers
The Minnesota Strikers was an American professional soccer team located in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area. The team played one season in the North American Soccer League and 4 seasons in the Major Indoor Soccer League....
, New York Cosmos
New York Cosmos
The New York Cosmos were an American soccer club based in New York City, New York and its suburbs. The team played home games in three stadiums around New York before moving in 1977 to Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, where it remained for the rest of its history...
and U.S. Olympic Team. Other teams held similar challenge series and it was from these efforts that The Western Alliance Challenge Series was born.http://www.soundercentral.com/museum/FCupdates/soccer_western_alliance.htm
Two of the Challenge Series' teams, F.C. Portland
F.C. Portland
Portland Timbers, previously known as F.C. Portland, came into existence in 1985 as an independent U.S. soccer team based in Portland, Oregon. In 1989, the team adopted the name Portland Timbers. Portland was composed of both professional and amateur players. The amateur players largely came...
and F. C. Seattle
Seattle Storm (soccer)
Football Club Seattle Storm, also known as the F.C. Seattle Storm, was an American soccer team based in Seattle, Washington. F.C. Seattle was a "super club" created to provide Seattle players an opportunity to play at a higher level than the local recreational and semi-pro leagues. In addition to...
were amateur teams. The other two were barely professional. However, all four teams drew their players from the ranks of ex-NASL players, local semi-pro teams, or local colleges and universities. By keeping their teams independent and amateur, Seattle and Portland could use college players without those players losing their NCAA soccer eligibility. Despite the low key nature of the teams and the loose "alliance" versus "league", the WSA would go on to attract some of the top American players of the late 1980s and early 1990s. A few of the more noteworthy alumni include Marcelo Balboa
Marcelo Balboa
Marcelo Balboa is an American former soccer defender who played in the 1990s for the U.S. national team, becoming its captain. After retiring from playing, he has worked as a commentator for ESPN and ABC and MLS games on HDNet and Altitude...
(San Diego Nomads
San Diego Nomads
-History:The Nomads joined the Western Soccer Alliance in 1986. In 1989, the WSA changed its name to the Western Soccer League and in 1990, the team joined the American Professional Soccer League in 1990 when the WSL merged with the American Soccer League. After winning the WSL championship in...
), Paul Caligiuri
Paul Caligiuri
Paul David Caligiuri is a retired American soccer player.Caliguiri's professional career spanned 16 years, during which he played for numerous teams in the United States and Germany, and for the U.S. national team...
(San Diego Nomads
San Diego Nomads
-History:The Nomads joined the Western Soccer Alliance in 1986. In 1989, the WSA changed its name to the Western Soccer League and in 1990, the team joined the American Professional Soccer League in 1990 when the WSL merged with the American Soccer League. After winning the WSL championship in...
) and Kasey Keller
Kasey Keller
Kasey Keller is a retired American soccer player who last played for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer....
(F.C. Portland
F.C. Portland
Portland Timbers, previously known as F.C. Portland, came into existence in 1985 as an independent U.S. soccer team based in Portland, Oregon. In 1989, the team adopted the name Portland Timbers. Portland was composed of both professional and amateur players. The amateur players largely came...
). Others players which came through the league included John Doyle, Mike Lapper
Mike Lapper
Michael "Mike" Steven Lapper was is a retired American soccer defender. During his fifteen year career, most of it spent as a sweeper, he played in England, Germany and the United States. He earned 44 caps, scoring one goal, with the U.S. national soccer team between 1991 and 1995. He was part...
, Cle Kooiman, Hugo Perez, Dominic Kinnear
Dominic Kinnear
Dominic Kinnear is a Scottish-born American former soccer player. He is currently the head coach of Houston Dynamo in Major League Soccer.As a player, he began his professional career with Scottish club St...
, Paul Krumpe
Paul Krumpe
Paul Krumpe is a retired U.S. soccer player. He spent two seasons in the Major Indoor Soccer League, two in the Western Soccer Alliance and two in the American Professional Soccer League. He was a member of the U.S...
and John Stollmeyer
John Stollmeyer
John Michael Stollmeyer is a retired United States soccer player. He played two seasons in Major Indoor Soccer League and one each in both the American Soccer League and the American Professional Soccer League. He also earned thirty-one caps with the U.S. national team from 1986 to 1990 and was...
.
1985 Western Alliance Challenge Series
In 1985, the first year of the series, the teams played a round robin, home and away tournament, called the Western Alliance Challenge Series. One of the more distinctive features of this series was the inclusion of games against outside teams, which counted in the final rankings. In this first year, the four teams played against Edmonton BrickmenEdmonton Brickmen
The Edmonton Brickmen were an Edmonton, Alberta-based soccer club that competed in two now-defunct leagues: the Western Soccer Alliance and the Canadian Soccer League.-History:...
and Canada
Canada men's national soccer team
The Canada men's national soccer team represents Canada in international soccer competitions at the senior men's level. They are overseen by the Canadian Soccer Association and compete in the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football .Their most significant...
. However, only the games with the Brickmen counted in the rankings. F.C. Portland
F.C. Portland
Portland Timbers, previously known as F.C. Portland, came into existence in 1985 as an independent U.S. soccer team based in Portland, Oregon. In 1989, the team adopted the name Portland Timbers. Portland was composed of both professional and amateur players. The amateur players largely came...
hosted the first game of the series, playing F.C. Seattle in the Portland Civic Stadium. While only 2,906 fans attended this first game, the series gained significant positivie attention in the U.S. soccer press.
The collapse of the NASL had shaken the U.S. soccer community, which had hoped that soccer, led by the NASL, would become quickly established as a major U.S. sport. In hindsight, it became obvious that the NASL had overexpanded. This brought teams into the league which were not financially solvent. The four WSA teams intended to use the lessons of the NASL to avoid the failure of that league. First they maintained a loose organization, using the name alliance in order to stress the semi-pro nature of the WSA. They also reduced roster costs by using the semi-pro and amateur players mentioned earlier. The regional nature of the alliance also helped minimize travel costs. Despite the good early intentions, the WSA would in many ways mimic the rise and fall of the NASL.
The success of the 1985 challenge series led the four teams into discussions regarding the establishment of something more than the ad hoc tournament of the first year. F.C. Portland
F.C. Portland
Portland Timbers, previously known as F.C. Portland, came into existence in 1985 as an independent U.S. soccer team based in Portland, Oregon. In 1989, the team adopted the name Portland Timbers. Portland was composed of both professional and amateur players. The amateur players largely came...
, F. C. Seattle
Seattle Storm (soccer)
Football Club Seattle Storm, also known as the F.C. Seattle Storm, was an American soccer team based in Seattle, Washington. F.C. Seattle was a "super club" created to provide Seattle players an opportunity to play at a higher level than the local recreational and semi-pro leagues. In addition to...
and the San Jose Earthquakes voted to create the Western Soccer Alliance and elected San Jose Earthquakes president, Peter Bridgwater
Peter Bridgwater
Peter Bridgwater was the first president of the San Jose Clash—later known as the San Jose Earthquakes—Major League Soccer franchise. Prior to arriving in the Bay Area, Bridgwater was an executive of the Vancouver Whitecaps franchise in the North American Soccer League...
, as the league's first commissioner. The Victoria Riptides
Victoria Riptides
Victoria Riptides were a soccer team based out of Victoria, British Columbia. The team played a single season in the Western Alliance Challenge Series in 1985.-History:...
disagreed and withdrew, but was replaced by the Edmonton Brickmen
Edmonton Brickmen
The Edmonton Brickmen were an Edmonton, Alberta-based soccer club that competed in two now-defunct leagues: the Western Soccer Alliance and the Canadian Soccer League.-History:...
. Several other independent west coast teams which wanted to play beyond their local leagues also requested to join the new alliance. These included the Hollywood Kickers, Los Angeles Heat
Los Angeles Heat
Los Angeles Heat joined the Western Soccer Alliance in 1986. They joined the American Professional Soccer League in 1990 when the WSL merged with the American Soccer League...
and San Diego Nomads
San Diego Nomads
-History:The Nomads joined the Western Soccer Alliance in 1986. In 1989, the WSA changed its name to the Western Soccer League and in 1990, the team joined the American Professional Soccer League in 1990 when the WSL merged with the American Soccer League. After winning the WSL championship in...
. The WSA continued the first year practice of playing outside teams (Manchester City and Dundee
Dundee F.C.
Dundee Football Club, founded in 1893, are a football club based in the city of Dundee, Scotland. They are nicknamed The Dee or The Dark Blues and play their home matches at Dens Park. Their shirt colour is dark blue. Dundee currently play in the Scottish First Division, having been relegated from...
this year) with results counting in the alliance standings. Each team played 16 games and the champion was crowned based on end of year standings. The alliance would not have a post season until 1987.
1986-1988: Western Soccer Alliance
When the Western Soccer Alliance began its 1986 season, it was the lone U.S. "professional" outdoor league. Two professional indoorIndoor soccer
Indoor soccer or arena soccer, or six-a-side football in the United Kingdom, is a game derived from association football adapted for play in an indoor arena such as a turf-covered hockey arena or skating rink. The most important difference in play is that the indoor field is surrounded by a wall...
leagues did exist: the MISL
Major Soccer League
The Major Indoor Soccer League, known in its final two seasons as the Major Soccer League, was an indoor soccer league in the USA from 1978 to 1992. After the folding of the North American Soccer League in 1984, the MISL was the Division I soccer league for the United States...
and the AISA. The NASL had folded in 1984. The United Soccer League
United Soccer League
The United Soccer League was a professional soccer league in the United States in the mid-1980s.After the demise of the second incarnation of the American Soccer League in 1983, four ASL teams founded the USL...
had lasted only two years, 1984 and 1985. The second American Soccer League
American Soccer League
The American Soccer League has been a name used by three different professional soccer leagues in the United States. The first American Soccer League was established in 1921 by the merger of teams from the National Association Football League and the Southern New England Soccer League. For...
had collapsed in 1983 and the third version of the league would not begin playing until 1988. Finally, the Lone Star Soccer Alliance
Lone Star Soccer Alliance
Lone Star Soccer Alliance was a soccer league that existed from 1987 to 1992. While the majority of the teams came from Texas, some also came from Oklahoma and Kansas.-History:...
would not begin play until 1987. Because of this, the WSA attracted many of the top U.S. outdoor players. Some of these players also played in the MISL or AISA during the winter so they could accept smaller salaries in the summer.
In 1987, the league saw little change, except for the Edmonton Brickmen
Edmonton Brickmen
The Edmonton Brickmen were an Edmonton, Alberta-based soccer club that competed in two now-defunct leagues: the Western Soccer Alliance and the Canadian Soccer League.-History:...
leaving to join the newly established Canadian Soccer League. The Hollywood Kickers
California Kickers
California Kickers were a soccer club based in Hollywood, California. They joined the Western Soccer Alliance in 1986. They initially played as Hollywood Kickers before changing their name for the following season. In 1990 the team name was changed again, becoming the California Emperors when they...
also changed its name to the California Kickers. With the loss of Edmonton, the alliance reduced the number of games from 12 to 10. The alliance also established a three-team, post-season. At the end of the season, the top three teams were, in order, the San Diego Nomads
San Diego Nomads
-History:The Nomads joined the Western Soccer Alliance in 1986. In 1989, the WSA changed its name to the Western Soccer League and in 1990, the team joined the American Professional Soccer League in 1990 when the WSL merged with the American Soccer League. After winning the WSL championship in...
, F. C. Seattle
Seattle Storm (soccer)
Football Club Seattle Storm, also known as the F.C. Seattle Storm, was an American soccer team based in Seattle, Washington. F.C. Seattle was a "super club" created to provide Seattle players an opportunity to play at a higher level than the local recreational and semi-pro leagues. In addition to...
and San Jose Earthquakes. In the "wild card" game, San Jose defeated Seattle 3-0. However, San Jose's success ended there when the Nomads defeated them 3-1 in the championship game.
In 1988, The alliance kept the same teams as the 1987 season, but played 12 games, including games against two Canadian Soccer League teams, the Calgary Kickers
Calgary Kickers
Calgary Kickers were a Canadian soccer team which competed in the Canadian Soccer League from 1987 to 1989. They were named the Calgary Strikers for the 1989 season. Their home stadium was Mewata Stadium in Calgary.-History:...
and Vancouver 86ers. The Seattle team, which had been known variably as F.C. Seattle, and the F.C. Seattle Storm, dropped the "F.C." from its name and became officially the Seattle Storm
Seattle Storm (soccer)
Football Club Seattle Storm, also known as the F.C. Seattle Storm, was an American soccer team based in Seattle, Washington. F.C. Seattle was a "super club" created to provide Seattle players an opportunity to play at a higher level than the local recreational and semi-pro leagues. In addition to...
. The league also began naming an All Star team. The alliance continued its practice from 1987 of playing only two post-season games, a "wild card" game and championship. This year, San Jose defeated San Diego 1-1 (6-5 PK) in penalty kicks. On July 30, 1987, Seattle gained revenge on San Jose for its 1987 wild card defeat by crushing the Earthquakes, 5-0, at Seattle's Memorial Stadium.
1989: Western Soccer League
The Western Soccer Alliance had seen nothing but success since its inception as a challenge cup in 1985. In 1989, it continued to build for the future. The alliance decided to become a formal league and with it came a name change to the Western Soccer League (WSL), with Bill SageBill Sage
William "Bill" Sage III is an American actor and alumnus of State University of New York at Purchase.- Filmography :* Simple Men ... as Dennis McCabe* Flirt ... as Bill...
as league chairman.http://www.soundercentral.com/more_wsa_press_releases.htm The WSL also added three new teams, Real Santa Barbara
Real Santa Barbara
Real Santa Barbara was a former football team. The name real, meaning royal, came from the Spanish teams , just like current MLS club Real Salt Lake. The club played in the city of Santa Barbara, California...
, Arizona Condors
Arizona Condors
The Arizona Condors was an American soccer team founded in 1989 as a member of the Western Soccer League. The team folded following the 1990 season.-History:In January 1989, the amateur Arizona Condors entered the Western Soccer League as an expansion team...
and Sacramento Senators
Sacramento Senators (soccer)
The Sacramento Senators are a defunct U.S. soccer team which spent a single season in the Western Soccer League in 1989. The Senators played in Sacramento, California.Carlos Azevedo, a defender,was later entered into the Sacramento Hall of Fame in 1989....
. Several established teams also saw name changes, the San Jose Earthquakes became the San Francisco Bay Blackhawks and F.C. Portland resurrected the old local NASL name and became the Portland Timbers
F.C. Portland
Portland Timbers, previously known as F.C. Portland, came into existence in 1985 as an independent U.S. soccer team based in Portland, Oregon. In 1989, the team adopted the name Portland Timbers. Portland was composed of both professional and amateur players. The amateur players largely came...
. With the additional teams came a change in the league structure. Through the 1988 season, the WSA played as a single Division. With the addition of more teams, the league split into two divisions - North and South. The North Division comprised the San Francisco Bay Blackhawks, Portland Timbers, Seattle Storm and newly added Sacramento Senators. The South Division had the San Diego Nomads, Los Angeles Heat, California Kickers and two new teams, Real Santa Barbara and the Arizona Condors.
As the league began its 1989 season, things appeared to be going well, but the seeds of the WSL's eventual collapse had now been sown. The league, only four years from its founding as a semi-pro challenge cup, was now officially a league with two separate divisions and three new franchises. Salary and travel costs also began to rise as the league began to plan for the possibility of becoming a new national soccer league, similar to the NASL in its heyday. One of the factors pushing the WSL in this direction was the creation of the third version of the American Soccer League
American Soccer League
The American Soccer League has been a name used by three different professional soccer leagues in the United States. The first American Soccer League was established in 1921 by the merger of teams from the National Association Football League and the Southern New England Soccer League. For...
on the east coast. Another was the announcement in July 1988 that USSF intended to create a national, first division league in the United States to fulfill a FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
requirement for the award of the 1994 FIFA World Cup
1994 FIFA World Cup
The 1994 FIFA World Cup, the 15th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in nine cities across the United States from June 17 to July 17, 1994. The United States was chosen as the host by FIFA on July 4, 1988...
to the United States. The WSL was concerned that USSF would designate the new ASL as the Division One league, leaving the WSL as a permanent minor league.http://www.soundercentral.com/more_wsa_press_releases.htm In February 1989, the ASL and WSL announced they would merge for the 1990 season.
The 1989 season continued much as the season before, except for post season play, the league replaced the former "wild card" game with two semi-final games in which the top teams in the two divisions played the second place team in the other division. In the first semi-final, San Francisco Bay defeated Los Angeles 1-1(2-1 PK). In the other semifinal, San Diego defeated Portland 2-1. The championship game became a defensive battle, with San Diego defeating San Francisco Bay 1-0.
Following this game, the San Diego Nomads played the Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the ASL in order to crown a "national" champion. The game, played before 8,632 fans in San Jose's Spartan Stadium on September 9, 1989, remained scoreless until the 74th minute when San Diego's Jerome Watson
Jerome Watson
Jerome Watson is a former U.S. soccer forward who spent time in the Western Soccer Alliance, American Professional Soccer League and A-League....
scored on a Thien Nguyen free kick. Just over a minute later, national team forward Eric Eichmann
Eric Eichmann
Eric Eichmann is a retired American soccer player. He played professionally in Germany and the United States and later served as an assistant coach with the Miami Fusion of Major League Soccer. He also earned twenty-nine caps and scored four goals, for the United States national...
scored for Fort Lauderdale. His strike was followed by one from Troy Edwards from a Marcelo Carrera assist in the 85th minute. Marcelo Carrera got a goal to join his assist when he scored in the 89th minute on an assist from Victor Moreland. The game was televised live by Pacific Sports Network. JP Dellacamera
JP Dellacamera
John Paul Dellacamera , known as JP , is an American sportscaster for Major League Soccer with the Philadelphia Union and the Fox Soccer Channel.-Soccer:...
provided play by play and Rick Davis
Rick Davis
Richard Dean Davis is a retired American soccer midfielder, and former captain of the U.S. National Team for much of the 1980s...
added color commentary.http://www.soundercentral.com/more_wsa_press_releases.htm
1990: Merger with the ASL
In 1990, the WSL formally merged with the American Soccer LeagueAmerican Soccer League
The American Soccer League has been a name used by three different professional soccer leagues in the United States. The first American Soccer League was established in 1921 by the merger of teams from the National Association Football League and the Southern New England Soccer League. For...
(ASL) to form the American Professional Soccer League
American Professional Soccer League
The American Professional Soccer League is a former professional men's soccer league which featured teams from both the United States and Canada. It was the first outdoor soccer league to feature teams from throughout the United States since the demise of the original North American Soccer League...
which would itself one day become known as the A-League. Despite the hopes of the WSL leadership, USSF
United States Soccer Federation
The United States Soccer Federation is the official governing body of the sport of soccer in the United States. Its headquarters are located in Chicago, Illinois. It is a member of FIFA and is responsible for governing amateur and professional soccer, including the men's, women's, youth, futsal...
did not designate the new APSL as the top U.S. league. That honor would eventually go Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
which began play in 1996. Instead, the WSL had a much less dignified end. It would join the NASL as yet another soccer league destroyed by overexpansion and high hopes. At the end of the 1990 APSL season, nearly all of the 1989 WSL teams folded, leaving only the San Francisco Bay Blackhawks to carry on as the lone WSA/WSL survivor in the APSL.
Teams
- Arizona CondorsArizona CondorsThe Arizona Condors was an American soccer team founded in 1989 as a member of the Western Soccer League. The team folded following the 1990 season.-History:In January 1989, the amateur Arizona Condors entered the Western Soccer League as an expansion team...
(1989) - California KickersCalifornia KickersCalifornia Kickers were a soccer club based in Hollywood, California. They joined the Western Soccer Alliance in 1986. They initially played as Hollywood Kickers before changing their name for the following season. In 1990 the team name was changed again, becoming the California Emperors when they...
(1987–89); Hollywood Kickers (1986) - Edmonton BrickmenEdmonton BrickmenThe Edmonton Brickmen were an Edmonton, Alberta-based soccer club that competed in two now-defunct leagues: the Western Soccer Alliance and the Canadian Soccer League.-History:...
(1986) - Los Angeles HeatLos Angeles HeatLos Angeles Heat joined the Western Soccer Alliance in 1986. They joined the American Professional Soccer League in 1990 when the WSL merged with the American Soccer League...
(1986–89) - F.C. PortlandF.C. PortlandPortland Timbers, previously known as F.C. Portland, came into existence in 1985 as an independent U.S. soccer team based in Portland, Oregon. In 1989, the team adopted the name Portland Timbers. Portland was composed of both professional and amateur players. The amateur players largely came...
(1985–88); Portland TimbersF.C. PortlandPortland Timbers, previously known as F.C. Portland, came into existence in 1985 as an independent U.S. soccer team based in Portland, Oregon. In 1989, the team adopted the name Portland Timbers. Portland was composed of both professional and amateur players. The amateur players largely came...
(1989) - Real Santa BarbaraReal Santa BarbaraReal Santa Barbara was a former football team. The name real, meaning royal, came from the Spanish teams , just like current MLS club Real Salt Lake. The club played in the city of Santa Barbara, California...
(1989–1990) - Sacramento SenatorsSacramento Senators (soccer)The Sacramento Senators are a defunct U.S. soccer team which spent a single season in the Western Soccer League in 1989. The Senators played in Sacramento, California.Carlos Azevedo, a defender,was later entered into the Sacramento Hall of Fame in 1989....
(1989) - San Diego NomadsSan Diego Nomads-History:The Nomads joined the Western Soccer Alliance in 1986. In 1989, the WSA changed its name to the Western Soccer League and in 1990, the team joined the American Professional Soccer League in 1990 when the WSL merged with the American Soccer League. After winning the WSL championship in...
(1986–89) - San Francisco Bay BlackhawksSan Francisco Bay BlackhawksSan Francisco Bay Blackhawks was a professional soccer team which came into existence in 1989 as a team in the Western Soccer League . The Blackhawks spent time in the American Professional Soccer League and the United States Interregional Soccer League...
(1989) - San Jose Earthquakes (1985–88)
- F.C. SeattleSeattle Storm (soccer)Football Club Seattle Storm, also known as the F.C. Seattle Storm, was an American soccer team based in Seattle, Washington. F.C. Seattle was a "super club" created to provide Seattle players an opportunity to play at a higher level than the local recreational and semi-pro leagues. In addition to...
(1985–87); Seattle Storm (1988–89) - Victoria RiptidesVictoria RiptidesVictoria Riptides were a soccer team based out of Victoria, British Columbia. The team played a single season in the Western Alliance Challenge Series in 1985.-History:...
(1985)
Champions
| Year | Winner (number of titles) | Runners-up | Top Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 1985 Western Alliance Challenge Series History of the 1985 Western Alliance Challenge Series. This series of games which included F.C. Seattle, the Victoria Riptide, F.C. Portland and the San Jose Earthquakes led to the creation of the Western Soccer Alliance which later merged with the American Soccer League to form the American... |
San Jose Earthquakes San Jose Earthquakes (NASL) San Jose Earthquakes was a professional soccer club that played from 1974 to 1984. The team began as an expansion franchise in the North American Soccer League. From 1983 to 1984, the team was known as the Golden Bay Earthquakes... (1) |
Victoria Riptides Victoria Riptides Victoria Riptides were a soccer team based out of Victoria, British Columbia. The team played a single season in the Western Alliance Challenge Series in 1985.-History:... |
|
| 1986 | Hollywood Kickers (1) | F.C. Portland F.C. Portland Portland Timbers, previously known as F.C. Portland, came into existence in 1985 as an independent U.S. soccer team based in Portland, Oregon. In 1989, the team adopted the name Portland Timbers. Portland was composed of both professional and amateur players. The amateur players largely came... |
Brent Goulet Brent Goulet Brent Goulet is a retired American soccer forward and later coached SV Elversberg from 2004 to 2008. He began his career in the United States before moving to England and Germany, and also earned eight caps with the U.S. national team. He was the 1987 U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year and was a... |
| 1987 | San Diego Nomads San Diego Nomads -History:The Nomads joined the Western Soccer Alliance in 1986. In 1989, the WSA changed its name to the Western Soccer League and in 1990, the team joined the American Professional Soccer League in 1990 when the WSL merged with the American Soccer League. After winning the WSL championship in... (1) |
F.C. Seattle | Joe Mihaljevic Joe Mihaljevic Joe Mihaljevic is a retired soccer forward. He runs a reputable year-round soccer school in Folsom, California since September 2003 and in March 2008, established the Mihaljevic Soccer Club - Top Gun, a champion competitive youth soccer club.-Youth:His father, Djuro George Mihaljevic, a native... |
| 1988 | F.C. Seattle Storm (1) | San Diego Nomads San Diego Nomads -History:The Nomads joined the Western Soccer Alliance in 1986. In 1989, the WSA changed its name to the Western Soccer League and in 1990, the team joined the American Professional Soccer League in 1990 when the WSL merged with the American Soccer League. After winning the WSL championship in... |
Scott Benedetti Scott Benedetti Scott “Benny” Benedetti is a retired American soccer player. He began his professional career with the semi-professional F.C. Portland in 1986 and ended it with the U.S. second division club Portland Timbers in 2005. While he spent most of his career in the lower U.S... |
| 1989 | San Diego Nomads San Diego Nomads -History:The Nomads joined the Western Soccer Alliance in 1986. In 1989, the WSA changed its name to the Western Soccer League and in 1990, the team joined the American Professional Soccer League in 1990 when the WSL merged with the American Soccer League. After winning the WSL championship in... (2) |
San Francisco Bay Blackhawks San Francisco Bay Blackhawks San Francisco Bay Blackhawks was a professional soccer team which came into existence in 1989 as a team in the Western Soccer League . The Blackhawks spent time in the American Professional Soccer League and the United States Interregional Soccer League... |
Steve Corpening Steve Corpening Steve Corpening is a former U.S. soccer player who was the 1989 Western Soccer League leading scorer. He three seasons in the American Professional Soccer League and three in the Continental Indoor Soccer League.... |
| Year | Winner | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|
| Western Soccer League Western Soccer League Western Soccer Alliance was a professional soccer league featuring teams from the West Coast of the United States and Western Canada. The league began in 1985 as the Western Alliance Challenge Series. In 1986, it became the Western Soccer Alliance... / American Soccer League American Soccer League The American Soccer League has been a name used by three different professional soccer leagues in the United States. The first American Soccer League was established in 1921 by the merger of teams from the National Association Football League and the Southern New England Soccer League. For... play-off |
||
| 1989 | Fort Lauderdale Strikers (1) | San Diego Nomads San Diego Nomads -History:The Nomads joined the Western Soccer Alliance in 1986. In 1989, the WSA changed its name to the Western Soccer League and in 1990, the team joined the American Professional Soccer League in 1990 when the WSL merged with the American Soccer League. After winning the WSL championship in... |
Individual Honors
MVP1986 Paul Caligiuri
Paul Caligiuri
Paul David Caligiuri is a retired American soccer player.Caliguiri's professional career spanned 16 years, during which he played for numerous teams in the United States and Germany, and for the U.S. national team...
, San Diego Nomads
San Diego Nomads
-History:The Nomads joined the Western Soccer Alliance in 1986. In 1989, the WSA changed its name to the Western Soccer League and in 1990, the team joined the American Professional Soccer League in 1990 when the WSL merged with the American Soccer League. After winning the WSL championship in...
1987 Brent Goulet
Brent Goulet
Brent Goulet is a retired American soccer forward and later coached SV Elversberg from 2004 to 2008. He began his career in the United States before moving to England and Germany, and also earned eight caps with the U.S. national team. He was the 1987 U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year and was a...
, F.C. Portland
F.C. Portland
Portland Timbers, previously known as F.C. Portland, came into existence in 1985 as an independent U.S. soccer team based in Portland, Oregon. In 1989, the team adopted the name Portland Timbers. Portland was composed of both professional and amateur players. The amateur players largely came...
1988 Marcelo Balboa
Marcelo Balboa
Marcelo Balboa is an American former soccer defender who played in the 1990s for the U.S. national team, becoming its captain. After retiring from playing, he has worked as a commentator for ESPN and ABC and MLS games on HDNet and Altitude...
, San Diego Nomads
San Diego Nomads
-History:The Nomads joined the Western Soccer Alliance in 1986. In 1989, the WSA changed its name to the Western Soccer League and in 1990, the team joined the American Professional Soccer League in 1990 when the WSL merged with the American Soccer League. After winning the WSL championship in...
1989 Kasey Keller
Kasey Keller
Kasey Keller is a retired American soccer player who last played for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer....
, Portland Timbers
Portland Timbers
Portland Timbers may refer to any of four distinct professional soccer teams:*Portland Timbers, a Major League Soccer expansion team that began playing in 2011....