Cape Coral Hurricanes Team News

The Internationals had come and in force. The Miami United NPSL soccer team brought all but two of their high touted and famed international players to Cape Coral Friday night for the 2nd leg of the Everglades Cup Series between them and the Cape Coral Hurricanes.

They are coming! The highly touted and highly talented Miami United International soccer players are coming to Cape Coral this Friday night. The game will be the 2nd leg of the Everglades Cup Series that the Cape Coral Hurricanes and Miami United will play this summer. They are set to play each other four times for this special series and two additional times in NPSL (National Premier Soccer League) play.

Both teams are two of the newest to the NPSL and are members of the newly formed Sunshine Conference that also includes Jacksonville United, Tampa Marauders and the Georgia Revolution. The first leg of the tie that was held two weeks ago was a difficult one for the Hurricanes as they lost 6-0 but Miami had requested that the game be rescheduled to a Sunday afternoon game from the already scheduled Saturday night game and the Hurricanes were missing many key players that afternoon.

Even though the NPSL is primarily a developmental league in the U.S. Soccer pyramid, a few teams have made the decision to have professionals on their squad. Miami United is one of those teams that have made the decision to forgo the use of college players and instead have recruited top players from all over the world. According to their website at: www.miamiunitedsoccer.com, they have international players hailing from Honduras, Brazil and even a player that was signed by AC Milan in Italy. They list Simon Quintieri, Daniele Fortunato and Joao Paulo Marangon as the "Brazitalians" on the team, Mattia Desole as their key recruit from AC Milan and three other Honduran Internationals as well.

Most teams in the league use numerous college players to make up their squads and according to NCAA rules, those players cannot report to spring camp until after May 1st. So, as the Hurricanes and most of the teams across the country, are still waiting on some of their key players, those few teams, like Miami, have already had their full squads in camp and have been training regularly.

"It will surely be interesting," said Head Coach Joe Zakowicz, "our players got quite the education when we went to Miami a couple of weeks ago but it was good for them to play against that kind of quality."

J.P. Terrasi, General Manager of the Hurricanes had this to say, "it was shocking, to say the least, to hear that Miami had gone away from their initial intention of using college players and had decided to sign professionals. It’s great for them to be able to recruit top players like that, but it doesn’t bode well with having parity in the league. It surely doesn’t seem fair, but I know that our guys are up for the challenge."

This exciting game kicks off at 7 p.m. on Friday night, April 26th, 2013 at Cape High School. Tickets will be sold at the gate for only $6 for adults, $4 for students and then youth (14 and under) who are members of any youth soccer organization, can get in FREE with a paid adult as long as they wear their soccer club jersey. You can check out more specials online at: www.CapeHurricanes.com

For more information about the Cape Coral Hurricane’s NPSL team, players, tickets and ticket promotions, merchandise, schedule, team history, sponsorships, advertising, the Hurricane’s U23 Reserve team, or any other questions, please see our website at: www.CapeHurricanes.com or contact our General Manager – J.P. Terrasi at (239) 677-8752 or email to jp@capehurricanes.com You can follow them on Facebook and Twitter and you can also get information on becoming a Stormtrooper, which is their official supporter’s club at:https://www.facebook.com/StormtroopersCapeCoral

For more information about the NPSL (National Premier Soccer League), see: www.npslsoccer.net.

To download and read the full press release - CLICK HERE.

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Cape Coral Hurricanes Announce 2013 Season Schedule!

For Upcoming Inaugural NPSL - 4th Division of U.S. Soccer Season

April 1, 2013 - Cape Coral, FL

By J.P. Terrasi  - jp@capehurricanes.com

After an extremely successful first open tryouts where over 50 players signed up, the Cape Coral Hurricanes will hold their second tryout session of the season this weekend Saturday, February 9th and Sunday, February 10th at Ave Maria University.

The Cape Coral Hurricanes announced their full season schedule today that not only highlights their Inaugural NPSL (National Premier Soccer League – 4^th Division of U.S. Soccer) Regular Season games, but also some high quality games during their pre-season and post-season as well.  The Hurricanes will play two special soccer series called the “Gulf Coast Cup” Series with the Tampa Marauders and the “Everglades Cup” Series with Miami United both new teams to the NPSL. 

The Hurricanes will play a minimum of 11 home games this year at Cape Coral High School as they will be bringing in some major market teams from cities like: Miami, Tampa, Jacksonville and Atlanta.  The five teams will be playing in the newly formed Sunshine Conference, which will be in the South Region of the NPSL. 

The Hurricanes will also have two games against local All Star teams as they did most of last year’s Exhibition Season.  As you’ll recall, the Hurricanes played a full exhibition season in 2012 featuring games against four USL PDL teams as well as local All Star and tournament teams.  They ended the season with an impressive 4-3-2 record in their first year.

This year though, they aim to improve on that record.  J.P. Terrasi, the team’s General Manager states, “even though we are playing some big market teams, we have put together a very solid roster with some well known names from Southwest Florida.  Some of these players made the All Region and All State teams while they were in High School here over the past few years.”

“Now, they have taken their God given soccer talents to some top soccer college programs all over the Southeast but they are coming back home this summer to play with us.”  Terrasi also stated that they will be making their Pre-Season roster known in the next couple of days and will make the announcement about the formal 26 man NPSL roster very soon.

Head Coach, Joe Zakowicz (Head Coach at Ave Maria) has been training the players three to four times a week over the past few weeks in preparation for this upcoming Pre-season and NPSL season.  He is also excited about the possibilities that this newly formed team will bring.  “We are extremely pleased with the incredible turnout we got for our two tryouts.  There are definitely some talented soccer players here in Southwest Florida,” Zakowicz stated. 

“It’s going to be exciting to see these players play again.  They were fantastic in high school, went off to college to play for some good programs and now, after we told them of the progress and ambitions of our Hurricanes organization along with the fact that we got into the prestigious NPSL, they’ve agreed to come back home to play with us.  It’s going to be a great summer!”

Everyone can see the full schedule on the team website and as J.P. Terrasi claims, “it will be exciting to have these two “Cup” series take place right here in Cape Coral.  Cape Coral High School is going to be ‘soccer central’ this entire summer with all of these high quality games being played here.  We may even need to call it “Soccer City” or “Goal City” by the time we are done!”  Which of course refers to the recently popular coined phrase and success that the FGCU basketball team just brought to Southwest Florida. 

Who knows, the Cape Coral Hurricanes might just shock the nation with a run at the NPSL title this season and we’ll keep that incredible Southwest Florida sports momentum going.  In any case, we know that there will be some top quality soccer played this summer with the new NPSL season and with these two unique series of games. 

Both series of games will take place during their Pre-Seasons, Season and Post Season schedules.  On top of playing each of the teams in a Home and Away series for the NPSL league commitments, they will play each of them four times (two more home and two more away) to complete each of these series.  The winners of each series will get an actual trophy that will be engraved with the winner’s names and passed along each year.

It all starts though this coming Friday night as the Hurricanes will play the Tampa Marauders in the first leg of the “Gulf Coast Cup” Series at Cape Coral High School starting at 7pm.   You can check out more about this series and the other games for the Inaugural NPSL Season on the Hurricanes website at:  www.CapeHurricanes.com and just go to the Schedule page to see the links. 

The Cape Coral Hurricanes 2013 Season Schedule is as follows:

   HOME games in RED       AWAY games in BLUE

For more information about the Cape Coral Hurricane’s NPSL team, team tryouts, players, tickets, merchandise, schedule, team history, sponsorships, advertising, the Hurricane’s U23 RESERVE team, or any other questions, please see our website at:  www.CapeHurricanes.com or contact our General Manager – J.P. Terrasi at (239) 677-8752 or email to jp@capehurricanes.com For more information about the NPSL (National Premier Soccer League), you can see their website at:  www.npslsoccer.net. 

To download and read the full press release - CLICK HERE.

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Cape Coral Hurricanes Announce Second Open NPSL Tryouts!

Hurricanes Set 2nd Open Tryouts for Inaugural NPSL - 4th Division of U.S. Soccer Season

February 6, 2013 - Cape Coral, FL

By J.P. Terrasi  - jp@capehurricanes.com

After an extremely successful first open tryouts where over 50 players signed up, the Cape Coral Hurricanes will hold their second tryout session of the season this weekend Saturday, February 9th and Sunday, February 10th at Ave Maria University.

This is the next step towards building a team for the upcoming inaugural season in the fourth tier of U.S. Soccer. The premier men’s squad will face high quality competition as it strives toward the league playoffs and to qualify for the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

The Hurricanes are looking for players that hold amateur status; currently play in college or on club teams; play in local leagues; and former college or professional players still looking to compete at a high level. Since the NPSL season primarily takes place during the summer months, local players and college players alike will have the opportunity to get significant exposure while competing at a professional level.

The Hurricanes will play in the NPSL’s South Region in the newly formed Sunshine Conference that features teams from major markets such as: Atlanta, Miami, Jacksonville, and Tampa. There will be ten official league games culminating with regional and national playoffs that will result in a national champion. The Hurricanes will have a competitive schedule featuring at least 8-10 home games including special pre-season and promotional games.

Hurricane General Manager, J.P. Terrasi is very pleased with the tryout turnout. “We already have over 70 players signed up between the two tryouts”, he stated, “that’s more than most teams get at this level but our tryouts are a bit different than most others.  We not only put our players through a pretty strenuous trial, but we make it a bit more special as we give them an actual jersey, shorts and a commemorative t-shirt as well where most tryouts are only held for a few hours and they just slap a number on your back.”

Although most are local players from Southwest Florida, the Hurricanes are getting talent from all over the world.  “We’re excited about having such a diverse group of guys trying out for the team,” states head coach Joe Zakowicz. “We have a player that played in Mexico, another few that were from South Africa and played in Thailand, then a few others from England, Germany and Canada just to name a few.  But we also have players coming in from local South Florida colleges like Ave Maria, FGCU, Webber, Warner, Eckerd, NOVA Southeastern and St. Thomas in Miami.” 

As one of the newest clubs in the NPSL, the Hurricanes have a lot planned with their upcoming inaugural season.  “We have a very full schedule and we are planning on being very involved in the community”, exclaims Terrasi, “I know that some of our plans may sound rather ambitious, but we are an ambitious organization and really want to make a positive impact on the community.”

Terrasi isn’t intimidated at all by the large market teams that are in the Conference.  “We are   extremely excited about having major market teams come into town.  We plan on being extremely competitive.  The players we are looking at are very talented.  We’re very proud to be the area’s only NPSL team and the league is a perfect fit for our club and our vision.  We can’t wait to release the schedule and to announce the very cool pre-season and promotional line up that we have planned.”

Terrasi Media is co-sponsoring this year’s tryouts which resulted in a significant reduction in the tryout fee from last year. Early registration for this second tryout has been discounted from $195 to only $125 and $95 respectively and includes two days of trials and competition along with a team jersey, shorts, commemorative t-shirt, drinks and snacks.

For more information about the Cape Coral Hurricane’s NPSL team, team tryouts, players, tickets, merchandise, schedule, team history, sponsorships, advertising, the Hurricane’s U23 RESERVE team, or any other questions, please see our website at:  www.CapeHurricanes.com or contact our General Manager – J.P. Terrasi at (239) 677-8752 or email to jp@capehurricanes.com For more information about the NPSL (National Premier Soccer League), you can see their website at:  www.npslsoccer.net. 

Second 2013 TRY-OUTS:

For more information about tryouts, schedule, tickets, team history, sponsorships, advertising, the Cape Coral Hurricane’s NPSL team or the Hurricane’s U23 RESERVE team, please visit our website.  With any other questions, please contact our General Manager – J.P. Terrasi at (239) 677-8752 or email to jp@capehurricanes.com

To download and read the full press release - CLICK HERE.

To be taken to the Tryouts page of the website - CLICK HERE.

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Cape Coral Hurricanes Announce NPSL Tryouts!

Hurricanes Set First Open Tryouts for Inaugural NPSL - 4th Division of U.S. Soccer Season

January 8, 2013 - Cape Coral, FL

By J.P. Terrasi  - jp@capehurricanes.com

One of the newest clubs in the NPSL (National Premier Soccer League), the Cape Coral Hurricanes will hold their first tryout session of the season on the weekend of Friday, January 25^th – Sunday, January 27^th for all eligible players of any age. This is the first step towards building a team for the upcoming inaugural season in the fourth tier of U.S. Soccer. The premier men’s squad will face high quality competition as it strives toward the league playoffs and to qualify for the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

The Hurricanes are looking for players that hold amateur status; currently play in college or on club teams; play in local leagues; and former college or professional players still looking to compete at a high level.  Since the NPSL season primarily takes place during the summer months, local players and college players alike will have the opportunity to get significant exposure while competing at a professional level.

The Hurricanes will play in the NPSL’s South Region in the newly formed Sunshine Conference that features teams from major markets such as: Atlanta, Miami, Jacksonville, and Tampa.  There will be ten official league games culminating with regional and national playoffs that will result in a national champion.  The Hurricanes will have a competitive schedule featuring at least 8-10 home games including special pre-season and promotional games.

Hurricane General Manager, J.P. Terrasi is excited about the new season, “as most know, we’ve been working toward this goal for over two years.  We had a very successful exhibition season last year and are so proud that we are going to be playing in this growing and nationally renowned league.  The NPSL is a perfect fit for our club and we are extremely excited about having major market teams come into town from Atlanta, Miami and Tampa. 

We’ve shown that with hard work, perseverance and faith you can accomplish great things.  Hiring a high quality and experienced coach like Joe Zakowicz is a huge step for our club.  It shows that we have the ambition and determination to be the premier club in Southwest Florida for years to come.  We’re proud to be the area’s only NPSL team and we’re very confident that Joe and his staff will develop a highly competitive club that will play an exciting brand of soccer.  We’re planning on being highly involved in the community as we’ll be partnering with many businesses, organizations, youth clubs and schools so that we can offer an excellent entertainment value for the whole family. Our organization has a tremendous vision and we’re intent on building something special here!”

Terrasi Media is co-sponsoring this year’s tryouts which resulted in a significant reduction in the tryout fee from last year.  Early registration has been discounted from $195 to only $125 but includes at least two days of trials and competition along with a team jersey, shorts, commemorative t-shirt, lunch, drinks and snacks.   

FIRST 2013 TRY-OUTS:

For more information about tryouts, schedule, tickets, team history, sponsorships, advertising, the Cape Coral Hurricane’s NPSL team or the Hurricane’s RESERVE team, please visit our website.  With any other questions, please contact our General Manager – J.P. Terrasi at (239) 677-8752 or email to jp@capehurricanes.com

To download and read the full press release - CLICK HERE.

To be taken to the Tryouts page of the website - CLICK HERE.

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Cape Coral Hurricanes Announce NEW Head Coach

Hurricanes Christmas Gift Is The Best They Could Have Asked For.

December 29, 2012 - Cape Coral, FL

By J.P. Terrasi  - jp@capehurricanes.com

The Cape Coral Hurricanes have been extremely busy this off season with adding new owners, new business partners and new staff but the most impressive accomplishment to date happened on Christmas Eve as they received word that the head coach that they were hoping and wishing for had accepted the position.  Joe Zakowicz, who is also the men’s head coach for Southwest Florida’s own Ave Maria University, accepted the position only a few days after being offered it.

“It just seemed like a perfect match,” exclaimed Zakowicz, “after I talked with J.P. and Eric and had a few days to do some soul searching with my wife, it became clear that this was a great opportunity.  It impressed me that the team was Christian based and how the organization battled through adversity and came out of it with such a successful exhibition season.  They have a solid reputation and I hope that I can help build a team that everyone can be very proud of.  It really seems as though everything is falling into place. We have a lot of talent here in Southwest Florida and we’re going to compete at a very high level.  This is what I love to do and I’m committed to impacting our players... physically, mentally and spiritually.  I’m extremely excited about the upcoming season and plan to remain with the organization for years to come.  We’re intent on building something special here.”

Joe Zakowicz has proven success on both the men's and women's NAIA circuit. He just concluded his second season with Ave Maria University where he knocked off two-time defending conference champions, St. Thomas University, in a late season clash and placed two players on the All-Conference team. He accomplished that while also garnishing the respect of his peers with his selection as the conference Coach Of The Year!

Prior to Ave Maria, he was the architect of the Mid-Continent University Men’s Soccer program which he built into a national contender.  He led the team to a 142-64-18 record from 2000-2009. He has an overall record of 157-84-19 coaching collegiate men’s soccer (12 seasons).  He has posted an overall coaching record of 202-123-21 over 17 total seasons coaching both men’s and women’s soccer.

His teams won 6 regular season conference championships, 4 conference tournament championships, 3 region championships, and one national championship (NCCAA).  Zakowicz garnered 4 Conference Coach Of The Year awards, 2 NAIA Region Coach Of The Year awards, 6 NCCAA Region Coach Of The Year awards, and 1 NCCAA National Coach of The Year award while serving at Mid-Continent.  His players garnered numerous honors for All-Scholar, All-Conference, All Region, and All-American teams.  His 2001 Team also garnered the 2001 NAIA Team Academic Award.

 “I couldn’t be happier”, stated J.P. Terrasi, the Hurricanes General Manager, “This was honestly one of the best Christmas gifts I could have asked for.  Joe is an exceptional coach with a vast amount of coaching, administration and leadership experience.  He knows how to build a team and develop players but more importantly he has strong Christian values and an unwavering faith that will help build strong character in our players as well.”

Furthermore, Zakowicz also had numerous administrative duties over the course of his career including being MCU’s Associate Vice-President for Advancement which included duties in fundraising and grant proposal writing.  Prior to Mid-Continent, Coach Zakowicz was also the architect of the highly successful Bethel University (McKenzie, TN) men’s and women’s soccer programs which won the NAIA National Championship in 2008.

Prior to MCU, he helped rebuild the Oklahoma Wesleyan University women’s team that enjoyed their first winning seasons in their history and set more than 20 new school records while he was head coach.  He began his collegiate coaching career at NCAA III Wesley College in Dover, Delaware where he spent three years.   There are currently at least twelve former players and/or assistant coaches serving in the collegiate ranks that started under his tutelage.

Zakowicz also currently serves on the tournament board for the NAIA that just concluded its Men’s Soccer Championship last month.  He has served as a KIAC Conference Chair, TSAC Conference Chair, NCCAA Region Chair, NCCAA National Vice Chair, NAIA Region rater, and as NAIA National rater. Prior to coaching, he also enjoyed success as a player at Bartlesville Wesleyan College, now called Oklahoma Wesleyan University.

Outside of the soccer arena, Zakowicz has worked for the Pennzoil Company for more than eight years, and has also owned and operated his own businesses in the private sector.  He also started a soccer club in the Western Kentucky area.  He is a native of Rochester, NY, and is married to Darla Zakowicz.  They have one daughter, Alisha, and they currently reside in the Ave Maria community.

As one of the newest and most ambitious clubs in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), the Cape Coral Hurricanes will be making other big announcements over the next few weeks.  The NPSL season will take place during the summer months of May through July, with regional playoffs that will result in a national champion.  The Hurricanes will play in the South Region and in the newly formed Sunshine Conference that will feature five other teams:  Atlanta Silverbacks, Georgia Revolution, Miami United, Jacksonville United and Tampa Marauders.

For more information about the NPSL, you can see their website at:  www.npslsoccer.net.  For more information about the Cape Coral Hurricane’s NPSL team, team tryouts, players, tickets, merchandise, schedule, team history, sponsorships, advertising, the Hurricane’s RESERVE team, or any other questions, please contact our General Manager – J.P. Terrasi at (239) 677-8752 or email to jp@capehurricanes.com

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ABOUT CAPE CORAL HURRICANES:  The Cape Coral Hurricanes were established in January, 2012. They played a full schedule of exhibition games during the 2012 season while playing top local teams and four other 4^th Division teams.  They were accepted into the NPSL (National Premier Soccer League) on October 18^th, 2012.  The Hurricanes will be playing in the newly formed Sunshine Conference against the other five teams: Atlanta Silverbacks, Georgia Revolution, Jacksonville United, Tampa Marauders, and Miami United.

You can learn more about the players, schedule, tickets, advertising, staff, history, team merchandise and much more on their website:  www.CapeHurricanes.com .  You can also follow them on Facebook and Twitter as well. 

ABOUT THE NPSL:  The National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) is the successor to the Men’s Premier Soccer League (MPSL), which was formed in 2002.  By 2005 it became necessary for the league to expand to a national format in order to accommodate teams from the Midwest Region.  The NPSL expanded further in 2007 by adding a Northeastern Region.  In 2011, with the addition of a South Region and with the significant growth the region has seen in 2012 and the upcoming 2013, the National Premier Soccer League, and it’s over 60 teams, has truly become a nationwide premier league.

The NPSL is sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation (USSF), the governing body of soccer in the United States. The NPSL operates and is managed as a team-run league. The structure of the league allows each team to have one vote on the executive committee.  Each team is individually owned and operated, and is responsible for maintaining league minimum standards.  New teams seeking membership into the NPSL are subject to approval from an executive committee comprised of existing team owners.  You can learn more at their website:  www.npslsoccer.net .

To see the article on the NPSL website click on the link below. http://nationalpremiersoccerleague.com/home/685343.html#.UN_96jBrs24.email

To download and read the full press release - CLICK HERE.

To be taken to the Coach's page of the website - CLICK HERE.

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Cape Coral Hurricanes to Join USASA and Will Make U.S. Open Cup Run

After 2013 exhibition schedule, team will start qualifying play.

August 6, 2012 - Cape Coral, FL

The Cape Coral Hurricanes men’s premier soccer team just concluded a season to remember.

With a 4-3-2 winning record in their first exhibition season, they have something to build upon for next year as they will join the USASA (United States Adult Soccer Association), which is the nation’s premier national soccer organization and will allow them a chance to qualify for the prestigious Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup which is the nation’s premier soccer tournament which includes MLS teams and is the oldest ongoing national soccer competition in the United States.

After joining the USASA, the team will play in various tournaments and move up their exhibition schedule to the spring to prepare for an end of the season run at the U.S. Open Cup. Qualifying begins in April of 2013 where three teams from each region will win berths into the competition. “We are extremely excited about joining the USASA and anticipate making a solid run at a berth in the U.S. Open Cup,” says J.P. Terrasi, team General Manager. “We’ve been preparing all season for a break like this and this is something we’ve been working hard toward. We had a strong first year and definitely impressed people as we played some very strong teams while two of our three losses and two of our ties came from USL (United Soccer League) PDL (Premier Development League) teams. We also established some key relationships where our players can be scouted and recruited for collegiate, semi-pro and professional opportunities, both here and abroad, while also having the opportunity for a chance to play in the national championship.”

The Hurricanes had also worked toward getting into the PDL but decided that joining the USASA would prove a better fit for the team and the community. “By joining the USASA we will be able to grow the popularity of the sport and work closer with the various leagues and local soccer organizations along the entire gulf coast of Florida. It will also give us the opportunity to do some other things that we’ve been dreaming about and planning for including working toward qualifying for the U.S. Open Cup.”

The new plans will call for the team to continue to prepare in the off season as there are a big state and national tournaments on the horizon that they expect to play in. Their exhibition schedule was held in the late spring and summer this past season but proved to be more difficult than expected with the heat and the weather. By moving the schedule to the spring, they will be able to better market to the clubs, organizations and schools while also playing in more pleasant weather. It also will provide enough time for them to properly prepare for the national qualifying tournament called the USASA Werner Fricker Cup that will start in the spring of 2013. Being Cape Coral’s only sports team has been helpful as it proved to be something that the community can get excited about, rally behind and root for.

The team expects to take a few weeks off from training but will come back in the early fall where they will start their new season expecting yet another successful open tryouts and combine clinic. They will still be very involved in the community though with some off season promotions and will be partnering with some other local charities on fundraising events.

More information about these events and activities will be released soon but you can stay informed with the Cape Coral Hurricanes by going to their website or joining their team newsletter. You can see this season’s game results, their roster, buy team merchandise and learn much more on their website: www.CapeHurricanes.com . You can also follow them on Facebook and Twitter as well.

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Cape Coral Hurricanes Pulling Out All the Stops for Big Game!

The Team Gets Game Sponsor and Is Upgrading Concessions for the Game!

July 19, 2012 - Cape Coral, FL 

The Cape Coral Hurricanes announced today that they have secured the Hampton Inn & Suites in Cape Coral as the official Game Day Sponsor for this weekend’s big game.

"We are grateful to the Hampton Inn & Suites for their support for this game. Everyone knows how important this weekend is for the team and for our endeavors and we’re so glad to have such a community minded business supporting us in our efforts," stated J.P. Terrasi, the team General Manager. "I’ve known Dominick for awhile since our days of volunteering at the Cape Chamber events. He and the Hampton Inn have always supported events like this in Cape Coral and I’m so glad that they’ve agreed to step up and help us with this game."

This marks a special day in sports history for SW Florida and for Cape Coral with the United Soccer League (USL) Premier Development League (PDL) team Jacksonville Destroyers coming here to play in Southwest Florida for the very first time. The Hurricanes have already had four successful home games but this one has always stood out as one of the most important on the schedule. "Having such a high quality team come here to play us during our first exhibition year proves that we are getting support from the soccer community and we are building something special."

Terrasi also announced that Red–N–Margie’s Family Café will be providing the concession food services for the game instead of the traditional snacks and take-out pizza. After reading about the team, Chris Vianest contacted Mr. Terrasi about helping the team. "It was a perfect fit as we were looking to make this game more special than the others. When Chris contacted me about upgrading the food choices for the game, I jumped at the chance to work with him. They just got recognized for having one of the best burgers around and the fans are going to love it. It’s definitely going to add value to the game," stated Terrasi.

They will be serving classic American home-style combo meals that include hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken breast and more. As always, prices will be very affordable for these and other traditional concession items. "It’s because of the support from businesses like these that we can attempt such a big venture as this. I’m very grateful to the Hampton Inn & Suites and Red –N- Margie’s for support us and this incredible important game."

To help celebrate this monumental occasion, the Hurricanes are adding something special to the game. They are having FIFTY (50) prize drawings during the game for team merchandise, local gift certificates, ticket packages and more.

The game kicks off at 7 p.m. on Saturday night and tickets are only $5 but you can check their website for special discounts and coupon offers. The Hurricanes have four more home games scheduled. You can also purchase team merchandise online and various items at their merchandise tent during the games as well. They have t-shirts, embroidered polo shirts, embroidered shorts, mugs, license plates, tote bags, mouse pads and more for sale. You can see these items and much more on their website: www.CapeHurricanes.com along with more information, the upcoming schedule and exciting announcements. You can also follow them on Facebook and Twitter as well.

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Cape Coral Hurricanes Set to Play PDL Team Jacksonville Destroyers!

This Saturday’s historic game marks the FIRST time a PDL team plays in SW Florida!

July 17, 2012 - Cape Coral, FL 

The Cape Coral is about to host a United Soccer League (USL) Premier Development League (PDL) for the very first time! The Cape Coral Hurricanes are set to play the PDL team Jacksonville Destroyers on Saturday, July 21, 2012 at 7 pm at Cape Coral High School.

The game has been tentatively set for some time now but has been finally confirmed as both teams made special arrangements to make the game happen. "We’re so very excited that we are able to bring such a high quality PDL team here to Cape Coral in our first exhibition year," exclaims J.P. Terrasi, team General Manager. "We’ve worked very hard over the past year making this team and this special schedule happen and we’re thankful of the extreme generosity that the PDL teams have given us this year. This is our fourth game against the PDL teams but the first one at home!"

The Hurricanes have gone through some changes recently with the staff and players but the overall season’s schedule, promotions and operations have gone according to plan. The community has something else to be proud of with this team. The Hurricanes have gotten good support from the community ever since having over 500 fans show up for their inaugural intrasquad game a few months ago but they expect the turnout for this special game to well exceed that.

This marks a special day in sports history for SW Florida and for Cape Coral. This game proves that soccer is alive and growing here. It proves that with hard work and dedication, anything can happen but could not have been done without the proper support from the community. Terrasi states "It’s taken countless hours and numerous volunteers, sponsors, advertisers and investors to get us to this point. We’re extremely thankful for each of them and proud that we can prove to everyone that if we come together as a community, we can accomplish anything. This game is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the players and staff. Even through significant hardship, tremendous adversity and all the hurdles a first year team has to overcome, they have really pulled together and made this team something to be proud of."

To help celebrate this monumental occasion, the Hurricanes are adding something special to the game. They are having FIFTY (50) prize drawings during the game for team merchandise, local gift certificates, ticket packages and more.

The game kicks off at 7 p.m. on Saturday night and tickets are only $5 but you can check their website for special discounts and coupon offers. The Hurricanes have four more home games scheduled. You can also purchase team merchandise online and various items at their merchandise tent during the games as well. They have t-shirts, embroidered polo shirts, embroidered shorts, mugs, license plates, tote bags, mouse pads and more for sale. You can see these items and much more on their website: www.CapeHurricanes.com along with more information, the upcoming schedule and exciting announcements. You can also follow them on Facebook and Twitter as well. *Flyer attached*.

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Hurricanes Gearing up for the "Battle Over The Bridge" with the SWFL United team!

The Hurricanes brace themselves for a tough match against the veteran SWFL United team !

July 5, 2012 - Cape Coral, FL 

The Cape Cora Hurricanes have been practicing more often the past couple weeks as they prepare for their significant 5 game home stretch leading with playing the SWFL United team on Saturday, July 14 and continuing until the 2nd week of August.  "We hope to build each and every week, getting to know each other and continually get better with each game," states J.P. Terrasi General Manager of the team.  "This first game against the veteran SWFL United team will be a true test of our character and if we've truly come together as a team.  They have solid players with a history of playing at the collegiate level.  It will truly be a test for us."

This should be a great crowd as both teams have numerous family and friends that are coming out to watch the game and now with the Pre-Game and Post-Game parties set, family and friends can have something to do before and after the game.  We are thankful for the generous "Pre-Game Tailgate Party" sponsorship of the Hustler's Bar & Grill  and with Stevie Tomatoes being our "Post-Game After Party".  We truly want to thank all of our sponsors as we could not put a community team like this together without their support and the support of the business community at large and the City of Cape Coral.  This truly shows that this community can come together and pull off great events like these and continue to build the brand name of Cape Coral.

The next few games will show how far we've come on putting the City of Cape Coral and SW Florida on the soccer world's map.  Be watching for the news being announced in the next couple days.

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Cape Coral Hurricanes Travel up to PDL IMG Bradenton!

The Hurricanes played well against the league leading IMG Bradenton PDL team.

July 2, 2012 - Bradenton, FL 

The Cape Coral Hurricanes have continued their impressive schedule this early season with a trip up to Bradenton to play the PDL team IMG this past Monday.  This is a seasoned team where most have played together in the PDL for years.  With only three games remaining on their schedule they played their starting 18 to get them match fit for their stretch run.  The Hurricanes played well in the first half and played right with the starting 18 and kept the score 2-0 at halftime.  The second half proved to be quite a different story as the newness of the team truly showed and lack of knowing one another when the subs were let in and out.  Fitness too crept in as the new team got stretched on absolutely the largest field they have played on all year at the IMG campus.  "That field was much larger than any we had played before", stated J.P. Terrasi team General Manager.  "It definitely broke us down in the second half and I know where we have to spend a lot of our time over the next week or two of practice."

All in all in was a good showing by the upstart new team.  The IMG players were impressed with the play and were thankful for getting in a tough game before they end out their season with three straight and every important games that will make or break their season.  They must remain in the top two positions to get into the playoffs for the U.S. Open Cup in 2013.  That's been the team's goal since the beginning of the season and one that our Hurricanes can aspire to attain next season.

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Scoring Record Set versus Naples All Stars!

The Hurricanes scored six to lead the season in game scoring but Eldin Ramic scored 4 himself !

June 28, 2012 - Cape Coral, FL 

The Cape Coral Hurricanes continued their home success as they put in six goals against the ever strong Naples Jamaican All Star team.  "That team does very well in various tournaments around Florida and had developed quite a name for themselves but to come out and put up six versus them was definitely unexpected," stated J.P. Terrasi team General Manager.  Eldin Ramic did most of the damage with pulling a hat trick during the first half and then just before half time, George Olivier stroked a laser to the upper right corner from about 35 yards out.  That was definitely one of the shots of the year.

The second half begun a little more slowly and the Naples team put one on the board before Eldin got his fourth goal and the a penalty was called at the end of the game and Aldin Fazlic got in on the action and stroked the pk easily home.  The game ended 6-1 and the crowd had quite a lot to cheer about as they were once again led by the ever present Storm Troopers supporters group as they waved their flags, banged the drum and lead chants throughout the evening.

All in all a great night for Hurricanes fans as the weather was perfect and we got our 2nd HOME win under our belt.  Now a tough one set in a couple days as we take on the league leading IMG Bradenton PDL team on Monday, July 2.

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Cape Coral Hurricanes Set to Play Naples All Stars!

The Hurricanes will play the Naples based club on Saturday, June 30th at 7pm at Cape Coral High School.

June 28, 2012 - Cape Coral, FL 

The Cape Coral Hurricanes are having their next home game THIS Saturday, June 30th at Cape Coral High School.  They will be playing the Naples All Star men's team that have been a successful traveling team for years.  It will surely prove to be a great test for the new recruits of the Hurricanes after the recent staff and roster changes.  We are excited about the game and to finally move forward from the past couple weeks that have been very difficult on the staff and players. 

New players have been invited to camp over the past week and a half and they are all of local origin.  "We are dedicated the remainder of the season to moving in a positive direction with all local based players." stated J.P. Terrasi, team General Manager.  As indicated many times, there is so much great talent down here in SW Florida that we have no doubt we will be able to easily fill the vacancies that were left by the players that have decided to quit the team. 

We've already had some interested parties in helping with the coaching vacancies and will be making a decision on that very soon.  In the meantime, there are numerous volunteers that have stepped up and helped form the new team and are preparing them for our next upcoming home game on Saturday and then on the incredibly difficult game on Monday evening up in Bradenton against the IMG PDL team.  That game was postponed from Wednesday due to the tropical storm weather system that came through the area.

"We are looking forward to both games and will definitely give us a barometer for where we need to improve.  They both will be difficult but I know that the veterans on the team will help the new ones to quickly adapt.  The fans are in for a big treat on Saturday night".

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Cape Coral Hurricanes travel to Tampa and Impress once again!

The team fell short as they lost 2-0 but to a very well balanced and strong PDL team.

June 2, 2012 - Brandon, FL 

The Cape Coral Hurricanes traveled to Brandon to play the PDL team, the Tampa VSI Flames and were met with a very strong, well balanced team that dominated the time of possession and the midfield.  The teams were pretty evenly matched overall though aside and the difference came from a fabulous corner kick by the Flames at the very end of the first half as they scored with a free header to the upper right corner of the net.

Even after both teams made adjustments at half time, they fought very hard throughout the second half but in the end the superior fitness of the veteran Flames won out.  One of the Hurricane defenders came in a bit late for a tackle just barely inside the box and was called for a penalty.  The ensuing penalty kick though was met with a strong right hand from goalkeeper Derrick Hackett but still snuck in the left side of the goal which put the Flames up 2 to 0.

The end of the game came quickly thereafter and both teams shared handshakes and smiles for a well fought game.  The Hurricanes once again showed some class as they applauded the humble crowd at the Flames field and ended the evening with a quick team prayer at center field.

The Hurricanes are off for a bit as they prepare for their stack of home games coming up and a fierce game against the first place IMG Bradenton PDL team coming up in a few weeks.

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Cape Coral Hurricanes Home Opener a HUGE Success and WIN!

The team got the 3-1 win over the strong Fort Myers Genesis team.

May 25, 2012 - Cape Coral, FL 

The Cape Coral Hurricanes finally had their long awaited season home opener Friday night at Cape High School.  They took the hard-fought 3-1 win from a strong Ft Myers Genesis team and showed real promise as now they prepare for a huge test by playing the VSI Tampa Flames this Saturday.

The event once again started with "The Storm Is Comin' !" anthem playing as the Hurricanes made their way to the field.  Both teams were announced as the newly formed Stormtroopers Hurricane's supporters club lead the crowd into a frenzy.  They waved their ten foot hurricane banner, banged on the drum and cow bell and lead supporting chants throughout the game.

The inaugural team's first ever goal came from none other than Damian Vincent who is proving to be a strong scoring threat on the team thus far in the early season.  The score was leveled by the Fort Myers Genesis team shortly before half time with a thunderous, well taken shot.

After half time though, the Hurricanes turned up the heat and scored two others by David Torres and Craig Wilson, while Andreas Acosta had an instrumental assist.  Fans cheered throughout the night as the excitement built until the final whistle sounded with the score Cape Coral Hurricanes 3 and the Fort Myers Genesis 1.  Check out the full game recap in a few days which can be found by going to the Schedule page of the website.

Now the team is preparing for their upcoming battle the the formidable VSI Tampa Flames on Saturday, June 2.  The game will kick off at 7:30 pm at their Brandon Soccer Complex.  Follow all the action during the game on the team Twitter account:  www.twitter.com/capehurricanes .

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Cape Coral Hurricanes Inaugural HOME Opener set for Friday, May 25!

The first ever game will be played against Genesis, a Fort Myers based all-star team.

May 18, 2012 - Cape Coral, FL 

The Cape Hurricanes will FINALLY have their HOME opener this coming Friday, May 25, 2012 at 7 pm which will again be held at Cape Coral High School.  They will be playing Genesis, the Fort Myers All-star traveling team which has won many tournaments in the past. 

They will be playing their season home opener against the well seasoned, traveling all-star team ‘Genesis’ that plays out of Fort Myers and competes in various tournaments and competitions all over the state.  “We are excited to play Genesis”, states J.P. Terrasi, Hurricanes General Manager, “they are an experienced team with some very talented international players.  It will be a real test for our team but we played very well last weekend against the Panama Beach Pirates PDL team, so I know we will be ready.”

The game kicks off at 7 p.m. on Friday night and tickets are only $5 but you can check their website for special discounts and coupon offers.  The Hurricanes will be traveling to Tampa the following weekend on June 2 to play yet another PDL team called the VSI Tampa Flames.  The Hurricanes have thus far scheduled 5 games against actual PDL teams and a few more are still in the works as well.  “I was extremely excited to get these games scheduled against the PDL teams,” says J.P., “that was truly a surprise but shows that other teams are taking us seriously and we are for real.”

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Cape Coral Hurricanes Travel to Panama City Beach and Impress!

The extremely exciting, non-stop inaugural regular season game proved very worthwhile

May 12, 2012 - Destin, FL 

The Cape Coral Hurricanes traveled to play the Panama City Beach Pirates (PDL team) and definitely impressed as they displayed poise, talent and class for the entire game.  The final result of 0-0 surely didn't truly show the excitement and fervor of the game.  The Hurricanes got a goal rescinded as a great cross came through and Damian Vincent's header surely crossed the goal line before the Pirate goalkeeper batted it away.

Although the goal was taken away, the team did not let up but continued to press even harder.  Throughout most of the game, the Pirates had a hard time getting the ball past midfield as the Hurricanes dominated possession and shots on target.  Forward Damian Vincent had an incredible game as he blasted a 35 yard free kick that skid just off the ground only to miss the left goal post by inches.  Then, shortly into the second half, a fantastic cross came flying in and he thudded an OVERHEAD bicycle kick that missed the left goal post by no more than three inches.

Encouraged by some strong play and fantastic shots, the Hurricanes dominated the second half as well.  The Pirates did find a couple scoring opportunities from some strong midfield play and from terrific crosses but failed to really threaten.  Hurricanes goalkeeper Derrick Hackett proved staunch and resolute during the few times that he was tested throughout the game. 

The midfield was dominated by Sean McKinney and Paolo Acosta, while the defense was absolutely terrific lead by some gritty play from David Butzke.  Shortly before the second half though, after some tenacious defending, Paolo Acosta was injured and had to be removed from the game.

That incident only seemed to invigorate the Hurricanes as their relentless pressing and traps caused fits for the Pirates throughout the rest of the game.  You could just feel that a goal was imminent but before it could come to fruition, the final whistle was blown and the match ended scoreless at 0-0.

After the game, the Hurricane coaching staff and ownership talked at length with the Pirates coaching staff and ownership.  They were both very pleased with the performances and after admitting that they had started the game with their first team, the Pirates were extremely impressed with the talent, veracity and tenaciousness of the Hurricanes.  The teams got along well on and off the field and both promised to see each other again.  Hopefully, a rematch will be in the works soon.  You can read more about the game and see the full game recap at our team website.

The Hurricanes will be playing their INAUGURAL first regular season home game next Friday, May 25, 2012 at 7 pm at Cape Coral High School.  They will be playing their season home opener against the well seasoned, traveling all-star team ‘Genesis’ that plays out of Fort Myers and competes in various tournaments and competitions all over the state.  “We are excited to play Genesis”, states J.P. Terrasi, Hurricanes General Manager, “they are an experienced team with some very talented international players.  It will be a real test for our team but we played very well last weekend against the Panama Beach Pirates PDL team, so I know we will be ready.”

The game kicks off at 7 p.m. on Friday night and tickets are only $5 but you can check their website for special discounts and coupon offers.  The Hurricanes will be traveling to Tampa the following weekend on June 2 to play yet another PDL team called the VSI Tampa Flames.  The Hurricanes have thus far scheduled 5 games against actual PDL teams and a few more are still in the works as well.  “I was extremely excited to get these games scheduled against the PDL teams,” says J.P., “that was truly a surprise but shows that other teams are taking us seriously and we are for real.”

You can learn much more at our team website:  www.CapeHurricanes.com along with more information, the upcoming schedule and exciting announcements.  You can also follow them on Facebook and Twitter as well.  *Flyer below*.

Click to READ the Cape Coral Hurricanes vs. Panama City Beach Pirates Game Notes

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2012 Pre-Season News

To read more articles from prior to the 2012 season - CLICK HERE

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Former Press Releases

To read all of our official team Press Releases - CLICK HERE