Houston Dutch Lions

Last updated
Houston Dutch Lions FC Logo.jpg
Full nameDutch Lions Football Club
Nickname(s)The Lions
Founded2011;9 years ago (2011)(as Texas Dutch Lions FC)
OwnerMartin Kroeze
Vice-PresidentRobbert Kroeze
Head CoachMarco Pruis
2016 1st, South Central Division, NPSL
Playoffs: QUA
Website Club website
Soccerball current event.svg Current season

Dutch Lions FC is an American soccer club based in Conroe, Texas. [1] Founded in 2011, it formerly competed in the National Premier Soccer League, the fourth tier of the American soccer pyramid, before relocating its NPSL side to the Miami, Florida area. It now focuses solely on its youth teams.

Contents

The club is owned by Martin Kroeze.

History

Texas Dutch Lions FC was founded on November 17, 2011, and played their inaugural season in the USL Premier Development League in 2012, [2] finishing 4th in the Mid South Division of the Southern Conference but missing the playoffs.

The Youth Academy of the club began training in 2011 with only one location in Conroe, Texas. In 2012, the Youth Academy expanded to its second training location to service players in The Woodlands. [1]

On April 1, 2013, Texas Dutch Lions FC changed their official name to Houston Dutch Lions FC. The club has been using the new title for several months, but it was not official until 1 April. [3]

On February 12, 2013, the club announced the signing of new head coach, former Dutch player Hans van Arum, for the 2013 season. [4]

On February 18, 2014 the Houston Dutch Lions FC announced the signing of Marco Pruis as their new Head Coach for the 2014 USL PDL season. [5]

Since the 2016 season, the club joined the National Premier Soccer League in which the team also played during the 2017 and 2018 season. During the 2016 season, the Dutch Lions FC played in an 11-team Division (which the Dutch Lions FC won). Due to several new teams, the 2017 NPSL season was divided into the Heartland Conference and the Lone Star Conference (in which the Lions participate). In the 2018 NPSL season the Lone Star Conference had 9 teams compete, the Dutch Lions FC fell to Laredo Heat SC on July 14, 2018 in a thrilling 4-3 final.

In November 2019, the club announced that it would relocate its NPSL side to the Miami area for the 2020 season, and would focus on its youth programs. [6]

Colors and badge

The old Texas Dutch Lions FC logo. Texas Dutch Lions Logo.jpg
The old Texas Dutch Lions FC logo.

The Houston Dutch Lions FC crest is a modified version of Dayton's logo, featuring the white and blue field, with an orange lion centered on the crest. The script above the vector lion reads the club's name. The home shirt consists of an orange shirt, orange shorts & orange socks. Away the team plays in a white shirt.

Home ground

Training ground

Just before the 2018 NPSL season the club build seats in front of the club house, which added about 200 seats to the Soccer Facility.

Club culture

International partnerships

The Houston Dutch Lions FC share in the partnership of their ownership group and sister club, Dayton Dutch Lions, with Dutch Eredivisie champions, FC Twente. On January 17, 2011, the Dutch Lions Group signed a five-year contract to foster development of players, academy teams, training practices, and possibly facilitate loans or transfers of players between teams. [8] In the 2014 season, the Cincinnati Dutch Lions FC were added (joined the PDL). As of the summer of 2015, the Florida Gulf Coast Dutch Lions FC (Cape Coral, FL) joined the Dutch Lions FC group.

On Thursday, May 5, 2016 the Dutch Lions FC announced the signing of Heineken for their Dutch Lions FC NPSL squad. Early 2017, the club announced Woodlands Hospital CHI St. Luke's as sponsor. [9]

Game history

Games played in the NPSL

2016

2017

2018

See official website for more info: www.godutchlions.com.

Staff

Executive staff
PositionStaff
PresidentMartin Kroeze
Vice PresidentRobbert Kroeze
CEODennis Kroeze
Technical DirectorMarco Pruis
Coaching staff NPSL 2018 season
PositionStaff
Head CoachMarco Pruis
Assistant CoachMichiel van de Heijning
Goalkeeper CoachLeroy Zuiddam
Team ManagerCarlos Ortiz

Head coaches

Year-by-year

YearDivisionLeagueRegular SeasonPlayoffsOpen CupRecord
20124 USL PDL 4th, Mid SouthDid not qualifyDid not qualify6-8-4
20134 USL PDL 5th, Mid SouthDid not qualifyDid not qualify4-7-3
20144 USL PDL 5th, Mid SouthDid not qualifyDid not qualify1-10-3
20154 USL PDL 4th, Mid SouthDid not qualifyDid not qualify4-6-2
20164 NPSL 2nd, South CentralSouth Regional semi-finalQualified11-2-2
20174 NPSL 2nd, Lone Star DivisionQualifiedNot known6-1-3
20184 NPSL 3rd, Lone Star DivisionQualifiedNot known9-4-0

NPSL 2016 play offs: On Saturday, July 9, 2016, the Dutch Lions FC beat FC Wichita in the South Conference semi-final with an impressive score of 5-0 (the division final four was played in Tulsa, OK). The Liverpool Warriors fell that same day to the Tulsa Athletics (1-3). The South Central Conference Title went to the Dutch Lions FC after the team beat the Tulsa Athletics with 2-1 on Sunday, July 10. What followed was the South Regional semi-final vs Chattanooga FC (Tennessee), were the Dutch Lions FC lost with 4-0.

2017 US Open Cup: On May 10, 2017, the Dutch Lions FC hosted the NTX Rayados and beat them with 3-1. One week later, the team fell against USL side San Antonio FC with 2-1.

2018 NPSL season: The club boosted another winning season in the NPSL, winning 9 games and losing 4 games. Goals scored are 49, and goals conceded was 17.

Average attendance

Attendance stats are calculated by averaging each team's self-reported home attendances from the historical match archive. [10]

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References

  1. 1 2 "Dutch Lions: History". Dutch Lions. Archived from the original on 11 January 2014. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  2. "Dutch Lions FC Join USL PDL". USL PDL . 17 November 2011. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
  3. "Houston Dutch Lions Announce Official Name Change". Houston Dutch Lions. 8 April 2013. Archived from the original on 11 January 2014. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  4. "Dutch Lions Announce New Coach". USL PDL . 12 February 2013. Archived from the original on 12 April 2013. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
  5. "Houston Dutch Lions FC announces new Head Coach PDL team". Houston Dutch Lions. 18 February 2014. Archived from the original on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 10 August 2014.
  6. "Dutch Lions FC NPSL relocates team to Miami area". Miami Dutch Lions FC. 15 November 2019. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  7. "HDLFC Soccer Complex". Houston Dutch Lions. Archived from the original on 11 January 2014. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  8. "Dutch Lions Ink 5-Year Partnership". USL PDL . 17 January 2011. Archived from the original on 10 October 2012. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
  9. "CHI St. Luke's Health welcomed as club house sponsor - Houston Dutch Lions". Houston Dutch Lions. 2017-05-19. Retrieved 2017-07-09.
  10. https://web.archive.org/web/20100105175057/http://www.uslsoccer.com/history/index_E.html