Rovers FC (Guam)

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Rovers FC
ROVERS CREST DECAL.jpg
Full nameRovers Football Club
Nickname(s)The Rovers
Founded2009;16 years ago (2009)
GroundRovers Training Pitch "The Cage"
CoordinatesGR2F+8G Dededo, Guam
PresidentJoel Sablan
ManagerJack Kido
League Guam Soccer League
2024 G-League, 2nd
Website www.guamroversfc.com

Rovers Football Club is an amateur association football club based in Guam. Rovers FC senior team participates in the Guam Soccer League. [1] Rovers FC has men's, women's and youth teams competing in various national divisions.

Contents

History

Rovers Footbal Club (RFC) was founded in 2009 through the shared vision of four passionate amateur level footballers who committed to forming a competitive but social club. The masters (40+) team provided the foundation of the club with success in all championship finals from 2009–19. Numerous other fruitful tours resulted in travels to Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands and Hong Kong. Plans for the club's growth were cultivated during the many trips abroad and bringing those plans back to Guam. In 2010, a RFC Division 2 team was established in the Guam Football Association Men's League, winning several championships. In 2013, the club decided to enter the top level on the island through the development of a Division 1 men's squad that went on to win several championships from 2014-2019. A Guam women's squad was incorporated into RFC and won the 2015 and 2016 championships.

In 2014 to provide a sustainable base of grassroots players, it was also decided to form the first Rovers Youth squad in the u6 division with a plan to expand into all divisions. In 2017, to grow this grass roots program the club developed a partnership and home field in association with St Johns School by adopting their field and accepting local students into the club. In 2019, Rovers FC became the second largest club on Guam (over 200 player members) with a team in every youth league and adult division.

In 2022, RFC acquired an abandoned tennis court and developed it with artificial turf, converting it into a mini-training pitch to use for all youth and adult club teams.

Local competitions

The season for youth games held at Guam Football Association are usually spring (February to April) and fall (September to November). Rovers FC practices at St Johns School are held every Thursday 5pm-630pm and Sunday 8am-930am during the season. Offseason practices are held at Rovers Club mini pitch and are ongoing throughout the season. Mens, Women's and youth games schedule can be found on the Guam Football Association website.

Rovers FC D1 team secured a "double crown" by finishing as champions in their first year in the BGMSL and winning the Guam Football Association Cup in 2014. [2] The Rovers FC D1 squad repeated as Division 1 champions again in 2015 securing the privilege to participate in regional AFC competitions such as the AFC President's Cup (AFC CL for “emerging nations”) and now in the AFC Cup Qualifying Playoffs which has replaced the AFC President's Cup (2016 AFC Cup). The club's rise mirrored national team success which has seen the Guam national team move from FIFA ranking 201 to 146 over the previous five years.

International competitions

On many occasions Rovers FC has travelled to Hong Kong and Saipan with future plans to travel to the Philippines, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and other destinations. The Rovers FC also has plans to continue to springboard to new competitions in regional locations by becoming the very first club from Guam to take part in an official AFC Tournament, the AFC Cup Qualifying Play-offs. In the 2016 AFC Cup Qualifying Play-offs, Rovers FC competed against Dordoi Bishkek, the champions of Kyrgyzstan's premier league, and Benfica de Macau, the champions of Macau's premier league.

Rovers FC has a history of hosting various tournaments whereby clubs from foreign countries have traveled to Guam to compete. Club teams mostly from Japan and Saipan visit Guam to participate in these special weekend tournaments. There are plans on the horizon for these types of tournaments to become more frequent with visiting teams from Korea, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and the Philippines as well as the teams from Japan and Saipan. Rovers FC have already acquired the reputation as an outstanding hosting club and will continue to elevate these events to bolster that reputation.

Achievements

2013–14, [3] 2014–15, 2015–16, [4] 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19
2014, [5] 2016 [4]

Squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.Pos.NationPlayer
1 GK Flag of the United States.svg  USA David Drews
3 DF Flag of Guam.svg  GUM Bryan Torres
4 MF Flag of Colombia.svg  COL Gustavo Pro
5 DF Flag of Guam.svg  GUM Ajay Pothen
6 MF Flag of Guam.svg  GUM Darren Apiag
7 DF Flag of Yemen.svg  YEM Kazem Al sulaiwi
8 MF Flag of Guam.svg  GUM Bryan Cadiz
9 FW Flag of Guam.svg  GUM Min Choi
10 MF Flag of Guam.svg  GUM Mark Chargualaf (Captain)
11 FW Flag of Guam.svg  GUM Matt Robles
12 DF Flag of Guam.svg  GUM Ryan Quitigua
14 FW Flag of the United States.svg  USA Kayote Lawson
No.Pos.NationPlayer
16 FW Flag of Guam.svg  GUM Devan Mendiola
17 DF Flag of Guam.svg  GUM Nathan Sablan
19 MF Flag of Cuba.svg  CUB Daniel Jurado
20 DF Flag of Guam.svg  GUM Camden Aguon
21 DF Flag of Guam.svg  GUM Jonah Sablan
23 MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Kelby Hernandez
24 MF Flag of the United States.svg  USA Michael Crowley
25 DF Flag of Iran.svg  IRN Mobin Rezaei
26 DF Flag of Guam.svg  GUM Dominic Gadia
30 GK Flag of Guam.svg  GUM JR Campos

Club officials (board)

Continental history

SeasonCompetitionRoundClubHomeAwayPosition
2017 AFC Cup Qualifying Round Flag of Kyrgyzstan.svg Dordoi Bishkek 0–23rd
Flag of Macau.svg Benfica de Macau 2–4

References

  1. "Guam Football Association - Schedule & Results". www.guamfa.com. Archived from the original on January 28, 2016. Retrieved February 12, 2016.
  2. "Guam 2013/14". RSSSF . Retrieved February 12, 2016.
  3. "Guam Football Association - Rovers DI take Budweiser Soccer League championship". guamfa.com. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved January 4, 2017.
  4. 1 2 "Guam Football Association - Rovers FC D1 win Bank of Guam GFA Cup vs Shipyard". guamfa.com. Archived from the original on June 17, 2016. Retrieved January 4, 2017.
  5. "Guam Football Association - Rovers DI capture Bank of Guam 7th Annual GFA Cup title". guamfa.com. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved January 4, 2017.