Sigma FC

Last updated

Sigma FC
Sigma FC logo.png
Full nameSigma Sports
Nickname(s)The Betas
Founded2005
Stadium Paramount Fine Foods Centre
Mississauga, Ontario
OwnerSigma Sports Solutions
Managing directorConstantine Smyrniotis
Head coachJohn Zervos
League League1 Ontario
2024 L1O-P, 9th
Website http://www.sigmafc.ca/
Soccerball current event.svg Current season

Sigma Sports is a Canadian youth soccer development academy and player management company based in Mississauga, Ontario. They also operate a senior academy soccer team that currently competes in League1 Ontario, as Sigma FC. Over 140 Sigma players have gone on to play NCAA or U Sports soccer on scholarships.

Contents

History

Sigma was formed in 2005 by Constantine and Bobby Smyrniotis as a private academy aimed to develop young Canadian soccer players. [1] Over the years Sigma have sent players from their academy to the NCAA and to trials overseas. [2] [3]

When League1 Ontario was formed in early 2014, Sigma announced they would be entering their senior academy team to compete as part of inaugural season. [4] [5] They were one of the three Ontario Soccer Association Recognized Non-Club Academies permitted to enter a team in the league, along with ANB Futbol and Master's FA. [6] The Mississauga-based League1 Ontario teams - Sigma FC and North Mississauga SC (and formerly the now-Brampton-based ProStars FC) [7] - compete annually for the Credit River Cup, awarded by the Sauga City Collective supporters group, with the team's matches against each other during the L1O deciding the victor. [8]

Sigma made news in January 2015 when academy player Cyle Larin was drafted first overall by Major League Soccer club Orlando City at the 2015 MLS SuperDraft. [9] This was the first time a Canadian went first overall in an MLS draft. [10]

On October 1, 2018, Sigma co-founder Bobby Smyrniotis was named head coach and technical director of Canadian Premier League club Forge FC. Bobby had served as technical director and first team head coach of Sigma from 2005 to 2018. [11] 16 members of Forge's 2019 roster had played for Sigma in the past. [12] In 2023, they formalized their affiliation with Canadian Premier League club Forge FC, which enables Forge to send players to Sigma on short-term loans throughout the season. [13] [14]

Seasons

SeasonLeagueTeamsRecordRankPlayoffsLeague CupRef
2014 League1 Ontario 98–5–33rdRunner-up [15]
2015 1212–6–44thRunner-up [15]
2016 1614–2–62nd, Western (5th overall)did not qualifyFirst round [15]
2017 1617–4–12nd, Western (2nd overall)did not qualifyFirst round [15]
2018 1711–4–12ndGroup stageSemifinals [15]
2019 168–3–45thQuarterfinals [15]
2020 Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic [16]
2021 154–3–55th, Western (9th overall)did not qualify [15]
2022 229–4–89thdid not qualify [15]
2023 219–5–69thdid not qualify [15]
2024 League1 Ontario Premier 127–4–119thQuarter-Finals

Notable players

The following players have either played at the professional or international level, either before or after playing for the League1 Ontario team:

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kyle Bekker</span> Canadian soccer player

Kyle Edward Bekker is a Canadian professional soccer midfielder and team captain for Forge FC of the Canadian Premier League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cyle Larin</span> Canadian soccer player

Cyle Christopher Larin is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a striker or a left winger for La Liga club Mallorca and the Canada national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Molham Babouli</span> Syrian footballer

Molham "Mo" Babouli is a professional footballer who plays for York United of the Canadian Premier League. Born in the United Arab Emirates, he represented Canada at youth level and currently represents the Syria national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ProStars FC</span> Canadian soccer team

Prostars FC is a Canadian soccer team based in Brampton, Ontario. The organization was founded in 2013. The club plays in the semi-professional League1 Ontario, part of the third division in the Canadian soccer league system in both the men's and women's divisions. The team play their home games at Victoria Park Stadium in Brampton, Ontario. The team's colours are blue for home games and white for away games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richie Laryea</span> Canadian soccer player

Richmond Mamah Laryea is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a right-back or midfielder for Major League Soccer club Toronto FC and the Canada national team.

Klaidi Cela is a Canadian soccer player who plays for the Richmond Kickers in USL League One.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Nanco</span> Canadian soccer player

Christopher Lenroy Nanco is a Canadian former professional soccer player.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kwame Awuah</span> Canadian soccer player

Kwame Awuah is a Canadian professional soccer player who currently plays for Loudoun United FC in the USL Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bobby Smyrniotis</span> Canadian soccer coach (born 1979)

Haralambos "Bobby" Smyrniotis is a Canadian soccer coach and former player who works as head coach of Forge FC of the Canadian Premier League. Smyrniotis is the co-founder of the Sigma FC soccer academy based in Mississauga.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Triston Henry</span> Canadian soccer player

Triston Javon Henry is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper.

Kadell Thomas is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays for Sigma FC in League1 Ontario.

Marcel Dominik Zajac is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a forward for League1 Ontario club Vaughan Azzurri.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tristan Borges</span> Canadian soccer player

Tristan Daniel Borges is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for Canadian Premier League club Forge FC.

Oluwaseun Oyegunle is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a defender for Sigma FC in League1 Ontario.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Mississauga SC</span> Canadian soccer team

North Mississauga Soccer Club is a Canadian semi-professional soccer club based in Mississauga, Ontario. The club was founded in 1982 as a youth soccer club and added its men's semi-professional club in League1 Ontario in 2016. The team plays home games at Mattamy Sports Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baj Maan</span> Canadian soccer player

Baj Maan is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for Vaughan Azzurri in League1 Ontario.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simcoe County Rovers FC</span> Canadian soccer team in Barrie, Ontario

Simcoe County Rovers Football Club is a Canadian semi-professional soccer club based in Barrie, Ontario, that plays in the League1 Ontario Premier men's and women's divisions. The Rovers won the 2023 League1 Ontario championship and qualified for the 2024 Canadian Championship. The Rovers played their first season in League1 Ontario in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simon Triantafillou</span> Professional Canadian soccer player (born 2001)

Simon Triantafillou is a Canadian soccer player who plays for Burlington SC in League1 Ontario.

Marcus Caldeira is a Canadian soccer player.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 Forge FC season</span> Forge FC 2023 soccer season

The 2023 Forge FC season was the fifth season in the history of Forge FC and the club's fifth season in the Canadian Premier League (CPL), the top flight in Canadian soccer. Forge were the defending CPL champions, having defeated Atlético Ottawa in the 2022 Canadian Premier League final. The club was managed by Bobby Smyrniotis in his fifth season as head coach and first season as sporting director. This was Forge FC's first season without any matches in international competitions after having failed to qualify for the 2023 CONCACAF Champions League.

References

  1. "Sigma Sports: About us". Sigma. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  2. Armstrong, Laura (October 23, 2016). "Local soccer academy has become playground for future stars". Toronto Star . Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  3. Bates, Matt. "A Bluffer's Guide to Sigma". League1 Ontario .
  4. Clarke, Ian (April 9, 2014). "Sigma FC: Laying the groundwork for Canadian youth development". Red Nation Online . Retrieved April 23, 2019.
  5. Rowaan, Dave (April 8, 2014). "League1 Ontario announces teams for inaugural season". Waking the Red.
  6. Hayakawa, Michael (April 10, 2014). "Vaughan to field 2 teams in inaugural soccer league". Vaughan Citizen.
  7. @CreditRiverCup (August 11, 2021). "NEWS: We're excited to announce the 2021 Credit River Cup returns this Friday!" (Tweet) via Twitter.
  8. Raza, Ali (August 14, 2019). "Credit River Cup announced for Mississauga-based soccer clubs". Mississauga News .
  9. "MLS SuperDraft: Canadian international Cyle Larin selected first overall by Orlando City SC". Major League Soccer . January 15, 2015.
  10. Davidson, Neil (January 15, 2015). "Canadian forward Cyle Larin goes first overall in MLS SuperDraft". Toronto Star .
  11. Urciuoli, Anthony (October 1, 2018). "Forge FC names first-ever head coach". Global News . Retrieved April 22, 2019.
  12. Bedakian, Armen (October 5, 2019). "'It's a high level': Forge's Sigma alum praise League1 Ontario platform". Canadian Premier League .
  13. "Canadian Premier League announces downward player movement pilot project". Canadian Premier League. April 21, 2023. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  14. Mahmoudi, Nelson (April 22, 2023). "CPL Introduces Affiliation Pilot Project With Lower Divisions". Northern Tribune. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "League1 Ontario Historical Standings Men's Division". Canadian Soccer History Archives.
  16. "League1 Ontario cancels Fall season plans for 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions". Canadian Premier League . September 4, 2020.