Sigma FC
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Full name | Sigma Sports |
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Founded | 2005 |
Stadium | Paramount Fine Foods Centre Mississauga, Ontario |
Owner | Sigma Sports Solutions |
Managing director | Constantine Smyrniotis |
League | League1 Ontario |
2021 | League1 Ontario, 9th |
Website | Club website |
Sigma Sports is a Canadian youth soccer development academy and player management company based in Mississauga, Ontario.[1] 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.[2]
History[]
Sigma was formed in 2005 by Constantine and Bobby Smyrniotis as a private academy aimed to develop young Canadian soccer players.[3] Over the years Sigma have sent players from their academy to the NCAA and to trials overseas and have prided themselves as the premier private academy in Southern Ontario.
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.[2] 16 members of Forge's 2019 roster had played for Sigma in the past.[11]
Seasons[]
Season | League | Teams | Record | Rank | Playoffs | League Cup | Canadian Championship | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2014 | League1 Ontario | 9 | 8–5–3 | 3rd | – | Runner-up | – | [12] |
2015 | 12 | 12–6–4 | 4th | – | Runner-up | – | [12] | |
2016 | 16 | 14–2–6 | 2nd, Western (5th overall) | Did not qualify | First round | – | [12] | |
2017 | 16 | 17–4–1 | 2nd, Western (2nd overall) | Did not qualify | First round | – | [12] | |
2018 | 17 | 11–4–1 | 2nd | Group stage | Semifinals | Did not qualify | [12] | |
2019 | 16 | 8–3–4 | 5th | Quarterfinals | – | Did not qualify | [12] | |
2020 | Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic[13] | |||||||
2021 | 15 | 4–3–5 | 5th, Western (9th overall) | Did not qualify | – | Did not qualify | [12] |
Notable players[]
The following players have either played at the professional or international level, either before or after playing for the League1 Ontario team:
Kwame Awuah
Molham Babouli
Kyle Bekker
Tristan Borges
Tajon Buchanan
Sebastian Castello
Klaidi Cela
Robbie Cleary
Giuliano Frano
Santiago Frias
Sam Gardner
Mark Gonzalez
Jonathan Grant
Triston Henry
Evan James
Manjrekar James
Cyle Larin
Richie Laryea
Duran Lee
Baj Maan
Monti Mohsen
Chris Nanco
Oluwaseun Oyegunle
Greg Ranjitsingh
Dominic Samuel
Jelani Smith
Justin Stoddart
Kadell Thomas
David Velastegui
Emery Welshman
Lowell Wright
Marcel Zajac
References[]
- ^ Armstrong, Laura (October 23, 2016). "Local soccer academy has become playground for future stars". Toronto Star. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
- ^ a b Urciuoli, Anthony (October 1, 2018). "Forge FC names first-ever head coach". Global News. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
- ^ "Sigma Sports: About us". Sigma. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
- ^ Clarke, Ian (April 9, 2014). "Sigma FC: Laying the groundwork for Canadian youth development". Red Nation Online. Retrieved April 23, 2019.
- ^ Rowaan, Dave (April 8, 2014). "League1 Ontario announces teams for inaugural season". Waking the Red.
- ^ Hayakawa, Michael (April 10, 2014). "Vaughan to field 2 teams in inaugural soccer league". Vaughan Citizen.
- ^ @CreditRiverCup (August 11, 2021). "NEWS: We're excited to announce the 2021 Credit River Cup returns this Friday!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ Raza, Ali (August 14, 2019). "Credit River Cup announced for Mississauga-based soccer clubs". Mississauga News.
- ^ "MLS SuperDraft: Canadian international Cyle Larin selected first overall by Orlando City SC". Major League Soccer. January 15, 2015.
- ^ Davidson, Neil (January 15, 2015). "Canadian forward Cyle Larin goes first overall in MLS SuperDraft". Toronto Star.
- ^ Bedakian, Armen (October 5, 2019). "'It's a high level': Forge's Sigma alum praise League1 Ontario platform". Canadian Premier League.
- ^ a b c d e f g "League1 Ontario Historical Standings Men's Division". Canadian Soccer History Archives.
- ^ "League1 Ontario cancels Fall season plans for 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions". Canadian Premier League. September 4, 2020.
External links[]
- Soccer clubs in Ontario
- League1 Ontario teams
- Sport in Mississauga
- 2005 establishments in Ontario