The 2011–12 Tacoma Stars season was the second season of the Tacoma Stars professional indoor soccer club as a franchise in the Professional Arena Soccer League. Head coach Leighton O'Brien led the team to a 3–13 regular season record, leaving them 5th in the Western Division and out of the post-season.
The Stars participated in the 2011–12 U.S. Open Cup for Arena Soccer. They were granted a bye through the Round of 16 then fell to the San Diego Sockers 13–6 in the Quarterfinals.
History The Stars played this season's home games at Starfire Sports Complex in the Seattle suburb of Tukwila, Washington. General admission tickets were free but seating in this facility was limited. This was the team's only season in Tukwila after leaving their longtime home at the Tacoma Soccer Center and waiting for the purpose-built Pacific Sports Center to be completed.
This team was named after the Tacoma Stars that played in the Tacoma Dome from 1983-1992 as a member of the original Major Indoor Soccer League. An earlier version of this current franchise was incorporated in 2003 as a member of the Premier Arena Soccer League before moving up to the pro league in 2010.
Off-field moves Early versions of the Stars' schedule for this season showed matches against the California Cougars and the Phoenix Monsoon. The Cougars folded shortly before the season began and were replaced by a new franchise, the Turlock Express. The Monsoon franchise was revoked by the league in late December 2011 and replaced in January 2012 by another new franchise, the Arizona Storm, who inherited their roster and record.
Roster moves The Stars held open tryouts on September 29, 2011, at the Starfire Sports Complex. A second open tryout was held on October 6, 2011. In early October 2011, the Stars announced a preliminary roster for the season based on these tryouts that included several players from the 2010–11 team as well as veterans of the Kitsap Pumas, Seattle Sounders, and various area Premier Arena Soccer League teams.
Later in October 2011, the team announced the signing of players Leighton O'Brien and Kevin Sakuda, both veterans of the Seattle Sounders and several indoor soccer teams. O'Brien would also serve as the team's head coach this season.
In late October, the team announced the signings of Seattle Sounders veteran Viet Nguyen and English player Adam Nowland. On November 1, 2011, the Stars announced the re-signing of re-signings of defenders Steve Mohn, Vitalie Bulala, and Jeff Bader plus midfielder Mark Lee. On November 3, the team announced the re-signing of re-signings of defender Kris Bowers plus midfielders Ian Weinberg and Micah Wenzel. The same day, the team signed defender Kellen Wantulok, forward Eli Gordley, and midfielder Kyle Johnson, all formerly of the Kitsap Pumas.
Awards and honors Citing his 5 goals and 4 assists in leading the Stars through back-to-back victories over the team from Arizona the previous weekend, the Professional Arena Soccer League named Adam Nowland as its Player of the Week on December 7, 2011.
Schedule
Exhibition Game Day Date Kickoff Opponent Results Location Attendance Final score Team record 1 Saturday November 19 7:00pm at WSA Rapids W 9–5 1–0 Bellingham Sportsplex
Regular season Game Day Date Kickoff Opponent Results Location Attendance Final score Team record 1 Friday November 4 7:35pm at Turlock Express L 5–8 0–1 Turlock Soccer Complex 308 2 Saturday November 5 7:35pm at Turlock Express L 3–7 0–2 Turlock Soccer Complex 280 3 Saturday December 3 7:00pm Phoenix Monsoon W 9–5 1–2 Starfire Sports Complex 270 4 Sunday December 4 3:00pm Phoenix Monsoon W 13–5 2–2 Starfire Sports Complex 200 5 Saturday December 10 8:00pm Turlock Express W 10–6 3–2 Starfire Sports Complex 204 6 Sunday December 11 3:00pm Turlock Express L 6–10 3–3 Starfire Sports Complex 147 7 Friday December 16 7:05pm at Revolución Tijuana L 10–13 3–4 Furati Arena 150 8 Saturday December 17 7:05pm at San Diego Sockers L 3–8 3–5 Chevrolet Del Mar Arena 2,470 9 Saturday January 14 7:00pm San Diego Sockers† L 6–13 3–6 Starfire Sports Complex 211 10 Sunday January 15 3:00pm San Diego Sockers L 6–10 3–7 Starfire Sports Complex 159 11 Saturday February 11 7:00pm Anaheim Bolts L 10–12 3–8 Starfire Sports Complex 504 12 Sunday February 12 3:00pm Anaheim Bolts L 11–12 3–9 Starfire Sports Complex 243 13 Friday February 24 7:05pm at Revolución Tijuana L 6–13 3–10 Furati Arena 200 14 Saturday February 25 7:05pm at San Diego Sockers L 4–9 3–11 Chevrolet Del Mar Arena 2,123 15 Sunday February 26 § 1:00pm at Anaheim Bolts L 6–9 3–12 Anaheim Convention Center 249 16 Sunday February 26 6:00pm at Anaheim Bolts L 9–10 3–13 Anaheim Convention Center 367 † Game also counted for US Open Cup, as listed in chart below. § Game rescheduled from Sunday, December 18, 2011, due to "arena equipment issues".
2011–12 US Open Cup for Arena Soccer Game Date Kickoff Opponent Results Location Attendance Final score Record Round of 16 BYE Quarter-final January 14 7:00pm San Diego Sockers L 6–13 0–1 Starfire Sports Complex 211
References
External links Tacoma Stars official website Starfire Sports Complex official website