Thursday, October 31, 2002
TAMPA, FL – United Soccer Leagues announced today that 11 individuals will be inducted into the USL Hall of Fame on opening day of its Annual Operations Meeting November 7 in the Builders category.
The Builders category honors individuals who have forged and built USL and the sport of soccer in North America. It is one of four categories in the Hall of Fame. The others include Coaches, Players and 10+ Club, which was announced yesterday.
USL will announce the inductees for the Coaches and Players categories Friday. Three coaches will be honored along with four players.
The individuals to be recognized for their significant contributions, dedication, determination, sacrifice, vision and character are Lynn Agee (Nashville Metros), Anthony Bakker (Charleston Battery), Mike Balson (USL, Atlanta Express/Magic/Silverbacks), Joe Brown (Delaware Wizards, Carolina Dynamo), Enrique Cervantes (El Paso Patriots), Francisco Marcos (USL, Austin Sockadillos), Giles Malone (Cocoa Expos), Neil Macpherson (Carolina Dynamo), Pat Parker (USL), Devinder Sandhu (Nashville Metros) and Richard Stottler (Cocoa Expos).
“This year’s class will only be the beginning as there are so many people who deserve to be recognized for tremendous efforts and personal sacrifices made over the years on behalf of United Soccer Leagues and the sport of soccer in North America,” said USL President and founder Francisco Marcos.
“Without these individuals, I can honestly say that USL and soccer in North America would not be where it is today. These men are pioneers and risk-takers that should be honored for what they have done. I am proud to have them as colleagues and as friends. In most cases, they put their money where their heart is.”
Each of the individuals to be honored as Builders has been involved with USL as a team owner/executive or USL administrator for 10 or more years.
“We have established 10 years as a benchmark for recognition,” said USL President and founder Francisco Marcos. “Reaching that plateau is an outstanding achievement in this business and it is important to recognize these clubs and individuals for their dedication and ability to persevere through numerous hardships, which no person or club is exempt from.”
“We have wanted to establish a USL Hall of Fame for several years and I am excited to finally be able to honor some of the men, women and organizations who have helped make USL a success over the years. Recording the history of the sport is an important part of establishing soccer as a significant member of the North American sports landscape. Documenting our own history will assist the overall effort of recognizing the long-standing presence of soccer in North America as well as the prominent figures within the sport.”
Builders Inductee Profiles
Lynn Agee
Nashville Metros (Tennessee Rhythm) 1990-Present
Lynn Agee and Devinder Sandhu are the two principal figures in Nashville soccer, owning and operating the Nashville Metros for 13 years. The pair originally met Francisco Marcos at an indoor tournament in Fayetteville, Georgia in 1988. Two years later, despite not having an indoor facility in Nashville, the Metros were born as a member of USL, then known as the Sunbelt Independent Soccer League. Playing its first season entirely on the road led to a 0-10 record, but the pair were not discouraged. The following summer, the outdoor squad went 7-9. The early years continued to prove difficult as the indoor club only managed six wins in five seasons before it was dropped, finishing with a five-year mark of 6-48. The outdoor squad continued to finish below .500 until the summer of 1995 when it was 12-6 and reached the postseason. Two years later the pair helped take the team to the A-League as it became a member of USL. The club would return to its roots, joining the PDL in 2002.
Agee is a Middle Tennessee attorney who represents PACE International Union, the Tennessee Valley Ironworkers, other employee organizations and their members. He has played and coached soccer for more than 25 years in Memphis, Nashville and Murfreesboro. The Murfreesboro Strikers U-19 team he coached won the Tennessee State Championship in 1991. He also has developed indoor soccer facilities in Smyrna and Memphis. With the Metros, he handles legal and immigration matters, works on facilities and serves as chairman of the board.
Anthony Bakker
Charleston Battery 1993-Present
Charleston Battery CEO Tony Bakker was instrumental in leading a group of local investors and soccer enthusiasts to create the Charleston Battery in 1993. Bakker is the majority shareholder in the group, which privately financed the building of Blackbaud Stadium, the Battery’s 5,100-seat soccer-specific facility that opened in April of 1999. Bakker was brought together with the other investors in the club by current Colorado Rapids Head Coach Tim Hankinson. A native of London, England, Bakker has been involved at all levels of soccer, both in the UK and the US. He played at the University of Southampton and the University of Houston and is still playing in local indoor and outdoor leagues today. He has coached at the James Island Youth Soccer Club for many years and has financially supported youth, high school and college teams in the area. Bakker recently retired as the President of Blackbaud, Inc., a software company he founded in 1982.
Mike Balson
USL Administrator 1991-98, Atlanta Express 1990-91, Atlanta Magic 1991-96, Atlanta Silverbacks 1998-01
Balson was a key figure both in Atlanta soccer and USL expansion in the early 90’s. Balson’s Atlanta Magic indoor soccer team was a dominant force, winning three straight titles before falling in their fourth consecutive championship appearance. The club also posted three unbeaten seasons in the four-year span. Meanwhile, Balson also served several roles as a USL administrator. He assisted in USL expansion in the Southeast and as commissioner of the indoor league. Balson joined the Atlanta Silverbacks in 1998 after the final season of the indoor league and served as general manager of the club until 2001.
Joe Brown
Delaware Wizards 1993-97, Carolina (Greensboro) Dynamo 1998-Present
Brown is no stranger to multi-tasking. The Carolina Dynamo General Manager has had to balance his coaching duties with administrative responsibilities over his years in USL. He began his USL career when he created the Delaware Wizards with local investors in 1993. In 1997, Brown sold his interest in the Wizards and moved on as general manager with the Carolina Dynamo in 1998 as the club was on a one-year hiatus for stadium construction and has been a fixture ever since. Again, he took the reigns in 1999 as the club's coach. After two seasons, Brown stepped down to focus on the administration of the club in 2001 but was drawn back to the sideline in 2002.
Enrique Cervantes
El Paso Patriots 1991-Present
One of the longest standing owners of a USL franchise, Cervantes has been an ever-present feature of the sport in El Paso. Since acquiring the Spurs in 1991, Cervantes has been the sole owner of the team. The club nickname was changed to Patriots, a name that stands as the oldest moniker in USL. Cervantes played for Atletico Espanol for 20 years.
Francisco Marcos
USL Administrator 1986-Present, Austin Sockadillos 1987-89
Marcos founded USL in 1986 as a five-team indoor league in the Southwest and serves as USL President. Under his guidance, USL has grown into an organization comprised of five leagues comprised of approximately 120 professional and amateur teams and over 300 in the rapidly expanding Super Y-League. He has served as an ambassador for US Soccer on many occasions and serves on the board of directors of US Soccer, the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and the National Soccer Hall of Fame. Prior to founding USL, the native of Portugal spent 10 years as a North American Soccer League Administrator, working for the Tampa Bay Rowdies, Dallas Tornado and Calgary Boomers.
Giles Malone
Cocoa Expos 1993-Present
A native of Bristol, England, Giles Malone was an All-Midwest soccer player at Northeastern Louisiana University. He earned his MBA at Florida Tech and serves as President and General Manager of the Cocoa Expo Sports Center where he has developed the facilities for the purpose of staging soccer events of the highest caliber. Malone’s soccer instincts led to the development of the Cocoa Expo Cup International Youth Soccer Tournament as well as Florida Tech/Cocoa Expo Kicks Summer Soccer Camp. Malone has also served on the Board of Directors for the Space Coast Sports Commission, a group actively involved in hosting a wide variety of events on the Space Coast.
Neil Macpherson
Carolina (Greensboro) Dynamo 1993-Present
Owner and founder of the Dynamo in 1993, Neil Macpherson held several ties to the game in England. He was a shareholder in Nottingham Forest and Notts County due to the interest of his family. Macpherson’s father, Geoffrey, was the past chairman of Nottingham Forest. A dream of his, Macpherson celebrated the completion of Macpherson stadium in 2002. The 3,000-seat stadium built in his late father’s honor is home to the Dynamo as well as its sister team Greensboro Twisters of the W-League, which he also owns.
Pat Parker
USL Administrator: 1986-98
Parker assisted Marcos in managing USL as his right hand man from the very early days through much of its expansion. Handling various aspects of operations, he was an instrumental component of USL’s ability to function and grow to what it is today. Parker was involved in USL’s daily operations, which including everything from registration to referee administration to scheduling.
Devinder Sandhu
Nashville Metros (Tennessee Rhythm) 1990-Present
Devinder Sandhu and Lynn Agee are the two principal figures in Nashville soccer, owning and operating the Nashville Metros for 13 years. The pair originally met Francisco Marcos at an indoor tournament in Fayetteville, Georgia in 1988. Two years later, despite not having an indoor facility in Nashville, the Metros were born as a member of USL, then known as the Sunbelt Independent Soccer League. Playing its first season entirely on the road led to a 0-10 record, but the pair were not discouraged. The following summer, the outdoor squad went 7-9. The early years continued to prove difficult as the indoor club only managed six wins in five seasons before it was dropped, finishing with a five-year mark of 6-48. The outdoor squad continued to finish below .500 until the summer of 1995 when it was 12-6 and reached the postseason. Two years later the pair helped take the team to the A-League as it became a member of USL. The club would return to its roots, joining the PDL in 2002.
Sandhu is President of Sandhu Consultants International, a civil and environmental engineering firm that specializes in pollution control, waste to energy projects, waste minimization and property transaction issues like lead, radon, asbestos and underground storage tanks. A native of Kenya, he led he Vanderbilt soccer team in scoring in 1975 and helped them to a 12-2-2 record. The Tennessee Soccer Hall of Fame member serves as general manager of the team, handling logistics, travel, game day operations and a host of other duties.
Richard Stottler
Cocoa Expos 1993-Present
Stottler is a well-respected name in Florida soccer circles. He started his soccer career earning All-American honors and playing in the first-ever NCAA soccer championship for the University of Maryland. As a coach in 1979, Stottler led the movement that brought soccer to Brevard County High Schools and coached Cocoa Beach High School to five consecutive district titles and six in 10 years. He then moved into the college ranks, leading Florida Institute of Technology to two NCAA Division II national titles while compiling an impressive .784 winning percentage in his seven seasons. In 1991, Stottler became the first FIT coach to win the Division II Coach of the Year Award. The school named its home field in honor of Stottler. He has been extremely active in the community in raising money for youth and seniors of Central Florida. Every year as a part of his efforts, Stottler provides a Children's Christmas party for over 150 disadvantaged youth in the area. He also provides an annual picnic for over 150 seniors from nursing homes at the Space Coast State Fair. He has been an active member of the Brevard County Crisis Services Board of Directors for over ten years and has helped to raise the level of awareness of this important organization.
Stottler, along with Giles Malone, began the Expos franchise in 1993, entering the team in the I-League. The Expos struggled indoors, but shined outdoors in the Florida sun, losing just three regular season games in their first two years. Stottler served as head coach of the club for its first seven years, compiling a 86-28-1 regular season record and a postseason mark of 13-8. Under his direction, the team reached the postseason six times and the league championship match twice.
