On Sunday, June 14, 2009, Coral Springs Storm (now The Academy) became champions of the Gold Coast Soccer League for the first time in club history.
The title came after strong campaign which saw the Storm compile an impressive 17-1-3record in route to finishing runner up in the final standings, level on points but second on goal difference to Buccaneer FC. In the playoff semi-finals, Storm outlasted Magic Jacks FC 3-2 behind goals from captain Garrick Ferguson, top scorer Adriano Cavahlo, and a penalty kick on the stroke of Ahmed Roshdy. In the finals, The Academy faced two-time defending champions, Intamerica FC. On minute 6, Ferguson was set up by Cavahlo and laced a ferocious strike that rebounded off the crossbar, but two minutes later, Cavahlo found the captain again at the back post.Ferguson, brought down the cross and smashed a half-volley into the upper corner for a goal of astonishing quality, his fourth goal in the last three matches. For the rest of the first half both teams seemed to wilt in the suffocating heat of the mid-day sun, but in the second half, Storm would take control of the match for good. Cavahlo provided a deadly pass to Dylan Peart, and the diminutive striker tapped home to double the Storm’s advantage on 74 minutes. Two more Storm efforts struck the post until second half substitute, Carlos “Roy” Panchana finished a sweeping move to extend the lead, again the final pass being provided by Cavahlo, and Travis Brown put the exclamation point on the rout in stoppage time with a powerful strike from short range to end the match at 4-0. Goalkeepers James Acosta and Carlos Quesada combined for the shut-out behind an impenetrable defense marshaled by Diego Meeroff, Glenn Thomas, Brandon “ Brian” Collins, Pedro Yunez, Neville Robinson and Marlon Miller. And the skilful midfield with Rodrigo Dias, Daniel Lancheros, Ahmed Kaik, Luis Velasquez, Walter Jiminson, Mohamad Awada and Storm FC boasts players aged 17 to 36 from 12 different nationalities including South America, Central American, the Caribbean, Africa, and the Middle East.
After
the title match, Coach Daniel Meeroff, a civil engineering Professor
at Florida Atlantic University, reflected on the championship-winning
season, “It is a credit to the unity and hard work of the players and the
coaching staff. We train four times a week and focused on winning the
championship by coming together as a team. We are lucky to have four nationally
licensed coaches on our staff and the great facilities of Coral Springs Storm
FC, but it was the great diversity and camaraderie of the players that
ultimately saw us through to the victory.
Great old days of glory!
Since then, The Academy won 5 more titles and qualified for the 2014 South Florida
Tournament.
Great old days of glory!
