Brooklyn Italians

Brooklyn Italians is an American soccer team based in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, United States. Founded in 1949, the team last played in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), a national amateur league at the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Northeast Atlantic Division during its 2019 season.

Brooklyn Italians
Full nameBrooklyn Italians
Nickname(s)Italians
Founded1949 (1949)
StadiumJohn Dewey High School
Brooklyn, New York City
Capacity~1,000
PresidentJohn Saia
Head CoachDominic Casciato
LeagueNational Premier Soccer League

The team plays its home games at the stadium on the campus of John Dewey High School. The team's colors are white and blue.

History

The Brooklyn Italians are generally regarded as one of the most successful semi-pro teams in the United States, with a linear history that now stretches back over 60 years. Founded in 1949 by John DeVivo, an Italian immigrant to the New York area, the team was originally part of the Metropolitan Soccer League in the early 1950s, before joining the American Soccer League prior to the 1956–57 season. The Italians finished seventh in their first season in the ASL behind champions New York Hakoah.[1]

The Italians changed their name to the Inter-Brooklyn Italians when they merged with a local rival club in 1961, became Inter SC in 1962, and before the 1963 season the team changed its name again and became Boca Juniors, named after the famous club in Argentina, but played just one season with this name before resigning from the ASL in 1964.

For the next 20 years or so the team continued to play in amateur leagues under various names – at one time or another were they known as Palermo Football Club and the Brooklyn Dodgers (after the former Brooklyn baseball team) – before reverting to their original name in 1991.[2] They were also regular participants in the National Challenge Cup, winning the title twice during the pre-MLS all-amateur era, in 1979 (when they were still called the Dodgers) and 1991, and reaching the final in 1981 and 1990.

As a result of their success in the 1990 tournament, the Italians played in the qualifying rounds of the 1991 CONCACAF Champions' Cup. In April 1991, they beat Bermudian side Dandy Town Hornets 4–3 on aggregate; they withdrew before the second round of the tournament. In November 1991 they lost 6–1 on aggregate to Club Universidad de Guadalajara in the first round of the 1991 CONCACAF Cup Winners Cup.

The Italians joined the National Premier Soccer League in 2010, with head coach Joe Barone calling it "a new adventure".[3]

In addition to the new NPSL side, the Italians continue to field a number of teams in the New York-based Cosmopolitan Soccer League. The Italians also regularly compete in various amateur tournaments world-wide, including the Memorial Claudio Sassi in Italy, the Dallas Cup, the President's Day Tournament in Phoenix, and college showcases across the country. International travel is encouraged, and teams have trained with many of the elite teams from Italy.

In 2020, the team was not listed among the clubs taking part in the 2020 NPSL season.

On May 5, 2021, the New York Red Bulls announced the Italians as an official Academy Affiliate.

Year-by-year
Year Division League Regular Season Playoffs National Cup
1956–57 1 ASL 7th
1957–58 10th
1958–59 4th
1959–60 4th did not qualify
1960–61 8th did not qualify
1961–62 2nd
1962–63 2nd
1963–64 4th
1979 Exhibition club Champions
1981 Runner-up
1990 N/A NESSL 2nd, North Division Champion Runner-up
1991 1st, North Division Runner-up Champions
2010 4 NPSL 2nd, Atlantic did not qualify First round
2011 1st, Atlantic Divisional Final First round
2012 2nd, Atlantic Divisional Semi-Final Second round
2013 1st, Atlantic Divisional Semi-Final First round
2014 2nd, North Atlantic Regional Semi-Final Third round
2015 4th, North Atlantic did not qualify First round
2016 6th, Atlantic did not qualify did not qualify
2017 2nd, Atlantic Blue Conference Semi-Final did not qualify
2018 2nd, North Atlantic Conference Final First round
2019 2nd, North Atlantic Conference Final did not qualify

Team names
  • Brooklyn Italians (1949–1961)
  • Inter-Brooklyn Italians (1961–1962)
  • Inter SC (1962–1963)
  • Boca Juniors (1963–1964)
  • Brooklyn Dodgers / Palermo Football Club (varying names) (1964–1991)
  • Brooklyn Italians (1991–present)

Honors

Head coaches
  • Russia Mike Ryback (1989–1991)
  • Argentina Gilbert Godoy (1991–1992)
  • Italy Joe Barone (2009–2010)
  • Italy Tony Noto (2010–2011)
  • Italy Lucio Russo (2011–2017)
  • England Dominic Casciato (2017–Present)

Stadium

See also

References
  1. "USA - American Soccer League II".
  2. "Brooklyn Italians: How the club was started". Archived from the original on 2016-12-27. Retrieved 2010-05-31.
  3. Brooklyn Italians try their hand, feet at NPSL Archived July 18, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
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