K–W United FC

K–W United FC was a Canadian soccer team based in the Kitchener–Waterloo region in Ontario, Canada. Founded in 2010 as Hamilton Rage FC, the team played in the Premier Development League (PDL), the fourth tier of the American soccer league system, in the Great Lakes Division of the Central Conference.[1]

K–W United FC
Full nameKitchener–Waterloo United Football Club
Nickname(s)Rage, Black and Blue Army
Founded2010 (2010) (as Hamilton FC Rage)
Dissolved2017 (2017)
StadiumUniversity Stadium
Waterloo, Ontario
Capacity6,000
PresidentBarry MacLean
Head coachMartin Painter
LeaguePremier Development League
20172nd, Great Lakes Division
Playoffs: Conference semifinals
WebsiteClub website

The team previously played its home games at Brian Timmis Stadium and Ron Joyce Stadium in Hamilton, Ontario, but has played its games since 2013 at University Stadium in Waterloo, Ontario, after the club was moved by new owners to Kitchener–Waterloo and renamed following the 2012 season.[2]

The men's team also had a sister women's team of the same name in 2013 and 2014, who played in the USL W-League, but had no affiliation with SC Waterloo Region.[3]

An announcement in February 2018 stated that the team would no longer be part of the Premier Development League. The team's president Barry Maclean[4] did not make any comment to the news media.[3] He did, however, share the specifics about the team's demise with NSXI.[1]

History

Hamilton FC Rage was announced as a Premier Development League expansion franchise on February 17, 2011.[5] They played their first competitive game on May 25, 2011, a 2–0 loss to the Toronto Lynx,[6] but won their second game 5–0 over the Ottawa Fury. The first goal in franchise history was scored by Dominic Bell.[7]

Following the 2012 PDL season, the club was sold, renamed K–W United FC and relocated to Kitchener–Waterloo due to low attendance numbers in Hamilton since the club's inception in 2011. The club has no affiliation with SC Waterloo Region, who also plays in the area.[2]

In 2015, after finishing 2nd in the competitive Great Lakes Division, they became PDL Champions in the playoffs, defeating New York Red Bulls U-23 on August 2 in the final played at Starfire Stadium in Tukwila, Washington, 4–3, with goals from Ben Polk, Joel Perez, Jarek Whiteman-Asiamah, and Juuso Pasanen.[8][9]

In 2017, they formed a partnership with Major League Soccer club Toronto FC to serve as the team's PDL affiliate for two seasons, after Toronto withdrew their Academy team from the PDL after the 2016 season.[10]

After the 2017 season, the club ceased operations after not being granted sanctioning to play in the US-based PDL due to the Canadian Soccer Association wanting them to join the comparable level League1 Ontario.[11]

Notable former players

This list of notable former players comprises players who went on to play professional soccer after playing for the team in the Premier Development League, or those who previously played professionally before joining the team.

Year-by-year
Year Division League Regular Season Playoffs
Hamilton FC Rage
2011 4 PDL 6th, Great Lakes Did not qualify
2012 4 PDL 7th, Great Lakes Did not qualify
K–W United FC
2013 4 PDL 4th, Great Lakes Did not qualify
2014 4 PDL 2nd, Great Lakes Conference Semifinals
2015 4 PDL 2nd, Great Lakes PDL Champions
2016 4 PDL 2nd, Great Lakes Conference Semifinals
2017 4 PDL 2nd, Great Lakes Conference Semifinals

Honors
  • 2015 PDL Champions
  • 2015 Central Conference Champions

Head coaches

Stadiums

Average attendance

Attendance stats are calculated by averaging each team's self-reported home attendances from the historical match archive at https://web.archive.org/web/20060319215614/http://www.uslsoccer.com/history/index_E.html.%7B%7Bbetter source|date=April 2017|reason=the years listed below are not covered}}

  • 2011: 168 (as Hamilton)
  • 2012: 135
  • 2013: 705 (first season as Kitchener)
  • 2014: 306
  • 2015: 250
  • 2016: 350

References
  1. Nathan Martin (June 20, 2018). "What Happened to KW United FC". Northern Starting Eleven. Retrieved February 28, 2019.
  2. "Region scores two new professional soccer teams". www.TheRecord.com. February 7, 2013. Retrieved February 9, 2013.
  3. "K-W United FC on the sidelines". February 22, 2018.
  4. https://www.kwunitedfc.com/page/show/3275258-staff-directory
  5. "Hamilton FC Rage Joins PDL". Uslsoccer.com. February 17, 2011. Archived from the original on October 10, 2012. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  6. "United Soccer Leagues (USL)". Pdl.uslsoccer.com. May 25, 2011. Archived from the original on October 18, 2014. Retrieved May 26, 2012.
  7. "United Soccer Leagues (USL)". Pdl.uslsoccer.com. May 29, 2011. Archived from the original on October 18, 2014. Retrieved May 26, 2012.
  8. Dave Rowaan (August 3, 2015). "KW United win club's first ever PDL Championship". WakingTheRed.com. Retrieved August 3, 2015.
  9. Paul Kennedy (August 3, 2015). "Ontario's K-W United FC takes PDL crown". SoccerAmerica.com. Retrieved August 3, 2015.
  10. "Toronto FC and Kitchener Waterloo United Announce Partnership". Toronto FC. March 17, 2017.
  11. Martin, Nathanael (June 20, 2018). "What Happened to KW United FC?". Northern Starting XI.
  12. "USL welcomes Hamilton FC to Men's U23 PDL". Retrieved February 20, 2011.
  13. "Neely Appointed K-W United Head Coach". United Soccer Leagues (USL). March 3, 2014. Archived from the original on October 18, 2014. Retrieved March 4, 2014.
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