Chattanooga Football Club 2010 NPSL scheduleMay 22 at Atlanta FCJune 5 Pumas FCJune 12 at FC TulsaJune 19 Atlanta FCJune 26 at Rocket City UnitedJuly 4 FC TulsaJuly 10 at Pumas FCJuly 17 Rocket City United
The Chattanooga Football Club is getting ready to start its second season in the National Premier Soccer League.
The NPSL's Southeastern Conference again will have four other teams, but Atlanta-based Saturn FC will be replaced by FC Tulsa from Oklahoma.
"We think adding Tulsa will be a great draw for us," said Sean McDaniel, Chattanooga FC's acting general manager. "It's nice for the soccer community here to see and experience teams from quite a distance away. I think that's a great addition for us."
All home games are 7 p.m. starts at Finley Stadium. The eight-game schedule begins May 22 at Atlanta FC, which lost 1-0 at Chattanooga last year. Birmingham's Pumas FC will visit Finley on June 5; other games there are set for June 19 and July 4 and 17.
McDaniel said several area players from Chattanooga FC's successful 2009 squad will be back. In addition, former Dalton High School standout Luis Salazar from Berry College has decided to join the club.
McDaniel said his team will be even more involved in the community this season, particularly in conducting youth clinics.
"The thing that people will see more is the CFC players actually visible doing clinics for the various associations around town," he said. "That's probably the biggest impact we're going to have in the community as far as soccer is concerned."
In addition to the NPSL schedule, team co-founder Sheldon Grizzle said the team is looking to add some exhibition matches at Finley. McDaniel said Chattanooga FC is in negotiations to bring a team from the United Soccer League's Second Division -- a step up in talent from the NPSL -- to Finley Stadium, ideally for a midweek game in May.
"One of the things we heard many times during the offseason from supporters was that they wanted more home games," Grizzle said. "We are a little bit hamstrung by the fact that there are only four other teams in our conference, so we are doing our best to identify possible exhibition matches with teams outside of our league."