Hamilton Croatia

Hamilton Croatia

Full name	Sports Club Croatia Hamilton
Founded	1957
League	HDSL Premier Division
Home colours Away colours

Hamilton Croatia is a Croatian Canadian amateur soccer team founded in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada in 1957. It is supported by the Croatian Sports and Community Centre of Hamilton Inc. (formerly the Croatian National Sports Club of Hamilton, Inc.).

The team plays in the Hamilton & District Premier Soccer League's Elite Division.

Hamilton Croatia also competes annually in such competitions as the Ontario Cup, various League Cups, the Hamilton Spectator Cup, and the Croatian National Soccer Federation's North American Tournament held every Labour Day weekend at sites across Canada and the United States.

In September 2011, Hamilton Croatia hosted the 48th Annual Croatian National Soccer Federation of Canada & U.S.A’s Men’s Soccer Tournament. It was widely considered the most successful tournament in recent years.

History

The organization was formed in 1957 as the Sports Club Croatia Hamilton, and competed in the Inter-City League under the guidance of Stjepan Stanković. The club debuted in a match against Hamilton Sparta 2-1, with Pavle Usenica scoring the first-ever goal in club history.^[1] Throughout its history Hamilton Croatia hosted international friendly matches with Croatian club teams such as 1967 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup winners Dinamo Zagreb, NK Medjugorje, NK Croatia Brihovo, NK Vukovar '91, NK Karlovac, HSK Zrinjski Mostar, as well as Vasas Budapest SC, one of Hungary's major sports clubs.

Some notable Croatian players to have worn a Hamilton Croatia jersey were Zeljko Adzic, Slavko Cetina, Vlado Crnjak, Berislav Krilic, Stjepan Loparic, Vlado Palijan, Ivica Tankovic, and Nediljko Simic. Notable non-Croat players included 1976 Canadian Olympians Kevin Grant and Olympic team captain Jimmy Douglas, as well as former United Soccer Leagues First Division All-Star Jamie Dodds. During this period Hamilton added several pieces of silverware to their cabinet acquiring titles like the Inter-City League title, the Hamilton Spectator Cup, and the Croatian National Soccer Federation's North American Tournament title.

In 1970, Hamilton Croatia went professional by entering the National Soccer League, where in their debut season they claimed the NSL Championship. Throughout their six-year tenure in the NSL, Hamilton managed to achieve a successful run within the league finishing in the second, and third positions for three seasons.^[2]

During the 1980s and 1990s the team was coached by John Zefkić, and Zvonko Zubrinić, where the club won several championships within the Hamilton & District Premier Soccer League.^[3] Hamilton would also compete in the Ontario Soccer League, winning two division titles in 2008, and 2009, and head coach Ron Davidson winning the OSL Coach of the Year award in 2009.^[4]

Canadian Soccer League

On January 22, 2010, Hamilton Croatia was selected as one of the newly expansion franchise to compete in the Canadian Soccer League.^[5][6][7] Becoming the second professional Hamilton club to compete in the CSL, with Hamilton Thunder preceding them. The club's home venue would be Brian Timmis Stadium. OSL Coach of the Year Ron Davidson would lead the team. Davidson would sign several USL veterans like Jamie Dodds, Said Ali, and Alvin Hudson. He also brought in Ivan Razumović, Peter Tereanszki-Toth, Rhian Dodds, Preston Corporal, Antonijo Zupan, and Aidan O'Keeffe, players with international experience

Hamilton made their debut in the CSL on May 15, 2010 in a match against TFC Academy, where they won the match by a score of 2-1.^[8][9][10] The Croatian side started off the season with a six-game undefeated streak. Hamilton would finish third in the overall standings with the best offensive record within the league.^[11] Croatia qualified for the postseason and faced TFC Academy in the quarterfinals where in the first match Hamilton won the match by a score of 2-1 with goals coming from Corporal, and Razumovic.^[12][13] In the second leg Hamilton finished off the series with a 1-0 victory with the lone goal coming from Liberian international Preston Corporal.^[14]

In the next round Hamilton faced rivals Toronto Croatia in a well attended match where Hamilton triumphed with a 2-0 victory advancing the club to the CSL Championship finals.^[15][16][17] In the CSL Championship finals Hamilton faced Brantford Galaxy, but lost the match to a score of 3-0.^[18][19][20] At the conclusion of the season Ron Davidson was awarded the CSL Coach of the Year award.^[21] On February 11, 2011 after a successful debut season in the CSL the Hamilton Croatia executive board announced a parting of ways with the league, due to a result of philosophical differences with the CSL.^[22]

Past Achievements

References

1. ↑ "Hamilton Croatia". hamiltoncroatia.com. Retrieved 2016-01-31. 
2. ↑ "Hamilton Croatia". hamiltoncroatia.com. Retrieved 2016-01-31. 
3. ↑ "Hamilton Croatia". hamiltoncroatia.com. Retrieved 2016-01-31. 
4. ↑ "Academy Coach Ron Davidson chosen Coach of the Year in the OSL". hamiltoncroatia.com. Retrieved 2016-01-31. 
5. ↑ "Archives: 2010 January". hamiltoncroatia.com. Retrieved 2016-01-10. 
6. ↑ Glover, Robin. "February 4, 2010 Hamilton Croatia selected for 2010 CSL expansion (from CSL news release)". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved 2016-01-10. 
7. ↑ "February 24, 2010 CSL launches teams in Hamilton, Brantford and Milton (from CSL news release)". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved 2016-01-10. 
8. ↑ Glover, Robin. "May 15, 2010 CSL TFC Academy vs Hamilton Croatia (by Rocket Robin)". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved 2016-01-11. 
9. ↑ "Archives: 2010 May". hamiltoncroatia.com. Retrieved 2016-01-11. 
10. ↑ "Local talent hit the pitch in Canadian Soccer League debut". The Hamilton Spectator. 2010-05-20. Retrieved 2016-10-10. 
11. ↑ "October 13th, 2010--Canadian Soccer League First Division Week 23". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved 2016-01-11. 
12. ↑ Glover, Robin. "October 17, 2010 CSL--TFC Academy vs Hamilton Croatia (by Rocket Robin)". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved 2016-01-11. 
13. ↑ "October 13, 2010 CSL--FC Hamilton Croatia vs TFC Academy (from CSL website)". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved 2016-01-11. 
14. ↑ "October 17, 2010 CSL--details of Sunday games (from CSL website)". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved 2016-01-11. 
15. ↑ Glover, Robin. "October 24, 2010 CSL--Hamilton Croatia vs Toronto Croatia (by Rocket Robin)". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved 2016-01-11. 
16. ↑ "Archives: 2010 October". hamiltoncroatia.com. Retrieved 2016-01-11. 
17. ↑ "Hamilton Croatia advances to CSL final". The Hamilton Spectator. 2010-10-28. Retrieved 2016-10-10. 
18. ↑ Glover, Robin. "October 31, 2010 CSL--Hamilton Croatia vs Brantford Galaxy (by Rocket Robin)". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved 2016-01-11. 
19. ↑ "October 31, 2010 CSL Final--Hamilton Croatia vs Brantford Galaxy (from CSL website)". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved 2016-01-11. 
20. ↑ "Galaxy shines in CSL title victory". The Hamilton Spectator. 2010-11-01. Retrieved 2016-10-10. 
21. ↑ Glover, Robin. "October 31, 2010 CSL Finals--Award Winners (by Rocket Robin)". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved 2016-01-11. 
22. ↑ "Archives: 2011 February". hamiltoncroatia.com. Retrieved 2016-01-11. 
23. ↑ "October 13th, 2010--Canadian Soccer League First Division Week 23". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved 2016-10-15. 

External links

• Hamilton Croatia Official Site
• 48th CNSF Tournament
• Croatian National Soccer Federation of Canada and USA