Altitude FC (Canada)
 | |
| Full name | Altitude FC |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2021 |
| Stadium | Kinsmen Park |
| Head Coach | Faly Basse (men) Jesse Symons (women) |
| League | League1 British Columbia |
| 2024 | L1BC, 2nd; Playoffs, F (men) L1BC, 5th; Playoffs, DNQ (women) |
| Website | https://www.altitudefc.ca/ |
Altitude FC is a Canadian semi-professional soccer club based in North Vancouver, British Columbia that plays in League1 British Columbia.
History
[edit]The club was officially unveiled on November 15, 2021, as an inaugural license holder for the first season of the new semi-professional League1 British Columbia in 2022.[1] The founders began working on forming the club in 2020, when BC Soccer issued an RFP for interested clubs.[2] Located in the city of North Vancouver, the club plans to represent the entire North Shore region,[2] as well as the Sea-to-Sky Corridor.[3] The group was formed by Faly Academy and a group of local investors[4] and is set to play out of Kinsmen Stadium.[5] The club intends to work alongside local youth clubs, such as North Van FC, West Van FC, and the North Shore Girls SC, rather than to try to compete with them for players, who can move to Altitude as part of the player pathway.[6] Initially the club had planned to name the club North Shore United, re-appropriating and paying homage to the name of a former club who had been national champions in 1936, however, the league's prior branding planning won out, with the club taking on the Altitude FC name.[7] The club's jerseys have been inspired by the North Shore's mountainous nature, referencing the club's name.[8][9] The club has also partnered with various non-profits to raise funds to support them during game-day experiences.[10]
Their inaugural matches, for both the male and female teams, occurred on May 22 against Rivers FC, with the men drawing 1-1 and the women being defeated 2-0.[11][12] Their first home matches occurred on May 29 against the Vancouver Whitecaps Academy,[13][14] in front of a sold-out crowd featuring over 700 fans in attendance with an additional 200 people standing outside of the fenced venue.[15] They formed a rivalry with TSS FC Rovers called the Ironworkers Memorial Derby.[16]
Seasons
[edit]Men
[edit]| Season | League | Teams | Record | Rank | Playoffs | Juan de Fuca Plate | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | League1 British Columbia | 7 | 4–2–6 | 4th | did not qualify | 6th[a] | [17] |
| 2023 | 8 | 2–3–9 | 7th | did not qualify | 6th[a] | [17] | |
| 2024 | 7 | 6–3–3 | 2nd | Finalists | 4th[a] | [17] |
Women
[edit]| Season | League | Teams | Record | Rank | Playoffs | Juan de Fuca Plate | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | League1 British Columbia | 7 | 1–2–9 | 6th | did not qualify | 6th[a] | [18] |
| 2023 | 8 | 4–5–5 | 6th | did not qualify | 6th[a] | [18] | |
| 2024 | 7 | 2–4–6 | 5th | did not qualify | 4th[a] | [18] |
Notable players
[edit]The following players have either played at the professional or international level, either before or after playing for the League1 BC team:
Men
Women
References
[edit]- ^ "League1BC welcomes Altitude FC as founding License Holder". BC Soccer Association. November 15, 2021.
- ^ a b "Altitude FC Introduced as the North Shore's League1 BC Franchise". Altitude FC. November 15, 2021.
- ^ Jacques, John (November 15, 2021). "League1 BC Climbing In Numbers With Altitude FC Announcement". Northern Tribune.
- ^ Jacques, John (January 30, 2021). "Is League1 BC Starting This Year?". Northern Tribune.
- ^ Jacques, John (November 18, 2021). "Fans Can Help Pick An Altitude FC Scarf Design". Northern Tribune.
- ^ Prest, Andy (December 12, 2021). "New semi-pro soccer team coming to North Vancouver this spring". North Shore News.
- ^ Mahmoudi, Nelson (April 5, 2023). "Kinsmen's Finest: How History Is Reigniting Soccer In The North Shore". Northern Tribune.
- ^ Jacques, John (May 9, 2022). "Altitude FC Reveals Inaugural Kits". Northern Tribune.
- ^ Mahmoudi, Nelson (April 28, 2023). "Feeling Blue: Altitude FC Introduce New Strip For 2023". Northern Tribune.
- ^ "Top 5 reasons to add an Altitude Football Club game to your summer schedule". North Shore News. April 24, 2023.
- ^ Petruk, Tim (May 24, 2022). "Undefeated weekend for Rivers FC as League1 BC begins play". Castanet.
- ^ Prest, Andy (May 26, 2022). "Altitude FC ready to hit the pitch for semipro soccer in North Vancouver". North Shore News.
- ^ Steiner, Ben (June 1, 2022). "Altitude fans flock to Kinsmen as Whitecaps take both matches". 49 Sport.
- ^ Prest, Andy (May 30, 2022). "Sellout crowd greets Altitude FC for first-ever North Van home games". North Shore News.
- ^ "New North Shore semi-pro soccer club offers high-performance sport for the community". North Shore News. September 14, 2022.
- ^ Steiner, Ben (June 29, 2022). "League 1 BC Takeaways and Power Rankings after two thirds". 49 Sport.
- ^ a b c "League1 British Columbia Standings". Canadian Soccer History Archive.
- ^ a b c "League1 British Columbia Women Standings". Canadian Soccer History Archive.
