Houston Dutch Lions

Full name Dutch Lions Football Club
Nickname(s) The Lions
Founded 2011 (2011) (as Texas Dutch Lions FC)
Stadium HDL FC Soccer Facility
Conroe, Texas
Capacity 1,500
Owner Martin Kroeze
Vice-President Robbert Kroeze
Head Coach Marco Pruis
League National Premier Soccer League
2016 1st, South Central Division
Playoffs: QUA
Website Club website

The Dutch Lions FC is an American soccer club based in The Woodlands, Texas.[1] Founded in 2011, the team plays in the National Premier Soccer League, the fourth tier of the American soccer pyramid, playing home games at the team owned Houston Dutch Lions FC Soccer Facility located in Conroe, Texas. The Dutch Lions FC is a soccer club that operates all months of the year, the club partners with the Conroe Youth Soccer League (member of STYSA) and plays a fall season, spring season and summer season (Super Summer League). The club also hosts soccer camps such as a Thanksgiving break camp, Spring break camp and camps during the summer months. Since September, 2015 there is pick up soccer for Men and Women on Tuesday and Thursday evening making the club open to all ages and becoming a big factor in The Woodlands / Conroe community.

The club is owned by Martin Kroeze.

History

Texas Dutch Lions FC was founded on November 17, 2011, and played their inaugural season in the USL Premier Development League in 2012,[2] finishing 4th in the Mid South Division of the Southern Conference but missing the playoffs.

The Youth Academy of the club began training in 2011 with only one location in Conroe, Texas. In 2012, the Youth Academy expanded to its second training location to service players in The Woodlands.[1]

On April 1, 2013, Texas Dutch Lions FC changed their official name to Houston Dutch Lions FC. The club has been using the new title for several months, but it was not official until 1 April.[3]

On February 12, 2013, the club announced the signing of new head coach, former Dutch player Hans van Arum, for the 2013 season.[4]

On February 18, 2014 the Houston Dutch Lions FC announced the signing of Marco Pruis as their new Head Coach for the 2014 USL PDL season.[5]

Since the 2016 season, the club joined the National Premier Soccer League in which the team also played during the 2017 and 2018 season. During the 2016 season, the Dutch Lions FC played in a 11-team Division (which the Dutch Lions FC won). Due to several new teams, the 2017 NPSL season was divided into the Heartland Conference and the Lone Star Conference (in which the Lions participate). In the 2018 NPSL season the Lone Star Conference had 9 teams compete, the Dutch Lions FC fell to Laredo Heat SC on July 14, 2018 in a thrilling 4-3 final.

Colors and badge

The old Texas Dutch Lions FC logo.

The Houston Dutch Lions FC crest is a modified version of Dayton's logo, featuring the white and blue field, with an orange lion centered on the crest. The script above the vector lion reads the club's name. The home shirt consists of an orange shirt, orange shorts & orange socks. Away the team plays in a white shirt.

Home ground

Training ground

  • Houston Dutch Lions FC Soccer Facility; Conroe, Texas (October 2013-). The fields are the training grounds of the teams: USL Premier Development League, National Premier Soccer League, HFA, and the club's Youth Academy. After the fields opening up in October 2014, the club opened a unique club house in May 2015. The club house consists of dressing rooms, club house for fans with A/C, restrooms and a banquet room. The top floor has 4 offices and two banquet rooms for the office staff.[6]

Just before the 2018 NPSL season the club build seats in front of the club house, which added about 200 seats to the Soccer Facility.

Club culture

International partnerships

The Houston Dutch Lions FC share in the partnership of their ownership group and sister club, Dayton Dutch Lions, with Dutch Eredivisie champions, FC Twente. On January 17, 2011, the Dutch Lions Group signed a five-year contract to foster development of players, academy teams, training practices, and possibly facilitate loans or transfers of players between teams.[7] In the 2014 season, the Cincinnati Dutch Lions FC were added (joined the PDL). As of the summer of 2015, the Florida Gulf Coast Dutch Lions FC (Cape Coral, FL) joined the Dutch Lions FC group.

On Thursday, May 5, 2016 the Dutch Lions FC announced the signing of Heineken for their Dutch Lions FC NPSL squad. Early 2017, the club announced Woodlands Hospital CHI St. Luke's as sponsor.[8]

Game history

Games played in the NPSL

2016

  • 5/7/2016: Dutch Lions FC - Dallas City FC 2-1
  • 5/11/2016: Houston Regals - Dutch Lions FC 0-2
  • 5/20/2016: Liverpool Warriors - Dutch Lions FC 0-1
  • 5/28/2016: Little Rock Rangers - Dutch Lions FC 1-4
  • 6/5/2016: Dutch Lions FC - Tulsa Athletics 1-5
  • 6/9/2016: Dutch Lions FC - Corinthians FC 1-1
  • 6/11/2016: Dutch Lions FC - Fort Worth Vaqueros 6-1
  • 6/17/2016: Joplin Demize - Dutch Lions FC 0-4
  • 6/19/2016: FC Wichita - Dutch Lions FC 1-1
  • 6/26/2016: Dutch Lions FC - Houston Regals 4-0
  • 6/29/2016: Corinthians FC - Dutch Lions FC 2-5
  • 7/2/2016: Dutch Lions FC - Shreveport Rafters FC 3-1
  • 7/9/2016: Dutch Lions FC - FC Wichita 5-0 (Conference semi final)
  • 7/10/2016: Tulsa Athletics - Dutch Lions FC 1-2 (Conference final)
  • 7/16/2016: Chattanooga FC - Dutch Lions FC 4-0 (Southeast Conference semi final)

2017

  • 5/10/2017: Dutch Lions FC - NTX Rayados 3-1 (US Open Cup)
  • 5/17/2017: Dutch Lions FC - San Antonio FC 1-2 (US Open Cup)
  • 5/20/2017: Fort Worth Vaqueros - Dutch Lions FC 3-0
  • 5/27/2017: Tyler FC - Dutch Lions FC 2-2
  • 6/3/2017: Dutch Lions FC - Houston Regals 4-1
  • 6/10/2017: Dutch Lions FC - Fort Worth Vaqueros 3-1
  • 6/15/2017: Dutch Lions FC - Midland/Odessa Sockers FC 3-1
  • 6/17/2017: Dutch Lions FC - Tyler FC 6-3
  • 6/21/2017: Houston Regals - Dutch Lions FC 2-2
  • 6/24/2017: Midland/Odessa Sockers FC - Dutch Lions FC 3-4
  • 7/1/2017: Dutch Lions FC - Shreveport Rafters FC 2-1
  • 7/8/2017: Shreveport Rafters FC - Dutch Lions FC 1-1
  • 7/12/2017: Dutch Lions FC - Midland/Odessa Sockers FC 1-3 (Conference semi final)

2018

  • 5/12/2018: Dutch Lions FC - Houston Regals 3-0
  • 5/19/2018: Dutch Lions FC - Katy 1895 FC 0-1
  • 5/23/2018: Dutch Lions FC - Fort Worth Vaqueros 6-2
  • 6/2/2018: Dutch Lions FC - Shreveport Rafters 4-2
  • 6/6/2018: Laredo Heat SC - Dutch Lions FC 2-0
  • 6/16/2018: Brownsville FC - Dutch Lions FC 1-6
  • 6/20/2018: Dutch Lions FC - Tyler FC 8-0
  • 6/23/2018: Midland/Odessa Sockers FC - Dutch Lions FC 1-0
  • 6/27/2018: Shreveport Rafters FC - Dutch Lions FC 2-4
  • 7/3/2018: Katy 1895 FC - Dutch Lions FC 0-9
  • 7/7/2018: Dutch Lions FC - Shreveport Rafters FC 3-0 (Play off wild card game)
  • 7/11/2018: Midland/Odessa Sockers FC - Dutch Lions FC 2-3 (Conference semi final)
  • 7/14/2018: Laredo Heat SC - Dutch Lions FC 4-3 (Division final)

See official website for more info: www.godutchlions.com.

Staff

Executive staff
Position Staff
President Martin Kroeze
Vice President Robbert Kroeze
CEO Dennis Kroeze
Technical Director Marco Pruis

Source: Official Staff

Coaching staff NPSL 2018 season
Position Staff
Head Coach Marco Pruis
Assistant Coach Michiel van de Heijning
Goalkeeper Coach Leroy Zuiddam
Team Manager Carlos Ortiz

Source: Official Staff

Head coaches

Year-by-year

Year Division League Regular Season Playoffs Open Cup Record
2012 4 USL PDL 4th, Mid South Did not qualify Did not qualify 6-8-4
2013 4 USL PDL 5th, Mid South Did not qualify Did not qualify 4-7-3
2014 4 USL PDL 5th, Mid South Did not qualify Did not qualify 1-10-3
2015 4 USL PDL 4th, Mid South Did not qualify Did not qualify 4-6-2
2016 4 NPSL 2nd, South Central South Regional semi-final Qualified 11-2-2
2017 4 NPSL 2nd, Lone Star Division Qualified Not known 6-1-3
2018 4 NPSL 3rd, Lone Star Division Qualified Not known 9-4-0

NPSL 2016 play offs: On Saturday, July 9, 2016, the Dutch Lions FC beat FC Wichita in the South Conference semi-final with an impressive score of 5-0 (the division final four was played in Tulsa, OK). The Liverpool Warriors fell that same day to the Tulsa Athletics (1-3). The South Central Conference Title went to the Dutch Lions FC after the team beat the Tulsa Athletics with 2-1 on Sunday, July 10. What followed was the South Regional semi-final vs Chattanooga FC (Tennessee), were the Dutch Lions FC lost with 4-0.

2017 US Open Cup: On May 10, 2017, the Dutch Lions FC hosted the NTX Rayados and beat them with 3-1. One week later, the team fell against USL side San Antonio FC with 2-1.

2018 NPSL season: The club boosted another winning season in the NPSL, winning 9 games and losing 4 games. Goals scored are 49, and goals conceded was 17.

Average attendance

Attendance stats are calculated by averaging each team's self-reported home attendances from the historical match archive.[9]

  • 2012: 120
  • 2013: 150
  • 2014: 175
  • 2015: 200
  • 2016: 275
  • 2017: 315
  • 2018: 275

References

  1. 1 2 "Dutch Lions: History". Dutch Lions. Archived from the original on 11 January 2014. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  2. ↑ "Dutch Lions FC Join USL PDL". USL PDL. 17 November 2011. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
  3. ↑ "Houston Dutch Lions Announce Official Name Change". Houston Dutch Lions. 8 April 2013. Archived from the original on 11 January 2014. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  4. ↑ "Dutch Lions Announce New Coach". USL PDL. 12 February 2013. Archived from the original on 12 April 2013. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
  5. ↑ "Houston Dutch Lions FC announces new Head Coach PDL team". Houston Dutch Lions. 18 February 2014. Archived from the original on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 10 August 2014.
  6. ↑ "HDLFC Soccer Complex". Houston Dutch Lions. Archived from the original on 11 January 2014. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  7. ↑ "Dutch Lions Ink 5-Year Partnership". USL PDL. 17 January 2011. Archived from the original on 10 October 2012. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
  8. ↑ "CHI St. Luke's Health welcomed as club house sponsor - Houston Dutch Lions". Houston Dutch Lions. 2017-05-19. Retrieved 2017-07-09.
  9. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20100105175057/http://www.uslsoccer.com/history/index_E.html
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