1991... UNITED THROUGH GROWTH
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seventeen teams compete in the 1991 outdoor season, with the now-familiar litany of name changes. The Atlanta Steamers become the Quicksilver, New Mexico is now the Chiles and El Paso abandons a short-lived Spurs moniker for Patriots in honor of the Gulf War Scud-busting missiles, which protected many of the El Paso-based soldiers overseas, following an ownership change.
The Patriots, who are still under the ownership of Enrique Cervantes, have been one of USL’s top teams since joining the league in the 1990-91 indoor season, replacing the terminated Six Shooters franchise of 1989-90, and are now members of the A-League. The Patriots, the oldest existing team in the A-League, have compiled a 115-97-2 record, winning at least 10 games in nine of their 10 outdoor seasons.
The Chiles, however, prove to be most successful with their new image, winning the Southwest Division and reaching the 1991 SISL outdoor championship game before being derailed, 3-0, by the Richardson Rockets, who were led by league MVP David Pfeil.
The other star player in the 1991 outdoor season was Uwe Balzis, who finished at the top in league points, 31, and assists, 11.
Ever-increasing expansion forced the league to finally declare its large presence throughout much of the country with the moniker United States Interregional Soccer League prior to the 1991-92 season. And, oh, those ever-changing names! Both Atlanta teams change their names; the Quicksilver are now the Lightning and the Express transform to the Magic. The Rockets left the league but many of their players join the Texas Mid-Cities Flyers and the Genesis-Spurs franchise moves from Fort Worth to Dallas, but still as the Kickers.
1992... SIZZLIN’ COAST TO COAST
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The United States Interregional Soccer League’s continued growth stretches to Florida and the Pacific, where the Palo Alto Firebirds would become the first rookie-club to win a title.
Claiming the 1992 outdoor championship in their inaugural season, the Firebirds defeated the Tucson Amigos in the first “Sizzlin’ Six” championship tournament final in Orlando, Fla. Orlando’s Sheldon Lee was named the league MVP. The Firebirds, who moved several times before calling Willamette Valley (Oregon) home , left the league after the ‘96 season, but returned in ‘99 and reached the PDL Final Four.
The expansion to 21 teams for the ‘92 outdoor season marked the first time the outdoor membership surpassed the indoor total. It would not be USL if the Genesis-Spurs franchise did not change its name. It is now the Dallas Americans.
Several teams take their first opportunity to sit out the indoor season, opting to concentrate on outdoor. Nevertheless, 11 teams, including the previously outdoor-only Knoxville Impact, compete in the 1992-93 indoor season. The Atlanta Magic complete the first undefeated season in SISL/USISL history, going 18-0 and winning the "Sizzlin’ Four" tournament with a victory over the Arizona Cotton in the championship game.
Despite all of the changes, there is consistency. The Oklahoma City Warriors won their second indoor title, their first coming in the 1987-88 season, by defeating the Atlanta Magic, 7-2, in the Final of the first “Sizzlin’ Four” championship tournament.
Chris Cook of the Atlanta Magic was named the 1991-92 indoor Most Valuable Player after leading Atlanta to the championship match.
1993... DYNAMITE SEASON
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Explosion in outdoor membership occurs for the first time, doubling the size of the outdoor league from 21 to 43 for the 1993 season.
In addition to the dramatic expansion increase, the ‘93 outdoor season would turn out to be dynamic as well with the first-year Greensboro Dynamo repeating Palo Alto’s ‘92 feat of capturing a championship in the team’s inaugural season, defeating the Orlando Lions in the “Sizzlin’ Six” Final. Greensboro’s Eddie Radwanski was named league MVP.
The 1993 outdoor season also marked the first edition of the challenge cup format, an abbreviated seasonal tournament, with the Southern Challenge Cup consisting of the provisional New Orleans Riverboat Gamblers, Birmingham Grasshoppers, Montgomery Capitals and Jacksonville Fury. The Challenge Cup format was designed as a testing ground by USL for new teams.
1994... D3 PRO LEAGUE BORN
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Although the Pro League, as it was known in 1995 and 1996, would not be formed until the following outdoor season, USISL was given Division III status from the United States Soccer Federation. Exactly half of the league’s 72 teams choose to turn professional with the amateur teams still eligible to compete in the Sizzlin’ Nine Championship through the USSF’s permission.
The amateur and undefeated (18-0 regular season) Minnesota Thunder, in their first year, would advance to the championship match of the Sizzlin’ Nine before losing to the defending champion Greensboro Dynamo. It took a shootout, however, to decide the outcome between the two young clubs. Tied, 1-1, Greensboro came out on top in the shootout to win its second consecutive outdoor title in just its second year of existence. Minnesota’s Manny Lagos, who would go on to play in MLS, was named league MVP.
The Minnesota Thunder’s appearance was the first of five championship game appearances the team would have prior to the turning of the century, finally winning the A-League crown in 1999. The Thunder, a four-year-old amateur team, prior to joining USL in ‘94 have always been led by head coach Manuel (Buzz) Lagos. Lagos has compiled a 121-43-4 regular season USL record. He was honored as the Coach of the Year in 1995 after leading the Thunder to their second straight appearance in a championship game.
1995 Open Cup finalist
In addition to the splitting of the outdoor league into two levels, pro and premier, the league introduces the W-League officially in 1995 after a successful trial run during the summer of ‘94.
The elite women’s league featured U.S National Team players as well as some of the top collegiate players in the country. The W-League’s success is so great in its first two seasons that it will eventually split, similar to the men’s league, in ‘98, forming W-1 and W-2. The Long Island Lady Riders defeated the Nitemares of Southern California for the inaugural W-League championship. Southern California’s Laurie Hill was named league MVP.
If it didn’t change, it wouldn’t sizzle. The USISL retains its acronym while changing the league’s name to United Systems of Independent Soccer Leagues, reflecting the umbrella organization of four leagues heading toward its 10th anniversary.
Future MLS player Giovanni Savarese scored the most memorable goal in USL history in the 1995 Pro League Championship. His game-winner with six seconds left gave the Long Island Rough Riders, in their second season, a 2-1 victory over Minnesota. Savarese’s goal gave the Long Island teams a sweep of their two league championships in the same year. They are the only affiliated men’s and women’s teams to ever accomplish the feat.
It is the PDL Richmond Kickers who deservedly steal the spotlight in 1995, capturing the PDL championship, defeating the Cocoa Expos, and the U.S. Open Cup championship, defeating fellow USL member El Paso Patriots of the Pro League. They were the first USL team to not only win the Open Cup but the coveted “double” as well. The A-League Rochester Raging Rhinos would be the only other USL team since MLS was born in ‘96 to win the Open Cup.
