Ottawa Fury Women
Full nameOttawa Fury Women
Nickname(s)The Fury
Founded2000
Dissolved2014
StadiumAlgonquin College Soccer Complex
Capacity2,000
OwnerJohn Pugh
CoachDominic Oliveri
LeagueUSL W-League
20141st, Central Conference
National Semifinals

Ottawa Fury Women was a Canadian women's soccer team based in Ottawa, Ontario. Founded in 2000, the team was a member of the United Soccer Leagues USL W-League, the second tier of women's soccer in the United States and Canada. The team competed in the W-League's Central Conference with the rest of the league's Canadian clubs.[1]

The team was part of the Ottawa Fury FC organization, which included the Ottawa Fury FC men's professional team, the Academy and the former semi-professional team Ottawa Fury SC. The women's team was disbanded following the 2014 season.

History

The Ottawa Fury was founded as a women's team in 2000 by Andy Nera, who served as owner and coach, to compete in the USL W-League.[2] The team failed to make the playoffs in each of their first two seasons.[2]

In 2002, the team was purchased by John Pugh.[3] In 2004, the Fury captured their first division title in 2004 (the first of nine consecutive) and their first conference title in 2005.[2] In 2005, the Fury added a men's team, Ottawa Fury SC in the semi-professional Premier Development League.[4]

They advanced to the League Championship final in 2005 and 2006, losing both years to the New Jersey Wildcats and Vancouver Whitecaps, respectively.[2][5] In 2007, they posted their first undefeated season, with a record of 11 wins and 1 draw.[2]

After clinching their ninth consecutive Central Division title,[6] the Fury women captured the 2012 League title, defeating the Pali Blues in the championship final on penalty kicks, which was hosted in Ottawa.[7][8]

Following the formation of the professional men's team, Ottawa Fury FC, the women's team adopted the Fury FC branding and logo for the 2014 season.[2] After the 2014 season, in which the team finished the regular season undefeated and coming in third-place in the league championship tournament,[9][10] the team folded in "a business decision to cease operation", with the organization focusing on it the men's professional team.[11] Despite folding the women's team, the club remained committed to its girls development program through the Elite Girls Academy and other grassroots and community initiatives.[12] The disbanding of the team occurred just days ahead of the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup official draw in Ottawa.[13] The Fury women had amassed the second-most wins in W-League history.[13]

Head coaches

Coach Tenure
Andy Nera 2000–2002
Frank Lofranco 2003–2007
Craig Smith 2008–2010
Dominic Oliveri 2011–2014

Year-by-year

Year League Record Rank League Championship Voyageurs Cup Ref
2000 USL W-League 6–3–5 3rd, Northern Division did not qualify Not held [14]
2001 5–3–6 5th, Northern Division did not qualify
2002 5–2–5 4th, Northern Division did not qualify
2003 11–1–2 2nd, Northern Division Semi-finals
2004 13–0–1 1st, North Central Division Semi-Finals East Champions
2005 13–0–1 1st, Northern Division Finalists East Champions
2006 10–1–1 1st, Northern Division Finalists
East Champions
Super Cup runner-up
 [15]
2007 11–1–0 1st, Northern Division Quarter-finals Not held
2008 13–0–1 1st, Northern Division Quarter-finals
2009 11–2–1 1st, Great Lakes Division Semi-finals
2010 8–3–1 1st, Great Lakes Division Quarter-finals
2011 12–0–0 1st, Great Lakes Division Finalists
2012 10–0–2 1st, Central Division Champions
2013 7–2–3 2nd, Central Conference Quarter-finals
2014 11–1–0 1st, Central Conference Semi-finals

Awards and honours

Ottawa Fury Women have won the following USL W-League awards:[16]

  • Champions: 1 (2012)
  • Conference Champions: 3 (2005, 2006, 2014)
  • Division Champions: 10 (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014)

Stadium

Notable former players

The following Fury players have played at the senior international level:[2]

References

  1. ↑ Woods, Lisa-Marie (May 28, 2014). "W-league, Ottawa Fury FC and the Fury Family". Womens Soccer United.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "W-League History". Ottawa Fury FC. Archived from the original on November 9, 2014.
  3. ↑ "USL Announces Addition of Ottawa Fury FC". United Soccer League. October 26, 2015.
  4. ↑ Hellen, Jessica (April 15, 2005). "Ottawa Fury fired up for new men's soccer team". Capital Current.
  5. ↑ Timko, Brandon (July 29, 2011). "A recap of past W-League Final Four appearances for Whitecaps FC". Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
  6. ↑ "Ottawa Fury set their sights on W-League championship". Nepean Barrhaven News. July 26, 2012.
  7. ↑ Helmer, Aedan (July 29, 2012). "Fury wins W-League final". Ottawa Sun.
  8. ↑ "Ottawa Fury to host 2012 USL W-League championship weekend". Ottawa East News. February 9, 2012.
  9. ↑ Holder, Gord (December 2, 2014). "Fury women's team shut down". Ottawa Citizen.
  10. ↑ Shykora, Brendan (April 24, 2021). "What the embers of the Fury's glory days show about women's pro sports prospects in Ottawa". Ottawa Sportspages.
  11. ↑ Kassouf, Jeff (December 3, 2014). "Ottawa Fury FC's USL W-League team folds". The Equalizer.
  12. ↑ "Ottawa Fury women's soccer team shut down in 'business decision'". CBC. December 2, 2014.
  13. 1 2 Taekema, Dan (December 2, 2014). "Ottawa Fury FC cuts women's team". Capital Current.
  14. ↑ Litterer, Dave. "The W-League (USL) (1995-2005)". Soccer History USA.
  15. ↑ Litterer, Dave. "The W-League (USL) (2006-present)". Soccer History USA.
  16. ↑ Fury W-League History on "Ottawa FURY Women". Archived from the original on 2011-07-15. Retrieved 2012-05-06.
  17. ↑ Canada Soccer,Ottawa to host 2004 W-League Championship, http://www.canadasoccer.com/news/viewArtical.asp?Press_ID=1577&lang=en
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