Harrisburg City Islanders Thread

That email response from the front office is great. Im curious as to find out the time table on stadium expansion/renovation and a possible move to the USL-1. I played at Skyline as it was the home field for my high school (Bishop McDevitt) and it is a mess when it rains. Supposedly they cannot remove the baseball diamond due to something with it being a city park. Or at least thats what I was told was the reason when it was brought up to the city as its basically a venue for soccer and minor league football.

Also, any idea on a supporters group? I know theyre a 3rd division team but to have some sort of organized fan base could do a lot for a small organization like the Isles.

 

FYI- Here is the link to my blog about the Harrisburg City Islanders and other "area" soccer. It is through pennlive.com which is the local online newspaper for the area around Harrisburg. My blog has some info, pics, youtube clips, and links to related sites.

http://blog.pennlive.com/upper90/

You can also read the newspaper articles about the team at:

http://www.pennlive.com/cityislanders/

They played Penn State saturday in game 1 of the mini tourney and won 1-0. Nelson, the newly signe dkeeper was in net. Brian Ombiji scored. They then lost 0-1 to Towson and fielded a different roster of players that are solid but seemed to not be as used to each other as game 1. The home opener is saturday.

I also have gotten great help and responses from the office staff while starting the blog. They did sign Matt Nelson who was previously with Kilkinny of the Irish Premier League and the USL First Division.

Hope this helps, -Derek

 

Report and Photos from Home Opener now posted!

http://blog.pennlive.com/upper90/

 

The city of Harrisburg is basically bankrupt. If they had any money to spend on sports facilities, it would probably go to the baseball stadium. They have been actively trying to upgrade that for at least three years.

 

McClellan is from Messiah and he was just plain unreal when he was there!

 

The baseball team--the Harrisburg Senators, AA farm team for DC Nationals--is also on the block, sale rumored to be completed this summer. Commerce Bank bought naming rights last year, though, and may be some additional $$$ there.

 

City Islanders Academy Ready For 2007
Whatever It Takes attitude trickles from USL Second Division



Harrisburg, PA – With the bulk of their Super Y-League teams yet to take to the pitch, the City Islanders Academy Super Y-League Season got off to a tremendous start as all Academy players were recognized at the United Soccer Leagues Second Division Harrisburg City Islanders home opener on April 21st.

http://www.uslsoccer.com/home/179975.html

 

BERMUDA - HCI off to its first success in Bermuda, winning its first "international" match 1-0 thanks to "loaner" Chad Sever's score. HCI plays the Hogges again this afternoon. Good luck, mates!

 

I have to say - Many props to Harrisburg on the kits! Love the colors. I got out there to see a Harrisburgh Heat game a few years back (sadly gone). How do the City Islanders draw?

 

Sellout (about 2800) in the only home game this season. Three (?) sellouts last season. Hoping for better this year!

 

you should come back to Harrisburg and see how much the city has changed since then... the island is great for soccer and then you walk over to downtown and have some food and drinks... never have to move your car... what more can you ask for...

 

Wow, call me stupid, but I never actually knew why you were called the "City Islanders - now I see. My hotel wasn't in Harrisburg or anything, so I never explored the city. The concept of a stadium sitting out on an island sounds pretty awesome though - kind of like a tropical feel, which all makes sense now. I am going to have to give props on the name then too, it makes sense.

(No dummy smacks please)

 

I really like going to games on City Island. Very kid friendly (the train ride, batting cages, etc.) It is also a smaller venue but when it is full it has a neat feel to it. The bring your own chair/blanket hill gets filled up and their are bleachers behind the one goal, along the sideline, and a deck behind the other goal where you can watch the game while grabbing a beer.

When it gets dark you have the lit up Harrisburg city skyline behind the field.

I will be there saturday for the battle of the undefeated's. Plus they will have their special "pink" jerseys on that will be auctioned off to raise money for Breast Cancer Research.

 

Harrisburg won a wild one against a very good Charlotte Eagles club. I will have a report with details monday morning but for now youtube clips and photos are posted on my blog:
http://blog.pennlive.com/upper90/

 

Amen! What a ripping good game! Can't ask for more excitement than a winning goal in stoppage, eh?

Too bad it was missed by all of the early departees. What is it with Harrisburg anyway, that no matter what the event, from soccer to the symphony, there are always people who have to leave before the end? Is there a prize for first out of the parking lot?

 

Another shutout pitched at the HCI! (HCI 0, Western Mass 0) Thankfully, Tim Velten and Ryan Pierce anchored a stout Islanders defense, or the team would be looking at another 0'fer the weekend.

In 11 years of coaching, I bored more people than I care to remember with my constant refrain, "Striker is the hardest position to fill on a soccer team. Good strikers are born, not made." How in the world could the Islanders have gone into the season without a quality natural striker?? Every decent opportunity last night was from a midfielder. Sure, Brian Ombiji was benched, but the team had scoring problems even when he was playing.

Until the Islanders muster a serious scoring threat from the front line, opponents will continue to do just what the Pioneers did last night - tuck back defensively and play counter-attacking football against desperate-to-score mids playing too far forward. Until the Islanders' front line start scoring, I hope the defense can keep getting the point.