One and Done, Norfolk SharX to Cease Operations



Norfolk SharX cease operations.

A famous saying that gets a lot of mention lately - "It's the economy, stupid"  may be the perfect way to explain the news today that the Norfolk SharX professional indoor soccer team are now a part of history.
The following is an excerpt from the official statement released today by the SharX organization:

"The decision to cease operations was very difficult," states minority owner,  team founder and president Marcie Laumann . "It became apparent midway through the first season that local support from sponsors, advertisers, season ticket holders and patrons was not driving enough attendance or revenue to carry a pro soccer team. However, our fans and supporters couldn't have been more enthusiastic.  We simply lacked sufficient funding to get the word out that Hampton Roads finally had a Major Indoor Soccer League team. Fans who attended just once were hooked - but getting attendees in the door the first time proved too challenging with limited marketing funds."

In the face of unforeseen expenses and lower than anticipated sales revenue, herculean efforts were made to ensure the team completed its first season. A staff reorganization, streamlining operations and improving the fan's arena experience contained the SharX losses and sparked a surge in attendance through the latter part of the season. As the crowds grew, the first season SharX players starting winning games, leading to even more growth in attendance.

One of the most unfortunate points is that there are still several viable interested investors out there who understand the connection the Norfolk SharX made to their fans in this area, the economic viability of the team and the value that a professional major league team brings to this area, but unfortunately the clock simply appears to have run out on options for continuance without someone writing a check," said Laumann. "If one of the interested investors was able to step forward today or tomorrow, then perhaps there could still be a 2012/13 season, but without such, we have to call everything to a close.

SharX defender Dos Santos named to MISL All Rookie Team

Norfolk SharX Press Release:

Tampa – The Major Indoor Soccer League honored the top performers from a highly successful 2011-12 regular season today, naming the All-MISL First and Second Teams and MISL All-Rookie Team.  The Norfolk SharX are proud to announce that team defender Gerson Dos Santos has been selected to the 2011-12 All Rookie Team.

On behalf of all the players and the coaching staff, we are ecstatic that Gerson has received such an honor,” said head coach Jon Hall. “It couldn’t go to a more deserving person than Gerson. His professionalism, skill and leadership, added to his high integrity, make him such a deserving recipient. He’s a class act.”

Dos Santos scored 36 points in 17 games for the SharX this season including the game winner in the team’s first win in its history over Rochester on December 29, 2011. He was named MISL Player of the Week on January 3, 2012 for his performance in that game. He also led the SharX in assists with ten.

GERSON DOS SANTOS

Dos Santos is very happy and surprised by this honor since he had to travel back to Brazil mid-season to tend to his ill father and missed six games. “I am happier to represent the SharX,” he said, “because the whole organization did an awesome job and everyone including my teammates deserves to be a part of this honor.”

 “I am pleased that our peers recognized a top player on a new team,” said SharX General Manager Jim Gooley. “New teams are generally given a pass on such honors until they prove themselves but Gerson was certainly a playmaker for the SharX.”

The 29 year-old Dos Santos is from Sao Paulo, Brazil and played his college soccer at Virginia Commonwealth University.  He played for several youth clubs in his native Brazil including C.A. Juventus and Foz Cataratas E.C., before moving to the United States in 2005 to attend VCU. He played for the Rams for three seasons, scoring ten goals and nine assists, earning All-CAA First Team honors in his sophomore season. He was named CAA Co-Player of the Year as a senior. He played for the Richmond Kickers Future in the Premier Development League in 2007. Dos Santos graduated from college one year early and turned professional in 2009, signing with the USL Second Division Richmond Kickers. He made his professional debut on April 18, 2009 in Richmond's 2-2 opening day tie with the Harrisburg City Islanders and helped the Kickers to the 2009 USL Second Division championship. He returned to play for Richmond at the end of the SharX’ MISL season.

The All-MISL and All-Rookie teams were selected through a vote by MISL team management and select media members.  

Baltimore and Milwaukee will face off in the best-of-three 2012 MISL Championship Series starting this Friday night at 1^st Mariner Arena in Baltimore (7:35 p.m. ET, MISLLive.com), with the second leg set for 4:10 p.m. ET Sunday at U.S. Cellular Arena in Milwaukee (MISLLive.com). A deciding mini-game will be played immediately following Game 2 if needed.

2011-12 ALL-MISL First Team

D        Mike Lookingland, Baltimore Blast

D        Nelson Santana, Syracuse Silver Knights

MF      Max Ferdinand, Baltimore Blast

MF      Geison, Missouri Comets

F        Mauricio Salles, Rochester Lancers 

GK      Sagu, Baltimore Blast

2011-12 All-MISL Second Team

D        Leo Gibson, Missouri Comets

D        Joe Hammes, Milwaukee Wave

MF      Marcio Leite, Milwaukee Wave

F        Machel Millwood, Baltimore Blast

F        Byron Alvarez, Missouri Comets

GK      Danny Waltman, Missouri Comets

2011-12 MISL All-Rookie Team

D         Gerson Dos Santos, Norfolk SharX

D        Stephen DeRoux, Baltimore Blast

MF      Kevin Ten Eyck, Wichita Wings

F        Slavisa Ubiparapovic, Syracuse Silver Knights

F        Nicolas Perera, Milwaukee Wave

GK      Eric Reed, Syracuse Silver Knights

SharX lose to Lancers 17-8, Bryant out for Season

Norfolk SharX Press Release:

Norfolk, Virginia – In a game that saw 23 fouls called and play stopped a dozen times for injuries, the Rochester Lancers literally outlasted the Norfolk SharX 17-8 at Norfolk Scope Arena Sunday afternoon.  The SharX lost their third player for the season tonight when Brady Bryant was helped off the field with a torn ACL.  Marcello Alves suffered the same injury early in the season and goalkeeper Brian Sowell was lost due to a torn shoulder ligament.  He will be in rehab for five months.  Norfolk’s Brandon Massie also suffered a disc injury in his back in tonight’s game.  Andrew Marshall missed tonight’s match with a hamstring injury.

The SharX began with a high pressure game and it seemed to work through half of the first quarter and the SharX even took the lead just three minutes into the match.  Gary Brooks scored unassisted on a hard shot from the middle of the box to put Norfolk up 2-0. But the Landers came back and took control, scoring six unanswered points by Carlos Farias, Ljubomir Kocic and Doug Miller, until Norfolk could get on the board again.

The second half started fast for the SharX, again using their pressing defense and Matthew Delicâte was able to capitalize on a let-down by Lancer’s keeper Pat Hannigan during a SharX power play.  Miller was issued a blue card for boarding Norfolk’s player/coach Brian Hinkey and the SharX went to work, sending the ball into the area again and again.  One ball careened off the wall to Harrington but he couldn’t keep control and it landed at Delicâte’s feet.  He calmly one-touched it into the back of the net bringing the score to 10-6.

In the seventh minute of the second half, Matt Clare with an assist by Brian Hinkey, brought the SharX to within two points with a rocket of a shot from just inside the arc to make it 6-4, but Rochester’s Mauricio Salles scored two followed by two more from Miller to make it 10-4 at the half.  Rochester outshot Norfolk 15-11 in the first 30 minutes.

But Rochester again answered but with five points this time on Salles’ second goal in the 11^th minute of the period and a minute later by a three-point strike by Elliot Fauske.  It was now 15-6 in favor of the Lancers.

In the final quarter, the SharX were only able to trade goals with the Lancers, starting with a strike by Norfolk’s leading scorer Miguel Ferrer off a restart with an assist from Matt Clare. And again Rochester answered on two points from Andrew Hoxie, assisted by Miller who earned five points on the night.  Ferrer and Clare led the SharX with three points each.

There were defensive highlights for the SharX in tonight’s game beginning with Yomby William who made back-to-back goal line saves in the second quarter.  William broke up the Lancers’ offense again and again and still was tied for the lead in shots on goal with Matt Clare.  Each had four on the night. The SharX defense also killed off two Rochester power plays.

“Every time we play a good physical contest, we suffer some injuries that are worrying,” said head coach Jon Hall. “Brady is the third player we have lost for the season due to injury.”

The SharX hit the road to Baltimore yet again on Wednesday, February 1^st for a 7:05 kickoff with the Blast at 1^st Mariner Arena.  The team then heads to Syracuse on February 9 at 7 p.m. at the Oncenter.  Norfolk returns home just in time for a Valentine’s Day matchup with the same Syracuse squad at Norfolk Scope Arena at 7 p.m.

The SharX invite all their fans to join them at The Public House in Norfolk’s Ghent on February 7 at 5:30 p.m. to meet and greet the team and the Mermaids. Food will be provided by The Public House and the team would love all of their fans to join them for this pre-Valentine’s Day get-together.

Norfolk SharX name Jim Gooley General Manager

Norfolk SharX Press Release:

SHARX NAME JIM GOOLEY GENERAL MANAGER

Lucy Gimbel named Director of Operations

Troy Catindig named Director of Group Sales

Norfolk, Virginia – The Norfolk SharX are pleased to announce that Jim Gooley has joined the staff as General Manager. Other staff appointments also include naming Lucy Gimbel Director of Operations and Troy Catindig Director of Group Sales.

Gooley comes to the SharX with over 45 years in the game of soccer. A goalkeeper by trade, he began playing for Brick Township High School in New Jersey. With a degree in electronics from Ocean County College in the 1970's Jim worked for a small electronics company and then joined Eastman Kodak in 1978. During his 21 years as an imaging specialist at Kodak he continued to play and coach youth soccer for various clubs. He joined Nikon Microscope Instruments in 2000 as a technical sales rep in the pharmaceutical and university markets.

Gooley became part of the United Soccer Leagues (USL) as an announcer and salesman for the Division III Central Jersey Riptide and the Central Jersey Splash W League team. He became Vice President of Sales and was then named General Manager of the franchises. In 2003, he joined the New Jersey Wildcats of the W League helping the team win franchise awards including USL Franchise of the Year in 2005. The same year the Wildcats were W League Champions and ranked as high as 4th in the world.

Jim Gooley

Gooley, along with Wildcats head coach Charlie Naimo and communications director Patric Santo Pietro, left the Wildcats to form a new team, Jersey Sky Blue. This W League franchise earned the 2006 W League Franchise of the Year award as well and the team moved directly into the new Women's Professional League (WPS) as Sky Blue FC. Gooley still announces games for Sky Blue.

Gooley’s work with Sky Blue was recognized by the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League and he was asked to help build a new MISL team, the New Jersey Ironmen. He worked as Director of Gameday Operations for two years.

He joins the SharX with experience and awards at every level of the professional game. Jim has a daughter Karen, a speech pathologist who is married to Joseph Ficarra. Both reside in New Jersey. Jim enjoyed 36 years of marriage to his late wife Pam.

“Jim has worked with USL, MISL, and other professional teams. He is known for hard work, creative ideas, and for building successful franchises,” said SharX President Marcie Laumann. “His enthusiasm for the team and the community are exactly what we need.”

Lucy Gimbel

Gimbel has been a member of the Hampton Roads soccer community since 2000 as a team organizer for the Neighborhood Youth Soccer League (NYSL) as well as a team manager for her son’s rec team. In 2003, she joined the Hampton Roads Piranhas organization working on game day set up, then adding game day music and atmosphere during the following season. She was appointed Director of Operations for the W-League and PDL teams in 2011. She started with the SharX as Director of Game

Day Operations working with volunteers, scheduling team travel and appearances as

well as managing the SharX office. Gimbel and her husband Brian have two children, Amanda 21 and Nick 15. A native of New York, Gimbel and her family have called Virginia Beach home for 20 years.

Laumann has been working with Gimbel for a long time. “Lucy is one of the hardest working people I know and a true sports nut,” Laumann said. “She has proven over and over again that she earns her nick name The Magician because she always seems to pull everything together when the team needs it.”

Catindig, a lifelong resident of Hampton Roads graduated from Old Dominion University with a degree in communications. He has been a life-long soccer fan and player, is a fan of the indoor game and is excited about Major League Sports coming to Hampton Roads. He and his wife Pam have two daughters, Taylor and Haley, and they reside in Virginia Beach.

Troy Catindig

“Troy is a polished professional that loves working with community organizations and groups,” Laumann said about Catindig. “He shares my passion to see the SharX involved in our community.”

Laumann went on to say that these staff additions are the shot of adrenaline the SharX organization needs. Laumann has been serving as both General Manager and President of the SharX and the appointment of Gooley will allow her to focus on the development and promotion of the franchise both on and off the field.

The SharX are on the road to Baltimore on Friday for a 7:35 kickoff with the Blast at 1^st Mariner Arena. The team returns home Saturday night, January 21 at 7 p.m. at Norfolk Scope Arena. Tickets are available at the Scope Box Office or online at www.norfolksharx.com and $2 discounts are available by using code JAWS5.

For more information about the Norfolk SharX, Norfolk’s newest professional sports team, including sponsorships, tickets, internships or to volunteer, please call 757-419-3317 or visit www.norfolksharx.com.

Norfolk SharX Mens Indoor League Registration Open

The Norfolk SharX of the MISL are now taking registrations for their Winter Indoor Soccer League.

Registration is now open for players 17 and older.

Games are played Saturday 1-28-12 - 3-11-12

from 8AM - 11AM

All games held at Chilled Ponds in Chesapeake.

If you don't have a full team that is not a problem. Sign up individually and you will be placed on a team.

Questions contact info@norfolksharx.com

Register on line at www.norfolksharx.com

PRIZES AND A TROPHY FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM

SPONSORED BY

A Conversation with SharX Head Coach Jon Hall

The currently winless Norfolk SharX (0-6) recently released the following conversation with their Head Coach, Jon Hall regarding the rough start to the MISL season.

Norfolk, Virginia - Norfolk SharX head coach Jon Hall is not accustomed to losing. The 2007 Premier Development League Coach of the Year has always had success outdoors on the pitch. Historically, his teams have won far more than they have lost. But this season with the Norfolk SharX, he is starting from scratch – building a new franchise in the Major Indoor Soccer League – from the ground up. And it’s an entirely different kind of soccer. “I have enjoyed the whole experience,” he said. “Make no mistake, though. I don’t like losing. The only things I’d change about the season so far are the results.” The SharX are winless in their first six games.

“We are building a new franchise,” he said. “The biggest thing I have learned is the huge difference between the indoor and outdoor games. We are learning systems, player roles, set pieces, and how to blend it all to succeed on the field. We have learned so much in the past month. Even with the games that we have lost, I think we have made great strides in the past seven weeks. Winning will come.” 

There are only seven professional indoor soccer teams in the country. And only four of the teams in the Major Indoor Soccer League have a history – Baltimore, Milwaukee, Missouri and Wichita. In addition to Norfolk, there are two other new expansion teams, Syracuse and Rochester, both of whom have been able to draw on local players with professional indoor experience. For the Sharx, there are few local players with professional indoor experience from which to draw. 

“We have never had high level indoor soccer here,” Hall continued. “Mainstream adult leagues have only been around here for about a year. In Milwaukee, for example, due to the winters, they have had a plethora of indoor leagues for many years, at all levels. There is not the same indoor foundation here, which is something we would like to play a big part in changing. We have come into the top league in the country a bit fresh-faced – sometimes like a deer caught in the headlights. We are learning and our players are understanding their roles. We are creating something from nothing.”

Hall has developed very good working relationships with the other coaches in the league – all of whom want the franchise to succeed – except on the field. “There is a difference between where those teams are and where the SharX are,” he said. “Playing wise, we’ve only been doing this for around 50 days, some of the other teams have been around for thirty years. The coaches of the other teams have been terrifically supportive and comment that we are not that far away. The other teams certainly don’t take us lightly. They do respect us.” 

Hall concluded by saying, “We have good guys who come in every day and work hard and train hard. We have a great organization from upper management to our game day interns, who are all working hard to make our club successful. The only thing we don’t have here is a win . . . yet.” The SharX

SharX remain winless in MISL following loss to Wichita

The newest professional soccer team in Virginia, SharX struggling for first win

Park City, Kansas – The Norfolk SharX went up 4-0 on the Wichita Wings early in the game Saturday night, on back to back goals from Cecil Lewis assisted by Gersen Dos Santos and Matt Clare’s unassisted strike, and had a 4-2 lead at the end of the first quarter. The score was an even 4-4 at the end of the first half, but Norfolk’s frustrations continue and the SharX fell to Wichita 17-4 after allowing 13 unanswered points in the second half.

Jamar Beasley had two goals and an assist and Carlos Farias added four assists for the Wings plus goals by Kevin Ten Eyke, Brian Cushing, Victor Quiroz and Bryan Perez rounded out the scoring for Wichita.

Norfolk keepers Jamie Lieberman and Brian Sowell faced 27 shots and Wing’s goalies Sanaldo Carvalho and Nic Martinez faced 13.

“The teams in this league are strong and we’re the new kids on the block,” said head coach Jon Hall.  “This is an intense game and there is nowhere to hide when mistakes are made because this game is so fast.”

“Even though as a building and learning year, this has been good,” ”Hall continued. “It’s a hard learning process. We will keep working and training towards that first win and when we get home on Sunday we will all hit the training field hard and be ready for Missouri at Scope next Saturday. We are not giving up.”

The SharX will host the Missouri Comets on Saturday, December 10th at Scope.  Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Click Here for more: Indoor Soccer News

Norfolk Sharx and Virginia Beach Piranhas partner with Ronald McDonald House charities

Virginia Beach, Virginia - The Norfolk SharX and Virginia Beach Piranhas soccer teams are pleased to announce their partnership with Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) in Norfolk, Virginia. The alliance was forged to help RMHC bring attention to all that they do.

Norfolk SharX Join I-League (USL)

Team to call Norfolk Scope Arena home

TAMPA, Fla. – United Soccer Leagues is proud to announce the addition of the Norfolk SharX to the I-League.  The SharX were unveiled today at a news conference in Norfolk featuring team CEO and President Marcie Laumann, founder and president of the Hampton Roads Piranhas teams that compete in the USL Premier Development League and W-League.

Scheduled to begin play this fall, the I-league also features the Rochester Lancers and a recently announced team in Syracuse, New York, with additional announcements expected soon.  Consistent with the model that has properly served USL for the past quarter-century, competition in the I-League will be regionally based in order to contain travel expenses, and culminate with a national championship to be held in early 2012.

“The I-League is much stronger today thanks to the addition of the Norfolk SharX,” USL CEO Alec Papadakis said. “Marcie Laumann is one of the key figures in USL’s 25-year history, and we look forward to launching our newest league with her support.”

The SharX will kick off their first season at Norfolk Scope Arena this fall and expect to play 20 games per season, 10 at home and 10 on the road. The team also revealed its logo and team colors at the event and started its official countdown to kickoff.

“The Norfolk SharX are a fantastic addition to the I-League, which continues to build momentum as we head toward the opening kickoff in November,” I-League Senior Director Chris Economides said.  “With Marcie Laumann serving as CEO and President, there is no question that the SharX will enjoy a great deal of success just as her PDL and W-League teams have.”

Laumann is one of the majority owners of the team, which is wholly owned by Ariel Sports Group.  Laumann has enjoyed a long and illustrious career in soccer team ownership and management in USL. For the past 17 years she has led the Piranhas teams and has won numerous individual and team awards, and her teams have won championships. 

Laumann has been honored by the USL with the Archie Moylan Courage Award (2000), Marketing Excellence Award (2001), USL Executive of the Year (2002, 2007) and USL Organization of the Year (2003). In 2004, both Marcie and her husband, Doc, were inducted into the USL Hall of Fame.

“Everyone here at the SharX understands that community and corporate support is earned and not given or expected,” Marcie Laumann said. “We have worked hard behind the scenes for the past eight months to develop a franchise that today we are proud to introduce to our neighbors, friends, and family throughout Hampton Roads. 

“It is our goal to entrench our franchise in the community rather than making demands of our community. Although we intend to be fiercely competitive on the pitch, we recognize that the opportunity we have been given is much broader than the lines on the field. We will provide role models for our youth and support for as many community projects as we can, and this will have a far greater impact on Hampton Roads than the outcome of any game.”

The Piranhas women’s team, established in 1995, has appeared in the W-League playoffs seven times, winning four division/conference titles. The Piranhas were a league finalist in 1998 and 2003 and won the W-League Championship in 2003.  The men’s team, which she acquired in 2007, won the PDL Regular Season Championship in its inaugural season.  The team also won the PDL Eastern Conference Regular Season Championship and the PDL Mid-Atlantic Championship that season. 

The head coach for the Norfolk SharX will be announced in the upcoming weeks, as will information regarding players, tickets and schedules.

United Soccer Leagues
Celebrating its 25^th anniversary, United Soccer Leagues has become the largest organization of elite-level soccer leagues in North America by building on the vision, commitment, and passion of players, fans and investors. Now in its third decade of operation, USL continues to be a driving force in the growth of soccer in the United States, Canada and Caribbean. USL provides a clearly defined path for the progression of male and female soccer players beginning at the youth level (USL Super Y-League/USL Super-20 League), continuing through the amateur level (USL Premier Development League/USL W-League) and up to the professional level, both outdoor and indoor (USL PRO, I-League). A platform for countless players to reach for their dreams each year, USL is devoted to developing the sport at the grassroots level in every community across the region.