Erie Commodores FC is an American

soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...

team based in

Erie, Pennsylvania Erie is a city on the south shore of Lake Erie and the county seat of Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, fifth-most populous city in Pennsylvania and the most populous in Northwestern Pen ...

, competing in the

National Premier Soccer League The National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) is an American men's association football, soccer league. The league is officially affiliated to the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA) and has automatic qualification for the U.S. Open Cup. ...

(NPSL), a national amateur league at the fourth tier of the

American Soccer Pyramid The United States soccer league system is a series of professional and amateur association football, soccer leagues based, in whole or in part, in the United States. Although sometimes called the American soccer pyramid, teams and leagues are no ...

. The team plays its home games at Saxon Stadium, located on the campus of Mercyhurst University. In 2021, the Commodores expanded by adding a pro-am women's team that competes in

United Women's Soccer United Women's Soccer (UWS) is a national pro-am Women's association football, women's Association football, soccer league in the United States. The league was founded in 2015 as a response to the dual problems of disorganization in the Women's ...

. The "Commodores" name is a tribute to Oliver Hazard Perry, a U.S. Navy commodore who operated out of Erie's Presque Isle Bay during the

Battle of Lake Erie The Battle of Lake Erie, also known as the Battle of Put-in-Bay, was fought on 10 September 1813, on Lake Erie off the shores of Ohio during the War of 1812. Nine vessels of the United States Navy defeated and captured six vessels of the British ...

, a flashpoint in the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 was fought by the United States and its allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom and its allies in North America. It began when the United States United States declaration of war on the Uni ...

. Perry's ship, the USS ''Niagara'', famously flew a flag with the phrase "Don't Give up the Ship" during the battle, both of which are symbolized in the Commodores' logo. The Erie Maritime Museum now preserves the ''Niagara'' at Presque Isle Bay.

History

In 2009, local soccer coach Pedro Argáez founded Erie Admirals SC, building on an existing youth soccer program. John Melody, a former player at Mercyhurst University in Erie, initially served as Argáez's head coach before taking full ownership of the team. On April 24, 2015, Melody rebranded the club as Erie Commodores FC. Melody later appointed Micky Blythe, another Mercyhurst alumnus, as head coach for one season. Afterward, Neil Brown, a UEFA A License holder, helped lead the Commodores in their 2015 NPSL campaign.

Player development

Several former Commodores players have advanced to professional soccer, including Adam Clement, who joined

Vancouver Whitecaps FC Vancouver Whitecaps Football Club is a Canadian professional Association football, soccer club based in Vancouver. The Whitecaps compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference (MLS), Western Conference. The MLS ite ...

Major League Soccer Major League Soccer (MLS) is a professional Association football, soccer league in North America and the highest level of the United States soccer league system. It comprises 30 teams, with 27 in the United States and 3 in Canada, and is sanc ...

(MLS), as well as Jeremy Deighton, Greg Blum, and Neil Shaffer with

Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC is an American professional association football, soccer team based in Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1998 and beginning play in 1999, the club plays in the Eastern Conference (USL), Eastern Conferenc ...

in the

United Soccer League The United Soccer League (USL) is an organizer of various professional and amateur soccer leagues in the United States league system. It currently organizes its Championship, League One, and League Two for men, its Super League and W Leag ...

. Others, like Dan Howell, Billy Colton, Sam Dorf, and Danny Deakin, pursued opportunities in international leagues, with Deakin being drafted by

Orlando City SC Orlando City Soccer Club is an American professional soccer club based in Orlando, Florida. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference. Owned by Zygi, Leonard, and Mark Wilf, it is the sister club of ...

of MLS.

Rust-belt rivalries

The Commodores developed notable rivalries, including with fellow Rust Belt Conference team Cleveland SC from

Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–United States border, Canada–U.S. maritime border ...

. They previously had a rivalry with

Detroit City FC Detroit City FC is an American professional association football, soccer club based in Detroit, Michigan, that competes in the USL Championship. The club played in the National Premier Soccer League from 2012 to 2019 and the National Independen ...

Detroit, Michigan Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...

until they moved to the

National Independent Soccer Association The National Independent Soccer Association (NISA) is a professional men's soccer league in the United States. The league is previously in the third tier of American soccer and began play in 2019. NISA initially used a fall-to-spring season for ...

. In 2020, Erie competed in the NPSL Members Cup alongside Cleveland SC,

FC Buffalo FC Buffalo is an American soccer club based in Buffalo, New York, United States, with teams in men's and women's soccer. Founded in 2009, the men's team plays in the USL League Two, a national amateur league at the fourth tier of the Americ ...

, and the Pittsburgh Hotspurs. The club also participated in the Erie County Derby against FC Buffalo, a regional NPSL rivalry between

Erie County, Pennsylvania Erie County is the northernmost county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 270,876. Its county seat is Erie. The county was created in 1800 and later organized in 1803. The county is part of the Nort ...

and

Erie County, New York Erie County is a county along the shore of Lake Erie in western New York (state), New York State. As of the United States Census 2020, 2020 census, the population was 954,236. However, in the 2023 census, the Erie County population was 946,147 ...

, which ended when Buffalo joined

USL League Two USL League Two (USL2), formerly the Premier Development League (PDL), is a semi-professional soccer league sponsored by United Soccer Leagues in the United States, forming part of the United States soccer league system. The league will featu ...

in 2023.

The Brewers Cup

In 2024, the Commodores reignited their rivalry with FC Buffalo through the Erie County Brewers Cup, sponsored by Erie-based John Russell Brewing Company and Buffalo-based Big Ditch Brewing Company. The Brewers Cup features a two-game series, with one game in each city, and the two breweries collaborated to release "Lake Erie Life," a tropical summer India pale ale.

Current roster

Year-by-year

Honors

National: * NPSL National runners-up: 2009 * NPSL National semifinalist, 3rd Place winner: 2011 Region/Historic Equivalent: * NPSL Midwest Region Champions: 2013 * NPSL Northeast Division Champions: 2011 * NPSL Eastern Division champions: 2009 Conference/Historic Equivalent: * NPSL Midwest Region-East Conference champions: 2017, 2018 * NPSL Midwest-Great Lakes Conference champions: 2012 * NPSL Northeast Division-Keystone Conference champions: 2011 * NPSL Eastern Keystone Division champions: 2009 Rivalry: * Erie County Derby Champions (vs

): 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2022

Staff

Owner

* John Melody (2010–present) * Pedro Argáez (2009–2010)

Head coach

* Rich Wall (2023–present) * John Melody (2009–2013, 2016–present) * Dan Howell (2015) * Micky Blythe (2014)

Assistant coach

* Neil Brown (2011–2014) * Micky Blythe (2009–2013)

Stadia

* Saxon Stadium (2022–Present) * McConnell Family Stadium (2013, 2016–2021) * Gus Anderson Field (2014–2015) * Dollinger Field (2012–2013) * Penn State Behrend Soccer/Lacrosse Complex (2010–2011) * Family First Sports Park (2009-2010)

References

External links

* {{Pennsylvania Sports National Premier Soccer League teams Amateur soccer teams in Pennsylvania Soccer clubs in Pennsylvania 2009 establishments in Pennsylvania Association football clubs established in 2009