Maryland Bobcats
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Maryland Bobcats FC, formerly World Class Premier Elite (WCPE), are 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 and academy based in
Montgomery County, Maryland Montgomery County is the most populous County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Maryland. As of the 2020 United States census, the county's population was 1,062,061, increasing by 9.3% from 2010. The county seat is Rockville, Maryland ...
, which was founded in 2016. The organization's professional team competes within 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 the third division of U.S. Soccer. The Bobcats also field teams in both the Maryland Super Soccer League and
Eastern Premier Soccer League The American Premier Soccer League (APSL) is a United States Adult Soccer Association affiliated amateur soccer league that includes teams from the Eastern United States. Currently the league has members from Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusett ...
.


History


Local and national amateur leagues

The club began as a men's amateur team as a way for friends to continue to stay in touch and for players to stay match fit when looking for potential professional playing opportunities. It went through name multiple name changes, settling on World Class Premier Elite as the club was gaining prominence. The club ended up having two men's teams playing in separate areas of the metro Washington D.C. area. WCP were the 2018 Spring Season champions in both the Washington Premier League (WPL) and Maryland Major Soccer League (MMSL). Both leagues are affiliated with the
United States Adult Soccer Association The United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA) is a national organization for Amateur sports, amateur Association football, soccer in the United States. It consists of 54 state associations in four regions, as well as national, regional, and ...
(USASA). In fall of 2018, World Class Premier took part in the 2019 U.S. Open Cup qualification tournament and reached the final round before falling to Virginia United FC in a shootout. WCP were announced as the United Premier Soccer League's newest expansion into Maryland on November 30, 2018. The team competes in the Northeast Conference and plays its UPSL home games at
Montgomery Blair High School Montgomery Blair High School (MBHS) is a State school, public Secondary school, high school in the Four Corners, Maryland, Four Corners neighborhood of Silver Spring, Maryland, United States. It is operated by Montgomery County Public Schools (M ...
's football stadium, in
Silver Spring, Maryland Silver Spring is a census-designated place (CDP) in southeastern Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, near Washington, D.C. Although officially Unincorporated area, unincorporated, it is an edge city with a population of 81,015 at the 2020 ...
in compliance with UPSL's Minimum Standards. During the 2019 Spring season, the team went nearly undefeated in the Mid-Atlantic Division North (9–0–1) and finished the regular season in first place. It went on to win the Division playoffs, beating San Lee FC and eventually Baltimore United FC in the final. WCP fell to eventual champions
Florida Tropics SC Florida Tropics SC is a professional soccer club based in Lakeland, Florida. They are owned by Central Florida Sports Ventures, LLC, led by Dr. Panos Iakovidis, and former USL commissioner and Rochester Rhinos owner Chris Economides. The or ...
in the National Quarterfinals on July 13. The following season, WCP (which later changed its name to Maryland Bobcats FC mid-season) finished the regular season undefeated. In the playoffs, the team won five straight games to win the UPSL's Mid-Atlantic Division, Northeast Conference, and eventually the Fall 2019 National Championship. The final, which was played at Barry University's Buccaneer Field in
Miami Shores, Florida Miami Shores or Miami Shores Village is a village in Miami-Dade County, Florida. The village is part of the Miami metropolitan area of South Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 11,567, up from 10,493 in 2010. History By the early ...
, saw the Bobcats defeat
Santa Ana Winds FC Santa Ana Winds FC, also known as Winds FC, is a soccer team founded in Santa Ana, California, and a founding United Premier Soccer League club currently playing at the Lake Forest Sports Park, with occasional matches played at Championship Stadi ...
, 3–1, in extra time. On September 26, 2019, it was announced that the club would join 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. ...
as an expansion team. The Bobcats, originally accepted as WCP, were set to begin play in the Northeast Region's Mid-Atlantic Conference in 2020 with home matches being played at
Montgomery Blair High School Montgomery Blair High School (MBHS) is a State school, public Secondary school, high school in the Four Corners, Maryland, Four Corners neighborhood of Silver Spring, Maryland, United States. It is operated by Montgomery County Public Schools (M ...
in
Silver Spring, Maryland Silver Spring is a census-designated place (CDP) in southeastern Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, near Washington, D.C. Although officially Unincorporated area, unincorporated, it is an edge city with a population of 81,015 at the 2020 ...
. However, in March 2020, the league announced the 2020 season was cancelled due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
. In late 2019, the club announced it would be rebranding to Maryland Bobcats FC. The club announced the a restructuring in the spring of 2020, which sees the Professional team on top, the Reserve Team (Maryland Bobcats FC II) underneath, and youth teams beneath the men's teams. The youth teams will have access to the men's teams and vice versa, and identified players will be brought up to potentially train and travel with the men's teams. On August 6, 2020, Maryland Bobcats were announced as a new member of the
Eastern Premier Soccer League The American Premier Soccer League (APSL) is a United States Adult Soccer Association affiliated amateur soccer league that includes teams from the Eastern United States. Currently the league has members from Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusett ...
.


Jump to professional play

In mid July 2020, the Bobcats were announced as a participant in the inaugural
NISA Independent Cup 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 ...
, a regional tournament held by 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 ...
, a
USSF USSF may refer to: * United States Servicemen's Fund, a support organization for soldier and sailor resistance to the Vietnam War and the U.S. military * United States Soccer Federation, governing body of soccer in the United States * United States ...
sanctioned Division 3 league, between its professional members and independent pro / amateur teams. The Bobcats were set the host the event's Mid-Atlantic Region which included
FC Baltimore Christos FC Baltimore Christos (founded as FC Baltimore 1729) was an American soccer team based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Founded in 2018, the team played in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), a national amateur league at the fourth ...
,
New Amsterdam FC New Amsterdam Football Club was an American professional Association football, soccer club based in Hempstead, New York, that previously played in the National Independent Soccer Association (NISA), the third tier of Soccer in the United States, ...
, and the
New York Cosmos New York Cosmos may refer to * New York Cosmos (1970–1985), a team in the North American Soccer League (then the top-tier soccer league in the United States and Canada) * New York Cosmos (2010), a team playing since 2020 in the National Indepen ...
at
Maryland SoccerPlex The Maryland SoccerPlex is a sports complex in Germantown, Maryland, although its mailing address is directed to Boyds, Maryland. The facility, completed in 2000 and operated by the Maryland Soccer Foundation (MSF), has 21 natural grass fields, ...
before a surge in
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...
cases forced its postponement and relocation. Following multiple weather delays, the Bobcats won the Mid-Atlantic region on Saturday, October 10. On July 27, 2020, the Bobcats announced it had applied to join NISA. If accepted, it would be the state's first professional outdoor soccer team since
Crystal Palace Baltimore Crystal Palace Baltimore was an American professional soccer team based in Baltimore, Maryland, US. Founded in 2006, the club was originally named Crystal Palace USA and was affiliated with English side Crystal Palace. The club was a member of t ...
. Maryland was officially announced as a new league member on October 13, 2020, with plans to begin play in fall 2021. On October 2, 2024, NISA announced that the Bobcats were disqualified from participating in the 2024 playoffs for not being "in compliance with the league nor the
U.S. Soccer Federation The United States Soccer Federation (USSF), commonly referred to as U.S. Soccer, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and the official governing body of soccer in the United States. It is a full member of FIFA and governs American soccer at ...
", despite finishing the regular season with the league's best record.


Supporters

The primary supporters' group of Maryland Bobcats FC is known as the Old Bae Brigade. Born out of supporters that attended
DC United D.C. United is an American professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference. Domestically, the club has won four MLS Cups (league championships), four Suppor ...
matches, the Old Bae Brigade sits behind the opposing team's bench at home matches. Over the years, the supporter group has established several traditions, such as the bobcat fact of the match and accentuating the "O" in the
American National Anthem "The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States. The lyrics come from the "Defence of Fort M'Henry", a poem written by American lawyer Francis Scott Key on September 14, 1814, after he witnessed the bombardment of Fort ...
like
Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles (also known as the O's) are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East Division. As one of the America ...
fans during the pregame.


Colors and badge

File:Maryland_Bobcats_FC_logo.svg, (2019–)


Kit


Sponsorship


Players and staff


Current roster


Head coaches


General managers


Year-by-year


Honors

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 ...
*NISA Independent Cup ** Mid-Atlantic Region *** Champion (1):
2020 The year 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of even ...
United Premier Soccer League The United Premier Soccer League (UPSL) is an American for-profit soccer league that was founded in Santa Ana in Southern California, with teams in regionalized conferences throughout the United States, and recently Canada and Mexico. The leagu ...
*National ** Champion (1): Fall 2019 *Conference **Northeast Champion (1): Fall 2019 *Division ** Mid-Atlantic *** Regular Season (1): Spring 2019 *** Playoffs (1): Spring 2019 ** Beltway *** Regular Season (1): Fall 2019 *** Playoffs (1): Fall 2019


References


External links


Maryland Bobcats FC website
{{WashingtonDCSports 2016 establishments in Maryland National Independent Soccer Association teams Association football clubs established in 2016 Montgomery County, Maryland