The California Cougars were an

indoor soccer Indoor soccer or arena soccer is a form of five-a-side football, five-a-side or six-a-side version of minifootball. It is derived from association football and adapted to be played in walled hardcourt indoor arenas. It differs from the FIFA, FIFA ...

team, founded in 2004. The team was a charter member of the

Professional Arena Soccer League The Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) is a professional indoor soccer league in North America. The MASL features teams playing coast-to-coast in the United States and Mexico. The league is the highest level of arena soccer in North America. The le ...

(PASL-Pro), the first division of arena (indoor) soccer in North America. They played their home matches at the

Stockton Arena Adventist Health Arena is an indoor arena in Stockton, California. It opened in December 2005 and seats a maximum of 12,000 fans. It is the home venue of the Stockton Kings of the NBA G League. Former tenants include the Stockton Heat of the Am ...

Stockton, California Stockton is a city in and the county seat of San Joaquin County, California, San Joaquin County in the Central Valley (California), Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. It is the most populous city in the county, the List of municipal ...

. Their team colors were red, gold and black. The team's head coach was Antonio Sutton.

History

In February 2004, John Thomas, a real estate developer, purchased an expansion team in the Major Indoor Soccer League for

. The team was named the California Cougars so that it would represent all of northern California as a regional team. The first general manager was Dennis Lukens, a former "A" League GM who oversaw the start up operation. He was succeeded by Emily Ballus, a former executive with the WUSA. Because it is only south of

Sacramento Sacramento ( or ; ; ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the seat of Sacramento County. Located at the confluence of the Sacramento and American Rivers in Northern California's Sacramento Valley, Sacramento's 2020 p ...

, the team hoped to draw fans of the old Sacramento Knights of the CISL and WISL. The team began play in the 2005–2006 season after the construction of its arena. In August 2006, the team was purchased by Rick and Greg Toy and their brother in-law Jim Rachels. In May 2008, the team announced that it was joining the

and would be renamed the Stockton Cougars.PASL
/ref> In April 2009, local businessman Fred Walke purchased majority interest in the franchise. For the 2009–2010 season Stockton Cougars went back to calling itself California Cougars.

Year-by-year

Playoff record

Coaches

Head coaches

* Troy Dayak (2005–2007) * Bernie Lilavois (2007–2009) * Antonio Sutton (2009–2011)

Assistant coaches

* Dennis Lukens (2005–2006) * Antonio Sutton (2007–2009) * Aaron Susi (2008–2011)

Arenas

(2005–2011)

References

External links

Cougars official website

PASL-Pro website
{{Central Valley Sports Soccer clubs in California Association football clubs established in 2004 Defunct indoor soccer clubs in the United States Sports in Stockton, California Defunct Major Arena Soccer League teams Indoor soccer clubs in the United States Major Indoor Soccer League (2001–2008) teams 2004 establishments in California 2011 disestablishments in California Association football clubs disestablished in 2011