Denver Avalanche
| Nickname(s) | Avalanche |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1980 |
| Dissolved | 1983 |
| Ground | McNichols Sports Arena Denver, Colorado |
| Capacity | 16,061 |
| Owner |  Ron Maierhofer |
| Head Coach |  Dave Clements |
| League | Major Indoor Soccer League |
The Denver Avalanche were an American soccer team based out of Denver, Colorado that played in the Major Indoor Soccer League from 1980 to 1982. Their home arena was McNichols Sports Arena.
History
[edit]In February 1980, the Major Indoor Soccer League awarded a franchise to Ron Maierhofer, to be named the Denver Avalanche. The team's first three players, all signed the same day were Tony Graham, Chris Cattaneo and Adrian Brooks. The team's first draft pick Erhardt Kapp passed on the Avalanche and signed with the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League instead. The team's first game, an exhibition match, took place on November 3, 1980, a 10–4 loss to the St. Louis Steamers. Coached by Dave Clements, the Avalanche finished the regular season out of playoff contention, but in 1982, they made the playoffs only to fall to the St. Louis Steamers in the first round. Clements was named the 1982 MISL Coach of the Year.
The team entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1983. The Avalanche's assets were purchased by a group led by George Best and moved to form the Tacoma Stars.[1]
Year-by-year
[edit]| Year | Record | Regular season | Playoffs | Avg. attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980–1981 | 16–24 | 3rd Western Division | Out of playoffs | 7,699 |
| 1981–1982 | 19–25 | 4th Western Division | First Round | 7,653 |
Honors
[edit]All Star Game MVP
- 1980–1981: Adrian Brooks
Coach of the Year
- 1981–1982: Dave Clements
Staff
[edit]- Coach: Dave Clements
- Assistant Coach: Peter Duerden
- Director of Player Development: Mike Ditchfield
References
[edit]- ^ Smith, Craig (June 30, 1983). "The question: Would 2 teams destroy soccer?". The Seattle Times. p. B3.