California Sunshine

The California Sunshine was an American soccer club based in Fountain Valley, California that was a member of the American Soccer League. The team was owned by Dr. Robert Everakes and his wife Alexandra, who was the general manager. Their home games were held at Chapman University in Orange, California and Eddie West Field at Santa Ana Stadium (aka Santa Ana Bowl) in Santa Ana, California but had exhibition games at the University of California in Riverside, California and Palm Springs Stadium in Palm Springs, California. Their first season was 1977, but the team folded in 1981 after four seasons. The head coach was Derek Lawther.

The California Sunshine Soccer Team was founded in 1977 by Warren Hoffnung (a nuclear physicist, aerospace executive and entrepreneur – currently CEO of MyWrapper, a software company that sells software for creating personalized candy wrappers) and Lee Andrews (a financial advisor). They acquired the Orange County, California territorial rights in the American Soccer League, the oldest U.S. professional soccer league. The commissioner of the ASL at the time was basketball great Bob Cousy and there were teams spread across the U.S. A little known fact is that the California Sunshine approved the move of the NASL’s St. Louis Stars to Anaheim Stadium where it was renamed the California Surf. The California Sunshine was founded with two major philosophies: To field as many American players as possible and to keep profanity off the playing field. The goal was to encourage American youth to be able to attend the matches and see how soccer could be an important part of their sports participation. In fact, all but one of the players were American.

Year-by-year
Year Division League Reg. Season Playoffs National Cup
1977 2 ASL 3rd, West 1st Round Did not enter
1978 2 ASL 2nd, Western Semifinals Did not enter
1979 2 ASL 1st, Western Semifinals Did not enter
1980 2 ASL 2nd, American Playoffs Did not enter

Honors

MVP

Coach of the Year

First Team All Star

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References


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