DFW Tornados (also known as Dallas–Fort Worth Tornados) was an American soccer team based in Dallas, Texas, United States. Founded in 1986, the team played in the USL Premier Development League (PDL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Mid South Division of the Southern Conference. The franchise folded at the end of the 2010 season and left the league thereafter.

Quick Facts Full name, Nickname(s) ...
DFW Tornados
Thumb
Full nameDallas-Fort Worth Tornados
Nickname(s)The Tornados
Founded1986
Dissolved2010
GroundPizza Hut Park
Frisco, Texas
Capacity21,193
OwnerUnited States Jim Mertz
Head CoachUnited States Paul Robinson
LeagueUSL Premier Development League
20103rd, Mid South
Playoffs: DNQ
Close

The team played its home games at Pizza Hut Park (the home of Major League Soccer's FC Dallas) in nearby Frisco, Texas. The team's colors were black, blue and white.

History

In 1986, the club, known as Garland Genesis, based in Garland, Texas, became a founding member of the Southwest Indoor Soccer League. The team topped the standings during the 1986–1987 season before defeating the Lubbock Lazers in the championship game. The team moved to Addison, Texas in 1987 and changed their name to the Addison Arrows. They remained in Addison for two years. In 1989, the league added a summer outdoor season and Addison promptly went to the championship game, this time losing to the Colorado Comets. In 1989, owner Ken Mulhall sold the team. At the time, he also coached the Arrows. The new owner fired Mulhall as coach and named Billy Pettigrew as head coach. The team continued its excellent play during the 1989–1990 indoor season, defeating the Phoenix Hearts to take their second indoor championship. Following the completion of the indoor season, the team moved to the Dallas/Fort Worth are and was renamed North Texas United. In November 1990, they merged with the Waco Kickers and became the Fort Worth Kickers.[1] After team owner Pat Parker was unable to gain financial backing for the team, it moved to Dallas and became the Dallas Kickers for the 1991/92 indoor season. The team was renamed the Dallas Americans before the 1992 outdoor season. They were renamed the Dallas/Fort Worth Toros in 1993, and remained as such until 1996, when they were renamed the Dallas Toros for the 1997 outdoor season. They became the Texas Toros in 1998, and the Texas Rattlers for the 2000 season. Upon their move to the Premier Development League for 2001 they changed their name, and were bought by the Texas Spurs, which they maintained until 2003, when the Spurs club sold the team to the owner of Arena Athletics in Euless, Texas. They finally took their current name, the DFW Tornados, beginning in 2004.

Players

Final roster

This list is a historical record of the final group of players on the last Tornados roster for their final game in August 2010. Source:

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

More information No., Pos. ...
Close

Notable former players

This list of notable former players comprises players who went on to play professional soccer after playing for the team in the Premier Development League, or those who previously played professionally before joining the team.

Year-by-year

More information Year, Team Name ...
Year Team Name Division League Regular season Playoffs Open Cup
1986–87 Garland Genesis 3 SISL Indoor 1st Champion
1987–88 Arlington Arrows 3 SISL Indoor 4th Semifinal
1988–89 Addison Arrows 3 SISL Indoor 1st, North Semifinals
1989 6 SOSL 3rd Final Did not enter
1989–90 7 SISL Indoor 1st, Tex-Ark-Oma Champion
1990 North Texas United 6 SISL Outdoor 5th, Eastern Did not qualify Did not enter
1990–91 Fort Worth Kickers 7 SISL Indoor 3rd, Southeast Semifinals
1991 7 SISL 2nd, Tex-Oma Semifinals Did not enter
1991–92 Dallas Kickers 3 USISL Indoor 1st, Tex-Oma Sizzling Four
1992 Dallas Americans USISL 3rd, South Central Sizzling Six Did not enter
1992–93 USISL Indoor 2nd, South Central Sizzling Four
1993 Dallas/Fort Worth Toros USISL 3rd, South Central Did not qualify Did not enter
1994 USISL 2nd, South Central Sizzling Nine Did not enter
1995 USISL Pro League 2nd, South Central Divisional Semifinals Did not qualify
1995–96 USISL Indoor 5th, Central Did not qualify
1996 USISL Pro League 1st, Central Sizzling Six Did not qualify
1997 Dallas Toros 3 USISL D-3 Pro League 6th, South Central Did not qualify Did not qualify
1998 Texas Toros 3 USISL D-3 Pro League 2nd, South Central Division Semifinals Did not qualify
1999 3 USL D-3 Pro League 2nd, Western Conference Finals Did not qualify
2000 Texas Rattlers 3 USL D-3 Pro League 1st, Southern Conference Quarterfinals 2nd Round
2001 Texas Spurs 4 USL PDL 1st, Mid South Conference Semifinals Did not qualify
2002 Texas Spurs 4 USL PDL 2nd, Mid South Conference Semifinals 1st Round
2003 Texas Spurs 4 USL PDL 4th, Mid South Did not qualify Did not qualify
2004 DFW Tornados 4 USL PDL 2nd, Mid South Conference Semifinals 2nd Round
2005 DFW Tornados 4 USL PDL 4th, Mid South Did not qualify Did not qualify
2006 4 USL PDL 2nd, Mid South Did not qualify Did not qualify
2007 4 USL PDL 3rd, Mid South Did not qualify Did not qualify
2008 4 USL PDL 6th, Mid South Did not qualify Did not qualify
2009 4 USL PDL 6th, Mid South Did not qualify Did not qualify
2010 4 USL PDL 3rd, Mid South Did not qualify 1st Round
Close

New indoor team (2004–2012)

DFW Tornados played in the Premier Arena Soccer League in the South Central Division. The team played its home games at Arena Athletics in Euless, TX.

More information Year, Division ...
Year Division League Reg. Season Playoffs
Winter 04/05 N/A PASL Premier N/A Lost Final
Winter 05/06 South Central PASL Premier 2nd N/A
Winter 06/07 South Central PASL Premier 1st N/A
Winter 07/08 South Central PASL Premier 3rd N/A
Winter 08/09 South Central PASL Premier 3rd N/A
Winter 09/10 South Central PASL Premier 3rd N/A
Winter 10/11 South Central PASL Premier 2nd N/A
Summer 2012 South Central PASL Premier 4th N/A
Close

Honors

  • USL PDL Mid South Division
    • Champions: 2001
  • USL D-3 Pro League Southern Division
    • Champions: 2000
  • USISL Pro League Central Division
    • Champions: 1996

Head coaches

  • United States Ken Muhall (1986–1989)
  • United States Ken Billy Pettigrew (1989–1990)
  • United States Caesar Cervin (1991)
  • United States Ed Puskarich (1998, 2001–2003)
  • United States Bernard Brodigan (2004)
  • United States Paul Robinson (2005–2010)

Stadia

Average attendance

Attendance stats are calculated by averaging each team's self-reported home attendances from the historical match archive at

  • 2005: 207
  • 2006: 349
  • 2007: 389
  • 2008: 320
  • 2009: 188
  • 2010: 179

References

Wikiwand in your browser!

Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.

Every time you click a link to Wikipedia, Wiktionary or Wikiquote in your browser's search results, it will show the modern Wikiwand interface.

Wikiwand extension is a five stars, simple, with minimum permission required to keep your browsing private, safe and transparent.