Bringing the 2nd highest level of women’s soccer to Fort Myers
Florida Gulf Coast Dutch Lions FC’s Women’s team is playing their opening game of the 2021 season in the WPSL on Saturday May 22 at home vs FC Surge. The game starts at 7pm and will be played at Bishop Verot Catholic High School.
The team is led by Head Coach Yvonne Ploeg. Ploeg played for the FGCDL FC Women’s team in 2018 and 2019 and is a native from the Netherlands. She is assisted by Danilo Cortes and Sergiy Opryshko. Cortes played for the Florida Gulf Coast Dutch Lions FC’s Men’s team in 2016 and was also a coach in the FGCDL FC Youth Academy. He currently lives in Cape Coral. Opryshko is a native from the Ukraine and has the United States National C coaching license. He will also be the goalkeeper coach for the team.
Ploeg commented on the upcoming home opener vs FC Surge: “The team got together for the first time on May 9 and I believe we are off to a great start. We have a lot of quality on our team and can’t wait to play our home opener vs FC Surge”. Regarding the roster she had this to say: “Our goal is to find the perfect combination of local and international players. We are looking to help players to become successful on and off the field and building a relationship with the community by providing exciting soccer! I hope alot of people come out and support us the 22nd.”
One of the local players on the team is former Bishop Verot HS player Meagan Brown, who is “returning home”. When asked how she looks back on the first week of training and returning to Bishop Verot HS she said “I have loved practicing and meeting everyone on the team this week! I’m looking forward to this season and everything that we will accomplish. On returning to Bishop Verot HS as a member of the FGCDL FC team I would say that I am very excited to be back on this field. I have countless memories here and look forward to making even more memories this season with a new team. I hope a lot of people will come to the game!”
Florida Gulf Coast Dutch Lions FC is not charging an entrance fee for the opening game. For more information please contact Britt Tönis at info@fgcdlfc.com.
About Florida Gulf Coast Dutch Lions FC
Florida Gulf Coast Dutch Lions FC was founded in April 2015 and is the fifth (of nine) Dutch Lions FC club in the USA. The club has a Women’s team competing in the WPSL and a prestigious youth academy. In 2018 the Women’s team won their Conference Championship and advanced to the National quarterfinals. The clubs has an official partnership with Dutch Premier League club ADO Den Haag Women. Several players have been on trial in the Netherlands since their first season in 2016.