Columbus FC is a Canadian soccer club based in Vancouver, British Columbia currently playing in the Premier division of the Vancouver Metro Soccer League. In 2013, the club was recognized as a Canada Soccer Hall of Fame Organization of Distinction.
History
Father Della Torre was instrumental in starting the team in 1953 as Sacred Heart soccer team, with the goal of providing a team for the many Italian immigrants who settled in the east side of Vancouver.
By 1957, the team name changed to Columbus and was under the guidance of Peter Mainardi. As president, Mainairdi gave the club stability and strong leadership and paved the way for Columbus' future successes. After joining the Pacific Coast League in 1959–60, they became one of the league's most popular and successful teams of the 1960s. After winning their first national title in 1964, they won back-to-back Pacific Coast League playoff titles in 1965 and 1966 and then finally their first Pacific Coast League championship in 1968–69. In that 1968–69 season, they won the league, the playoffs, BC Soccer's Province Cup, and Canada Soccer's Challenge Trophy.
Their domination on the field captured the imagination of the Italian soccer community in particular. The team played at Callister Park in Vancouver at that time.
In all, Columbus FC played 12 seasons in the Pacific Coast League from 1959–60 to 1970–71, winning three championships (1968–69, 1969–70, 1970–71) and four playoff titles (1965, 1966, 1969, 1970). In 1972, they joined the newly formed British Columbia Premier League and won both the league and playoff title.
In 1973, for having played in an unsanctioned tournament, the club and its owner Peter Mainardi were suspended. Therefore, for a few years the same players played under the Vancouver Italia name until coming back with the Columbus name in 1975.
Following the death of Mainairdi, the club came under the guidance of Paul Anthony who had joined the team as a player in 1954.
Anthony continued on as secretary and team manager and played a key role in the evolution of the club until his death in 1982. From 1982 to 1987, the administration of the club was under the leadership of Eugenio Vazzoler, Peter Greco and General manager Charlie Cuzzetto.
In 1985, Columbus entered the newly formed semi-professional Pacific Rim Soccer League with Joe Tinucci as president and Mike Bernardis as coach. Columbus as a semi-professional club, quickly became cup champions as well as national finalists with Toronto Blizzard.
After an absence of 10 years Columbus re-emerged in 2003 under the direction of Rob Mascitti, Carmen D'Onofrio and Joe Papa. Although the passing of years has seen the influx of non -Italian players, the major part of the team still hold fast to its Italian roots, a tribute to past Coaches Gianni Azzi, Jack Hobbs 1964 (Canadian Champions) Joe Csabai 1969 (Canadian Champions), Tony Canta 1977, 1978 (Canadian Champions).
Columbus has been at the forefront of Canadian soccer and has planted deep soccer roots in Canada over the past 70 years. The team has provided more players than any other amateur club in Canada to Canada's Professional, Provincial, Olympic and National Team rosters as well as supplying Universities and Colleges. Columbus also holds the distinction of having the most players in the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame with eleven players. After the Westminster Royals, Columbus is the most successful amateur club in Canada having appeared in six National Finals and winning four. Columbus also holds the record for the largest margin of victory in a Canadian championship final game a 10–0 score against Montreal Ukraine in 1969.
The Columbus family of teams include the men's open premier team, Division 2 team, women's Division 2 team, over 35s, over 45s (Premier and Division 1), over 50s, over 55s and over 60s. As of 2015, the Columbus family of teams are now associated with the Italian Canadian Sports Federation, which also includes boys and girls teams from five-year-olds to adults.
Several figures linked to the Columbus Alumni have held influential roles across Canadian and international football. Victor Montagliani rose to the presidencies of CONCACAF and the Canadian Soccer Association and became a FIFA vice president. Charlie and Joe Cuzzetto, along with Frank Ciaccia, earned senior administrative posts and places on the BC Soccer Roll of Honour. Various others, including Danny and Sam Lenarduzzi, Frank Iuele, and Michael Findlay, have shaped youth development, technical programmes, and national team coaching across Canada. In addition to winning numerous league championships, Kennedy Cups, Imperial Cups and Provincial Cups, Columbus has won the Challenge Trophy four times: 1964, 1969, 1977 and 1978 and were finalists in 1968 and 2007.
In addition, Columbus Masters Over 35s also won a National Championship in 2003 and Western Championship in 2009 and 2013. The Over 40s have won two league and one cup championships. Since 2003, Columbus has played in the VMSL and have won a Provincial Cup, two Imperial Cups, two Western Canadian Championships and one Provincial Cup Finalist and one Canadian National Trophy Cup Finalist.
Season-by-season record Vancouver Columbus FC season-by-season record in the Pacific Coast League. Note: MP = Matches played, W = Wins, D = Draws, L = Losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against Season MP W D L Pts GF GA Finish Playoffs Province Canada 1959-60 19 11 1 7 23 51 40 2nd in PCSL Lost playoff final 1960-61 16 5 5 6 15 34 37 3rd in PCSL No playoffs Lost provincial semifinals 1961-62 25 15 4 6 34 59 45 2nd in PCSL Lost playoff final 1962-63 21 10 4 7 24 46 40 4th in PCSL Lost Final, 0–1 Firefighters Lost provincial semifinals 1963-64 21 14 5 2 33 60 23 3rd in PCSL Lost Final, 1-2 Firefighters Won 1964 BC Province Cup 1964-65 24 12 3 9 25 44 38 4th in PCSL Won 1965 Top Star Trophy Lost provincial final Won 1964 Challenge Trophy 1965-66 21 12 3 6 27 38 21 2nd in PCSL Won 1966 Top Star Trophy Lost provincial semifinals 1966-67 21 14 4 3 32 43 15 2nd in PCSL Lost playoff final series Lost provincial semifinals 1967-68 18 10 2 6 22 35 28 3rd in PCSL Lost playoff final series Won 1968 BC Province Cup 1968-69 24 19 2 3 40 63 12 1st in PCSL Won 1969 Top Star Trophy Won 1969 BC Province Cup Runner up 1968 Challenge Trophy 1969-70 16 12 4 0 28 33 4 1st in PCSL Won 1970 Top Star Trophy Won 1969 Challenge Trophy 1970-71 24 16 4 4 36 53 22 1st in PCSL Lost Final, 1-2 Croatia SC 1972 22 15 4 3 34 1st in BCPSL No playoffs
Honours Canada Soccer Hall of Fame: Organization of Distinction 2013 Canada Soccer Challenge Trophy 1964, 1969, 1977, 1978BC Soccer Hall of Fame: Organization of Distinction2019 BC Soccer Province Cup winners 1964, 1968, 1969, 1977, 1978, 2007 Challenge Trophy runners up 1968, 2007 Provincial Cup Finalist 2011, 2012 (Women) National Soccer League Cup (Semi-Pro) Finalists 1986 Open Canada Cup National Runners-up 2007 Open Canada Cup Western Champions 2007 VMSL Imperial Cup Winners 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 2006, 2007 VMSL Imperial Cup Finalist 2013, 2014 VMSL League Champions 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 2013 Pacific Coast League winners 1968–69, 1969–70, 1970–71 Top Star Trophy (PCSL Playoffs) 1964–65, 1965–66, 1968–69, 1969-70 Anderson Cup (PCSL) 1959-60 BC Premier League winners 1972 Pacific Coast Soccer League winners 1988, 1989 Pacific Coast Soccer League Cup winners 1984, 1988 Pacific Coast League Junior Division winners 1965 Pacific Rim League President's Cup 1972, 1985 Pacific Rim League Champions 1986 JFK Kennedy Cup Winners 1989 BC Masters Provincial Cup Champions(Over 30/35) 1994, 1996, 2000, 2003, 2009, 2013 BC Masters Provincial Cup Finalists(Over 30/35) 1995, 1997, 2007 BC Games Over 55 Champions Gold Medal Champions 2014, 2015, 2016 National Masters Trophy Winners 2003 Western Masters Trophy Winners 2009, 2013 American Masters Over 50 Gold Medal Champions 2016 VMSL Over 40s League Champions 2012, 2013, 2015 VMSL Over 45s League Champions 2018, 2022VMSL Masters A Cup Champions 2016 VMSL Masters B Cup Champions 2013, 2014, 2018, 2022
National trophy winners by player for Columbus FC only PlayerTrophiesYearsGene Vazzoler 4 1964, 1969, 1977, 1978Peter Greco 3 1969, 1977, 1978Sergio Zanatta 3 1969, 1977, 1978Vanni Lenarduzzi 3 1969, 1977, 1978Steve Djoric 2 1964, 1969Bob Hazeldine 2 1964, 1969Jim Berry 1 1969Roy Nosella 1 1964Carlos Franco 1 1964John Comuzzi 1 1964Sam Lenarduzzi 1 1969Victor Kodelja 1 1969Elio Ciaccia 1 1978Joe Cuzzetto 1 1978
Notable former players Thirteen former Columbus FC players have been inducted into the Canada Soccer Hall of Fame as honoured players. Eddie Bak Chris Bennett Errol Crossan Victor Kodelja Bob Lenarduzzi Sam Lenarduzzi Normie McLeod Wes McLeod Buzz Parsons Ken Pears (on loan) Bobby Smith Gogie Stewart Gino Vazzoler Bruce Wilson Charlie Cuzzetto—-Futsal Canada Hall of Fame
There are other notable Columbus FC alumni who played, coached or been executives at the national and/or professional level.
Carlo Alberti Dino Alberti Ivano Belfiore Luca Bellisomo Gordon Chin Elio Ciaccia Frank Ciaccia Tino Cucca Charlie Cuzzetto Joe Cuzzetto Michael D'Agostino Carmen D'Onofrio Alex Elliott Michael Findlay Peter Greco Justin Isidro Tiarnan King Danny Lenarduzzi David McGill Victor Montagliani Steve Nesin Joe Scigliano Leigh Sembaluk Guido Titotto Sergio Zanatta Gianluca Zavarise Haris Hussaini Mathieu Engel
External links Canada Soccer Club Profile
References