WHERE DOES THE NAME COME FROM?

ORLANDO FC’s academy teams bear the name of Queens Park Rangers FC, (also known as QPR, The Rs or The Hoops) an English professional football club, based in Shepherd’s Bush, Hammersmith and Fulham, West London. QPR currently play in the Football League Championship (the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the English Premier League (EPL).  QPR honors include winning the League Cup in 1967, and being runners-up in the old First Division in 1975–76 and FA Cup in 1982.  

Queens Park Rangers FC was founded in 1882, and its traditional colours are blue and white. In the early years after the club’s formation in its original home of Queen’s Park, games were played at many different grounds until finally the club settled into its current location at Loftus Road. Owing to its proximity to other west London clubs, QPR maintains long-standing rivalries with several other clubs in the area, the most notable of these being Chelsea, Brentford and Fulham with whom they contest what are known as West London derbies.

STRUCTURE + TRAINING

ORLANDO FC’s academy teams are composed of talented players from the Orlando area and many who travel from outside Orlando (Ocala, Melbourne, Kississimme, Gainesville etc) to be part of the program.  Players are selected to academy teams by the Coach, and are contracted to play exclusively for ORLANDO FC.  ORLANDO FC’s academy teams train three nights per week under the supervision of Coach David Bardsley.  The team competes in several local tournaments for training purposes, and in larger district and regional tournaments to showcase players skils and abilities and create opportunities for player to be seen by collegiate coaches.

FOCUS + COMMITMENT

ORLANDO FC players are committed to playing the game at the highest levels, and most players aspire to play soccer in college for a Division I or Division II program.  Practices are high-energy, with a "game-on" mentality.  Few other teams bring the same intensity to practice sessions as you will encounter on the pitch during training at ORLANDO FC.