Mississippi Beach Kings

Mississippi Beach Kings
Mississippi Beach Kings logo
Full nameMississippi Beach Kings
Founded1997 (as Columbus Comets)
Dissolved1998
GroundMississippi Coast Coliseum
Biloxi, Mississippi
Capacity9,150
General ManagerRoy Turner
Head CoachGary Hindley
LeagueEastern Indoor Soccer League

The Mississippi Beach Kings were an indoor soccer team based in Biloxi, Mississippi, United States. They played their games in the Mississippi Coast Coliseum.[1] They were members of the Eastern Indoor Soccer League and played only during the 1998 season.[2] During the 1997 season, the team played in Columbus, Georgia as the Columbus Comets.[3][4][5]

During their existence, the Beach Kings/Comets played a total of 52 games, winning 21 (including two via shootout) and losing 31 (including four via shootout). They scored a total of 595 goals and allowed a total of 719 goals and notched 65 total points in standings out of a possible 156 points.[5] (The EISL awarded 3 points for a win, 2 for a shootout win, 1 for a shootout loss, and 0 for a loss in regulation.)

The team was successful in Biloxi, earning with the league's second-best average attendance in the 1998 regular season with 3,187 fans per game,[6] and nearly 4,000 per game in the playoffs.[7] The Beach Kings planned to return for the 1999 season but the league shutdown after two other teams withdrew.[8][9][10]

Year-by-year

Year League Reg. Season Playoffs Attendance Average
1997 EISL 7th EISL, 3–21 Did not qualify N/A
1998 EISL 2nd EISL, 18–10 Won Semi-Finals vs. Huntsville Fire (2–1);[11][12]
Lost Final vs. Lafayette SwampCats (10–9)[13] 		3,187

Awards and honors

Head coach Gary Hindley was named EISL Coach of the Year for the 1998 season.[14] General manager Roy Turner was named EISL Executive of the Year for the 1998 season.[7]

Mississippi Beach Kings players named to the 1998 EISL All-League Team included goalkeeper Stuart Dobson and midfielder Novi Marojevic. Players named to the EISL All-League Second Team included midfielder Darren Snyder. Players named to the EISL All-League Third Team included midfielder Curtis Stelzer. Players receiving All-League Honorable Mentions included defender Damian Harley and midfielder Antonio Sutton.[15]

Revival plans

In January 2015, a group of Atlanta-based investors announced plans to potentially revive the Beach Kings as members of the Major Arena Soccer League.[16][17] A local partner was added in February 2015 as negotiations with the league and the arena continued.[18]

References

  1. ^ Magandy, Kate (February 20, 1998). "Beach Kings: A Name Fit For the Coast". Sun Herald. Biloxi, MS: Knight Ridder. p. A1.
  2. ^ Hammack, Don (September 1, 1998). "Beach Kings Reflect on Achievements of Season". Sun Herald. Biloxi, MS: Knight Ridder. p. D1.
  3. ^ "EISL Announces Changes for 1998 Season". Tallahassee, FL: Eastern Indoor Soccer League. February 4, 1998. Archived from the original on February 20, 1999. Retrieved February 27, 2015.
  4. ^ Clayton, John (February 6, 1998). "Soccer team missing a name, but not owners". Savannah Morning News. Savannah, GA: Morris Communications. Archived from the original on October 2, 1999. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
  5. ^ a b Litterer, David. "Eastern Indoor Soccer League". USA Soccer History Archives. Archived from the original on March 3, 2009. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
  6. ^ "Daily Report Through Games of 08/16/98". Eastern Indoor Soccer League. August 24, 1998. Archived from the original on October 6, 1999. Retrieved March 18, 2015.
  7. ^ a b "Roy Turner Named EISL Executive of the Year". Tallahassee, FL: Eastern Indoor Soccer League. August 27, 1998. Archived from the original on February 20, 1999. Retrieved February 27, 2015.
  8. ^ Stockstill, Eugene (August 17, 1998). "Fans Catch Beach Kings Fever". Sun Herald. Biloxi, MS: Knight Ridder. p. A2.
  9. ^ Hammack, Don (October 3, 1998). "EISL Teams Call It Quits; Other Teams to Keep On Playing". Sun Herald. Biloxi, MS: Knight Ridder. p. C1.
  10. ^ Magandy, Kate (December 24, 1998). "EISL Folds After Two Seasons; Beach Kings Will Not Return". Sun Herald. Biloxi, MS: Knight Ridder. p. C1.
  11. ^ "1998 EISL Championship beginning this weekend". The Daily Iberian. New Iberia, LA: Wick Communications. August 25, 1998. Retrieved February 25, 2015.
  12. ^ Hammack, Don (August 23, 1998). "Beach Kings Douse Fire in Shootout Team to Face SwampCats in Championship Series". Sun Herald. Biloxi, MS: Knight Ridder. p. D1.
  13. ^ "Swamp Cats outscored Beach Kings 10–2". The Daily Iberian. New Iberia, LA: Wick Communications. August 31, 1998. Retrieved February 25, 2015.
  14. ^ "EISL Honors Beach Kings' Coach Hindley". Tallahassee, FL: Eastern Indoor Soccer League. August 18, 1998. Archived from the original on February 19, 1999. Retrieved February 27, 2015.
  15. ^ "EISL Names All-League Team". Tallahassee, FL: Eastern Indoor Soccer League. August 19, 1998. Archived from the original on February 20, 1999. Retrieved February 27, 2015.
  16. ^ Brannan, Jonathan (January 25, 2015). "Indoor soccer in the works again for Biloxi". Biloxi, MS: WLOX. Retrieved February 27, 2015.
  17. ^ Jones, James (January 22, 2015). "Kickin' the idea around: Beach Kings may return to South Mississippi". Sun Herald. Biloxi, MS: The McClatchy Company. p. 4.
  18. ^ Giardina, Al (February 18, 2015). "Bringing professional indoor soccer back to the coast takes another giant step forward". Birmingham, AL: WBRC-TV. Retrieved February 25, 2015.