As is true for clubs across the globe, Duluth FC started as a joke. A dare that grew into a rumor and then a reality. However, Duluth FC has never been a typical club, striving to walk our own path since day one, with no sign of stopping.
At the heart of it all is Tim Sas, Duluth FC owner and local Orthodox Christian priest. Sas, a Romanian-American who lived in Vancouver before arriving in Minnesota for graduate school, found himself at the end of this joke. Despite doubts, he decided he had to turn the humorous into a reality.
Having lived a life guided by moral code, Sas wanted to make this a part of the club’s character. Above all he wanted a club ruled by decency.
In 2015, the club joined the Duluth Amateur Soccer League (DASL), a local amateur league with almost 50 years of history, but it didn’t take long for the Bluegreens to realize they could take the club even further.
The next challenge presented itself with the American Premier League (APL). The Bluegreens finished second that year, but the APL made a deal to merge with the NPSL, seeking to expand outside of regional limitations. With that, Duluth FC became a piece of the puzzle that is the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) Midwest Region, North Conference.
Duluth would win the conference in 2017 under the guidance of Kyle Bakas. In 2018, Joel Person would take over as head coach, winning the regional title with Duluth before coaching for an additional year in 2019. Former player Sean Morgan, who had helped Duluth win both trophies, would take over as coach in 2020, finally taking command for the 2021 season, in which Duluth returned to the playoffs.
Along the way, Duluth FC has been blessed to work with talented athletes, with some becoming professional players while many others have exciting careers in coaching.
This is the story so far, but every fan that makes their way to the stands and every player who walks on to the pitch will help us write more stories for this ever growing community.
At Duluth FC, we’ve accomplished a lot in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL). In 2017, we won the NPSL North Conference and later, the Midwest Region championship. This got us to the NPSL national semi-finals. We’re proud of these achievements, but we’re always working towards our next goal. As Duluth FC, we represent our city in every match we play and we’re excited about what’s to come. Join us as we continue our journey in soccer.
Copyright 2023 Duluth FC
