Hollywood United Hitmen was an American
soccer
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...
team based in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
. The team was founded in 2009 and played in the
National Premier Soccer League
The National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) is an American men's association football, soccer league. The NPSL is a semi-professional league, comprising some teams that have paid players and some that are entirely amateur. The league is officially ...
(NPSL) and the
USL Premier Development League
USL League Two (USL2), formerly the Premier Development League (PDL), is a semi-professional developmental soccer league sponsored by United Soccer Leagues in the United States and Canada, forming part of the United States soccer league syste ...
(PDL).
The team played its home games in Cougar Stadium at
Crenshaw High School
Crenshaw High School is a four-year public secondary school in the Los Angeles Unified School District, located on 11th Avenue in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California.
The school first opened in 1968 and currently enrolls aroun ...
, where they played since 2011. The team's colors are black, gold and white.
History
Hollywood United Hitmen was formed as a result of a collaboration between the 2008
USL W-League
The USL Championship (USLC) is a professional men's soccer league in the United States that began its inaugural season in 2011. The USL is sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation (U.S. Soccer) as a Division II league since 2017, pl ...
champions
Pali Blues
Pali Blues was an American women's soccer team, which played from 2008 to 2014. The team was a member of the United Soccer Leagues USL W-League, the second tier of women's soccer in the United States and Canada. The team played in the Western Co ...
and the
Hollywood United
Hollywood United is an American amateur soccer team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1988, the team plays in Region IV of the United States Adult Soccer Association, a network of amateur leagues at the fifth tier of the ...
organization, who acquired the franchise right from the
San Fernando Valley Quakes
San Fernando Valley Quakes was an American association football, soccer team based in Calabasas, California, Calabasas, California, United States. Founded in 2006, the team played in the USL Premier Development League (PDL), the fourth tier of th ...
in 2009.
Hollywood United is an internationally famous Los Angeles-based amateur team which has, for many years, competed in local amateur leagues. Over the years, celebrity players such as actors
Anthony LaPaglia
Anthony LaPaglia (, ; born 31 January 1959) is an Australian actor. He is best known for his role as Jack Malone in the television drama ''Without a Trace'' (2002–2009), for which he received a Golden Globe Award in 2004.
LaPaglia won a Prim ...
,
Dermot Mulroney
Dermot Mulroney (born October 31, 1963) is an American actor. He is known for his roles in romantic comedy, western, and drama films. Appearing on screen since 1986, he is known for his work in various films such as '' Young Guns'' (1988), '' Stay ...
,
Brandon Routh
Brandon James Routh (; born October 9, 1979) is an American actor. He portrayed Superman in the 2006 film ''Superman Returns'', which garnered him international fame. In 2011, he played the titular character of the film '' Dylan Dog: Dead of Ni ...
,
Gilles Marini
Gilles Marini (; born 26 January 1976) is a French actor known for his roles in the film ''Sex and the City'', and in the American television shows '' Brothers & Sisters'', '' Switched at Birth'' and ''Devious Maids''. He was also the runner-up i ...
,
Ralf Little
Ralf Alastair John Little (born 8 February 1980) is an English actor, writer, presenter, narrator and former semi-professional footballer, working mainly in television comedy. He played Antony Royle in ''The Royle Family'' and Jonny Keogh in ...
,
Donal Logue
Donal Francis Logue (born February 27, 1966) is a Canadian actor. He starred in the film ''The Tao of Steve'' and has had roles in the TV series ''Sons of Anarchy'', ''Vikings'', ''Grounded for Life'', ''Copper'', ''Terriers'', and, as Detective ...
, and
Jimmy Jean-Louis
Jimmy Jean-Louis (born August 8, 1968) is a Haitian actor and producer. Born in Pétion-Ville, he moved to Paris at a young age with his family in search of a better life. His early roles were in French television commercials and Spanish musical ...
, musicians
Steve Jones Steve or Steven Jones may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Steve Jones (English presenter) (born 1945), English musician, disk jockey, television presenter, and voice-over artist
*Steve Jones (musician) (born 1955), English rock and roll guita ...
,
Robbie Williams
Robert Peter Williams (born 13 February 1974) is an English singer and songwriter. He found fame as a member of the pop group Take That from 1990 to 1995, and achieved commercial success after launching a solo career in 1996. His debut stud ...
,
Christian Olde Wolbers
Christian Olde Wolbers (born 5 August 1972) is a Belgian musician, songwriter, and producer who is the bassist and backing vocalist of the heavy metal band Powerflo. He is the former bassist, guitarist and backing vocalist of the heavy metal b ...
and
Ziggy Marley
David Nesta "Ziggy" Marley (born 17 October 1968) is a Jamaican singer, songwriter, musician, actor and philanthropist. He is the son of reggae icon Bob Marley and Rita Marley. He led the family band Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers until 200 ...
, film director
Danny Cannon
Daniel John Cannon (born 5 October 1968) is a British film and television producer, director and writer, known for executive producing the 15-season show ''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'' series franchise (and directed multiple episodes includ ...
, MLS veteran
Paul Bravo
Paul Bravo (born June 19, 1968) is an American former soccer player who was most recently head coach of NISA side Oakland Roots SC. He played six seasons in Major League Soccer, two in the American Professional Soccer League and two in the USISL. ...
, and former international soccer players
Vinnie Jones
Vincent Peter Jones (born 5 January 1965) is a British actor, presenter, and former professional footballer.
Jones played professionally as a defensive midfielder from 1984 to 1999, notably for Wimbledon, Leeds United, Sheffield United, Chelse ...
,
Eric Wynalda
Eric Boswell Wynalda (born June 9, 1969) is an American soccer coach, television commentator, and retired player. He was formerly an analyst and color commentator for soccer coverage on Fox Sports 1 and ESPN. Previously, he served as head coach ...
,
John Harkes
John Andrew Harkes (born March 8, 1967) is an American soccer coach and former professional player who is the head coach of Greenville Triumph SC.
A member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame, Harkes was the first American ever to play in the ...
,
Alexi Lalas
Panayotis Alexander "Alexi" Lalas ( el, Αλέξης Λάλας; born June 1, 1970) is an American retired soccer player who played mostly as a defender. Lalas is best known for his participation with the United States men's national soccer te ...
,
Richard Gough
Charles Richard Gough (born 5 April 1962) is a Scottish former professional footballer who played as a defender.
Gough played in the successful Dundee United team of the early 1980s, winning the Scottish league title in 1982–83 and reachi ...
and
Frank Leboeuf
Franck Alain James Leboeuf (born 22 January 1968), typically anglicised as Frank Leboeuf, is a French actor, sports commentator and former international footballer who played as a centre-back. With the French national team, Leboeuf won the ...
have played for the "senior" Hollywood United team.
The Hitmen played their first official PDL game on May 1, 2009, a 1–0 victory over the
Fresno Fuego
Fresno Football Club U-23, formerly Fresno Fuego FC, was an American soccer team based in Fresno, California, United States. Founded in 2003, the team played in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. The club drew an ave ...
., with the first goal in franchise history being scored by
Armando Ochoa. The first half of the season continued spectacularly for the Hitmen, winning their next four games on the bounce, demolishing
Ventura County Fusion
Ventura County Fusion is an American soccer team based in Ventura, California, United States. Founded in 2006, the team plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid.
The team plays its home games in the stadium on the ...
and
Bakersfield Brigade
Bakersfield Brigade was an American soccer team based in Bakersfield, California, United States. Founded in 2005, the team played in the USL Premier Development League (PDL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2009, after whi ...
4–0 each, and not conceding a goal until their topsy-turvy 4–3 victory over
Ogden Outlaws
Ogden Outlaws is an American soccer team based in Ogden, Utah, United States. Founded in 2006, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League (PDL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Southwest Division of the Western Con ...
in mid-May. During the early part of the season, Hollywood negotiated a deal with
Los Angeles Galaxy
LA Galaxy, also known as the Los Angeles Galaxy, are an American professional soccer club based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Galaxy competes in Major League Soccer (MLS), as a member of the Western Conference. The club began play ...
whereby some of the MLS team's fringe players would join the Hitmen on loan to keep up their match fitness levels, following the demise of the
MLS Reserve Division
The MLS Reserve League was a soccer league for the reserve teams of Major League Soccer with teams in both the United States and Canada.
It was inaugurated on April 9, 2005, with the first official reserve game being a 2–0 victory by Chivas ...
;
Tristan Bowen
Tristan Bowen (born January 30, 1991) is an American professional soccer player. Bowen was the first ever homegrown player in MLS history.
Career
Youth
Bowen, who was homeschooled, forwent college although he was offered a scholarship to UCLA, ...
,
Leonard Griffin,
Kyle Patterson and
Israel Sesay all contributed to the Hollywood cause with several goals and assists during their spells. They suffered their first defeat 1–0 away to
BYU Cougars
The BYU Cougars are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Brigham Young University (BYU), located in Provo, Utah. BYU fields 21 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) varsity athletic teams. They are a member of the West ...
, and endured a rocky spell in June when they went three games without a win, but bounced back to demolish Ogden 7–3 at home thanks to a brace from striker
Jaime Chavez
Jaime Chavez (born July 17, 1987 in Industry, California, United States) is an American professional soccer player who plays for USL Championship club OKC Energy.
Career Youth and amateur
Chavez attended William Workman High School, and had a ...
. Halfway through the season head coach
Michael Erush
Michael Erush (born January 24, 1984) is a former professional soccer player and current soccer coach. He is the Head Men's Soccer Coach at California State University-Los Angeles.
He was inducted into the Birmingham Community Charter High S ...
left the team to take up a coaching position with the US national soccer team competing at the
2009 Maccabiah Games
The 18th Maccabiah Games ( he, המכביה ה-18 ישראל תשס"ט), were held in July 2009. According to the organizing committee these were the largest games held yet. These Games were the world's fifth-largest sporting event, behind the Ol ...
in Israel; his position as head coach was taken over by his assistant,
Mat Herold. Despite being involved in an astonishing 0–0 tie with the
Los Angeles Legends
LA Laguna FC was an American soccer team based in the Los Angeles area, United States. Founded in 2010, the team played in the Premier Development League (PDL) (now USL League Two), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Sou ...
in early July in which seven players were shown red cards, Hollywood wrapped up the Southwest Division title with a 3–2 come-from-behind victory over the
Southern California Seahorses
Southern California Seahorses are an American soccer team based in La Mirada, California. Founded in 2001, the team plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid.
The team plays its home games in the stadium on the camp ...
, and secured a bye to the final of the divisional playoffs. Unfortunately, the Hitmen were unexpectedly dropped 3–1 by
Ventura County Fusion
Ventura County Fusion is an American soccer team based in Ventura, California, United States. Founded in 2006, the team plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid.
The team plays its home games in the stadium on the ...
in extra time, and had to be content with nothing more than the divisional title in their first year in PDL competition.
Jaime Chavez
Jaime Chavez (born July 17, 1987 in Industry, California, United States) is an American professional soccer player who plays for USL Championship club OKC Energy.
Career Youth and amateur
Chavez attended William Workman High School, and had a ...
was Hollywood's top scorer, with 10 goals, while both
Nick Kohlschreiber and
Armando Ochoa contributed three assists each.
Hollywood began 2010 with the introduction of a new head coach - former
Los Angeles Galaxy
LA Galaxy, also known as the Los Angeles Galaxy, are an American professional soccer club based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Galaxy competes in Major League Soccer (MLS), as a member of the Western Conference. The club began play ...
forward
Jose Botello
Jose Botello (born April 24, 1976 in Los Angeles, California) is a retired American soccer player. He is currently the head coach of the Hollywood United Hitmen in the USL Premier Development League.
Career
College
Botello played college soccer ...
- and a cache of new internationals including former
Bayern Munich
Fußball-Club Bayern München e. V. (FCB, ), also known as FC Bayern (), Bayern Munich, or simply Bayern, is a German professional sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional men's football team, which pla ...
midfielder
Emanuel Bentil
Emanuel Bentil (born December 3, 1978, in Tema) is a Ghanaian footballer who last played for Hollywood United Hitmen in the USL Premier Development League.
Career
Professional
Bentil began his playing career with Okwawu United, making his debu ...
,
El Salvador
El Salvador (; , meaning " The Saviour"), officially the Republic of El Salvador ( es, República de El Salvador), is a country in Central America. It is bordered on the northeast by Honduras, on the northwest by Guatemala, and on the south b ...
international
Edwin Miranda
Edwin Vladimir Miranda (born January 28, 1981) is a retired Salvadoran footballer.
Career College
Miranda grew up in Los Angeles, California, and played four years of college soccer at Cal State-Northridge, where he was twice named Big West Con ...
, and
Mutala Mohammed, a Ghanaian youth international with
CAF Champions League
The CAF Champions League, known for sponsorship purposes as the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League and formerly the African Cup of Champions Clubs, is an annual football club competition organized by the Confederation of African Football and co ...
experience. Despite the wealth of talent, Hollywood stuttered through their opening games; a promising 3–0 opening-day victory on the road against
Fresno Fuego
Fresno Football Club U-23, formerly Fresno Fuego FC, was an American soccer team based in Fresno, California, United States. Founded in 2003, the team played in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. The club drew an ave ...
was followed by a pair of demoralizing losses to the
Southern California Seahorses
Southern California Seahorses are an American soccer team based in La Mirada, California. Founded in 2001, the team plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid.
The team plays its home games in the stadium on the camp ...
and the
Los Angeles Azul Legends
LA Laguna FC was an American soccer team based in the Los Angeles area, United States. Founded in 2010, the team played in the Premier Development League (PDL) (now USL League Two), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Sou ...
, and a 3–3 tie at home against Fresno which saw the Hitmen throw away a 2-goal lead and concede an 88th-minute equalizer. The tide turned following a 3–1 victory over national champions
Ventura County Fusion
Ventura County Fusion is an American soccer team based in Ventura, California, United States. Founded in 2006, the team plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid.
The team plays its home games in the stadium on the ...
in late May, and from then on Hollywood became a free-scoring goal machine, losing just one of their next 11 games.
Mutala Mohammed and
Shay Spitz
Shay Phillip Spitz (; born 27 January 1988) is a former Hong Kong-born New Zealand professional association football, footballer who played as a midfielder.
Spitz holds United States citizenship as well, but grew up in Singapore, Portugal and A ...
both scored twice in a 6–3 victory over the
Lancaster Rattlers
FC Santa Clarita (FCSC) is an American soccer team based in Santa Clarita, California, United States. FC Santa Clarita also known as the Santa Clarita Storm make just north of Los Angeles home, as they compete in the United Premier Soccer League ( ...
, they beat Ventura for a second time with a convincing 3–0 win in June,
Jaime Chavez
Jaime Chavez (born July 17, 1987 in Industry, California, United States) is an American professional soccer player who plays for USL Championship club OKC Energy.
Career Youth and amateur
Chavez attended William Workman High School, and had a ...
bagged a brace in 6–2 win on the road against the
Ogden Outlaws
Ogden Outlaws is an American soccer team based in Ogden, Utah, United States. Founded in 2006, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League (PDL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Southwest Division of the Western Con ...
, and
Brent Whitfield scored twice on his debut in the 4–1 win in the return fixture against Ogden on the final day of the regular season. Finishing second in the division behind Ventura, Hollywood traveled to
Bremerton, Washington
Bremerton is a city in Kitsap County, Washington. The population was 37,729 at the 2010 census and an estimated 41,405 in 2019, making it the largest city on the Kitsap Peninsula. Bremerton is home to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and the Bremerto ...
for the Western Conference playoffs, where they played Northwest Division champs
Portland Timbers U23's
Capital FC is an American soccer team based in Salem, Oregon, United States. Although founded in 2008 as part of the development system for the Portland Timbers USSF D2 organization, beginning in 2011 they were part of the development system ...
. Despite taking an early lead, Hollywood lost 2–1 to the eventual national champions.
Jaime Chavez
Jaime Chavez (born July 17, 1987 in Industry, California, United States) is an American professional soccer player who plays for USL Championship club OKC Energy.
Career Youth and amateur
Chavez attended William Workman High School, and had a ...
was the top marksman for the Hitmen, with 11 goals and 7 assists.
Players
2011 roster
''Source:'
Notable former players
''This list of notable former players comprises players who went on to play professional soccer after playing for the team in the Premier Development League, or those who previously played professionally before joining the team.''
*
Steven Akers
*
Federico Bianchi
*
Tristan Bowen
Tristan Bowen (born January 30, 1991) is an American professional soccer player. Bowen was the first ever homegrown player in MLS history.
Career
Youth
Bowen, who was homeschooled, forwent college although he was offered a scholarship to UCLA, ...
*
Jaime Chavez
Jaime Chavez (born July 17, 1987 in Industry, California, United States) is an American professional soccer player who plays for USL Championship club OKC Energy.
Career Youth and amateur
Chavez attended William Workman High School, and had a ...
*
Shahryar Dastan
*
Adriano Francisco
*
Leonard Griffin
*
Edwin Miranda
Edwin Vladimir Miranda (born January 28, 1981) is a retired Salvadoran footballer.
Career College
Miranda grew up in Los Angeles, California, and played four years of college soccer at Cal State-Northridge, where he was twice named Big West Con ...
*
José Miranda
*
Mutala Mohammed
*
Kyle Patterson
*
Israel Sesay
*
Willie Sims
*
Julian Valentin
Julian Valentin (born February 23, 1987) is an American retired professional soccer player.
Career
Amateur
A four-year starter at Wake Forest University, Valentin appeared in 84 games from 2003-2007. Named NSCAA First Team All-South and Second ...
Staff
*
Jose Botello
Jose Botello (born April 24, 1976 in Los Angeles, California) is a retired American soccer player. He is currently the head coach of the Hollywood United Hitmen in the USL Premier Development League.
Career
College
Botello played college soccer ...
''Head Coach''
*
Jason Mathot ''General Manager''
*
Humberto Mier ''Assistant Coach''
*
Jesse Colon ''Assistant Coach''
*
Kenzo Bergeron ''Director of Operations''
*
Jon Broxton ''Game Day Operations''
*
Christian Olde Wolbers
Christian Olde Wolbers (born 5 August 1972) is a Belgian musician, songwriter, and producer who is the bassist and backing vocalist of the heavy metal band Powerflo. He is the former bassist, guitarist and backing vocalist of the heavy metal b ...
''Game Day Operations''
*
Alexandria Lacayo ''Trainer''
Year-by-year
Honors
* NPSL Western Conference Champions 2011
* NPSL Northwest Division Champions 2011
* USL PDL Southwest Division Champions 2009
Head coaches
*
Michael Erush
Michael Erush (born January 24, 1984) is a former professional soccer player and current soccer coach. He is the Head Men's Soccer Coach at California State University-Los Angeles.
He was inducted into the Birmingham Community Charter High S ...
(2009)
*
Mat Herold (2009)
*
Jose Botello
Jose Botello (born April 24, 1976 in Los Angeles, California) is a retired American soccer player. He is currently the head coach of the Hollywood United Hitmen in the USL Premier Development League.
Career
College
Botello played college soccer ...
(2010–present)
Stadia
* Stadium by the Sea at
Palisades Charter High School
Palisades Charter High School (usually colloquially known as Pali or Pali High and abbreviated as PCHS) is an independent charter secondary school in Los Angeles, United States. The high school serves the neighborhoods of Pacific Palisades, ...
;
Pacific Palisades, California
Pacific Palisades is a neighborhood in the Westside Los Angeles, Westside region of Los Angeles, California, situated about west of Downtown Los Angeles.
Pacific Palisades was formally founded in 1921 by a Chautauqua, Methodist organization, an ...
(2009–2010)
*
Titan Stadium at
California State University, Fullerton
California State University, Fullerton (CSUF or Cal State Fullerton) is a public university in Fullerton, California. With a total enrollment of more than 41,000, it has the largest student body of the 23-campus California State University (CSU) ...
;
Fullerton, California
Fullerton ( ) is a city located in northern Orange County, California, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 143,617.
Fullerton was founded in 1887. It secured the land on behalf of the Atchison, Topeka and Sa ...
1 game (2009)
* Stadium at
Crenshaw High School
Crenshaw High School is a four-year public secondary school in the Los Angeles Unified School District, located on 11th Avenue in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California.
The school first opened in 1968 and currently enrolls aroun ...
;
Crenshaw, California
Baldwin Hills/Crenshaw is a neighborhood in the south region of the city of Los Angeles. It is divided between the upscale, principally home-owning Baldwin Hills residential district to the south and a more concentrated apartment area to the n ...
(2011–present)
* Stadium at
Rosemead High School
Rosemead High School is a secondary school located at 9063 East Mission Drive in Rosemead, California. It is a secondary school in the El Monte Union High School District. The campus, which is adjacent to a city park and pool, has 80 classrooms ...
;
Rosemead, California
Rosemead is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2021 census, it had a population of 50,245, currently dropping. Rosemead is part of a cluster of cities, along with Alhambra, Arcadia, Temple City, Monterey Park, ...
(2011) 1 game
Average attendance
Attendance stats are calculated by averaging each team's self-reported home attendances from the historical match archive at https://web.archive.org/web/20100105175057/http://www.uslsoccer.com/history/index_E.html.
* 2009: 113
* 2010: 145
References
External links
Official Site
{{USSoccer
USL League Two teams
Soccer clubs in Los Angeles
Association football clubs established in 2009
2009 establishments in California