Fullest Chattanooga FC schedule yet starts May 11

Friday, January 1, 1904

CFC in 2013May 11 Rocket City United 7:30 p.m.May 14 U.S. Open Cup* TBAMay 18 at Gulf Coast Texans TBAMay 21 U.S. Open Cup TBAMay 25 Mississippi Storm 7:30 p.m.May 28 U.S. Open Cup TBAJune 1 at Knoxville Force TBAJune 7 at Mississippi Storm TBAJune 8 at New Orleans Jesters TBAJune 15 Knoxville Force 7:30 p.m.June 22 Gulf Coast Texans 7:30 p.m.June 26 at Rocket City United TBAJune 29 New Orleans Jesters 7:30 p.m.• site to be determined•• if necessary

The Chattanooga Football Club will begin its fifth season in May with a National Premier Soccer League game against Rocket City United. It's the first of 10 NPSL games in CFC's fullest schedule so far.

Along with playing in the rapidly expanding NPSL, which has grown from 13 teams to 61 in the past seven years, Chattanooga FC also will participate in the U.S. Open Cup for the second time.

CFC general manager Sean McDaniel said the club will bid to host as many Cup games as it can. In addition, it may try to host games not involving Chattanooga FC.

CFC hosted and won a Cup qualifying series at Finley Stadium in 2011; it automatically qualified for the 2013 Cup by winning the NPSL Southeast Conference last season.

There were East and West divisions in the conference in 2012. Now there are four divisions that will have their own conference semifinals and championship games to see who represents the South Conference in the NPSL Championships.

With the new divisions, CFC no longer will play the Atlanta teams: the Atlanta Silverbacks Reserves and Georgia Revolution. Added to the schedule are the New Orleans Jesters and the Pensacola, Fla.-based Gulf Coast Texans, coached by 2012 CFC player Felipe Lawall.

"There will be some new faces and teams, including one of our former players as a coach, so there might be a built-in rivalry there," McDaniel said.

Chattanooga FC will continue its relationship with the Major League Soccer club D.C. United, which will send its under-23 team to Finley. McDaniel said a date for that game, likely in early July, has not been finalized.

Tryouts Saturday

The CFC is holding open tryouts Saturday at Finley Stadium. To participate, fill out the registration and medical release forms at ChattanoogaFC.com and bring them to registration, which begins at 9 a.m. The registration fee is $40 (cash or check only). Tryouts begin at 10 a.m. Shin guards and cleats/turf shoes are required.