Pace Soccer League

The Pace Soccer League (PSL) is the original name for the Futbol Club of Santa Rosa (FCSR). FCSR is a soccer organization with recreational youth leagues, adult leagues, a select program and an Academy. PSL first originated in 1996 with 11 teams and played all of its home games at the Pace Athletic and Recreation Association (PARA) complex on Woodbine Road. With so few teams, PSL had to play "friendship" schedules with other local leagues on the road as well as home games. It was started by local soccer enthusiast Barry Shuck and was a recreational-only league for children U-8 through U-15. Shuck, a 10-year soccer coach and high school soccer referee, was on the board of the only soccer league in North Santa Rosa County at the time--Milton Optimist, which involved both Milton and Pace players. PARA wanted another revenue venue and approached Shuck about starting a new league for Pace residents. Milton Optimist soccer was spearheaded by longtime Santa Rosa soccer guru Dan Millham. The charter season had several girls' teams, a first for the Pensacola area. Until that time, all female players were placed on boys teams. The first season the PSL played its games on three fields: two baseball outfields plus a football field. The PSL was the first to offer night games, had an in-house concession stand and held a tournament for U-8 and U-10 teams from Pace, Milton, Gulf Breeze and Pensacola. After two seasons and the league underway, Shuck stepped down and the husband and wife team of Charles and Donna Kimsey took controls. The Kimseys relocated the league to outlining fields and left PARA. Later, grants were obtained from the county to relocate to its present location on Chumuckla Hwy.

see also: Futbol Club of Santa Rosa

website: fcsantarosa.com; 3360 Joppa Dr., Milton, FL 32571