Club Mission and Vision
To foster a culture of unity, excellence, and innovation at Sarasota Paradise, uniting fans, players, and the community under the banner of soccer, while driving forward to become a model club in terms of performance, community support, and financial sustainability.
2024 Season
Rocky Start: The season began with a loss to Miami AC and a draw against Swan City, leaving Sarasota Paradise at the bottom of the table. However, a crucial 2-0 victory over Tampa Bay United sparked a turnaround, propelling the team to an undefeated streak for the rest of the regular season.
June 12 – Thrilling Draw: A memorable 4-4 draw against Tampa Bay United featured a flurry of five goals within eight minutes, showcasing the team’s attacking flair and resilience, with key contributions from striker Seth Mahlmeister.
June 19 – Dramatic Comeback: Down 2-0 against St. Petersburg FC, Sarasota Paradise staged a remarkable comeback to win 3-2, with Will Pierce scoring the decisive goal just 13 minutes before full-time.
July 9 – Playoff Hopes Alive: Facing a must-win game to keep playoff hopes alive, Sarasota Paradise delivered a stunning 4-0 victory over Miami AC, highlighted by goals from four different players and an outstanding performance by goalkeeper Brendan Reilly.
Division Title Decider: In the final game of the season, an early goal from Kai Tamashiro secured a 1-0 victory against St. Petersburg FC, clinching the South Florida Division crown for Sarasota Paradise for the first time in history.
Season Highlights: Sarasota Paradise scored 26 goals in 12 games, with standout performances from Seth Mahlmeister, Will Pierce, and Kai Tamashiro driving the team’s success.
Playoff Appearance: The Sarasota Paradise took on Brave SC in Asheville, South Carolina for their first playoff appearance ever. The game went the full 120 minutes before finishing in a 2-1 loss for Sarasota Paradise.
End of Season Recognition: Sarasota Paradise’s magical run culminated in their first-ever playoff berth and first ever divisional title!
2023 Season
Founding Vision: The journey of Sarasota Paradise began when Swedish soccer entrepreneur Marcus Walfridson envisioned a local team that truly represented Sarasota’s spirit. The community played a key role by choosing the name “Sarasota Paradise,” symbolizing the city’s connection to the team.
Inaugural Tryouts: Hundreds of aspiring players participated in the two-day tryouts, showcasing the growing soccer culture in Sarasota and laying the foundation for the team.
First Home Game: Sarasota Paradise made a memorable debut at home with a thrilling 2-1 comeback victory against Miami City FC, with Felipe Rojas scoring the first goal in the club’s history.
Comeback Victory: The team’s resilience was on display in their second home game, where they turned a 2-0 halftime deficit into a 3-2 victory, led by standout performances from Fabrizio Bernal, Isaiah Easley, and Kai Tamashiro.
Season Finale: The season concluded with a record turnout of 1083 fans for the final home game, where hometown hero Ryan “The Spark” Sims scored a late goal to secure a 1-1 draw.
Recognition: Sarasota Paradise was honored as the USL’s 2023 New Organization of the Year, a testament to the team’s impact and growth in its inaugural season.
Professional Players
On December 19th, Hosei Kijima, a 2023 player for Sarasota Paradise became the first player in our history to be drafted into the MLS. He was the the first round’s 17th pick for St. Louis City SC. (Story here)
CLUB OWNERSHIP
Sarasota Paradise is owned and operated by Audigr Group Inc., a global sports and entertainment enterprise. Audigr unifies business, marketing, athletic, and administrative expertise that creates consequential, lasting value at any scale for owners, athletes, management, and communities.
Marcus Walfridson and Kenneth Bethune created Audigr after they began working together in 2020, aiming to start a professional soccer team in the United States. Over the pandemic, the attenuated process toward this initial goal opened additional investment opportunities in professional sports.
Marcus and Kenneth’s collaboration produced an immense amount of new knowledge, building on their existing skills. Principally, Marcus’ expertise in marketing and football business, and Kenneth’s background in law and English club ownership. They founded Audigr to apply their knowledge toward helping others realize their dreams in the sports world.
Audigr derives from an old Norse word meaning prosperity, reflecting the company’s core commitment—sharing our knowledge to foster our clients’ successes.
Visit website: Audigr Group Inc.
Papanicholas Family
In August 2024 the Papanicholas family, owners of Nicholas and Associates purchased an interest in the team. For more info Click Here.
