Tampa Bay United won the Sunshine Conference Championship during the weekend thanks to a massive 8-2 win over Puerto Rico Pride FC and a scoreless draw between Florida Gulf Coast Dutch Lions and FC Surge.

This is consecutive conference title for Tampa Bay United, and the club’s sixth conference title in the past seven seasons of WPSL play.

“This has been one of the most challenging but also one of the most gratifying seasons ever for me as a coach,” coach George Fotopolous said. “The team was the youngest team we have ever had but, through hard work and faith in the process and themselves, they stepped up and met the standard of excellence that we have set over the years. I truly am a blessed coach to have been able to work with this special group this season.”

Fotopolous has been the head coach of Tampa Bay United since its inception and ranks among the winningest coaches in league history.

“I am proud of this team. The conference title is a great indication of how hard we have worked,” captain Stacy Bishop said. “We pride ourselves on quality. I have been a member of this team for a long time. Every year we stress hard work and want every player to get better while learning life lessons. Winning is just a by-product of that.

"This team is a family, and the players know that they are supported in all facets of life. I have never been part of an organization that has a staff that cares and works as hard as this one.”

The club’s run of form in WPSL is nothing short of extraordinary. Upon joining the league for the 2011 season, Tampa Bay Hellenic, as the club was previously known, immediately took the conference by storm with a 10-1-1 record and a +23 goal differential. In its second season, Tampa Bay managed to improve, going undefeated through the nine-match schedule and winning the conference yet again.

Following a merger with VSI Tampa Bay for the 2013 W-League season, Tampa Bay United returned to the WPSL for 2014 and picked up right where it left off. The club won its third conference title with a 5-1-1 record. The following season, Tampa Bay put on one of the most dominant performances in WPSL history, winning all eight matches and conceding only three goals.

“The team always has a unique blend of players from different backgrounds and with varying levels of experience," Bishop said. "I have been able to benefit from this as a young player and as a veteran.  I love being around the younger players.  They give me energy and my experience helps them gain knowledge to achieve their goals."

The 2016 season didn’t quite go as planned, and the club finished in third place with a 4-1-2 record. 2017 however marked a return to the form from 2015, with Tampa Bay United winning all nine matches and conceding just three goals.

Altogether, Tampa Bay United has played in 59 WPSL matches, lost only four of them and conceded a mere 35 goals in total. The club has long since cemented its place among the strongest clubs in the league and looks poised to repeat its success in the coming years.

“It was especially gratifying to be able to go watch a former Hellenic player play professionally after our last game on Saturday," Bishop said. "Meggie Daugherty-Howard played with us while in high school and college and is now playing for the Washington Spirit (NWSL).  We’ve been able to watch players achieve their dreams on and off the field for years.

"Winning is nice, but the experience that every type of player, and more importantly person, gains as a member of this team is what matters most.  That says a lot coming from a player that hates to lose.  Just ask George.”