August 22, 2020
The Rochester Lancers' 2020-21 season will be one for the history books of Rochester pro soccer.
Last week the Lancers announced that the team will wear replica 1970 North American Soccer League championship jerseys and pay tribute to the founders of the modern game. The team also announced that it will honor the 1996 Rochester Rhinos with a replica jersey and dedication to the players that played that season.
Today, the Lancers continued to bring pro soccer history back to their fans. The team has announced that it also will pay tribute to the 1981 Rochester Flash. The Flash filled the void after the NASL Lancers had folded in 1980. A Lancers minority owner Eugene Quatro, Jr. became the Flash majority owner.
The Flash name was originated from the idea of Kodak that was a key employer in the area at the time making film and a camera with a flash.
Current Lancers owner SoccerSam Fantauzzo felt that it was important to remember the Flash, which played in the American Soccer League from 1981-82 and in the original United Soccer League in 1984.
“Mr. Quatro introduced me to youth soccer in 1970 when I joined the Rochester Juniors with his son, Jimmy," he said. "Several Buffalo Stallion players that I knew, and several Rochester stand outs that I played against and with for years became Flash players.
"Don Lalka, who I worked with for years with the Rhinos and on KickThis! was the Flash’s first coach. We will wear replica Flash uniforms for a weekend and welcome back several key players and coaches from this team.”
The Lancers will sell replica jerseys for $50 with all proceeds going to the players or their families.
The club features teams in the Major Arena Soccer League, National Premier Soccer League and United Women's Soccer.
“It’s going to be a fun season bringing back all of the soccer legends from these great teams," Lancers director of operations and CFO Kayla Klark Kent-Moreira said. "These guys were the pioneers for our sport. Not only in our city but for our country. Next year we will focus on the three women’s teams that were part of the Rochester soccer landscape in the past."
Those teams are the Rochester Ravens, Western New York Flash and Rochester Lady Lancers.
Many local and area players were on the Rochester Flash roster from 1981-84
#0 Dave Coombs
#0 Peter Fuller
#0 Richie Garrin
#1 Peter Grillo
#1 Steve Jameson
#2 Mike Gollwitzer
#3 Mark Sansone
#4 Ernie Buriano
#5 Alex Rosul
#5 Oscar Pisano
#5 Frank Ciliberto
#6 Richie Garcia
#6 Keith Gehling
#7 Mike “Misha” Lashchev
#8 Pat Occhiuto
#8 Joe Horvath
#8 Pat Tata
#9 Steve Klaassen
#9 Kurt Tausch
#10 Eddie Azevedo
#11 John Dolinsky
#12 Carlos Volpini
#12 Franco Paonessa
#13 Alex Vayman
#14 Karl Tausch
#14 Ian Martin
#15 John Martello
#16 Salvatore Alfieri
#18 Nelson Cupello
#19 Dennis Mepham
#20 Jerry Martello
#20 Michaelle Lacevic
#22 Nick Owcharuk
#30 Jim Perriello
Coaches: Don Lalka, Joe Horvath
Trainer: Joe Sirianni
Owners: Eugene Quatro Jr., Felix Lapine, Simon Buisman, Bruno Coccia