A Little History Lesson

It wasn't until 1998 that the Silverbacks acquired their present mascot. Seeking a mascot that represented both the city and the strength, intelligence, loyalty and teamwork of a successful athlete, founding partners John Latham and Bobby Glustrom named the team after Zoo Atlanta's Willie B., the famed Silverback gorilla who had won the hearts of the people of Atlanta.

In their inaugural game as the Silverbacks, Atlanta hosted the U.S. Project-40 team. A joint venture between Major League Soccer and U.S. Soccer, Pro-40 is a collection of young players who compete in a developmental role at the A-League level. Pro-40 gained a lot of deserved publicity at the 2000 Olympic games, as the Under-23 Men's National Team went on to finish fourth in the tournament. However, many of these same stars were sent home on Sunday, September 6, with a 3-2 Silverbacks victory in the record book. The win legitimized the new franchise, and since then the Silverbacks have been featured in media outlets such as the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the Los Angles Times, Soccer America and WGST 640 AM Radio. In addition, the team was the subject of Georgia Public Television's Georgia Report on September 11, 1998.

In 1999, the Silverbacks announced their arrival once again as an opening day crowd of 8,613 watched the host Silverbacks defeat the Connecticut Wolves 1-0 at DeKalb Memorial Stadium. The Silverbacks played an exhibition game against Major League Soccer's Miami Fusion, tying their affiliate club 1-1. They also succeeded in winning three out of four against their rival Charleston Battery.

The 2000 season was full of more victories. With a stacked roster, the Silverbacks guaranteed good results and, like the previous season, attendance continued to rise. 2001 was huge growth year for the Silverbacks with the investment of new owner Boris Jerkunica, long time Atlanta native, Druid Hills High school Hall of Famer and All-American Emory University Graduate. On June 16, 2001 the Silverbacks Professional team and the amateur soccer club known as Melchester Football Club merged to form a larger entity known as the Atlanta Silverbacks Soccer Club. Shortly after, they had what could arguably be called their biggest win when they recorded a defeat of a Major League Soccer team, beating the Tampa Bay Mutiny 2-1. Their success continued into the post-season, earning the first playoff berth in franchise history.

2002, the Silverbacks fourth season, promises to be an even greater success. As the plans for an all-inclusive soccer facility continue to grow, and the roster of renowned national and international stars returns, the year will offer fans plenty of exciting and entertaining soccer.