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Six Kingdom teams qualify for North American finals (Aug 19) Six of Kalamazoo Kingdom’s eight Super Y-League youth soccer teams have qualified to compete in the league’s North American Finals in Tampa in November. The Kingdom Club was ranked No. 8 of more than 100 clubs in 2007 by USL SYL, a national youth soccer league. Crusader men tabbed sixth in Horizon League poll (Aug 18) The Valparaiso University men's soccer team has been picked to finish sixth in the Horizon League by the league's head coaches, as announced by the League office Monday. Broncos women blank Davenport, 1-0 (Aug 17) The Western Michigan women’s soccer team ended its preseason with a 1-0 win over Davenport in front of 102 fans at the Western Michigan Soccer Complex on Sunday afternoon. Valpo women top St. Joseph's, men edge Indianapolis (Aug 16) Three goals in a span of less than three minutes late in the match pushed Valparaiso women's soccer past Saint Joseph's (Ind.) 4-2 on Saturday evening in exhibition soccer action at Eastgate Field. Meanwhile, playing with just three days of preseason training under its belt, the Valparaiso men's soccer team opened exhibition play Saturday at Eastgate Field with a solid 1-0 victory over Indianapolis WMU women to face Davenport Sunday (Aug 15) Fresh off a 6-1 exhibition win over IUPUI, the Western Michigan women’s soccer team is gearing up for its final preseason match against Davenport on Sunday at noon at the WMU Soccer Complex. The Broncos look to continue their development and build chemistry before the regular season starts on Aug. 22, when Wyoming makes the trip to Kalamazoo. The Broncos played three 45-minute periods in Thursday’s exhibition but will only play two 45-minute periods during the match with Davenport. US women to play Ireland at Toyota Park in September (Aug 15) The U.S. Women’s National Team will take on Ireland in a three-match tour following the 2008 Olympic Games, hitting stops on the East Coast and Midwest shortly after their return from the 2008 Olympic Games in China. Broncos down IUPUI, 6-1 in exhibition play (Aug 14) Thalia Playford and Ali Jacobs each scored a pair of goals as the Western Michigan women’s soccer team opened up its 2008 exhibition season with a 6-1 win over IUPUI in front of 134 fans at the Western Michigan Soccer Complex on Thursday afternoon. Outrage representatives return from Sheffield Wednesday trip (Aug 13) The Kalamazoo Outrage's 2008 Head Coach Stu Riddle and Player of the Year Terry Alvino have returned from a week-long trip to Sheffield Wednesday. Central defender Alvino spent the week in Sheffield rubbing shoulders on the training ground with USA international Frank Simek and former English internationals Francis Jeffers and Steve Watson as he practiced with the English Championship side. FC Indiana re-sign Del Rio and Leyva (Aug 13) FC Indiana confirmed on Wednesday they had re-signed Spanish striker Laura Del Rio and Mexican midfielder Fatima Leyva for the 2009 season. The deals represent a big coup for the club as both played a key roles for FC Indiana where they reached the W-League final and won the USASA Open Cup.
WMU women's soccer host exhibition match (Aug 13) The Western Michigan women’s soccer team will host IUPUI in an exhibition match on Thursday afternoon at 3 p.m. at the Western Michigan Soccer Complex. UConn and USF picked to win BIG EAST men's divisions (Aug 12) The University of Connecticut and the University of South Florida have been chosen to capture the 2008 BIG EAST men’s soccer regular-season divisional titles. For the fourth straight year, the Huskies were picked to claim the Blue Division title, and for the second time in three years, USF was voted atop the Red Division. The votes were cast by the league’s 16 head coaches, who were not permitted to vote for their own teams. Valpo women picked to finish fifth in conference poll (Aug 11) Valparaiso University has been predicted to finish in a tie for fifth place in the league's 2008 preseason women's soccer poll according to the voting done by the other conference head coaches. FC Indiana win US Open Cup National Championship (Aug ) FC Indiana coach Shek Borkowski hopes to lead the club to more success in 2009 after beating the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL) champions Ajax America Women to win the US Open Cup. The club's 1-0 triumph at Starfire Soccer Stadium in Seattle, WA on Saturday was their fourth major trophy in four seasons. Thunder Bay wins PDL title (Aug ) The Thunder Bay Chill endured all the elements on and off the field Saturday night in Laredo to cap one of the most remarkable turnarounds in league history to become the first-ever Canadian champions of the United Soccer Leagues Premier Development League. The visitors survived 100-degree heat, an initial deficit and a second half red card as they battled the defending champions to a 1-1 draw before capturing the title in penalties 4-1. Fire defeat New England, 2-1 (Aug 9) Wilman Conde’s first career MLS goal in the 86th minute proved to be the game-winner for Chicago as they scored twice in the last nine minutes to win 2-1 at New England. USL recognizes best of PDL (Aug 8) United Soccer Leagues announced the top PDL honors for the 2008 season Friday, honoring the All-League selections as well as the U19 Player of the Year, Defender of the Year, Goalkeeper of the Year, Coach of the Year and Most Valuable Player as voted on by the league’s coaches and general managers. Fire waive defender Brian Plotkin (Aug 5) The Chicago Fire announced today they have waived defender Brian Plotkin. Plotkin had appeared in one game this season, playing 90 minutes at FC Dallas on June 15. He had played in 23 career games (10 starts) for Chicago since being drafted by the club in 2006.
USL to seek affiliations with European clubs (Aug 5) United Soccer Leagues (USL), the North American development system for high-level soccer, and Beswicks Sports, one of the leading legal advisers in the sports arena, have announced a partnership to develop affiliations and partnerships between European clubs and USL franchises in North America. Fire's Super-20 team best in North America (Aug 4) The Chicago Fire Super-20 team captured the North American National Championship on Sunday, Aug. 3, in Virginia Beach, Va., defeating the Toronto Lynx 2-1 in the finals. Forward Matt Eliason tallied both goals in the final and earned Golden Boot honors for his six goals in five games. The Fire posted 15 goals while conceding only two goals during the finals week in five games played. FC Indiana fall in W-League Championship (Aug 2) It’s not always the case that a game can live up to the hype, but the Pali Blues 2-1 victory over FC Indiana in the W-League Championship game will be remembered for ages. South Bend side wins Kickers' Summerfest tournament (Aug 3) After playing to a 1-1 regulation tie, the South Bend Internationals defeated Flint Soccer Club 3-2 in penalty kicks to win the St. Joe Kickers over-30 Summerfest Soccer Tournament for the third straight year.
The host Kickers lost 3-0 to the Kalamazoo Bulldogs, 5-0 to the Internationals, and 4-1 to Flint Cash Now. The Kickers Premier team tied Benton Harbor F. C. 2-2 in an exhibition match. Eight teams from Chicago, Flint, Kalamazoo, and South Bend participated in the annual event.
Chicago Fire shutout Chivas USA, 1-0 (Aug 2) The Chicago Fire edged pass Chivas USA with a 1-0 victory before a sellout crowd of 20,492 at TOYOTA PARK. Thunder Bay moves on to face Laredo in PDL Championship (Aug 2) Match summaries from Saturday's Semifinal round. FC Indiana advance to W-League final (Jul 31) Patience is a virtue, and for FC Indiana, they needed every bit of patience to squeak out a 1-0 victory in the semifinals of the W-League over a very game Seattle Sounders club. PDL Championship Semifinal Preview (Jul 31) When the teams take the field for the Premier Development League Semifinals Saturday, there will be one team with the clear distinction of the favorite as the defending champion Laredo Heat’s playoff experience over the past three years dwarves that of their opponent Reading and the other semifinal participants Vancouver and Thunder Bay. Fire acquire midfielder on loan from CSD Municipal (Jul 30) The Chicago Fire announced today the club has acquired the services of midfielder Marco Pappa (full name: Marco Pablo Pappa Ponce) on a one and a half year loan from Guatemalan side CSD Municipal. Outrage celebrate first season, look to next (Jul 30) It's been an amazing first season for the Kalamazoo Outrage PDL side. Hot on the heels of the brand new franchise's appearance in the final 8 of the United Soccer Leagues Premier Development League the team celebrated in style with an end of season party. Brian McBride joins Chicago Fire, Chad Barrett sent to Toronto FC (Jul 30) The Chicago Fire have acquired United States soccer superstar, MLS All-Time Best XI member and English Premier League veteran, forward Brian McBride. McBride’s contract runs through the end of the 2009 season. Thierry Henry and Lionel Messi highlight Barca's US tour roster (Jul 29) Argentine scoring sensation Lionel Messi highlights an all-star roster dotted with World Cup veterans and national team heroes, as one of the world’s great soccer clubs, FC Barcelona, arrives in the United States this Thursday, July 31, for the start of their week-long 2008 U.S. tour. Barca takes on legendary Mexican side CD Guadalajara at Chicago’s Soldier Field on Sunday, Aug. 3 (6 p.m. CT), and Major League Soccer’s New York Red Bulls on Wednesday, Aug. 6 at Giants Stadium (7 p.m. ET) in E. Rutherford, NJ. Outrage advance to PDL Conference final (Jul 27) In the last 4 days the Kalamazoo Outrage PDL side has claimed 2 of the biggest scalps in the whole of the United Soccer Leagues Premier League. Tuesday's stunning victory over the Chicago Fire Premier was followed up on Saturday night with an astonishing 3-1 road win over perennial PDL powerhouse the Michigan Bucks. Making the wins even more impressive was the fact that both matches were played on the road for an Outrage franchise competing in its inaugural season. USL PDL Playoff Summaries (Jul 26) PDL playoff summary reports from 2008 conference semifinal play. First set of PDL season honors announced (Jul 25) United Soccer Leagues announced Friday the statistical award winners for the 2008 Premier Development League season and the All-Conference Teams, honoring 44 of the top players in the league as voted on by team coaches and general managers. PDL Conference playoff preview (Jul 24) The PDL postseason saw a miraculous occurrence last year when the Michigan Bucks and Laredo Heat both returned to the championship game in a league in which one team returning to the final is an extremely difficult task. Part of the reason for the difficulty is the game of ‘Survivor’ that the conference tournaments have become over the years with top seeds regularly bowing out early. PDL Central Conference semifinals Saturday (Jul 24) After midweek play-in games, the Central Conference Final Four is set for this weekend at Ultimate Soccer Arenas in Pontiac on Saturday and Sunday. The United Soccer League's (USL) Premier Development League (PDL) #1 overall seed for the post-season tournament Michigan Bucks will play host to the Kalamazoo Outrage on Saturday (7:30 PM kickoff). The Bucks first playoff game will be the second game of the Central Conference doubleheader that will feature the Cleveland Internationals against the Thunder Bay Chill at 5:30. Chicago to host US World Cup qualifier, tickets on sale July 28 (Jul 23) Tickets for the U.S. Men’s National Team’s Sept. 10 FIFA World Cup qualifier vs. Trinidad & Tobago at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Ill., go on sale to the general public starting at 10 a.m. CT on Monday, July 28. Outrage earn first round playoff victory (Jul 22) The Kalamazoo Outrage PDL side continued their fairytale debut season in the United Soccer Leagues Premier Development League with a first round playoff victory over the Chicago Fire Premier on Tuesday. PDL and W-League playoff schedules set (Jul 21) United Soccer Leagues announced Monday the Premier Development League and W-League playoff schedules set to begin midweek with the Divisional Rounds and continue with the Conference Championship tournaments on the weekend. The 19-team PDL playoff field begins play Tuesday with the W-League’s 13-team postseason field starting Wednesday. Kalamazoo crush Windsor, 12-0 (Jul 20) The Kalamazoo Outrage PDL side finished their 2008 home campaign in style on Sunday afternoon defeating Canadian professional outfit the Windsor Border Stars 12-0. Bucks defeat Lynx, secure #1 seed in PDL playoffs (Jul 20) The Michigan Bucks finished off their thirteenth regular season in the United Soccer League's (USL) Premier Development League by finishing off the Toronto Lynx Sunday by a 3-0 scoreline. With the win, the Bucks (13-1-2, 41 points) avenge the only regular season loss to the Lynx and secure the #1 seed in the PDL playoffs beginning this week. Bucks to host PDL Central Conference championship (Jul 18) The United Soccer League (USL) has formally announced that the Michigan Bucks will be hosting the Premier Development League (PDL) Central Conference Championship for the second year in a row. The Conference Final Four, which will pit the Conference's #1 seed overall and the three winners of the Division matches to be played next Tuesday will be played at Ultimate Soccer Arenas on Saturday, July 26. The first game will start at 5:30 PM and the second final will follow at 7:30. The winners of the two Saturday games will face off Sunday night at 7:00 with the winner moving to the North American semi finals as the Central Conference champion. Bucks come from behind to defeat Outrage (Jul 16) With the top seed in the Central Conference and a first round playoff bye at stake, the Bucks spotted the Kalamazoo Outrage a 1-0 lead for the second time this season. And for the second time, they stormed back in the second half to sweep the season series with the playoff bound Outrage. SoccerZone announces new Fall soccer tournament The inaugural SoccerZone Fall Classic tournament will be held on Saturday August 30 and Sunday August 31 in Portage, Michigan. This is Labor Day weekend, a traditional big soccer tournament weekend and a great opportunity for your team to gear up for their regular season. USL W-League, PDL weekly honors announced (Jul 17) USL announced weekly honors for PDL and W-League play for the week ending July 13th. Kalamazoo Outrage earn playoff spot (Jul 15) An impressive inaugural season got even better this past weekend as the Kalamazoo Outrage PDL side qualified for the Central Conference Play Offs. Saturday night's 0-0 tie with the visiting Ft Wayne Fever was enough to get the Outrage a coveted play off spot after nearest challengers the Indiana Invaders picked up only one point over the course of the weekend. Bucks and Fire draw, 3-3 (Jul13) The Michigan Bucks continue to flirt with disaster as they once again spotted their opponents a lead but found a way to claw back into the match. Kickers earn place in Michigan Tournament of Champions (Jul 10) The St. Joe Kickers premier soccer team will participate in the Michigan Tournament of Champions this weekend at Independence Park in Canton. The Kickers will play Ann Arbor United and Detroit Arandas on Saturday and Detroit Green Eagles on Sunday. The Kickers, winners orf the 2007 Blossomland Cup, finished the 2008 Blossomland Soccer League regular season with a 6-1-1 record and second place finish. This is the first time that the Kickers have participated in the Tournament of Champions in 25 years. They were state runners-up in 1980. The Kickers are coached by Nick Lesch, who has accumulated a 45-7-3 record in his five years of coaching the club.
Bucks and Fever draw, 1-1 (Jul 8) The Michigan Bucks did everything possible Tuesday night to put away the Ft. Wayne Fever in route to capturing the Great Lakes Division title in the Premier Development Leagues (PDL) Central Conference; except finishing the job. Outrage announce international friendly (Jul 8) The Kalamazoo Outrage announced that Canadian Pro side the Windsor Border Stars will play an International exhibition match against the Outrage PDL side on Sunday July 20 in Kalamazoo. Bucks down Cincinnati, clinch playoff spot (Jul 5) The Michigan Bucks came from behind again Saturday night beating Great Lakes Division rival the Cincinnati Kings, 3-1. In doing so, the Bucks qualified for the USL's Premier Development League playoffs for the 12th time in 13 years. Outrage down Edge, 5-2 (Jul 4) The Kalamazoo Outrage PDL side celebrated July 4th in style with some fireworks of their own on the field defeating divisional and regional rivals the West Michigan Edge 5-2 on Friday night. Outrage defeat Cleveland to keep hold on division lead The Kalamazoo Outrage PDL side moved 3 points clear of their nearest rivals at the top of the Midwest Division of the Central Conference with a 3-2 home victory over Cleveland Internationals today. Bronco women's 2008 schedule announced Women’s soccer head coach Mike Haines announced the 18-match schedule for the upcoming 2008 season. The Broncos open up the season with a home match against Wyoming on Aug. 22, at 11 a.m. The match is the only out-of-conference home contest for the Broncos this season, but will have two exhibition home matches with IUPUI on Aug. 14 and Davenport on Aug. 17. From there the Brown & Gold begin a six-game road trip traveling to face Wisconsin, Wisconson-Milwaukee, Michigan, Michigan State, Arkansas and Missouri State. MSYSA is now accepting applications for the 2009 Girls State Cup The MSYSA State Cup is the first level of competition in the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series. Teams who win the State Cup will earn the right to represent Michigan at regional and potentially national competitions in the summer of 2009. In the State Cup, each team will play three self-scheduled games. GR Crew Juniors U14 Premier side advances to National Championship The Grand Rapids Crew Juniors (GRCJ) U14 Premier Team made history on Wednesday
by being the first team ever from West Michigan to qualify for the National Championship Tournament in soccer.
The team finished an impressive campaign in the Regional Championship final by beating the Wisconsin State Cup
Champions, FC Milwaukee by 3-0. The road to the final was equally remarkable as the boys had a goal difference
of 19-3 on the way beating the State Cup Champions from South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska and Kansas. Bucks earn full points in Bridgeview The Michigan Bucks took a huge step forward in their goal of securing the top seed (and a first round playoff bye) in the Central Conference when they came from behind to defeat the Chicago Fire 2-1 on the road. Riddle calls for focus as Outrage seek playoff spot As it stands right now Kalamazoo Outrage PDL head coach Stu Riddle should be pretty happy. The brand new franchise sit at the top of the Cenrtral Conference Midwest division standings and have amassed an incredible 5-1 record away from home. Bucks rally in second half to defeat Kalamazoo, 3-1
 Kalamazoo Outrage W-League player Emily Benoit battles a West Michigan Fire Woman in a match played at Mayor's Riverfront Stadium in Kalamazoo on June 21, 2008. More Photos
| The Michigan Bucks recovered from an early miscue at Kalamazoo to score three second half goals in beating the Outrage 3-1 Saturday at Mayor's Riverfront Park. Bucks suffer first loss of 2008 PDL campaign The Michigan Bucks lost their first match of the 2008 Premier Development League campaign Thursday night, falling 1-0 to the Toronto Lynx. With the loss, the Bucks fall to 8-1-0, but maintain 1st place in the PDL’s Great Lakes Division. Kalamazoo keeper campers sought (Jun 19) Director Nick Carlin-Voigt (George Mason University Men's and Women's Assistant Coach, DC United Youth Staff Coach) still has a very limited number of spots left for his 2008 Summer GK Camp. The residential and commuter camp will be held on the scenic campus of Kalamazoo College. The Camp will run from Monday June 23 to Friday June 27. The camp (day and residential camp options) specializes in elite goalkeeper training for boys and girls ages 10-19 and is an excellent way to gain recruiting exposure to elite coaches. If you have any questions please contact Nick Carlin-Voigt at nickcv@gmail.com or by phone 703-462-4587. St. Joe keeper camp still has openings (Jun 19) There are still openings for the soccer goalkeeper clinic to be held at Upton Middle School in St. Joseph on June 23-27 from 3:00-4:45pm daily. The camp will be directed by former Western Michigan University goalkeeper Chris Haack. The clinic is designed for middle school- and high school-aged players. Cost is $125. Contact Chris Haack at 449-7281 or cbhaack@yahoo.com for more information.
Area refs rate Michigan Lutheran most sporting (Jun 17) Michigan Lutheran High School is the recipient of the 2008 girls' soccer sportsmanship award presented by the Southwest Michigan Soccer Referees' Association. Lutheran coach Jeff Lillo was voted as most sporting coach and Michigan Lutheran was also voted as having the most sporting players. Fennville was rated as having the best fans. Each year area high school soccer referees rate the schools in Southwest Michigan which sponsor soccer. Michigan Lutheran also won the award last year in their first season of varsity soccer.
Kalamazoo earns road win at Ft. Wayne The Kalamazoo Outrage PDL side moved 3 points clear of their nearest rivals Chicago Fire Premier after a 2-1 victory over Central Conference Midwest Divisional rivals Ft Wayne Fever on Friday night. Bucks fall to Cleveland in US Open Cup play The Michigan Bucks of the United Soccer Leagues (USL) Premier Development League (PDL) fell 2-1 Thursday night to the USL Second Division's Cleveland City Stars in the first round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. Kalamazoo tops West Michigan, 2-1 The Kalamazoo Outrage PDL side improved to 5-2-1 and jumped to the top of the Central Conference Midwest Division standings Wednesday night with a 2-1 victory over the West Michigan Edge in Grand Rapids. Moody named to Valpo women's soccer coaching staff Valparaiso University head women’s soccer coach John Marovich has announced the addition of Mia Moody to the Crusader coaching staff for this fall as an assistant coach. Area referees to officiate at State Championship match (Jun 10) Chad Szymczak of Paw Paw and Larry Ward of Stevensville have been selected to officiate the MHSAA Division 2 girls soccer championship at Crestwood Middle School in East Kentwood on June 14 at 2:30pm. Szymczak will be referee and Ward assistant referee. Both Szymczak and Ward are members of the Southwest Michigan Soccer Referees Association.
Fire Juniors - Michigan announce new leadership and tryout dates The spring season is fast coming to an end and with it the conclusion of the Fire Juniors first chapter. The Fire Jrs. Staff is excited about several upcoming changes within the club in both staffing and program offerings. Michigan Bucks roll past Cleveland The Michigan Bucks kept their 2008 winning streak alive with a 4-2 win Saturday night against the Cleveland Internationals at Ultimate Soccer Arenas. With the victory, the Bucks remain the only undefeated side in the 67-team United Soccer Leagues (USL) Premier Development League (PDL) through the first eight games. With the first half of the PDL regular season in the books, the Bucks can now turn their attention to the 2008 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, which begins this Tuesday with a home match against the Cleveland City Stars. The City Stars play up one level in the second tier professional division of the USL. Grand Rapids Crew Juniors U14 Boys win State Cup Grand Rapids Crew Juniors (GRCJ) have announced the success of the club's U14 boys Midwest Regional League (MRL) Team. The team has gone through the National Premier league with one of the best records in the country for this age group – competing against top teams throughout the Midwest. Last weekend they firmed up their dominance in Michigan by winning the State Cup. The road to the final came via 4-0 and 5-0 victories with the final being won 4-0. Outrage shutout Cincinnati, 2-0 The Kalamazoo Outrage PDL side improved to 4-2-1 with a 2-0 victory over the Cincinnati Kings at Mayors Riverfront Stadium in Kalamazoo on Sunday afternoon. Michigan Bucks down West Michigan, 3-0 The Michigan Bucks ran their 2008 season record to 7-0 with a 3-0 win over the West Michigan Edge. The Bucks completed the regular season sweep of the Edge with their fifth shutout of the season and moved themselves to the head of the pack of all 67 United Soccer League (USL) teams as the only undefeated side through seven games. Michigan Bucks control Chaos to stay unbeaten Following a grueling three day road trip, the undefeated Michigan Bucks are looking forward to coming home this week with the hopes of extending their perfect season. Bucks scoring leader Kenny Uzoigwe followed up his game winner Friday night against the Cincinnati Kings with an encore Sunday leading the Bucks to a 2-0 win in Charleston, West Virginia. Outrage split long weekend on the road The Kalamazoo Outrage return home to Mayors Riverfront Park this weekend after a gruelling 3 day road trip this past weekend that saw them clock up over 1000 miles. Bucks remain undefeated, down Cincinnati 1-0 The Michigan Bucks continued their 2008 undefeated run by coming out 1-0 winners Friday night against the Cincinnati Kings. In a tightly contested affair, Bucks striker Kenny Uzoigwe (Toledo) found the back of the net in the 90th minute to give his side a much-valued three points and a maximum 15 points for the season. St. Joseph keeper camp planned Chris Haack has announced the dates for a soccer goalkeeper camp to be held on June 23 - 27, 2008 at Upton Middle School, in St. Joseph from 3:00-4:45 pm daily. This camp is designed for the middle school- or high school-aged player who is learning to be a goalkeeper
or who has played goalkeeper but has had little formal training at this position. the camp is open to boys and girls and will teach the basic skills of goalkeeping and also help intermediate goalkeepers achieve the next level of play. SWM Select Soccer tryout dates set (May 29) SWM Select Soccer will be holding tryouts for U8-U19 girls and U8-U14 boys at the Rockey Weed Complex on June 17th and 19th from 6:00-8:00 p.m. For more information check www.swmselect.com or contact karen_reinhardt@hotmail.com Bucks' Nate Jafta named PDL Player of the Week United Soccer Leagues announced the Premier Development League Team of the Week for the sixth week of the USL calendar honoring Michigan Bucks midfielder, Nate Jafta as Player of the Week. Kingdom soccer tryouts announced Free tryouts for Kingdom Reserves Premier Youth Soccer Club for the 2008/2009 seasons are planned for June 15-16 (River Oaks Park, Galesburg on Sunday and Ramona Park, Portage on Monday) for boys and girls in the U-12 to U-17 age groups. Free tryouts for Kingdom Select Youth Soccer Club are planned for 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. June 16-17 at Ramona Park in Portage for boys and girls ages 7 to 18 years old. All players wishing to tryout must pre-register online at: www.kalamazookingdom.com. Fire will play Everton at Toyota Park, July 30 The Chicago Fire will play Everton FC from England’s Barclays Premier League on Wednesday, July 30 at TOYOTA PARK. Kickoff for the match will be 7:30 p.m. CDT. FC Barcelona to visit Chicago this summer Major League Soccer has announced FC Barcelona and its heralded roster of international stars will play games this summer in Chicago and the New York area as part of their 2008 summer tour organized by MLS’ marketing arm, Soccer United Marketing (SUM). The tour kicks off a five-year partnership between FCB and MLS. US Soccer sets first round pairings for Open Cup U.S. Soccer has announced the first round pairings for the 2007 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The first round features 32 teams from the United Soccer Leagues First Division, USL Second Division, Premier Development League and United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA) ranks. Pairings for the opening round were determined by blind draw. The first round will be played on Tuesday, June 10, with the winners facing off in the second round on June 24. Outrage earn road win in South Bend The Kalamazoo Outrage PDL side recorded their second away victory of the season on Monday night thumping the Indiana Invaders 4-0 in South Bend, Indiana. Michigan Bucks qualify for US Open Cup The Michigan Bucks finished their perfect run at qualifying for the 2008 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup with a 2-1 win in Cleveland against the Internationals. The Bucks won all four of their first matches to lead the Great Lakes Division and Central Conference of the United Soccer Leagues (USL) Premier Development League (PDL) with a maximum twelve points. Fire score five in romp over New York at Giants Stadium Chad Barrett struck twice, Cuauhtemoc Blanco had a goal and three assists and the Chicago Fire scored four second-half goals to rout the New York Red Bulls 5-1 on a glorious Sunday afternoon at Giants Stadium. Chris Rolfe and Gonzalo Segares also scored for the Fire, while second-half substitute Jozy Altidore picked up a late consolation goal for the home team. Red Bulls coach Juan Carlos Osorio was suspended for the match against his former team, watching the game from a suite after receiving a red card against Kansas City last weekend. Full Match Report from MLSnet.com Bucks roll past Fever, 5-0 The Michigan Bucks of the United Soccer Leagues' Premier Development League (PDL) continued their quest to qualify for the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup by defeating the Fort Wayne Fever 5-0 Saturday during the Canton Cup at Independence Park. The Bucks control their own destiny and now only need one more win (Monday at Cleveland) to qualify for an unprecedented 8th US Open Cup. Crew sign Ann Arbor native to developmental contract The Columbus Crew announced have signed forward/midfielder Cory Elenio to a developmental contract. Elenio was the Crew’s second-round selection (No. 20 overall) in the 2008 MLS Supplemental Draft out of the University of Evansville. US Open Cup qualification weekend looms The qualifying process for the 2008 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup for the USL Second Division and Premier Development League comes to a close Memorial Day weekend. Five of the Six USL-2 berths have been clinched and all eight PDL spots are still up for grabs going into the final days of qualifying. Bucks down West Michigan, 3-1 The Michigan Bucks took their 2008 season record to 2-0 after defeating the West Michigan Edge in Grand Rapids by a score of 3-1. Kalamazoo defender named to PDL Team of the Week The Kalmazoo Outrage PDL side have announced that Terry Alvino was today named in the United Soccer Leagues PDL team of the week. In doing so the experienced defender becomes the first ever Outrage player to achieve such an honor in just the first week of the franchise's inaugural season.
Sterling defense carries Outrage to top of table The Kalamazoo Outrage PDL side find themselves on top of the Central Conference Midwest division standings after failing to concede a goal in their opening two competitive PDL matches. Outrage teams ready for season opener The Kalamazoo Outrage PDL and W league staff has been waiting a year for this day - the regular season opening night Friday May 16th. The PDL side is buoyed by a highly impressive 4 game unbeaten streak in pre season highlighted by the Old Burdick’s Challenge victory over the Michigan Bucks on Tuesday. They will take on the West Virginia Chaos at Mayors Riverfront Stadium starting at 8pm. The women’s side has been training hard for several weeks and is also looking forward to their first match. They will host the FC Indiana Lionesses at 6pm in the first game of the doubleheader. Outrage edge Michigan Bucks in preseason play The Kalamazoo Outrage will head into Friday night's regular season opener undefeated in their 4 pre-season matches after defeating PDL powerhouse the Michigan Bucks in Kalamazoo Tuesday evening, Heather Clark named Valpo women's soccer assistant coach Valparaiso University head women’s soccer coach John Marovich has announced the hiring of Heather Clark as his assistant coach prior to the 2008 season. Tarpley scores again as US women roll past Canada, 6-0 The U.S. Women’s National Team ended a three-game domestic tour with a comprehensive 6-0 victory over Canada as forward Natasha Kai scored her first career hat trick. Lindsay Tarpley, Carli Lloyd and Leslie Osborne also added goals in what was a dominating performance from the opening whistle. Fire to play US Open Cup game in Peoria The Chicago Fire announced today they will play a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup play-in game on Tuesday, June 10, at Bradley University’s Shea Stadium in Peoria, Ill. Kick-off for the game will be 7:00 p.m. CT. US Soccer Development Academy off to good start Just beyond the halfway point in the inaugural season of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, Technical Director John Hackworth has already seen broad improvements in the program and received positive feedback from players, coaches, administrators and scouts. Valpo women announce fall soccer schedule The start of the 2008 Valparaiso University women’s soccer season will be the earliest in school history when the Crusaders face Ball State at Eastgate Field on August 22 as head coach John Marovich released the upcoming schedule.
Fall SMMS Soccer League organizational meeting announced It is time to begin planning for the fall SMMS soccer season. The legwork needs to be done now to put the schedule together for the fall season.
Fire again roll to rout of Revolution (May 3) The Chicago Fire continued their 2008 dominance over the New England Revolution with a resounding 3-0 victory on Saturday night at Gillette Stadium. Chris Rolfe set the visitors on their way in the 29th minute from a John Thorrington through ball. Thorrington then curled an effort inside the far post shortly after the break to double the lead before Stephen King notched his first MLS goal in the 76th minute to complete the win. Full Match Report from MLSnet.com
Kalamazoo Soccer Academy announces dates for summer camp Directors Chris Adrian (Kalamazoo College Men's Soccer Coach) and Nick Carlin-Voigt (George Mason University Men's and Women's Assistant Coach, DC United Youth Staff Coach) have announced dates for their 2008 Summer Camp. The residential and commuter camp will be held on the scenic campus of Kalamazoo College. Lakeshore Soccerfest registration deadline extended (May 1) The Chicago Fire Juniors - Michigan have extended registration for the Lakeshore Soccerfest to May 4th. The 12th Annual Lakeshore Soccerfest is being held May 23rd - 25th. For more information call 616-393-0888 or visit westmichiganfire.com.
Outrage sign former English Premiership player The Kalamazoo Outrage PDL side have announced, pending USL/PDL approval, the signing of 4 international players to complete their 2008 roster. These signings are highlighted by former English Premiership player Mark Briggs. English Midfielder Briggs will be joined by Australian defender Yahaya Musa, Antiguan International striker Troy Mellanson and defender Mahamadou Simpara who hails from the African nation of Mali. Two Thorrington goals fuel Fire (Apr 26) Two second-half goals by midfielder John Thorrington gave the Chicago Fire a 2-1 victory against the Colorado Rapids on Saturday night at Toyota Park. Thorrington scored in the 53rd and 84th minutes, giving the Fire their third victory in the last four games. The Rapids got a late goal from Tom McManus and pushed hard for the equalizer, but weren't able to keep from losing for the third time in their last four games. Full Match Report from MLSnet.com
Kalamazoo Outrage sign five more players The Kalamazoo Outrage team is pleased to announce the signing, pending USL/PDL approval, of five players for their upcoming debut season in the United Soccer Leagues, Premier Development League. Muskegon to again host MSYSA recreational tournament The MSYSA Kohl's American Cup will be held June 7-8, 2008. The deadline to apply is May 5, 2008. The tournament is the largest recreational youth soccer tournament in the United States, and it is returning to Muskegon for a second straight year. The event is strictly for Michigan’s recreational players, and it emphasizes fun and learning in a family and festival-like atmosphere. In addition to fun soccer games where scores and standings are not kept, players can expect a repeat appearance by the MSYSA Prize Wheel, several inflatable games, and a Skills & Drills Competition area. Furthermore, all players will receive a goody bag and tournament participation medal. The 2008 MSYSA Kohl's American Cup is open to U9-U14 boys and girls recreational teams (AYSO and other non-MSYSA recreational teams are invited). The cost is only $100 MSYSA teams and $125 non MSYSA teams.
View Tournament Application Kickers Club seeking Summerfest Tournament entrants (Apr 18) The St. Joe Kickers Club is looking for veteran men's teams (30 and over) to participate in their annual Summerfest Soccer Tournament to be held at their club's fields on Sat., Aug. 2, 2008. The entry fee is $50. Last year the tournament featured teams from Flint, Kalamazoo, South Bend, as well as the host German-American side. Teams are guaranteed three 40-minute games with "summer rules" (no offside). Games begin at 10:00am with the championship in late afternoon. Dinner and dancing follow (a traditional polka band in the club's dance hall and a blues band in the beer garden). Contact St. Joe Kicker Sport Director Chris Haack for more information at 269 449-7281 or cbhaack@yahoo.com. The Kickers Club is located only minutes away from the beaches of Lake Michigan, approximately 20 mins. north of South Bend, Ind. Blossomland Soccer League begins fifth season The Blossomland Soccer League starts its fifth season of adult premier play in Southwest Michigan with four games scheduled for Apr. 27. The league has increased to 17 clubs and features two divisions for the first time. Three hundred twenty players from 27 countries have signed up for the 2008 campaign --- almost 100 more participants than last year. Guppy out as Fire GM Chicago Fire Soccer and President and General Manager John Guppy agreed to part ways Friday, April 11. The Fire also announced that Andell Sports Group Managing Director Javier Leon will serve as interim President and GM. The team will begin the search for a new President and GM immediately. Buffalo based quartet join the Outrage The Kalamazoo Outrage announced the signing of four Buffalo, NY based players, pending USL/PDL approval. Three of the four Dan Bulley, Bobby Shuttleworth and Eric Johnson ply their college trade with MAC conference powerhouse the University of Buffalo Bulls. The fourth, Alan McGreal plays for the Bulls cross-town rivals Canisius College. Beginner's referee course announced (Apr 9) An entry level, USSF sanctioned, referee course will be held on April 13 and April 20 from 1:00 to 5:00 pm at St. Peters Masonic Lodge #106, 68389 M-62, Edwardsburg, MI. Candidates must attend both sessions. For kids 12 years old as of January 1, 2008, here is your chace to have fun and earn money by becoming a certified soccer referee. To register, contact Chris Haack at cbhaack@yahoo.com or (269)449-7281. This is Michigan's final entry level course for 2008. Frankowski leads Fire over Revolution Polish forward Tomasz Frankowski scored the first two goals of his MLS career as part of Chicago’s four-goal first-half outburst, as the Fire earned a 4-0 victory over the New England Revolution at a rain-soaked Toyota Park on Thursday night. Kalamazoo Outrage sign Sheffield Wednesday player The affiliation between the Kalamazoo Outrage and Sheffield Wednesday went one step further today with the announcement that former Wednesday player Scott Ellis will be turning out for the Outrage this summer, pending USL/PDL approval. Portage native Eric Alexander signs with the Kalamazoo Outrage The Kalamazoo Outrage PDL side announced the acquisition, pending USL/PDL approval, of Portage native and Indiana University standout Eric Alexander. Alexander-20 will be a junior with the famed Hoosiers in the fall. Eric was a standout at Portage Central High School and former national player of the year. mysoccer blog: Galaxy exposed by Rapids’ breath-taking rout As I look back on my past blog entries, I may have given an impression that I go out of my way to drop at least one or two wise cracks aimed at David Beckham with every post. It ’s not that I dislike the biggest name in American soccer either as a player or a person. Fire open MLS season with draw at Real Salt Lake The Chicago Fire played to a 1-1 draw with Real Salt Lake at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah in front of 20,272 fans Saturday afternoon. RSL went up a goal in the 71st minute off a Chicago defender misclearance that resulted in an own-goal, but the Fire came back with a late 20-yard strike from midfielder Cuauhtémoc Blanco in the game’s final moments to gain an important point on the road. Kalamazoo Outrage add WMU players to roster The Kalamazoo Outrage PDL side announced the signing, pending USL/PDL approval, of 5 players with Western Michigan University ties for their upcoming inaugural season. Current Broncos include Mattawan native Tyler Rosenhagen, Ann Arbor native Charlie Watts and Livonia native Jordan Fylonenko. Joining the current WMU players are former Broncos Tom Oatley and Dustin Snyder. The Crew and Toronto FC to battle for Trillium Cup The Columbus Crew and Toronto FC announced that the competition between the geographic rivals will be known as the Trillium Cup, which refers to the official flower of the province of Ontario and official wildflower of the State of Ohio. Selected through on-line balloting, the Trillium Cup will be awarded annually to the winner of the regular-season series between the two clubs. In addition, the mayors of the two cities, Michael B. Coleman of Columbus and David Miller of Toronto, have agreed to a friendly wager on the first game of this season’s inaugural Trillium Cup, Saturday’s season opener between the clubs at Crew Stadium.
Valpo men's soccer signs Brazilian Valparaiso men’s soccer head coach Mike Avery announced today that Jose Renato Pecego, a native of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, has signed a National Letter of Intent and will suit up for the Crusaders beginning in 2008. Pecego is the tenth member of Valpo’s incoming 2008 class, which is now comprised of seven freshmen and three juniors. Lakeshore Soccerfest tournament looming (Mar 27) The West Michigan Fire Juniors will again sponsor the 12th Annual Lakeshore Soccerfest being held on Memorial Day weekend. Applications are now being accepted for the Lakeshore Soccerfest, being held May 23rd - 25th. 2007 brought in a record number of 130+ teams coming from Kalamazoo, Ann Arbor, Chicago, Ft Wayne and more. For more information, email Courtney Nash at courtney@westmichiganfire.com. The Crew sign Argentine defender The Columbus Crew havesigned Argentine left back Gino Padula. Padula will join the Crew upon approval of his P-1 visa work permit. Chicago falls to Colorado in final pre-season tuneup The Chicago Fire finished their 2008 preseason with a 0-1 loss to the Colorado Rapids Saturday afternoon at M&F Bank Stadium in Ridgeland, Miss. After a scoreless first half, Rapids defender Stephen Keel tallied the lone goal of the match in the 86th minute. Columbus Crew end pre-season on winning note The Columbus Crew closed out its 2008 pre-season schedule Saturday with a 1-0 victory over Metapán at Crew Stadium. The Crew controlled play throughout the majority of the match and used a goal by recently acquired forward, Nicolas Hernandez, in the 67th minute to defeat the 2007 Clausura winners from El Salvador. mysoccer blog: Poor execution in final third could spoil US men’s Olympic bid After missing the first two USA matches, I finally remembered to tune in my TV in time to see our US men's Olympic team play in the CONCACAF qualifying tournament going on in Florida this weekend. USA defeated Honduras on Saturday to win the group. Unfortunately, I did not see the best team the USA could put on the pitch. Outrage coaches deem Sheffield Wednesday trip a success It was a whirlwind 10 day period for Kalamazoo Outrage PDL head coach Stu Riddle and player/assistant Alex Andrews. The pair recently returned from their club’s English affiliate Sheffield Wednesday where they spent time with players and staff of the Owls at Sheffield’s Middlewood Road training ground. The trip was designed to solidify the foundation of the blossoming relationship between the two clubs. MLS Picks Game returns to mysoccer.com Player registration is now open for the 2008 version of the MLS Picks Game. Last year, mysoccer.com set aside a $200 purse for prizes. Based on player feedback, the prize money was donated to charity. In keeping with that theme for 2008, mysoccer.com will donate to charity, $10 for every player who can accumulate at least 100 points over the course of the 2008 Major League Soccer season. The benefiting charity will again be Nothing But Nets.
Columbus Crew down Blackburn reserves side The Columbus Crew defeated the Blackburn Rovers Reserves, 1-0, today at Rovers’ training facility in Blackburn, England. Adam Moffat scored the lone goal for the Crew, when his left-footed strike from 25 yards out beat the Blackburn goalkeeper in the 23rd minute. Fire add Colorado defender in waiver draft The Chicago Fire have acquired former Colorado Rapids defender Brandon Prideaux with the 12th selection in today’s MLS Waiver Draft. The club also placed the following players on waivers – Tim Conway, Jeff Curtin, Floyd Franks, Jordan Russolillo, and Osei Telesford. The Fire also announced single-game tickets for 2008 home games at TOYOTA PARK, will go on sale Thursday, March 6 at 10 a.m. CT. Brazil U20 vs. Argentina U20 at Toyota Park March 30 (Mar 3) On Sunday, March 30, at 2:00 p.m. CT, TOYOTA PARK will host the U-20 national squads of Brazil and Argentina, presented by Gebka's Company. Both nations will take to the pitch with aspirations of attending the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2009 in Egypt. Tickets are on sale now at all Ticketmaster locations and at the TOYOTA PARK Ticket Office.
MIchigan Bucks re-sign leading scorer Uziogwe

These Kingdom players were selected to represent Michigan at the US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program (ODP) Regional Training Camp in July in Rockford, Ill. The players began the selection process at tryouts for the ODP program in August 2007 and were chosen for the ODP winter training pool, which met for two weekends of intense training in Pontiac, Mich. From that pool, the boys were selected for the Michigan team in their respective age groups. At the regional camp, the players will compete against the best players in the region that includes 13 Midwest states. The regional camps serve as a player showcase for National ODP Training Camp selection.
Left to right: Kareem Yamani, Portage, (1995 age group); Kalvis Melbardis, Kalamazoo (1995 age group); Brock Roelofs, Portage (1994 age group); and Brandon Bye, Portage (1995 age group). Tyler Stender, (not pictured) of Plainwell, was named 1st alternate for the 1995 age group.
| The Michigan Bucks have announced today that their team leading scorer in each of the past two seasons will be back to lead the Bucks potent offensive attack for the 2008 season. Kenny Uzoigwe has agreed to not only join the Bucks back on the field, but will work full time with the organization developing Bucks camps and private trainings from the team's new headquarters at Ultimate Soccer Arenas in Pontiac. mysoccer blog: Something to cherish - THE BALL! Here is another blast from the past. It was first published on this site in 1999. I've updated the introduction a bit. I'll start with a confession. I rarely watch high school or youth soccer. This is partly due to my youngest child being 24 years old. For a few years after my son stopped playing, I stayed with it. But I found it to be too frustrating for me. In spite of all the progress we've made in terms of participation, the level of play was - how can I say this diplomatically - less than engaging. The Crew announces friendly with El Salvadoran side The Columbus Crew will play Asociación Deportiva Isidro Metapan of El Salvador’s Premier Division on Saturday, March 22, at 4 p.m., at Crew Stadium in its final preseason match before kicking off the 2008 MLS regular season. Valpo announces summer girls soccer camps The Valparaiso University women’s soccer team is holding a camp this summer at the Eastgate Soccer Fields June 24-26 for all age groups. A High School Camp “Valpo Identification Program” is for girls ages 14-18 years of age. The camp is designed to train individuals in technical and tactical aspects of their game. Training sessions will be held in the morning along with the evening. Afternoon seminars will include coach guided self-training and recruiting lectures. The Crusaders Youth Skills Camp is held for girls ages 7-13. The camp will run from 5:30-8 p.m. and is designed to refine each player’s technical skills while providing a solid foundation for learning the skills necessary to continue to grow and enjoy the game. The Little Crusaders Camp, will also be held from June 24-26 from 6-7 p.m. Designed for boys and girls 4-6 years of age, the camp will serve as a fun introduction to the game of soccer for young players. For information on the camp contact John Marovich in the women’s soccer office at (219) 464-5041 or John.Marovich@valpo.edu. Information and registration is also available online at www.valposoccervip.com. Columbus Crew pick up Nicolas Hernandez in trade with Colorado The Columbus Crew have acquired forward Nicolas Hernandez from the Colorado Rapids in exchange for defender Tim Ward and the Crew’s natural third-round selection in the 2009 MLS Supplemental Draft. Hernandez becomes the second Argentine on the Crew’s roster, joining 2007 team MVP Guillermo Barros Schelotto. Outrage staff to visit English partners The Kalamazoo Outrage PDL side continues to make headlines in it’s inaugural season before a match has even been played. On Thursday (2/28), head coach Stu Riddle and player/assistant coach Alex Andrews will depart to spend 10 days as guests of famed English Football Championship Club Sheffield Wednesday. Valpo men's and women's soccer announce recruiting classes Valparaiso head men’s soccer coach Mike Avery announced today that seven players will join the Crusader program for the 2008 season. Meanwhile, Valparaiso University women’s soccer coach John Marovich has announced the addition of six players to join the Crusader roster in the fall as part of his 2008 recruiting class. Fire sign Polish international Frankowski The Chicago Fire have signed Polish international forward Tomasz Frankowski to the team’s 28-man roster, pending P-1 work visa clearance. Frankowski, 33, joins Chicago after accepting an invitation in early February to convene with the team for preseason training. Per league policy, terms of his contract were not disclosed. CMU announces girls high school clinic Central Michigan University’s women’s soccer program will be hosting a Girls High School Preseason Soccer Clinic on the weekend of March 8th - 9th, to help players get a head start on their spring season of competition. Chicago - Toronto scrimmage ends in draw The Chicago Fire tied Toronto FC 1-1 today in a preseason scrimmage at the IMG Academies, in Bradenton, Fla. The Fire opened scoring with a goal from forward Calen Carr in the 52nd minute, but Toronto leveled the score in the 78th minute off a Jarrod Smith tally. mysoccer blog: Which MLS side is getting the biggest bang for their buck? In a previous post, I talked about the loss of Major League Soccer talent caused by the league's expansion and the many players who have left the MLS nest and taken flight to Europe. The question now becomes, which teams are best equipped to get the most from the remaining talent pool? Perhaps a good indicator would measure success on the field (i.e. points earned in the regular season) in comparison to the amount of money being spent on players. The thought here is that the teams that can earn points while keeping salaries low, are pretty good at developing young and inexpensive talent. Fire and Wizards draw 1-1 in preseason play The Chicago Fire tied the Kansas City Wizards 1-1 Saturday in a preseason scrimmage at the IMG Academies, in Bradenton, Fla. The Wizards opened scoring with a goal from forward Ryan Pore in the 23rd minute, but the Fire attack leveled the score in the 90th minute off a goal courtesy of rookie midfielder Stephen King. Andy Herron returns to Chicago The Chicago Fire have signed forward Andy Herron to the team’s 28-man roster. Herron, 29, comes to Chicago after the club received the domestic rights to the striker from Columbus Crew on Jan. 21, 2008 in exchange for the Fire’s 2010 MLS SuperDraft fourth round pick. West Michigan Fire Women name new head coach The West Michigan Firewomen announced that Neathan Gibson has been selected as the head coach for the upcoming 2008 W-League season. Gibson, who has a wide array of coaching and playing experience at the international level, also brings a wealth of knowledge within the USL having time with the Rochester Raging Rhinos, Des Moines Menace and West Michigan Edge. GR Crew Juniors appoint new Technical Director The Grand Rapids Crew Juniors (GRCJ) have appointed George Moni as Technical Director. Coach Moni will serve as Technical Director for all boys teams within the GRCJ and provide extensive expertise to the clubs curriculum development. Jeff Brown will be Technical Director for the ladies and continue his job in standardizing club training methods. Together, Coach Brown and Coach Moni will assist Josh Sheldon as DOC in providing the best learning environment for all coaches and players. Six players choose WMU women's soccer Western Michigan women’s soccer has signed six student-athletes to national letters of intent for the incoming class of 2012. Jackie Drees (Prospect Heights, Ill./Hersey HS/ Sockers FC), Caitlin Henderson (Ann Arbor, Mich./Dexter HS/Michigan Hawks), Nikolette Rivera (Wildwood, Mo./Lafayette HS/St. Louis Soccer Club), Stephanie Skowneski (Clinton Township, Mich./Chippewa Valley HS/Michigan Gators), Victoria Slavin (Livonia, Mich./Stevenson HS/Michigan Hawks) and Alison Szczypka (Novi, Mich./Ladywood HS/Livonia United) will all be sporting the Brown & Gold this fall. Fire edge South Florida in preseason scrimmage The Chicago Fire continued its 2008 preseason with a 2-1 win against the University of South Florida at Field 6 of the IMG Academies facility in Bradenton, Fla. The Fire played varied lineups in three separate 30-minute intervals, with the team wearing its traditional all-red kits. After going down a goal in the 48th minute, goals from Fire forward Floyd Franks (49’) and rookie midfielder Zach Pope (80’) secured the 2-1 victory. Fire begin preseason with 3-1 win over US U17 men's team The Chicago Fire kicked off its 2008 campaign with a 3-1 win in a preseason scrimmage against the U.S. U-17 Men’s National Team at Field 5 of the IMG Academies facility in Bradenton, Fla. The Fire played varied lineups in three separate 30-minute intervals, with veteran Fire midfielder Diego Gutierrez wearing the captain’s armband for the first session. The Crew Soccer Academy begins development league play The Crew Soccer Academy opens its inaugural season in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy league this weekend in North Carolina, with games against Greensboro SC and Capital Area Soccer League at both the Under-18 and Under-16 levels. Referee course openings still available (Feb 8) There are still a few openings for the United States Soccer Federation's entry level referee course to be held at the St. Joseph Public Library on Mon., Feb. 25 from 5:00-8:30pm and Sat., Mar. 1 from 1:00-5:30pm. Participants must attend both sessions. This course is necessary for certification to officiate travel league soccer games. High school students and adults will also have an opportunity to officiate middle school and high schools games. The cost of the course is $50. Participants must be at least twelve years of age. To register contact Chris Haack at cbhaack@yahoo.com or 449-7281.
The Crew release 2008 schedule The Columbus Crew announced its schedule for the 2008 Major League Soccer season, which it opens at home on March 29 vs. Toronto FC and features a home date against the Los Angeles Galaxy on Oct. 4. Fire announce 2008 schedule The Chicago Fire, in conjunction with Major League Soccer, have unveiled their 2008 regular season schedule and national television broadcast information. The Fire are slated to appear in a total of 21 national television broadcasts throughout their 11th season of MLS play. For a second consecutive year, every Fire game will be televised, either through national or regional broadcasts, or on MLSnet.com. Kalamazoo Outrage announce first player signings The Kalamazoo Outrage took one step closer to their first ever competitive match on Tuesday with the announcement of the clubs first signings for the upcoming PDL season. The players announced as the clubs first ever signings are Eric Pogue, Alex Andrews, Lance Muckey and Kalamazoo native TJ Howard. Familiar names sign up to sponsor Women’s Professional Soccer Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) announced that two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash and former Yahoo! President and Chief Operating Officer Jeff Mallett will become investors and part owners of the league, which begins play in 2009 with teams based in Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New Jersey/New York, St. Louis, and Washington, D.C. While Nash and Mallett will not operate a team, their investment will fund the ongoing development of WPS and is specifically earmarked for new media ventures and initiatives.
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