Players Begin Reporting This Week
Players will begin reporting to the Sounders FC training headquarters later this week. Rookies, trialists and some returnees are expected to arrive at the Starfire Sports Complex beginning Thursday.
Preparations for the 2011 MLS season will begin at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, January 25. The team will train at Starfire Sports Complex and conduct tests and meetings at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center before departing January 30 for Casa Grande, Arizona. Players and staff will return to Starfire from February 15-17. Another camp will be held in Bradenton, Florida from February 18-27.
The regular season opens on March 15 with MLS First Kick 2011. Sounders FC hosts the L.A. Galaxy on the Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field in a match televised nationally by ESPN. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. PT. MLS First Kick 2011 is presented by Dick's Sporting Goods.
The complete MLS schedule will be released by early February 2011. Each team will play 34 games, facing each team home and away. Deposits for 2011 season tickets are currently being accepted. To join, please visit SoundersFC.comor call 877-MLS-GOAL.
· SuperDraft Review: Tetteh Heads Seattle's Five Picks
· Supplemental Draft: Seattle Takes Three Collegians
· Academy Results: Both U16s & U18s Win Resoundingly on the Road
· Upcoming Key Dates
· Throw-Ins: Number Changes, Open Tryout Registration, Anniversaries & More
SuperDraft Review: Tetteh Heads Seattle's Five Picks
Although it traded away its sole first-round pick, Sounders FC put together a strong class of rookies at the 2011 MLS SuperDraft last week in Baltimore. Seattle had four second-round selections, topped by Michael Tetteh, a defender/midfielder from UC Santa Barbara and Generation adidas member taken with the 20th choice overall.
Tetteh, a native of Ghana, played three seasons at UCSB and earned second team Far West All-Region and second team All-Big West honors as a sophomore. Although his final season was plagued by injuries, he scored a career-high three goals. Tetteh finished his collegiate career having started 50 of 59 appearances and scored six goals with eight assists.
Sounders FC had traded its first round pick (11th overall) and an international roster slot for one year to the Portland Timbers for the second pick in the second round (20th overall) and allocation money.
With its second pick in the second round (21st overall), Sounders FC selected Southern Methodist University defender Leone Cruz. He appeared in 67 games with nine goals and five assists, including a career-high three assists in his senior season.
Seattle selected Servando Carrasco with its third pick in the second round (27th overall). The University of California midfielder/forward earned All-Pac-10 first-team and NSCAA Far West Regional third-team honors as a senior. He was also a two-time All-Pac-10 second-team selection. Carrasco finished his collegiate career with 70 starts in 73 appearances and he scored a career-high seven goals with three assists in 2010.
Bryan Meredith was chosen with the 29th pick overall. The Monmouth University goalkeeper led the nation in goals against average (0.306) as a junior and also ranked third in the nation in save percentage (.889). As a junior, he earned NSCAA/adidas North Atlantic Region First Team accolades and was also named to the All-Northeast Conference Second Team.
With its fifth and final selection Seattle took Alex Caskey, a midfielder from Davidson University. Caskey was a two-year captain who was named to the All-Southern Conference first team three consecutive years, and he did not miss a match in his four-year career, starting all 76 games.
Seattle Takes Three Collegians in Supplemental Draft
Seattle Sounders FC selected three collegians in Tuesday's Major League Soccer 2011 Supplemental Draft.
Goalkeeper Josh Ford of the University of Connecticut was taken with the 11th overall pick of the first round. University of California at Irvine defender Corey Attaway was drafted 29th overall and Seattle University midfielder Sean Morris was chosen 47th overall.
Ford, 23, was a four-year starter at UConn. He was named the 2010 Big East Goalkeeper of the Year and also earned First Team College Soccer News All-American and All-Big East First Team honors as a senior. Ford holds the school record for career shutouts (50), consecutive starts (85) and wins (54).
A four-year starter for UC Irvine, Attaway earned honorable mention All-Big West as a junior and was first team NSCAA Scholar All-America as a senior. He finished his career with 71 starts, and as a senior he ranked third on the team in points with five goals and three assists.
With its final pick in the Supplemental Draft, Sounders FC selected Seattle University midfielder Sean Morris. Morris, 22, started all 16 appearances as a senior and led the team in shots and shots on goal. Morris is a Bothell native who attended Bishop Blanchet High School in Seattle.
Academy Results: Both U16s & U18s Win Resoundingly on the Road
The Sounders FC Academy team each opened the New Year with convincing victories on the road last Sunday against California Development Academy. On Sunday Seattle visits Lake Washington High School to play Crossfire Premier. The U18s play at 11:30 a.m. and the U16s follow at 2 p.m.
Sean Okoli scored a brace as the U18s' (9-1-3) erupted for four goals in the second half of a 4-1 win over CDA. Following a scoreless first half Okoli put the visitors ahead with his eighth goal of the season in the 54th minute. Eight minutes later, Chase Hanson's long drive benefited from a deflection and went into the net. Aaron Kovar assisted on each of the first two scores. Darwin Jones was taken down in the 67th minute to set-up Okoli's second strike, a penalty kick, and Glen Paden increased the lead on a feed from Dominique Dismuke in the 85th minute.
Behind the two goals of Jordan Schweitzer the U16s (9-2-2) extended their unbeaten run to four matches with a season-high scoring total, beating CDA, 7-0. It was 3-nil after 11 minutes, when Schweitzer took a backheel from Ike Crook and scored. Jesse Klug had notched his sixth goal of the season in the 4th minute. Stefan Bangsund, Austin Sweeney, Odason Pelogi and Chad Radulovich also found the net.
Upcoming Key Dates (times are Pacific & subject to change)
Sunday, January 23, 11:30 a.m./2:00 p.m. - Sounders FC Academy at Crossfire Premier, Lake Washington High School, Kirkland, Wash.
Tuesday, January 25-Wednesday, January 26 - Preseason Training, Starfire Sports Complex, Tukwila, Wash.
Thursday, January 27-Friday, January 28 - Preseason Training & Testing, Virginia Mason Athletic Center, Renton, Wash.
Saturday, January 29, 9 a.m.-Sunday, January 30 - Sounders FC Open Tryouts, Starfire Sports Complex, Tukwila, Wash.
Sunday, January 30-Saturday, February 12 - Preseason Training, Casa Grande, Arizona
Tuesday, February 15 - Thursday, February 17 - Preseason Training, Starfire Sports Complex, Tukwila, Wash.
Saturday, February 19-Saturday, February 26 - Preseason Training, IMG Soccer Academy, Bradenton, Florida
Tuesday, March 15, 6:30 p.m. - MLS First Kick 2011, Sounders FC vs. L.A. Galaxy, Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field
Saturday, March 19, 4:30 p.m. - Sounders FC at New York Red Bulls, Red Bull Arena, Harrison, NJ
Camps: Finishing School
Online registration is now open for the Sounders FC Finishing School and Boys High School Prep Camp. The five-week Finishing School course begins January 28 at the Starfire Sports Complex and is designed for youth players (ages 8-14) that want, need and have a passion for finishing the ball in the final third.
The High School Prep Camp will be held the week of February 21 through February 25 at Starfire. The sessions are designed to physically and mentally prepare players for their high school tryouts and spring seasons.
Registration for either the Finishing School or High School Prep Camp is $200 and available at SoundersFC.com.
Throw-ins
Fredy Montero will be at the Mill Creek Top Pot Doughnuts (inside the University Book Store, 15311 Main Street, Mill Creek) on Thursday, January 20, from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m...Leo Gonzalez has opted to change jersey numbers, from 19 to 12 this season. Erik Friberg will wear Number 8 and O'Brian White Number 13...Defender James Riley has been named Korean Athlete of the Year by Sports Seoul USA...Online registration for Sounders FC Open Tryouts is available at www.SoundersFC.com/opentryouts.Tryouts will be held January 29-30 at the Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila, Washington. Registration is $125 and fees go directly to the Sounders FC Youth Academy program...Michael Tetteh celebrated his 22nd birthday on January 16 and Roger Levesque is 29 on Friday, January 21...On January 22, 1974, Seattle's original pro soccer franchise announced it would be known as the Sounders...On January 23, 1987, Steve Zungul scored a record six goals for the Tacoma Stars in an indoor game against Kansas City...Fans have until Friday to cast their online vote for Seattle Sports Star of the Year. Sounders FC forward Fredy Montero is one of five finalists selected by the Seattle Sports Commission. Individuals can vote up to once a day by visiting SeattleSports.org.
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