Sounders FC Now Training Where the Warm Sun Shines
Under the desert sun in Casa Grande, Ariz., Sounders FC continues preseason training this week at Grande Sports World. During the 13-day stay Seattle will focus on developing the players' aerobic base and style of play before returning home. Players will train daily, with an additional field session on Tuesday and Thursday. Super Bowl Sunday is off.
The preseason match schedule has now been confirmed and the Rave Green will face Real Salt Lake in the first training game on February 8 in Casa Grande. There will also be contests with the Columbus Crew in Phoenix on February 10 and Chivas USA in Casa Grande on February 12. Columbus hosts RSL in the quarterfinal first leg of the CONCACAF Champions League on February 22.
Another three training games against FC Dallas, Houston and Chicago will be played in Florida later in February. The final three matches will be back home. Sounders FC will host Portland on March 4 and Vancouver on March 6 at the Cascadia Summit at Starfire Sports Stadium, then face Colorado in the Community Shield match and preseason finale on March 9 on the Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field.
Upcoming Training Schedule, February 1-7 (times are local & subject to change):
Tuesday, February 1 - Training at Grande Sports World, Casa Grande, Ariz., 10 a.m. & 4 p.m.
Wednesday, February 2 - Training at Grande Sports World, Casa Grande, Ariz., 10 a.m.
Thursday, February 3 - Training at Grande Sports World, Casa Grande, Ariz., 10 a.m. & 4 p.m.
Friday, February 4 - Training at Grande Sports World, Casa Grande, Ariz., 10 a.m.
Saturday, February 5 - Training at Grande Sports World, Casa Grande, Ariz., 10 a.m.
Sunday, February 6 - No Training
Monday, February 7 - Training at Grande Sports World, Casa Grande, Ariz., 1 p.m.
· Preseason Schedule Now Set
· Community Shield Pits Open Cup Holders versus MLS Cup Winners
· Cascadia Summit Tickets Go on Sale Tuesday
· Academy: U16s Unbeaten Run Reaches Seven
· Throw-ins: Zakuani is Fastest, Training Squad Trimmed, Houston Moves East
Sounders FC 2011 Preseason Schedule
Date--Opponent (Site/time)
Feb. 8--Real Salt Lake* (Casa Grande, Ariz./10:30 a.m.)
Feb. 10--at Columbus* (Phoenix, Ariz./11:00 a.m.)
Feb. 12--Chivas USA* (Casa Grande, Ariz./10:00 a.m.)
Feb. 21--FC Dallas* (Orlando, Fla./3:30 p.m.)
Feb. 22--Houston* (Orlando, Fla./11:00 a.m.)
Feb. 26--Chicago* (Bradenton, Fla./2:00 p.m.)
Mar. 4--Portland (Tukwila, Wash./7:30 p.m.)
Mar. 6--Vancouver (Tukwila, Wash./3:00 p.m.)
Mar. 9--Colorado (Seattle, Wash./7:00 p.m.)
All times are local
*training game
Second Annual Community Shield Set for March 9
Sounders FC has announced plans for the club's second annual Community Shield match which will take place on Wednesday, March 9 at 7 p.m. on the Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field. The reigning U.S. Open Cup champion Sounders FC will face the MLS Cup champion Colorado Rapids for the preseason match.
General Admission tickets for the event will go on sale Monday, February 14. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for youth (6-17). Children under the age of six are free. Tickets will be available at www.SoundersFC.com, by calling 877-MLS-GOAL, all Ticketmaster outlets and the Qwest Field Box office.
Proceeds from the match will benefit the team's community outreach programs. Sounders FC fans helped raise over $80,000 from the 2010 Community Shield match which was allocated to the team's charity partners.
The model for the event is based upon the "Charity or Community Shield" matches in England, where they are a long standing tradition featuring the champions of the FA Premier League against the winners of the FA Cup with all proceeds going to charity.
The regular season opens on March 15 with MLS First Kick 2011. Sounders FC hosts the L.A. Galaxy, holders of the Supporters' Shield, 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.
Cascadia Summit Tickets Go on Sale Tuesday
Tickets for the inaugural Cascadia Summit at Starfire Sports Complex will go on sale Tuesday, February 1. Sounders FC will host three days of events featuring preseason matches between Seattle, the Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps FC. In addition there will be forums involving the coaches and supporters groups from each club.
All matches will be played at the Starfire Sports Stadium. Tickets are $10 for each day and are available at SoundersFC.com or by calling (800) 745-3000. There is a two-day Sounders FC package for $18 that is good for both Seattle matches. No ticket is necessary for Saturday's Supporters Event/Coaches Forum.
Portland and Vancouver supporters will each be allotted 500 tickets in specific sections for their matches with Sounders FC. For the Whitecaps FC-Timbers match, each group will be allotted 1,300 seats, with 500 for Seattle fans. Seating is limited.
Cascadia Summit Schedule of Events (all held at Starfire Stadium)
Friday, March 4
7:00 p.m. Summit Opening
7:30 p.m. Seattle Sounders FC v Portland Timbers
Saturday, March 5
1:00 p.m. Supporters Summit & Coaches Forum
5:00 p.m. Portland Timbers v Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Sunday, March 6
12:00 p.m. Sounders FC Academy U18 v Whitecaps FC Residency
3:00 p.m. Seattle Sounders FC v Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Academy: U16s Unbeaten Run Reaches Seven
Over the weekend in southern California the Sounders FC Academy U16s extended their unbeaten run to seven games (7-0-2) by sweeping Real So Cal, 2-0, and Cosmos West, 3-1. In the first match Ian Lange scored on a free kick from Austin Sweeney and Jesse Klug added insurance, his eighth goal of the year. Keenan Townsend earned the shutout, making a big save moments after Sounders FC had taken the lead. The following day, Jordan Schweitzer set-up two goals while Odason Pelogi scored a goal and an assist as the visitors came from behind. Miles Rodriguez-Nilsen notched the team's third goal as the Rave Green moved to 11-2-3.
The U18s (10-2-4) went 1-0-1 for the weekend, dominating play in thrashing Real So Cal, 5-0, before drawing, 1-1 in the rain at Cosmos West. Always dangerous, Darwin Jones accounted for half of the six goals, scoring twice at Real So Cal and giving Sounders FC a late lead over Cosmos West with a strike in the 80th minute. The hosts got a split of the points on a goal in added time. Jones now has seven goals on the season. Troy Peterson, Drew White and Chase Hanson also scored in the first game.
Five of the next seven matches for both teams are at home, beginning Saturday against Arsenal and Sunday versus Real Salt Lake Arizona. The U18s play at 12 noon each day at Starfire, followed by the U16s at 2:30 p.m. Both matches each day will be played on Field 11 at the north end of the complex.
Upcoming Key Dates (times are Pacific & subject to change)
Sunday, January 30-Saturday, February 12 - Preseason Training, Casa Grande, Arizona
Tuesday, February 8, 9:30 a.m. - Sounders FC vs. Real Salt Lake, Casa Grande, Arizona
Thursday, February 10, 10 a.m. - Sounders FC at Columbus Crew, Phoenix, Arizona
Saturday, February 12, 9 a.m. - Sounders FC vs. Chivas USA, 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
Throw-ins
Steve Zakuani and O'Brian White clocked the fastest times in the 30-yard sprint tests conducted last week in training...SuperDraft choice Alex Caskey, supplemental pick Sean Morris and invitees Edouard Kabamba, Cole Peverley and Jesus Gonzalez are no longer training with the club...Major League Soccer announced last week that the Houston Dynamo will shift to the Eastern Conference for 2011. Expansion teams Portland and Vancouver are in the West...Tacoma product Brent Goulet made his U.S. National Team debut on February 5, 1986 in a scoreless draw with Canada in Miami...David Estrada celebrates his 23rd birthday on February 4...Nearly 200 players participated in the Sounders FC Open Tryouts last weekend at Starfire Sports Complex. With the technical staff observing the players competed in six small-sided games each day. For a final assessment the cast was cut to 50 players for two full-field, 11v11 games on Sunday afternoon.
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