Wizards Welcomed Home by Enthusiastic Sellout Crowd
After two months and six MLS matches away from home, the Kansas City Wizards finally returned to CommunityAmerica Ballpark Saturday against the Columbus Crew and were welcomed by an outstanding sellout crowd. Though the Crew won 3-0 on one goal from Chad Marshall and two from Alejandro Moreno, the Kansas City faithful were loud and enthusiastic throughout the match. Saturday was the 2nd sellout of the season, the other coming in the season opener March 29.
The game marked just the 2nd time in team history all seats were sold prior to the start of the match and unavailable for walk-up purchase, as Kansas City played its first 12 seasons at 79,000-seat Arrowhead Stadium. All fans are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance to ensure a seat at any Wizards home match.
Kansas City travels to Toronto FC this Saturday for a 2:30 p.m. CT kickoff at rowdy BMO Field. The Wizards are 1-1-0 all-time against TFC, including a win in the inaugural match at BMO. The Wizards next home game comes Saturday, June 28 at 7 p.m. CT at CommunityAmerica Ballpark. Disney Channel Star Selena Gomez will be on hand prior to kickoff, signing autographs and taking pictures with fans presented by Panasonic.
KCW Juniors Hold Tryouts for U-15, U-16, U-17, U-18 Teams; Name U-13 Team Roster
After fielding three teams for the 2007-2008 season, the KCW Juniors will have teams in the U-13, U-15, U-16, U-17 and U-18 age groups for the 2008-2009 season and designate six Technical Staff members to those teams. The Wizards also formed a U-19 squad for players returning from college to have a place to train and a way to stay connected to the organization. The U-19s captured the State Cup title after training together for less than one month. KCW Juniors U-16 and U-17 teams also captured state cup crowns. All three teams advanced to the U.S. Youth Soccer Midwest Regionals, held June 21- 23 in Rockford, Illinois.
Tryouts for the U-15 through U-18 age groups take place Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. All tryouts will be held at the Wizards Swope Park Training Center. Final rosters will be announced at www.kcwizards.com following the conclusion of the tryout process.
U-13 KCW Juniors 2008-09
Campbell, Clark
Enna, Steven
Hall, Joshua
Hollimon, DeBray
Leonard, Mason
Ostrander, Max
Palmer-Brown, Erik
Piatczyc, JoJo
Ramirez, Brandon
Ramirez, Julian
Shafer, Nicholas
Stevenson, Cole
Swindler, Austin
Swoope, Dainan
Vielmas, Julio
Wilcox, Caleb
Wood, Jake
Alternates:
Andrews, Brandon
Cahoon, Brandon
Cole, Harrison
Hickman, John
For more information about the KCW Juniors program, visit www.kcwizards.com/kcwjuniors.
Columbus Crew Reserves Hand KCW Reserves First Loss of Season Sunday
MLS Reserve Division MatchKansas City Wizards Swope Park Training Center - Kansas City, Missouri
Sunday, June 15, 2008 - 10:00 a.m. (CT)
Weather: 78 and sunny
Score: 1 2 F
Crew Reserves (2-2-1, 7 pts) 2 1 3
KCW Reserves (3-1-2, 11 pts) 1 1 2
Scoring Summary:
CLB - Jason Garey (unassisted) 7'
CLB - Andrew Peterson (Jason Garey) 12'
KC - Ryan Pore(Eloy Colombano, Sasha Victorine) 42'
KC - Ryan Pore (penalty kick) 56'
CLB - George Josten (Corey Elenio) 89'
(June 15, 2008) - The Columbus Crew Reserves picked up a 3-2 win Sunday over the KCW Reserves to give Kansas City its first loss of the MLS Reserve Division season. Columbus received a late goal from substitute George Josten to seal all three points. Forward Jason Garey led Columbus with one goal and one assist, while forward Ryan Pore scored two goals for Kansas City.
Garey opened the scoring in the 7th minute with a powerful long-range effort. A Kansas City defender knocked down a Columbus cross into the area 19 yards from goal. Garey was there immediately and unleashed a right-footed blast that eluded two defenders in front of him before sliding inside the near post for an early 1-0 lead. In the 12th minute, Garey played provider, sliding a pass outside for midfielder Andrew Peterson. Peterson took an early left-footed shot from 20 yards out that stayed low along the ground and eluded goalkeeper Eric Kronberg to put Columbus up 2-0.
Kansas City fought back to tie the match with goals on both sides of halftime. In the42nd minute, Ryan Pore completed a long string of passes with an easy tap-in from close range. Midfielder Sasha Victorine slid a ball between two defenders to midfielder Eloy Colombano, who was on a long diagonal run. Colombano carried the ball toward the end line before crossing low and hard for Pore making a near-post run. Pore simply redirected the ball into the open net from close range to bring Kansas City back within one goal.
In the 56th minute, Pore drew the Wizards level from the penalty spot after left back Matt Marquess created the opportunity with a long run up the left flank. Marquess combined with two midfielders before getting into the penalty area where he was knocked down from behind. Pore stepped to the spot and sent Gruenebaum the wrong way for his 4th goal of the Reserve Division season.
Just when it appeared that each team would leave with a point, Columbus scored off a quick counterattack to earn all three points. Midfielder Corey Elenio found himself with space on the left flank and served a bending cross toward substitute George Josten near the back post. Josten met the ball 10 yards from goal, and his looping header hit off the right upright before trickling into the goal to give Columbus a 3-2 win.
Columbus, 2-2-1, next hosts D.C. United June 25 in Reserve Division play. Kansas City, 3-1-2, is next scheduled to play at D.C. United on August 3.
CLB Reserves Line-Up: Andy Gruenebaum, Ryan Miller, Devon McKenney, Jed Zayner, Gino Padula (George Josten 46), Brad Evans, Nicolas Hernandez (Craig Neal 74), Andrew Peterson, Corey Elenio, Ricardo Pierre-Louis (Guillherme So 67), Jason Garey (Steven Lenhart 67)
Substitutes not used: Kenny Schoeni (GK), Steve Traeger*
KCW Reserves Line-Up: Eric Kronberg, Chance Myers, Rauwshan McKenzie (Ryan McMahen 57), Tyson Wahl, Matt Marquess, Eloy Colombano (Nelson Pizarro 63), Kurt Morsink, Sasha Victorine (Michael Kraus 75), Roger Espinoza, Ivan Trujillo, Ryan Pore
Substitutes not used: Boris Pardo (GK), Geoff Miles*
*Guest Player
Misconduct:
KC - Kurt Morsink(caution) 36'
CLB - Brad Evans(caution) 51'
Sign Up Today for Wizards Championship Series Tournaments
Tournaments in the inaugural Wizards Championship Series include a 3-versus-3 tournament at the Wizards Swope Park Training Center in mid July and an 11-versus-11 Men's tournament in late August, again at Swope Park.
Tournament details:
Wizards 3-v-3 Tournament
• Three (3) games guaranteed
• Each team will receive six (6) tickets to Wizards game July 10 vs. Red Bull New York or July 27 versus Chicago Fire
Registration Fee: $230
Competition: 3-versus-3
Team: Up to 8 team members
Location: Kansas City Wizards Swope Park Training Center
Dates: July 12 - 13, 2008
Age Groups: U-9, U-10, U-11, U-12, U-13, U-14, U-15, High School +
To register: Visit premiershipsports.com.
Wizards Men's Open Cup
• Three (3) games guaranteed
• Each player will receive one (1) ticket to the Wizards game August 23 vs. FC Dallas
Registration Fee: $400
Competition: 11-versus-11
Team: Up to 18 team members
Location: Kansas City Wizards Swope Park Training Center
Dates: August 16 - 17 (Opening rounds)
August 23 - 24 (Elimination rounds)<br>
Age Groups: 18+
To register: Contact the Wizards youth soccer department at (913) 387-3400
Sign up Today for Wizards Premier Soccer Camps
Specifically for male or female premier players ages 10-16, these camps are designed to go above and beyond what is offered at a standard soccer camp. In addition to first-class training, participants will receive: appearances from Wizards players and/or coaches, a free soccer ball, a free Wizards camp shirt, a Wizards camp gift and a voucher for one free ticket to a Wizards home match.
The focus of the week-long, 3-hour-a-day camp is to expose players to game-orientated training that will improve both their technical skills and their tactical soccer awareness. The emphasis of coaching will be on the mastering of advanced skills, performance under pressure and playing at speed in game-related situations.
The camp curriculum will feature:
• Passing and receiving on the move
• Midfield combination play
• One v One Defending
• Team Defending
• Shooting and Volleying
• Crossing and Heading
• Shooting from distance
• Taking on and beating defenders
• Daily competitive games
**Goalkeeper coaching will be available at each camp.
At the conclusion of the camp, individual player profiles will be passed on the Wizards coaching staff and player progress will be tracked during league and tournament play and future Wizards camps and training activities. Players may sign up individually or as a team, and will be coached within age and ability groups.
Wizards Premier Camps will take place at the following facilities throughout Kansas City in 2008:
Location Date; time Cost Registration
Wizards Swope Park Training Center July 21-25; 9:00-12:00pm $139 Sign up on line
Raytown Soccer Club July 28-Aug 1; 5:30-8:30pm $139 Sign up on line
Challenger Sports
913-232-5166
Wizards@challengersports.com
The Jimmy Conrad Show Back From the Power and Light District
The Jimmy Conrad Show will be broadcast from the heart of Kansas City's Power and Light District again this week. Conrad and voice of the Wizards Sean Wheelock will host the show this Wednesday, June 18 from 7-8 p.m. from McFadden's, with the show broadcast live on 810 WHB in Kansas City, kcwizards.com and MLSnet.com. The show features special guests from the Wizards and around Major League Soccer each week.
Archives of The Jimmy Conrad Show are also available online at the Wizards podcast page.
Weekly Press Conference Held Thursday
For the duration of the 2008 season, the Kansas City Wizards will hold a weekly press conference each Thursday at the pavilion adjacent to the team's Swope Park Training Center. Head Coach Curt Onalfo and a player will be available this week beginning at 12 p.m. Planet Sub sandwiches and cookies will be provided to all media members who attend. Each Kansas City Wizards practice will still be open to media, and outlets are encouraged to take advantage of the Wizards media policy.
Zona Wizards Airs Live Thursday on La Playa 1480 AM, Time Warner Cable Channel 5
Zona Wizards, the weekly Spanish-language radio and TV show, will air live this Thursday at 2 p.m. on La Playa 1480 AM and Time Warner Cable Channel 5. Hosted by Enrique Morales and Raul Villegas, Zona Wizards will feature Head Coach Curt Onalfo and a player each week.
Wizards Weekly to Air Thursday, Friday, Saturday
Wizards Weekly, Kansas City's weekly magazine show covering the Wizards will feature Head Coach Curt Onalfo and a player this week. Metro Sports will air Wizards Weekly three times per week.
Wizards Weekly show times:
Thursday's 9:30 p.m. CT
Friday's 6:30 p.m. CT
Saturday's 11:30 a.m. CT
