FIRE MIDFIELDER IVAN GUERRERO LOST IN MLS EXPANSION DRAFT
On Wednesday, Nov. 21, Chicago Fire midfielder Ivan Guerrero was selected by the San Jose Earthquakes in the 2007 Major League Soccer Expansion Draft. Guerrero was one of 10 players chosen by the Earthquakes, who will join Major League Soccer's Western Conference for the 2008 season.
The 29-year-old joined the Fire as a Senior International on February 5, 2005, from Peñarol of Uraguay. During his three seasons in Chicago, Guerrero recorded three goals and 16 assists in 74 games played (71 starts). In 2005, the midfielder served as Chicago's lone representative in the 2005 MLS All-Star Game, as well as being named the 2005 Fire/Honda MVP and Fire Defender of the Year. His team-high nine assists during the 2006 season were good enough for eighth overall in MLS on the season. Guerrero also served as an integral part of the Chicago side that won the 2006 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup crown, appearing in all four matches and recording an assist against D.C. United in the semifinals.
BARRETT AND SOUMARE IN SPAIN FOR GENERATION adidas TOUR
Fire forward Chad Barrett and midfielder Bakary Soumare are among a group of 16 Generation adidas members of MLS's brightest young talent currently participating in a three-game Generation adidas tour of Spain. The 12-day journey began on Friday, Nov. 23 and will include training sessions and matches against the reserve teams of Rayo Vallecano FC and Real Madrid.
The young MLS players will also attend three matches as spectators while in Spain: this Sunday's Atletico Madrid vs. Valladolid fixture, a UEFA Champions League match between Sevilla and Arsenal on Tuesday, and next Sunday's Real Madrid vs. Racing Santandar contest. The Generation adidas group is slated to return stateside on Monday, Dec. 3.
About Generation adidas
Generation adidas, which was established ahead of the 2005 MLS season, is Major League Soccer's youth player development program designed to identify and nurture the elite youth soccer talent in the United States. The youth players who join MLS as part of the Generation adidas program receive unprecedented opportunities to develop their game and hone their skills at the professional level in Major League Soccer. In addition to training and playing on a weekly basis with one of Major League Soccer's 13 professional clubs, Generation adidas players also receive educational grants to further their college education.
FIRE PLAYERS TO BE RECOGNIZED AT CHICAGO SPORTS FANS CHOICE AWARDS
Three Chicago Fire players could be recognized this Wednesday, Nov. 28 at the Chicago Sports Fans Choice Awards at Café La Cave, located at 2777 Mannheim Rd., in Des Plaines, Ill. The red carpet show begins at 6:00 p.m. CT with cocktails, dinner starts at 7:00 p.m. CT, with the awards ceremony following at 7:45 p.m. CT. Host Tom Dressen will award the 2007 Rising Star (Gonzalo Segares), Hometown Heroes (Diego Gutierrez), and Most Valuable Player (Cuauhtémoc Blanco), with a silent auction benefiting Bear Necessities charities.
CHICAGO REPRESENTED IN "BEST OF U.S. SOCCER" VOTING
Voting is underway for the 2007 Best of U.S. Soccer Awards (presented by Soccer America) where fans get to separate the year's best from the rest. Of the eleven awards given for the sixth annual series, 10 of them have ties to Chicagoland, most notably because of the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinals and final held in late June. Chicago is represented throughout the annual award selection in the following categories: best action photo, best all-access video, best assist, best U.S. fan atmosphere, best goal (men), best goal (women), best performance (player), best performance (team), best bar, and best store. To vote for this year's Best of U.S. Soccer Awards, please visit http://bestof2007-ussoccer.blogspot.com/.
HOLIDAY PACKS NOW ON SALE
Chicago Fire Holiday Packs are on sale now starting at $89. Each package includes four tickets to the 2008 Fire home opener (date TBA) as well as a hat and glove set to help keep your special Fire fan warm. Fans have the opportunity to purchase more than four tickets per Holiday Pack, and for every two additional tickets ordered, an additional hat & glove set can be purchased for $12. For more information, visit www.chicago-fire.com.
FIREWORKS FOR KIDS FOUNDATION ACCEPTING HOLIDAY DONATIONS
This holiday season, the Fireworks for Kids Foundation once again turns to the generous Chicago Fire Soccer community for support in raising money for the Annual Holiday Fund. This year, your financial contributions will assist the FireWorks For Kids Foundation in supporting the inspirational wheelchair athletes of the Chicago Fire Power Soccer team. Donations can be sent to the following address:
FireWorks For Kids Foundation - Holiday Fund
c/o Chicago Fire Soccer
7000 S. Harlem
Bridgeview, Ill. 60455
While a contribution of any amount is greatly appreciated, for every contribution of $25.00 or more, the Fire Works For Kids Foundation will send you an autographed action photo of Chicago Fire forward Calen Carr. For more information or to donate, please contact Jessica Yavitz with the FireWorks For Kids Foundation at 708-496-6740.
ETC.
Congratulations to Chicago Fire assistant coach Daryl Shore, who was married last Saturday to Clare Gibbs in Florida and fellow assistant coach Denis Hamlett, who will tie the knot with Jackie Sowinski this Saturday, in Chicago.
