The two-time defending Supporters' Shield winning Columbus Crew opened its 2010 MLS preseason on Tuesday at the SuperKick/TeamZone indoor facility in Lewis Center (409 Orangepoint Drive).
Four of the Crew's five recent MLS SuperDraft picks were on hand for the first official day of training, including first-rounders Dilly Duka (No. 8 overall) and Bright Dike (No. 12 overall), as well as fourth-rounders Othaniel Yanez (No. 61 overall) and Shaun Francis (No. 63 overall). Fourth-rounder Kwaku Nyamekye (No. 60 overall) is completing his studies at Harvard before turning his attention to his professional soccer career.
The squad will continue to train at 10 a.m. at SuperKick/TeamZone through this Friday (Jan. 29) - with media availability following each morning's training session - before departing for Bradenton, Fla. on Monday (Feb. 1). The Crew will train at IMG Academies in Bradenton from Feb. 1-14, before returning to Columbus for training from Feb. 16-19. Further preseason details - including further trips and exhibition match dates and times - will be released in the near future.
The Crew will open its 15th season overall and 12th in first-of-its-kind Columbus Crew Stadium when it hosts Toronto FC in the first leg of the Trillium Cup on Saturday, March 27.
Sales of a 'massive season through Feb. 2 to benefit relief efforts in Haiti
Through the contributions of Steve Sirk, his employer and the Crew Soccer Foundation, every copy of Sirk's book, "A Massive Season," sold via the Crew Gear store and TheCrew.com between today and Feb. 2 at 5 p.m. will generate a $22 donation to the international medical aid organization Doctors Without Borders for relief efforts in Haiti. In addition to Sirk's personal donation, the CSF will contribute the donation it receives for each copy sold through the store and TheCrew.com (including both stand-alone book and the championship DVD combo), for a total donation of $11. Sirk's employer is generously matching funds raised by its employees through Feb. 2, which will result in a total donation of $22, making the total amount going to Haitian relief for each book sold $2 greater than the price of the book. The 480-page book, priced at $20, features all 19 of Sirk's 2008 Notebooks, including the epic MLS Cup recap from California; Recaps of those Notebook-less away games; The blog entries before and after MLS Cup; Several new essays sprinkled throughout; A foreword by Dante Washington; Footnote commentary; Over 140 pro and amateur black & white photos; Notebook snippets from yesteryear; Documentation of the joyous aftermath, from the Statehouse to the White House; and a special section featuring Crew alumni. A must-read for diehard Crew fans, "A Massive Season" is the ultimate championship season scrapbook. The philosophy of Doctors Without Borders is based on the humanitarian principles of medical ethics and impartiality, and they are well known for providing urgent medical care to people in countries ravaged by violence, neglect or catastrophe. Doctors from the organization are already on the ground in Haiti providing much-needed medical aid.
Tickets for CONCACAF Champions League Quarterfinals go on sale this Friday
Tickets for the March 9 home leg of the Crew's CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal vs. Mexican club Toluca will go on sale to the general public this Friday (Jan. 29), at 10 a.m. at the Crew Stadium Box Office, all central Ohio Ticketmaster retail locations, via Ticketmaster phone at 1-800-745-3000 and on-line at TheCrew.com, following an exclusive pre-sale offer made available to Crew Soccer Nation members. Ticket prices start at $25 ($20 youth) for the March 9 match that is slated to kick off at 8 p.m. at Crew Stadium. The second game of the two-game, home-and-home total-goals match-up will be played at Toluca on Wednesday, March 17. Should the Crew advance past the quarterfinal stage, it would face the winner of the Pachuca (Mexico) vs. Comunicaciones (Guatemala) series in the semifinals March 30-April 1 and April 6-8. The Crew advanced to the quarterfinals after finishing the group stage in second place of Group C with 8 pts, behind Cruz Azul of Mexico. The CONCACAF Champions League is the confederation's annual club championship which features 24 teams from CONCACAF's three sub-regions: North America, Central America and the Caribbean. The top two teams from each group qualified for the Championship Round. The Final Round, to be held in late April 2010, will also be two-legged, home-and-away. The eventual champion will qualify for the prestigious seven-team FIFA Club World Cup - which annually pits each continental confederation's champion against the others - in December 2010.
Lenhart, Oughton and Zayner to visit partners at Nationwide Children's Hospital Thursday afternoon
Crew forward Steven Lenhart, midfielder Duncan Oughton and defender Jed Zayner are scheduled to visit with pediatric patients and their families at Nationwide Children's Hospital this afternoon (Thursday, Jan. 28), from 3-4 p.m.
Renteria, Venezuelan National Team to face off against Japan in friendly Feb. 2
Crew forward Emilio Renteria has been called up to the Venezuelan National Team for its upcoming international friendly against Japan on Tuesday, Feb. 2, at Ōita Stadium in Ōita, Japan. Renteria, who had most recently been called up for Venezuela's match against Colombia on Aug. 12, 2009, is expected to join the Crew for preseason training in Bradenton, Fla., following the match in Japan.
Marshall, Rogers earn start for USMNT against Honduras
Crew defender Chad Marshall and midfielder Robbie Rogers earned starting nods for the U.S. Men's National Team in its 3-1 setback to Honduras in an international friendly last Saturday (Jan. 24) at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. Crew midfielder Eddie Gaven was also in the January training camp, but was not on the game-day roster. Marshall started in his customary centerback position, while Rogers was deployed at left midfield, until both were subbed out in the 61st minute of the match. The U.S. squad will continue World Cup preparations on Feb. 24 in Tampa, Fla., when it faces El Salvador at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN Classic, in its second-to-last match before naming the roster for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The match in Florida will be followed by a friendly against third-ranked Netherlands on March 3 in Amsterdam.
New cycle of Crew Soccer Foundation Referee Scholarship Program set to kick off
The Crew Soccer Foundation (CSF) Referee Scholarship Program kicks off its next cycle on Saturday, Feb. 6, as the 2010 referee scholars begin their referee certification classes, conducted by the Columbus Area Soccer Officials Association (CASOA). Sixteen successful applicants will attend classes on each Saturday during the month of February. Upon successful completion of the course, the Crew will also provide a referee kit that consists of a yellow shirt, black shorts, black socks, whistles, book, yellow/red cards, two flags and a sports watch. After finishing the training and receiving certification, each scholarship recipient will be assigned to recreational and/or competitive youth matches by CASOA, which will also serve as a resource for questions. All scholarship winners will also be invited to attend a selected Crew game during the regular season to observe an officiating crew in action.
