KANSAS CITY, MO - Major League Soccer announced today that the Kansas City Wizards were selected as the recipient of the 2005 Kraft Global Team Fair Play award, recognizing the team with the fewest disciplinary points during the course of the regular season.
The Wizards claimed the Kraft Global Team Fair Play award for accumulating the fewest disciplinary points during the 2005 campaign (327.5 points, using a formula for fouls committed, cautions and ejections). Kansas City committed a League-low 389 fouls and were issued just 41 cautions, also the fewest in MLS. This marks the third time in franchise history that Kansas City has earned the Team Fair Play Award (1998 and 2002).
In addition to the team award, three Wizards players were among the finalists for MLS year-end awards including forward Scott Sealy - Gatorade Rookie of the Year, defender Jimmy Conrad - MLS Defender of the Year, and Chris Klein - MLS Comeback Player of the Year.
Sealy, the 11th overall pick in the 2005 MLS SuperDraft, led all rookies in scoring with 9 goals this season. He also added two assists while appearing in 28 matches for the Wizards, including 20 starts. The Wake Forest product split time this season with the Wizards and with the Trinidad & Tobago National Team.
Conrad was named a finalist for MLS Defender of the Year for the second consecutive season. He was once again the linchpin of the Wizards defense, anchoring the back line. He started and played in 25 matches this season, surrounding stints with the U.S. National Team for the 2005 Gold Cup and World Cup Qualifying.
Klein suffered a devastating ACL tear in his left knee in August of 2004 that cut short his season. The second torn ACL of his career, Klein spent the offseason rehabbing and regaining the strength that made him a threat both with the Wizards and U.S. National Team in 2004 before the injury. He returned in 2005 to co-captain the Wizards, starting 31 matches, and matching a career high in goals scored (7) while recording a career high 9 assists.
Major League Soccer will announce each of the individual award winners over the next several weeks leading up to the 2005 MLS Cup Final. The Final will take place at the new Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, TX on Sunday, November 13th (2:30 p.m. CT on ABC).
Kraft Global Fair Play Award Team Winners:
2005: Kansas City Wizards
2004: Columbus Crew
2003: New England Revolution
2002: Kansas City Wizards
2001: San Jose Earthquakes
2000: Tampa Bay Mutiny
1999: Columbus Crew
1998: Kansas City Wizards
1997: Columbus Crew
Awards Finalists
Gatorade Rookie of the Year Finalists
Michael Parkhurst - New England Revolution
Chris Rolfe - Chicago Fire
Scott Sealy - Kansas City Wizards
MLS Comeback Player of the Year Finalists
Ronald Cerritos - San Jose Earthquakes
Herculez Gomez - Los Angeles Galaxy
Chris Klein - Kansas City Wizards
MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Finalists
Joe Cannon - Colorado Rapids
Pat Onstad - San Jose Earthquakes
Matt Reis - New England Revolution
Kraft Global Fair Play Finalists - Individual
Brian Carroll - D.C. United
Ronald Cerritos - San Jose Earthquakes
Justin Mapp - Chicago Fire
MLS Coach of the Year Finalists
Dominic Kinnear - San Jose Earthquakes
Steve Nicol - New England Revolution
Peter Nowak - D.C. United
MLS Defender of the Year Finalists
Danny Califf - San Jose Earthquakes
Jimmy Conrad - Kansas City Wizards
Tyrone Marshall - Los Angeles Galaxy
Honda MLS Most Valuable Player Finalists
Dwayne De Rosario - San Jose Earthquakes
Jaime Moreno - D.C. United
Taylor Twellman - New England Revolution
OSI Referee of the Year Finalists
Brian Hall
Abbey Okulaja
Kevin Stott
Schedule of Awards Announcements:
Wednesday, October 19
MLS Goalkeeper of the Year
Kraft Global Fair Play Award (team and individual)
Honda October Player of the Month
Sierra Mist Goal of the Year voting begins on MLSnet.com
Tuesday, October 25
MLS Defender of the Year
MLS Comeback Player of the Year
OSI Referee of the Year
U.S. Soccer Foundation Humanitarian of the Year
U.S. Soccer Foundation Team Humanitarian of the Year (Passback)
Tuesday, November 1
Gatorade Rookie of the Year
MLS Coach of the Year
Monday, November 7
Announcement of MLS Team Exec Awards
Thursday, November 10
Honda MLS Most Valuable Player
Friday, November 11
RadioShack All-Time Best XI
Sierra Mist Goal of the Year
Saturday, November 12
RadioShack Best XI
