Updated Jan 31, 2012, 5:59 pm
Sporting Kansas City's C. J. Sapong and San Jose Earthquakes goalkeeper joined their coaches and FC Tucson staff to announce what's being called "soccer month in Tucson" in a press conference at Desert Diamond Casino on Tuesday afternoon.
Major League Soccer teams Sporting Kansas City and San Jose Earthquakes will be training at the Kino Sports Complex in preparation for the MLS season.
Players for both teams will be participating in community events, starting with the showing of the soccer-themed movie "Pelada" at the Loft Cinema on Wednesday night. Events also will include a "street soccer" festival on Feb. 11, and players will make an appearance at a festival at the University of Arizona on Feb. 15.
'High quality'
The community events are great selling points for FC Tucson and local officials who are promoting preseason training. But how are the teams liking things?
"Everything is great," said Kansas City head coach Peter Vermes. This is Kansas City's third preseason trip to Arizona, and the second to Tucson.
"The fields complex, the locker room, training room the fitness room: all of that is high quality," he said.
"We felt it was a good fit for us, for timing, for location, facility-wise. It was good to get our troops a little closer together. It's good for that,' said Frank Yallop, San Jose's head coach. Yallop also noted that he first considered Tucson after Vermes had told his general manager, John Doyle, about what Tucson had to offer.
"We've only been here a day, but everything looks first-class," Yallop said.
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"The locker room is bigger than ours in San Jose," joked San Jose goalkeeper Jon Busch.
A permanent home?
There is still one hang up that both coaches mentioned: They will be doing their training on converted baseball fields.
"The footing can be different and the players can be injured on it. We're just training on the part of the field that's not the diamond," said Frank Yallop.
"It's a little hard, a little slippery," said Peter Vermes.
"I know what it takes to convert the infield," said Vermes, whose team played their home games at Community America Ballpark. "It's a lot of work and they've done a good job."
"But if we are going to make a long-term commitment, they are going to need to take those fields and make them actual soccer fields."
Vermes isn't the only one who recognizes this. In his recently released economic development plan, County Administrator Chuck Huckleberry included improving local soccer facilities.
First things first
FC Tucson is scheduled to play a scrimmage with San Jose on Wednesday morning. It is important for FC Tucson to provide decent competition for San Jose while they are preparing for the season. As usual, FC Tucson Technical Director John Pearlman puts it a better way.
"Rick and I are committed to not creating a highlight film for San Jose tomorrow," he said.
WPS suspends operations
Those of you hoping to see Hope Solo and Abby Wambach tear up the field this summer only will get your dose of women's soccer at the Olympics: Women's Professional Soccer announced Monday that they will suspend operations this season.
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Some observers point to an expensive court case against Dan Borislow, former owner of the team magicJack, as a major financial drain on the league. While there were many problems with the league, Borislow and his antics make him a convenient target of the ire of fans and players.
League officials say the suspension is temporary and WPS teams will take the field in 2013.
3 comments on this story
You missed out on a great movie and event with the showing of Peleda.
Hopefully we can a showing of “Rise and Shine” the Jay Demerit story. There will be showing down in Phoenix tomorrow. Jay Demerit will be at that even. We need to get him to come up to Tucson for a showing.
We are on trial. Should Tucson make its love for the beautiful game clear to FC Tucson, to the visiting teams and to the MLS, our region will be considered for more professional soccer activities. This is incredibly important to those who love the game and to our economy. Please, take the time to support the many events occurring throughout the month. Some are free, some are cheap and some provide a VIP experience. Whatever you can do to support the mission to become a soccer spring training destination, do it. We’re on trial, and we won’t let up until we are signed.
If you’re a fan of FC Tucson or the MLS Desert Cup, join the Cactus Pricks.
http://cactuspricks.com/
Also, you forgot ‘Green Street’.