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FC Dallas open tryouts to begin this weekend for Sueño MLS: "The Dream Continues"

February 20, 2008 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
FC Dallas News Release


NEW YORK (Wednesday, February 20, 2008) - A week after roughly 2,000 youngsters from over 40 states and numerous countries followed their dreams to become a professional soccer player for Chivas USA of Major League Soccer in the inaugural weekend of Sueño MLS: "The Dream Continues", the scene now shifts for the first time to Frisco, Tex. where an additional 2,000 young hopefuls will put their skills on display for the coaching staff of FC Dallas. The open tryouts take place at Pizza Hut Park from Friday, February 22 to Monday, February 25.

The 2,000 aspiring young soccer players come from around the world and much of the continental United States. Many are just beginning their quest to become a professional soccer player and currently excel at the local club level while others see Sueño MLS as the last chance for a shot at soccer stardom. Participants may come from varied backgrounds yet the dream for all remains the same.

The competition begins this Friday, Feb. 22 at Pizza Hut Park, where FC Dallas head coach Steve Morrow and his staff including Jorge Alvial, Marco Ferruzzi and Drew Keeshan, will oversee the tryouts. FCD's Director of Youth Player Development, Chris Clarke, along with coaches from the FC Dallas Youth program will assist the coaching staff throughout event, and FC Dallas players will also be present throughout the tryout process as "guest scouts." With the tryouts occurring at Pizza Hut Park, participants will have the unique opportunity to watch FCD practices throughout the weekend, including a preseason game as FCD faces West Texas A&M on Saturday, Feb. 23 at 10:30 a.m. CT on the stadium field.

The coaching staff for each MLS club will invite 60 players per city back to a second tryout on Saturday, March 1. After the round of 60, "The Final 18" of each team will be selected and subsequently compete on March 8-9 and March 15 for a chance to train with the respective MLS team, and possibly earn a roster spot.

Sueño MLS returns to Republica Deportiva every Sunday at 11 a.m. ET (10:00 a.m. CT; 12 Noon PT) in what can be termed as a unique "reality show within a show" format. The show will culminate with the announcement of the Sueño MLS winner on Sunday, March 30, just hours before the start of the MLS season on Univision network TeleFutura between FC Dallas and Chivas USA live from Pizza Hut Park at 3 p.m. ET (2:00 p.m. CT; 12 Noon PT).

Pizza Hut Park

9200 World Cup Way

Frisco, Texas 75034

SUEÑO MLS WEEKEND EVENTS (open to fans and media):

Friday, February 22 10 a.m. - FC Dallas practice, adidas Field at Pizza Hut Park. Noon to 8 p.m. - Continuous open tryouts at the Pizza Hut Park complex fields. Noon - Appearances by FC Dallas players at Sueño MLS.

Saturday, February 23 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. - Continuous open tryouts at the Pizza Hut Park complex fields. 10:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m. - FC Dallas preseason game versus West Texas A&M in the stadium at Pizza Hut Park. 12:30 p.m. - Appearances by FC Dallas players at Sueño MLS.

Sunday, February 24 - 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. - Continuous open tryouts at the Pizza Hut Park complex fields.

Monday, February 25 - 10 a.m. - FC Dallas practice on adidas Field at Pizza Hut Park.

- Noon to 8 p.m. - Continuous open tryouts at the Pizza Hut Park complex fields.

- Noon - Appearances by FC Dallas players at Sueño MLS.

Each hour will run under the following format:

All participants check-in; begin warm-up on auxiliary field (1 hour prior to tryout time) Available slots filled in by walk-up participants, as needed (45 mins. prior tryout time) All 66 players (3 fields x 11 players x 2 teams) take the field at assigned hour - 5 v 5 game / passing drills (15 min)

- Break (5 min)

- 11 v 11 game (35 min)

- Break & Scouts' conference (5 min)

SUEÑO MLS PLAYER FACTS:

Registered participants come from a total of 28 countries including Argentina, Algeria, Bolivia, Brazil, Cameroon, Croatia, Cuba, Egypt, El Salvador, Germany, Iran, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, Trinidad and South Korea.

Average age of registered players is 19 years old.

More than 40 U.S. states are represented in addition to Texas.

SUEÑO MLS KEY DATES:

February 22 - 25 Open Tryouts @ FC Dallas

March 1 Training for 60 Finalists (both cities)

March 8 -9 Training for "The Final 18" (both cities)

March 15 "Final 18" Trial Game (both cities)

March 17 - 23 Two-week trial with Chivas USA and FC Dallas

March 30 Announcement of winners

on República Deportiva

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