MLS Real Salt Lake

Real Salt Lake Weekly Update

Published on January 7, 2009 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Real Salt Lake News Release


adidas MLS Player Combine & MLS SuperDraft Kick off Busy 2009 Season

Real Salt Lake General Manager Garth Lagerwey and the RSL coaching staff, led by Head Coach Jason Kreis, have been scouring the globe for talent for a second straight off-season, but their itineraries will fall in line with their MLS cohorts across the next week thanks to the adidas MLS Player Combine and the 2009 MLS SuperDraft.

The final push for dozens of collegiate players trying to make the MLS ranks begins this Saturday, January 10, with the first of three games in front of coaches and scouts during the annual four-day adidas Player Combine, once again taking place at Lockhart Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. This year's 71-member combine will include all nine of the League's recently-announced Generation adidas class, featuring the elite underclassman available in the annual amateur draft.

Following the close of the combine next Tuesday, the 15 MLS technical staffs will travel to St. Louis, Mo., in preparation for the 2009 MLS SuperDraft next Thursday, January 15, the event taking place in conjunction with the National Soccer Coaches Association of America National Convention for the seventh consecutive year. The 2009 edition of the MLS SuperDraft begins at 12:00 p.m. MT next Thursday, with the first hour of the proceedings broadcast live on ESPN2 and the remainder of the approximately three-hour draft streaming live online at www.MLSnet.com. Real Salt Lake currently carries three selections - a first-rounder (12th overall) and two picks in the fourth round (54th & 57th overall) - into this year's SuperDraft, one year after the Utah squad made four selections - DF Tony Beltran (3rd), DF David Horst (12th), MF Alex Nimo (17th), and MF Brennan Tennelle (37th) - during the 2008 draft in Baltimore.

RSL DF Chris Wingert Camping Out with U.S. Senior National Team in California

Real Salt Lake DF Chris Wingert is getting back to work a little earlier than the rest of his RSL teammates this year, as the veteran winger began his first-ever camp with the U.S. Men's National Team last Sunday. The 25-man camp under the direction of U.S. MNT head coach Bob Bradley is taking place at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., where the Stars-and-Stripes will also finish off their three-week camp with an international friendly against Sweden on Saturday, January 24, at 6:30 p.m. MT (live on Fox Soccer Channel & Galavision). For daily news & notes on the U.S. MNT camp in Southern California, check in regularly to www.USSoccer.com and their official MNT Blog.

Wingert earned his first Senior team call-up after enjoying the most productive of his five professional seasons in Major League Soccer with the Claret-and-Cobalt in 2008, as the former M.A.C. Hermann Trophy winner set career-highs in games played (29), games started (29), minutes played (2,589), assists (3), and shots on goal (5). Despite being one of four campers looking for their first senior "cap," Wingert is no stranger to the U.S. Soccer system, as the St. John's University product was a consistent contributor from 2002-04 for the U.S. U-23's in the build-up to the 2004 CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying tournament in Guadalajara, Mexico, during which he appeared in all five contests for the Red, White & Blue in their run to the semifinals.

85 Days Remain Until RSL Kicks Off '09 Home Slate on April 2 against Defending Champion Columbus Crew

Just less than three months remain until Real Salt Lake kicks off the home portion of its fifth MLS campaign on Thursday, April 2, 2009, against the reigning MLS Cup Champion Columbus Crew at 7:00 p.m. MT at Rio Tinto Stadium, LIVE on the ESPN2 Primetime Thursday nationwide broadcast. Head Coach Jason Kreis' team is the lone squad among Major League Soccer's 15 to open with a bye week during "First Kick 2009" the weekend of March 21, then opens the year on the road on Saturday, March 28 against an opponent TBD. Columbus, which defeated the New York Red Bulls 3-1 in MLS Cup 2008 on Nov. 23, will make its Rio Tinto Stadium debut. RSL is 1-2-1 all-time against the Crew in Utah (tied on aggregate 3-3), and 2-5-1 overall (RSL outscored 11-5).

OTHER KEY DATES: Real Salt Lake will participate in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft next Thursday, January 15, while the team will kick off its 2009 preseason during the final days of January (exact training camp dates to be released in upcoming weeks). The 2009 MLS All-Star Game at Rio Tinto Stadium is set for Wednesday, July 29. The remainder of RSL's 2009 regular-season schedule will be announced in the near future.

Secure Your Spot for Opening Night this April with a 2009 RSL Season Ticket Package

The best way to get ready for RSL's fifth MLS season - and currently the only way to guarantee tickets for opening night at Rio Tinto Stadium on April 2 against Columbus - is to become a Real Salt Lake Season Ticket holder. RSL Season Ticket packages for the club's first full season at its new Sandy home start at just $300, with benefits including:

Tickets to RSL's 15 MLS regular season games and additional exhibitions (TBA)

First right of refusal for additional events taking place at Rio Tinto Stadium throughout 2009

25% off all merchandise purchased at the RSL Team Store at Rio Tinto Stadium

A group rate for any additional tickets to RSL matches

An invitation to the annual RSL Meet the Team event

Access to a Personal Account Service Manager

A free RSL logo gift (TBD)

For more information on how to become an RSL Season Ticket holder in time for kick off this spring, contact the RSL Front Office at 801-727-2700 or visit www.RioTintoStadium.com.

Real Salt Lake Team Store at Rio Tinto Stadium Back Open for Business

After taking a break for the Holidays, the official Real Salt Lake Team Store at Rio Tinto Stadium (located on the east side of the stadium at 9256 S. State Street in Sandy) is once again open for business and ready to resume its normal hours: Monday-Saturday from 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. After hitting the racks just before the break, the popular long-sleeve edition of the authentic, XanGo-emblazoned home (red) and away (white) jerseys are still available at the RSL Team Store, with the retail price set at $100. However, RSL Season Ticket holders can take advantage of their continuous 25% off discount to purchase a spiffy long-sleeve jersey or any of the other officially-licensed RSL and adidas merchandise in the store, including scarves, fleece blankets and hooded sweatshirts to keep you toasty as winter continues to bear down on the Wasatch Front.

For more information on the Real Salt Lake Team Store, including availability of autographed RSL merchandise, how to get your new purchases personalized for only $15, and how you too can get 25% off all purchases, please contact the RSL Merchandise Team at 801-727-2888.

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Major League Soccer Stories from January 7, 2009


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