USL Charleston Battery

2010 USL Player Showcase Returns To Charleston, SC

Published on December 10, 2009 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Charleston Battery News Release


Charleston, SC - The fourth annual USL Men's Player Showcase will again be hosted by the Charleston Battery at Blackbaud Stadium in Charleston, South Carolina. The event will feature 90 of the top U23 players in North America and abroad, running from Thursday, February 4 through Saturday, February 6.

"The Charleston Battery's Blackbaud Stadium continues to be the ideal location to host the USL Men's Player Showcase," said USL President, Tim Holt. "The Battery's world-class facilities are often the highlight of a player's experience at the USL Player Showcase. Training in this type of professional atmosphere provides players with a glimpse of what is to come should they get the opportunity to continue their playing careers in USL, MLS or abroad."

The most recent USL Player Showcase, held in December of 2008, linked 25 of the 90 players who participated with professional clubs in North America. Players who signed with MLS or USL First Division clubs included: Jarius Holmes (Austin Aztex), Tom Heinemann (Charleston Battery), Steve Clark (Charleston Battery), Javier Ayala-Hill (Chivas USA), Anthony Peters (D.C. United), Nicolas Torres (Miami FC), Danny Vasquez (Miami FC), Erik DiLorenzo (Montreal Impact), Alec Dufty (New York Red Bulls), Wes Knight (Vancouver Whitecaps) and Kenold Versailles (Vancouver Whitecaps).

Another 14 players signed contracts in the USL Second Division with the Harrisburg City Islanders (6), Crystal Palace Baltimore (1), Pittsburgh Riverhounds (1), Real Maryland Monarchs (1) and Western Mass Pioneers (5).

In all, USL has helped to establish the professional playing careers of 109 players through the USL Player Combine since 2006.

"To have one-third of all the players who have ever attended the USL Player Combine catch on with a professional club legitimizes the event," said USL Director of PDL Operations, Lee Cohen. "When we started the USL Player Showcase in 2006, we knew there were talented players out there who deserved a shot to play professionally. Adding over a hundred players to the professional ranks in the past three seasons has undoubtedly raised the level of play in North America."

While the majority of players attending the USL Player Combine are drawn from USL's Premier Development League each season, registration is open to anyone wishing to compete. Only 90 top-level players will

Players looking to participate in the Player Showcase will be selected based on their playing background and their soccer achievements. In order to qualify as an Under-23 player you must be born on or after January 1, 1986. This is the current U23 birth date utilized by the USL Premier Development League for the 2009 season.

Players selected to the Player Showcase will be placed on teams at random to provide the optimum level of scouting to coaches and general managers. Each team will have a team specific training session on Thursday, February 4th. Teams will play two matches on Friday, February 5th and one match on Saturday, February 6th.

The Hampton Inn on Daniel Island and the Sheraton North Charleston will serve as the host hotels for the USL Player Showcase.

For application information please visit, www.USLSoccer.com.

Check out the Charleston Battery Statistics

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United Soccer League Championship Stories from December 10, 2009


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