Chivas USA Tryouts begin this Friday for Sueño MLS: "The Dream Continues"
Published on February 13, 2008 under Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release
NEW YORK (Wednesday, February 13, 2008) - Nearly a year after making the dream come true for a Los Angeles-based 17-year-old amateur soccer player named Jorge Flores, who now plies his trade for Chivas USA of Major League Soccer and also scores goals for the United States Under-20 national team, Sueño MLS: "The Dream Continues" returns to Los Angeles to offer a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for another aspiring young soccer player. The first stage of this six-week quest, which also expands this year to Frisco, Tex.with FC Dallas, begins this Friday, Feb. 15 at the Bell Gardens Sports Center in Los Angeles County, Calif. and continues through the long weekend, culminating on President's Day, Monday, Feb. 18.
The 2,000 hopefuls come from around the world and more than 40 U.S. 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 second annual Sueño MLS- Built by The Home Depot was officially launched on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2008, with a nationally televised announcement on Univision's top-rated weekly sports magazine show, República Deportiva. Built by The Home Depot, Sueño MLS is a six-week long quest to find the best undiscovered young soccer player in the nation. Sueño MLS, kicks off this weekend on Friday, Feb. 15 with four days of open tryouts at the Bell Gardens Sport Center, home to Chivas USA's academy and youth teams, in the city of Bell Gardens, Calif. A week later, beginning on Feb. 22, the FC Dallas tryouts will be staged at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Tex.
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.
Competition opens this Friday, Feb. 15 in Bell Gardens, where Sueño MLS 2007 Winner Jorge Flores is scheduled to greet participants at 1:30 p.m. PT, together with Chivas USA Director of Soccer Dennis te Kloese, who will be overseeing the tryouts. Assisting te Kloese will be coaches from Chivas USA's celebrated youth development system, including Sacha van der Most, Samuel Rivas, 'Cuco' Mancilla, Javier DomÃnguez, Claudio Trabattoni and Felipe González. Throughout the weekend, Chivas USA 'Guest Scouts' will also assist the coaching staff in identifying the best talent among the 2,000 participants.
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).
BELL GARDENS SPORTS CENTER
@ John Anson Ford Park
8000 Park Lane
Bell Gardens, CA 90201
SUEÃO MLS OPENING WEEKEND EVENTS (open to fans and media):
Friday, February 16
Noon to 8 p.m. - Continuous open tryouts on three fields
1:30 p.m. - Media availability: 2007 Sueño MLS Winner and Chivas USA player Jorge Flores and Chivas USA Director of Soccer Dennis te Kloese (Main Field)
Saturday, February 17
9 a.m. to 7 p.m. - Continuous open tryouts on three fields
10 a.m. - Chivas USA Guest Scouts: Jonathan Bornstein and Paulo Nagamura (Main Field)
Sunday, February 18
9 a.m. to 7 p.m. - Continuous open tryouts on three fields
Monday, February 19
Noon to 8 p.m. - Continuous open tryouts on three fields
3 p.m. - Chivas USA Guest Scouts: Maykel Galindo and Brad Guzan (Main Field)
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)
SUEÃO 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 California.
SUEÃO MLS KEY DATES:
February 15 - 18 (President's Weekend) Open Tryouts @ Chivas USA
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
Major League Soccer Stories from February 13, 2008
- Chivas USA Tryouts begin this Friday for Sueño MLS: "The Dream Continues" - MLS
- Columbus Can't Handle The Heat - Toronto FC
- Fire Earn 3-2 Preseason Victory over Columbus Crew - Chicago Fire FC
- Three Preseason Matches In Four Days Highlight Home Stretch Of Florida Leg - Columbus Crew SC
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