WPS Chicago Stars FC

Red Stars Draft Preview

January 11, 2010 - Women's Professional Soccer (WPS)
Chicago Stars FC News Release


BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- The inaugural season of Women's Professional Soccer in 2009 was a start from scratch for the Chicago Red Stars and the rest of the seven-team field. Heading into this Friday's 2010 WPS Draft, the tone of preparing for the sophomore campaign is much different.

A strong core of players are back from last year's Red Stars squad, and head coach Emma Hayes is on the lookout to fill some of the missing gaps.

This year's draft begins at 9 a.m. CST Friday in Philadelphia, and live draft updates will be available through WPS's Twitter account -- www.twitter.com/womensprosoccer.

The Red Stars have the fourth overall pick this year.

Hayes took some time to reflect on the team's offseason and what lies ahead in the WPS Draft:

- Q: Heading into the draft, what positional needs do you think you're focused on the most to help boost the Red Stars' play for 2010?

- A: What we focused on in the offseason was trying to find a world class midfielder and an international center back, and we have both. We've got Kate Markgraf coming in (she missed 2009 because of the birth of twins). Those were two areas where we had to improve on. Kate is new to us coming in. In terms of sorting out the draft, I definitely think we have a little bit of freedom to go out and get the best available player. I think signing [Julianne] Sitch brings us some versatility because she can be a center player, can play fullback and out wide. We would also like to pick the most versatile player.

- Q: How extensive was the preparation and scouting that went into this process:

- A: You definitely have to make it a habit of recruiting talent. We scoured through the entire country and overseas. We identified a pool of probably 64 players, including goalkeepers. It's a lot easier this year because we have a base to build on. Last year we had to put together so much all at once. This year we have taken the time to find the right characters who can fit into the culture we are building. We have a lot of great returning players and now we just want to add the right pieces. It's easier to be more strategic this year to narrow down our choices. So this year character and coachability really matter to us. These things are just as crucial as talent.

- Q: What other attributes are you looking for within the player pool aside from on-the-field accomplishments?

- A: Ideally we're always hoping to have a mixture of players. We don't want all players to be the same. We want to be well-rounded. Soccer junkies are hard to come by. I think at this level a lot of players have no idea what to expect. We've got a better handle on how to develop them. Last year I think we all made too many assumptions that they knew what that meant. But becoming a pro is not set in stone. And there are a lot of changes -- how you live, your lifestyle, your interests, how committed you are, lots of things. In tryouts, we profile our players and we look for character and coachability and will.

- Q: The L.A. Sol put themselves in a position to attain three of the first nine picks in this draft. Will that have an effect on your draft strategies?

- A: It might. At the end of the day, it takes a while to be consistent as a pro. They have a lot of top picks, but what you do not get right away is consistency. They will have a great deal of talent [from this draft], but it takes some time to blend. We only expect a few of the players in this draft to be in starting positions at the start of the season. But some things might open up and play out before the draft. We always look at all angles to improve our squad. We like being in the fourth position. Honestly, I think the top five players of this draft differentiate from the rest.

- Q: In assessing the team for the offseason, did you turn to any of the returning players to get their opinion?

- A: We might have asked a very few players for their opinion about other things; we like to listen to our players, but I don't personally ask them about players. I think it's the best interest for us to speak among the coaches and weigh their opinion. Ultimately we put together our own categories and lists and we're back and forth whether a person actually fits into all areas of our team. We had a great group of individual players last year, but it did not make a great team. It's crucial that we build a great team. We have kept the best parts of the team and look forward to building on it.

- Q: Outside of the draft, what are you looking forward to at the NSCAA convention?

- A: I always like attending highlighted sessions, coaching education, catching up with friends and doing my best to promote the Red Stars. And I will be speaking at the Women's Committee Social, talking a little bit about my experience coaching the team this past year.

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Bleacher Report's Mock WPS Draft:

- Bleacher Report conducted a mock WPS Draft, and Laura Kozak played the role of Marcia McDermott as the organization's mock Red Stars general manager. WIth the No. 4 overall pick in the first round, Kozak selected North Carolina defender Whitney Engen. Follow the rest of the mock draft here: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/323790-bleacher-reports-wps-mock-draft-results

Check out the Chicago Stars FC Statistics



Women's Professional Soccer Stories from January 11, 2010


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