Sporting Kansas City Weekly Update
August 3, 2011 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Sporting Kansas City News Release
SPORTING KANSAS CITY HOSTS REAL SALT LAKE TONIGHT
Following a last-minute 1-1 draw against the New England Revolution last Saturday night, Sporting Kansas City - with a record-breaking 13-game unbeaten streak in MLS play -- will continue their nine-game homestretch against the 2009 MLS Cup champions Real Salt Lake tonight at 7:30 p.m. CT at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park. Tonight's match will be broadcast live on KSMO, with coverage beginning at 7:00 p.m. CT.
KEY PLAYERS FOR SALT LAKE:
- Kyle Beckerman - Has recorded five assists this season with Salt Lake and has made three consecutive All-Star Game appearances.
- Nick Rimando -- MLS Cup 2009 MVP has recorded nine shutouts this season.
SPORTING KANSAS CITY FACES SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC ON SATURDAY
Sporting KC will take on Seattle Sounders FC -ranked third in the West- at 7:30 p.m. CT on Saturday at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park. The match will be presented by Time Warner Cable and broadcast live on KSMO, with coverage beginning at 7:00 p.m. CT.
KEY PLAYERS FOR SEATTLE:
- Colombian international Fredy Montero is leading the league in shots on goal this season with 26.
- Mauro Rosales, a veteran of more than 400 career appearances.
SPORTING KANSAS CITY DRAWS WITH NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION AT LIVESTRONG SPORTING PARK
A long-awaited goal from Teal Bunbury in the 89th minute left Sporting KC's home record unblemished last Saturday with a 1-1 draw with the New England Revolution. Bunbury's goal celebration was perfectly fitting for bobblehead night.
KEVIN GRAY AWARD CEREMONY TONIGHT AT 5:30PM CT
The first annual Kevin Gray Award ceremony will take place tonight at 5:30 p.m. CT in the Interview Room at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park. The Kevin Gray Awards consist of honors for both a male and female Youth Player of the Year given to local high school seniors based on their performance in both high school and clubsoccer throughout the year. An Adult Player of the Year award will also be given to a current collegiate or professional player with Kansas City roots.
Caroline Gray of St. Theresa's Academy, Nick Besler of Blue Valley West High School and Matt Besler of Sporting KC were chosen as the inaugural winners by a selection committee of coaches involved in high school, club, college and professional soccer in Kansas City.
The awards are in honor and memory of Kansas City Sports Commission president Kevin Gray.
FOLK-POP BAND QUIET CORRAL TO PERFORM BEFORE TONIGHT'S MATCH
Lawrence band Quiet Corral will be performing their self-proclaimed "intricate rhythms" tonight at 6 p.m. in the Sprint Plaza before the match against Real Salt Lake. Preview their narrative melodies on their Facebook page.
Sporting KC DJ Mike Scott, who spins tracks at Power and Light's Mosaic nightclub, will bring his energy and music to the Member's Club after the game on Saturday.
JON KEMPIN REPRESENTS UNITED STATES IN 2-1 WIN OVER GEORGIA
Sporting KC goalkeeper Jon Kempin represented the United States Under-18 Men's National Team in Northern Ireland last week in the Northern Ireland Milk Cup. He started in the team's July 29th match, a 2-1 win over Georgia. Kempin recorded two saves.
The Milk Cup, one of the world's most prestigious youth tournaments, is held annually in Northern Ireland and has seen the likes of Wayne Rooney, David Beckham and Paul Scholes participate. The United States won the tournament in 2010.
The United States finished third overall in the tournament this year.
SPORTING KC JUNIORS SETH HUDSON AND JOHN LEISMAN SELECTED FOR NATIONAL ID CAMP
Defenders Seth Hudson and John Leisman are among 80 players selected by head coach Manny Schellscheidt to participate in the U-14 National ID Camp in Carson, California this week. The weeklong camp brings together the nation's top players with 1998/1999 birthdates to train twice-a-day in an elite environment. The Under-14 Boys National Team is the youngest national team in the U.S. Youth National Team system and is the first step in identifying and developing players for the future.
Follow the Sporting KC juniors on our Juniors blog, The Junior Way.
KANSAS RUSH SOCCER CLUB JOINS SPORTING CLUB NETWORK
The KansasRush Soccer Club, also known as the Olathe Soccer Club has joined The Sporting Club Network. The Rush field over 30 competitive soccer teams and four adult leagues in the Olathe area. The soccer club emphasizes sportsmanship and skill development and plays at Heritage Park, Lone Elm and at the Overland Park Soccer Complex.
THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME FOR SPORTING KC
Sporting Kansas City is one win and one draw into an enviable nine-game homestretch. Sporting will face some of the league's toughest teams in the upcoming weeks, but they will have a huge home field advantage and the energetic atmosphere of LIVESTRONG Sporting Park on their side. Sporting Kansas City looks to keep its six-game home unbeaten streak alive against 2010 MLS Cup runners-up FC Dallas on Aug. 27 and the West division-leading Los Angeles Galaxy on Sept. 5.
SPORTING KANSAS CITY PLAYERS IN THE COMMUNITY THIS WEEK
Sporting KC defender Matt Besler will be at Camp Quality in Excelsior Springs from 2-3 p.m. on Friday to teach basic soccer drills to the kids at the Kick Soccer to Camp clinic, a Sporting 22 program. This program will offer children at Camp Quality, who are affected by cancer, the opportunity to play soccer and have some fun.
The Dream Factory, a non-profit organization that benefits children with chronic illnesses, will be at Saturday's match against Seattle. The children will tour the stadium and meet players after the match.
LOS ANGELES GALAXY GAME RESCHEDULED FOR LABOR DAY WEEKEND
Sporting Kansas City's home match with the LA Galaxy, previously scheduled for August 13, has been moved to Monday, September 5. Kickoff for the re-scheduled match at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park is set for 5 p.m. CT.
The match against the Galaxy, featuring Landon Donovan, David Beckham and Juan Pablo Angel, will still be broadcast nationally on FOX Soccer, one of eight MLS matches at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park to be nationally broadcast in 2011. All tickets previously issued for the Sporting Kansas City - LA Galaxy match will be honored on September 5. Tickets are still available for purchase at the stadium box office or online.
SPORTING KANSAS CITY MATCH GUIDE
When Sporting Kansas City takes the pitch, there are a number of ways to follow the action across a series of different mediums. Excluding nationally televised matches, every Sporting Kansas City match home and away is broadcast live by KSMO.
For those that can't be near a television at kickoff, Sporting Kansas City provides play-by-play coverage on Twitter and a link to the MLS MatchCenter is available on SportingKC.com.
To keep up-to-date on all independent coverage of Sporting Kansas City, visit www.sportingkc.com/media-recap.
• Discuss this story on the Major League Soccer message board...
Major League Soccer Stories from August 3, 2011
- RSL Suffers Back-to-Back Defeats for First Time Since April 2010 - Real Salt Lake
- U.S. Women's National Team to Host Canada in Kansas City - Sporting Kansas City
- U.S. Women's National Team to Visit Portland in September - Portland Timbers
- Philadelphia Union to Honor Military Members with Tickets for Troops - Philadelphia Union
- Crew Looks for Third Consecutive Win in Colorado Friday Night - Columbus Crew SC
- Sporting Kansas City Weekly Update - Sporting Kansas City
- Earthquakes Forward Wondolowski Visits East Valley Family YMCA - San Jose Earthquakes
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
