USL News Release

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

TAMPA, FL – The fourth annual USL Men’s Player Showcase held in Charleston, South Carolina at Blackbaud Stadium in the past week proved to be a success despite the significant storm that battered the east coast during the event. Ninety professional prospects took the pitch trying to impress the countless coaches on hand scouting potential signings at one of North America’s premier player development events.

“We invited some incredibly talented players this year, which I look forward to seeing on USL-1 and USL-2 rosters as early as April, 2010,” said USL-2 Director of Operations Amanda Duffy. “Amidst the bad weather and poor playing conditions, there were quite a few side conversations between players and pro coaches following the final games on Saturday. Will every player that was there sign a contract? Probably not. But if we once again see between 30-40 players from this Showcase playing on professional rosters this year, then you absolutely have to call it a success.”

The previous year’s 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 Showcase since 2006.

The combine opened Thursday evening with a training session that allowed players the opportunity to work their nerves out as Tony Glavin, Chris Hanlon, Dave Dixon and Armen Tonianse put the players through light training drills. That evening the coaches broke up the players and allowed them the time to meet their teammates for the next couple of days and spend a little time in the Battery's famous Three Lions Pub at Blackbaud Stadium!

The forecast for Friday was not looking good, but the coaches were able to get the morning session of games in without any rain. By the end of the first half of each game, one could finally seem some cohesion between each of the teams, as they now had at least 30 minutes playing alongside their new teammates. As each player felt more comfortable about the numerous scouts looking at them, the level of play continued to improve. 
 

"I heard one player explain that it is a little nerve wrecking looking over at the sideline and seeing so many scouts watching you," said PDL Director of Operations Lee Cohen.

The afternoon forecast for Friday took a turn for the worst midway through the first afternoon game as the rain started and didn’t stop, but the players and scouts pushed through it.

"We had one delay halfway through the second afternoon game as several staffers and coaches gave the scouts a good laugh as they squeegeed the field to get play to resume again for the players. We were able to complete all the games that day, but the second session ended up being a wet one," added Cohen about conditions that were reminiscent of the Puerto Rico Islanders' Champions League games of the past two years.

A hub for talented players and professional scouts, it is no surprise that player representatives are on hand for the event as well each year."That day allowed coaches the opportunity to see players in all conditions - the first time playing alongside a new teammate as well as in cloudy, windy and rainy weather conditions. But the sun finally broke through and the players were finally relaxed. The play on Saturday was the best we had seen all weekend and the scouts got to experience the show they came to see. All in all, this event continues to be a great place to identify great PDL talent."

"We attend the showcase primarily to represent the players we already have under contract and who are participating. The showcase gives us the opportunity to meet personally with the professional coaches and/or scouts to determine their needs and to recommend players to them," said player agent Farrukh Quraishi of Long View Management. "If there are players at the showcase who need representation and have the quality to play at the professional level, then that is an added bonus."

"We look for the same qualities that we know professional coaches are looking for - technical ability, athleticism, tactical awareness, speed of thought and execution, first touch, movement off the ball," added Quraishi. "The qualities that go into making one a successful professional athlete are not always evident when just watching a game. A player's mental toughness, character, commitment and discipline are important factors to consider. Speaking with a player's college coach or club coach can give one insight into these factors."

Quraishi, a former Hermann Award winner and top-flight professional player, has been involved in the game at all levels from his playing days at Oneonta State to his post as president of the Tampa Bay Mutiny in MLS.

"We have made remarkable strides at all levels of the game. The professional game is very healthy in the US. When you consider that MLS has only been in existence since 1996, the growth has been phenomenal. The core of MLS clubs was primarily constituted of players from the ranks of the USL in the early days," said Quraishi. "The great majority of drafted college players now gain invaluable experience in the PDL, which is incredibly competitive and provides players with match experience that they cannot get simply by playing the short college season."

"We are also a country with a tremendous resource when it comes to coaching. There are many coaches at the youth and lower professional ranks who have outstanding qualifications. Many former professional players are plying their trade today as coaches and that can only be a boon to the development of young players. A good example of this is Tony Glavin with the St. Louis Lions and Wolfgang Sunholz of the Austin Aztex."

Quraishi added, "Two metrics for measuring the growth of professional soccer in the US: the stepped up construction of soccer-specific stadia and the proliferation of soccer channels that now show professional soccer from all over the world. ESPN's acquisition of broadcast rights for Champions League games and the World Cup, Fox Soccer Channel's growth to include second channel are both indicative of the surge in interest in the sport."