Sounders Weekly Notes as MLS Combine nears

The new season is just around the corner as Sounders FC management and technical staff depart later this week for the 2013 adidas MLS Player Combine in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. General manager Adrian Hanauer and sporting director Chris Henderson will be joined at the combine by head coach Sigi Schmid and his staff.

The annual player combine will be held at Central Broward Regional Park from January 11-15, with games on January 11, 13 and 15.

The following week, Sounders FC will head to Indianapolis for the 2013 MLS SuperDraft. The two-round draft will be held at the Indiana Convention Center on Thursday, January 17. The four-round Supplemental Draft will be held the following week on Tuesday, January 22.

Sounders FC will reconvene in Seattle on Monday, January 21 for the start of preseason training camp. The team will spend the first week training at Starfire and the Virginia Mason Athletic Center before departing for an eight-day training camp in Casa Grande, Arizona. It will be the fourth time in five seasons that Sounders FC will train in Casa Grande.

The team will come back to Seattle for a short stint before returning to Arizona on February 11. Sounders FC will remain in Tucson until February 23 where the team will participate in the FC Tucson Desert Diamond Cup. The four-game, round robin tournament features the New England Revolution, New York Red Bulls and Real Salt Lake.

The Rave Green will return to Seattle on February 24 for final preparations for the MLS regular-season opener on March 2 against the Montreal Impact. Sounders FC will begin the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal series against Tigres UANL on March 6 in Monterrey, Mexico. The return leg will be at CenturyLink Field on March 12.

Tickets to the home Champions League match are on sale now through SoundersFC.com or 877-MLS-GOAL (877-657-4625).

Upcoming Key Dates (subject to change)
Friday, January 11-Tuesday, January 15 – MLS Combine (Lauderhill, Florida)
Thursday, January 17 – MLS SuperDraft (Indianapolis)
Monday, January 21 – Preseason Training Begins (Starfire, Tukwila, Wash.)
Tuesday, January 22 – MLS Supplemental Draft (New York)
Tuesday, January 29 – International Friendly: USA vs. Canada (Houston, Texas)
Tuesday, January 29-Tuesday, February 5 – Preseason Training Camp (Casa Grande, Arizona)
Wednesday, February 6-Sunday, February 10 – Preseason Training (Starfire, Tukwila, Wash.)
Wednesday, February 6 – 2014 World Cup Qualifying: USA at Honduras (San Pedro Sula, Honduras)
Monday, February 11-Saturday, February 23 – Preseason Training Camp (Tucson, Arizona)
Sunday, February 24 – Return to Seattle

Sounders FC Competition Schedule (subject to change)
Tuesday, February 5 – Training Game: Sounders FC vs. Portland Timbers (Tucson, Arizona)
Wednesday, February 13 – Desert Diamond Cup: Sounders FC vs. New England Revolution
Saturday, February 16 – Desert Diamond Cup: Sounders FC vs. Real Salt Lake
Wednesday, February 20 – Desert Diamond Cup: Sounders FC vs. New York Red Bulls
Saturday, February 23 – Desert Diamond Cup Final/3rd Place Game: Sounders FC vs. TBD
Saturday, March 2 – MLS First Kick: Sounders FC vs. Montreal Impact, Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field, Seattle
Wednesday, March 6 – CONCACAF Champions League: Sounders FC at Tigres UANL, Estadio Universitario, Monterrey, Mexico (leg one)
Tuesday, March 12 – CONCACAF Champions League: Sounders FC vs. Tigres UANL, Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field, Seattle (leg two)

Give Us Your Full 90 Again in 2013!
Sounders FC is accepting deposits for 2013 season tickets. To join, please visit SoundersFC.com or call 877-MLS-GOAL (877-657-4625). Seattle’s schedule begins with First Kick on March 2 versus the Montreal Impact. The rest of the slate will include matches with Cascadia Cup rivals Portland and Vancouver as well as home fixtures against the L.A. Galaxy and New York Red Bulls.

Voting Deadline Nears for Seattle Sports Star of the Year
Less than two weeks remain to cast votes online for Seattle Sports Star of the Year. Sounders FC forward Eddie Johnson is one of five finalists selected by the Seattle Sports Commission for Sports Star of the Year. Fans can vote for their favorite nominee by visiting SeattleSports.org. Voting runs through January 20 and individuals can vote daily. Winners will be announced during the show on January 25 at Benaroya Hall.

MLS Combine Kicks Off Friday
The 2013 adidas MLS Player Combine will take place at Central Broward Regional Park in Lauderhill, Florida, from January 11-15. A group of 54 college seniors have been invited to the combine, including University of Washington midfielder Ben Fisk and defender Dylan Tucker-Gangnes as well as Gig Harbor product Machael David and former Inglemoor High School midfielder Anthony Arena. The full list of combine invitees can be found at MLSsoccer.com. General adidas signees as well as several overseas talents will be added to the Combine group. All matches are open to the public. Tickets are available for purchase on each matchday for $10.

Combine Schedule
Thursday, January 10 – Players arrive in Lauderhill, Florida
Friday, January 11 – Matchday #1
Saturday, January 12 – Player interviews with clubs
Sunday, January 13 – Matchday #2
Monday, January 14 – Player interviews with clubs
Tuesday, January 15 – Matchday #3

FC Tucson Desert Diamond Cup
The Seattle Sounders FC will participate in the Third Annual FC Tucson Desert Diamond Cup in Tucson, Arizona. The three other MLS clubs participating in the tournament include the New England Revolution, New York Red Bulls and Real Salt Lake. The teams will play a round-robin format through the first three dates with the tournament final and third-place game played on Saturday, February 23. The matches will take place over the course of four days at Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Fans can purchase tickets to the Desert Diamond Cup by visiting http://www.fctucson.ticketsocket.com. The kickoff times for the matches will be announced at a later date.

The Sounders FC will participate in the Desert Diamond Cup for the first time. The Revolution, who reached last year’s final, the Red Bulls and Real Salt Lake have all participated in the tournament previously. Sounders FC previously participated in preseason tournaments in 2010 (La Manga Cup) and 2011 (Cascadia Summit).

Schedule of Matches*
Wednesday, February 13
New England Revolution vs. Seattle Sounders FC
New York Red Bulls vs. Real Salt Lake

Saturday, February 16
Seattle Sounders FC vs. Real Salt Lake
New York Red Bulls vs. New England Revolution

Wednesday, February 20
Real Salt Lake vs. New England Revolution
Seattle Sounders FC vs. New York Red Bulls

Saturday, February 23
3rd Place vs. 4th Place
1st Place vs. 2nd Place

*Game times are TBA; schedule subject to change

Desert Diamond Cup Tickets
Upper Bleachers: $20
Sideline: $20
Supporters Section (For more info call 520.334.1115): $30
Terrace: $30
Endline: $30
Premium: $40
VIP (include field seating and catering): $75
Four-pack: $68 to $140

MLS Preseason Tournaments
The 2013 MLS preseason will feature four tournaments as well as a series of friendlies. The Desert Friendlies kick off the action on January 29 in Tucson, Arizona. The four tournaments include the Disney Pro Soccer Classic in Orlando, the Desert Diamond Cup in Tucson, the Carolina Challenge Cup in Charleston and the Portland Timbers Tournament in Portland.

January 29-8 – The Desert Friendlies (Tucson)
Participants: Colorado Rapids, Houston Dynamo, New England Revolution, Portland Timbers, San Jose Earthquakes, Seattle Sounders FC, Sporting Kansas City, FC Tucson

February 9-23 – Disney Pro Soccer Classic (Orlando)
Participants: Columbus Crew, DC United, Montreal Impact, Philadelphia Union, Sporting Kansas City, Toronto FC, Orlando City, Tampa Bay

February 13-23 – Desert Diamond Cup (Tucson)
Participants: New England Revolution, New York Red Bulls, Real Salt Lake, Seattle Sounders FC

February 16-23 – Carolina Challenge Cup (Charleston, N.C.)
Participants: Chicago Fire, Houston Dynamo, Vancouver Whitecaps FC, Charleston Battery

February 17-23 – Portland Timbers Tournament (Portland, Or.)
Participants: FC Dallas, Portland Timbers, San Jose Earthquakes, AIK

MLS SuperDraft: Seattle Holds 16th Overall Pick
Sounders FC holds two selections in the first two rounds of the 2013 MLS SuperDraft presented by adidas. The SuperDraft will take place at Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis on Thursday, January 17 at 9 a.m. PT.

In addition to its 16th overall selection in the first round, Seattle also holds the 36th overall pick. Toronto FC holds the first and third overall selections and the L.A. Galaxy hold the final pick. Cascadia Cup rivals Portland traded away its lone first-round choice while Vancouver will select fifth and 10th overall.

Seattle’s 2013 MLS SuperDraft Picks
16th overall (natural)
35th overall (natural)

Seattle’s 2013 MLS Supplemental Draft Picks
5th overall (acquired via trade with Philadelphia Union)
16th overall (natural)
35th overall (natural)
54th overall (natural)
73rd overall (natural)

2013 Draft Notes
* Seattle traded an undisclosed draft choice to Toronto FC for the No. 1 allocation priority (Marcus Hahnemann)
* Seattle traded an undisclosed draft choice to Real Salt Lake for the No. 1 discovery priority (Mario Martinez)
* Seattle traded its third round natural selection in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft for the first overall pick in Stage 2 of the 2011 MLS Re-Entry Process (Marc Burch)

Evans, Johnson Called In to U.S. National Team
Seattle Sounders FC announced on January 6 that midfielder Brad Evans and forward Eddie Johnson have been called in by the U.S. National Team for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Qualifier against Honduras as well as a friendly against Canada. The 25-player roster will report to the team’s January camp beginning Monday, January 7, at the National Training Center in Carson, Calif.

Evans, 27, has six caps for the United States. He was called in by the U.S. National Team in January 2012 for friendlies against Venezuela and Panama. Evans’ first three appearances for the USMNT came in the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup, with his last competitive match against Haiti at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. on July 11, 2009.

Johnson, 28, leads the roster with 44 caps and 14 goals for the United States. He helped the team advance to the Final Round of qualifying with two goals and one assist in matches against Antigua and Barbuda and Guatemala in October. Johnson made his national team debut in 2004, and his call-up last October was his first national team action since 2010.

Evans and Johnson will join the U.S. National Team for a friendly against Canada on January 29 at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston as well as the first match of the Final Round of World Cup qualifying on February 6 against Honduras at Estadio Olimpico in San Pedro Sula, Honduras.

Evans and Johnson will join Sounders FC preseason training in February.

Sounders FC Delegation to Visit Tanzania
A delegation representing the Seattle Sounders FC will travel to Tanzania, the largest country in East Africa, to host soccer clinics and raise awareness for programs with Washington State ties during a nine-day trip. Defender Marc Burch and former Sounders FC goalkeeper and team broadcaster Kasey Keller will lead the group, which departed for the trip on Monday, January 7.

In partnership with the Washington Global Health Alliance (WGHA), the delegation will visit three Seattle-based global health organizations with a presence in the Arusha region in Tanzania including: World Vision, PATH and Washington State University’s Paul G. Allen School for Global Animal.

The group will also visit the Ngorongoro Crater and the largest city in Tanzania, Dar es Salaam.

The Sounders FC named WGHA a community partner in 2009. WGHA catalyzes innovative partnerships between traditional and unexpected organizations and people to improve health globally and locally. WGHA reaches new global health audiences and activates the global health sector for its more than 60 member organizations.

Fans will be able to track the delegation’s activities in Tanzania via a daily journal and regular features posted on SoundersFC.com, as well the club’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.

About Tanzania
Tanzania, the largest country in East Africa, is focused on wildlife conservation and sustainable tourism, with approximately 28% of the land protected by the government, the largest percentage of any country in the world. It boasts 15 National Parks and 31 game reserves, 50 Game Controlled Areas, one special Conservation Area (the Ngorongoro Crater) and three Marine Parks.

It is home to the tallest mountain in Africa, the legendary Mt. Kilimanjaro; The Serengeti, home to the “Great Animal Migration” that was named the New 7th Wonder of the World by USA Today and ABC TV’s Good Morning America; the world acclaimed Ngorongoro Crater, often referred to as the “Eden of Africa” and the “8th Wonder of the World”; Olduvai Gorge, the cradle of mankind: the Selous, the world’s largest game reserve; Ruaha, now the second largest National Park in Africa; the spice islands of Zanzibar; and seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Most important for visitors, the Tanzanian people, with a rich history and diverse blend of cultures, are warm and friendly. On December 9, 2011, Tanzania, an oasis of peace and stability with a democratically elected and stable government, celebrated its 50th Anniversary of Independence.

For more information on Tanzania visit http://www.visit-tanzania.go.tz. For more information on the Washington Global Health Alliance visit http://www.wghalliance.org.

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