Yakima Tryouts February 27 & 28

The Yakima Reds are stockpiling on talent with a late February tryout.

Head coach Alex Silva, also co-owner of the team will conduct a two-day session on February 27 and 28, from which he will pick up to two dozen players for the 2010 season.

Players from the 2009 season are also invited to tryout, Silva said. Only a few players from the 2009 squad and an undetermined number of players from the reserves team will be given an automatic roster spot and granted a pass from tryouts.

The tryouts will take place at Marquette Stadium. A signup form is available on the team’s Web site, yakimareds.com. Those sending the form have to pay $20. Forms can be also mailed to PO Box 9187, Yakima, WA.

Walk-ins are also welcome, at a $25 rate.

Players must bring their own equipment. All activities require a white t-shirt or a black sweatshirt top. But above all, Silva said, they all require a commitment.

“I’m looking for players with quality,” he said. “Skilled, technical, athletic players that want to move on to the professional levels of soccer, such as USL 1 and MLS.”

Premier Development League rules require that teams must enroll players between the ages of 18 and 23, with only a handful of over-23 players.

Players younger than 18 must come with a parent to the tryouts

The tryout will have an emphasis on technical, tactical skill, fitness, teamwork and coachability. This is Silva’s first year with the team after years of Hector Vega as head coach.

Silva said he’s also looking to add Brazilian players –Silva is a native of Brazil– but nothing is for sure yet. He also said he will meet with the chosen players one-on-one before unveiling the roster for the 2010 season.

On other news, the USL announced the divisions for the PDL’s 2009 season. The only changes in the Northwest Division are the absence of the Cascade Surge, from Salem, Ore., which folded this summer and the appearance of Washington Crossfire, the new name of last year’s Seattle Wolves, which merged with Crossfire FC.

The following is the alignment for the PDL’s 2010 season, as listed on the USL’s Web site.

Central Conference

Great Lakes Division: Chicago Fire, Cincinnati Kings, Cleveland Internationals, Dayton Dutch Lions (first-year franchise, Forest City London, Indiana Invaders, Kalamazoo Outrage, Michigan Bucks, Toronto Lynx
Heartland Division: Des Moines Menace, Kansas City Brass, Real Colorado Foxes, Rochester (MN, new team), Springfield Demize, St Louis Lions, Thunder Bay ChillEastern Conference
Mid Atlantic Division: Bermuda Hogges (new club), Carolina Dynamo, Central Jersey, Hampton Roads Piranhas, Ironbound Express, New Jersey Rangers, Northern Virginia Royals, Ocean City Barons, Reading United, West Virginia Chaos
Northeast Division: Albany (NY, first-year franchise, Brooklyn Knights, Long Island Rough Riders, New Hampshire Phantoms, Ottawa Fury, MPS Portland Phoenix (first-year franchise), Vermont Voltage, (new club) Western Mass Pioneers (new club), Westchester Flames

Southern Conference
Mid South Division: DFW Tornados, El Paso Patriots, Houston Leones, Laredo Heat, Rio Grande Valley Bravos, West Texas United Sockers
Southeast Division: Atlanta Blackhawks, Baton Rouge Capitals, Central Florida Kraze, Fort Lauderdale (first-year franchise), IMG Bradenton Academics, Mississippi Brilla, Nashville Metros, New Orleans Jesters, Panama City Pirates

Western Conference
Northwest Division: Abbotsford Mariners, Kitsap Pumas, Portland Timbers U23, Spokane Spiders, Tacoma Tide, Vancouver Whitecaps Residency, Victoria Highlanders, Washington Crossfire, Yakima Reds
Southwest Division: BYU Cougars, Fresno Fuego, Hollywood United Hitmen, Lancaster Rattlers, Los Angeles Legends, Ogden Outlaws, Orange County Blue Star, Southern California Seahorses, Ventura County Fusion

Sebastian Moraga can be reached at koogbasschi@hotmail.com.  Remember fans, 2010 Season Tickets – Available Now! Please contact the Yakima Reds FC front office for further information at 509-453-2086 and coming soon online at www.yakimareds.com.