Eight Players To Represent UMKC Men's Soccer In PDL Action This Summer
5/9/2008 10:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Kansas City, Mo. -- Finals are done and most of UMKC's student-athletes are headed home for the summer, looking to keep in shape through individual workouts and strength training during the offseason. For eight members of the UMKC men's soccer team, however, the end of finals has been rewarded with a return to the rigors of preseason and full-time training as the Premier Development League (PDL) season winds into full gear this weekend. Three teams - the Kansas City Brass, the St. Louis Lions and the Baton Rouge Capitals - will all kick off their 2008 schedules with Kangaroos on the squad.
The Brass boasts the largest number of UMKC players rostered this season with five. Rising seniors Garret Guthrie and Miguel Rodrigues, redshirt senior Caleb Mitchell, incoming transfer Levi Coleman and rising junior Bryan Perez will all play for the local side this summer. Kansas City kicks off its season on Sunday, taking on the Des Moines Menace in the first of several qualifying matches for the U.S. Open Cup. Last season the Brass qualified for the Open Cup after opening the regular season with four consecutive wins. Sunday's match is set for a 5 p.m. kickoff on the campus of William Jewell College.
Across the state, rising senior Brian Harris and rising sophomore Ken Cooper will both compete for their hometown club St. Louis Lions. The Lions also kick off the 2008 schedule against the Menace, traveling to Des Moines on Saturday for a 2 p.m. kickoff. St. Louis finished the 2008 season one point ahead of the Brass in the Heartland Division with a 10-6-0 record. The Lions and Brass will also duel twice on the season, with the first derby match set for May 25 in Kansas City.
Rising sophomore Chris Markey will also look to make his PDL debut this weekend as the Baton Rouge Capitals open the schedule with a pair of home matches on Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday, the Capitals will host the El Paso Patriots in a 7 p.m. match at Olympia Stadium. Sunday will see Baton Rouge take on the Laredo Heat, with that match also set for a 7 p.m. start.
An affiliate league of the United Soccer Leagues, the PDL is an opportunity for players to continue training and playing games during the summer months while retaining their NCAA eligibility. 67 teams across the country play in 10 divisions, spread across three conferences.
A Day In The Life...
As a special feature this summer on umkckangaroos.com, men's soccer team captain Miguel Rodrigues will be bringing you a player's-eye view of life in the PDL. Check back throughout the summer for training and game reports as well as the lighter side of soccer in the top U23 men's amateur league in North America.
