Open Tryouts and Juniors

Went out to the Wizards open tryouts today to check out the guys that had come to tryout for the Wizards. Overall, it appeared that there were quite a few no shows, as the team had 4 fields set up for the first session for 8 teams to play on, but there were only 3 in use when I got there. For the second session there were only 2 fields in use, so plenty of players appear to have decided that it wasn't worth it for them to show up for the tryouts. The tryouts were similar to last year in the fact that there were plenty of players that impressed me and I could tell they were likely to be invited back. You also had a few players that probably would have been better off saving their $205, but they'll have some good stories about trying out for the Wizards to use on girls in bars.

The list of players that make the tryouts tomorrow should be posted on the Wizards website some time tonight, once I find them, I'll get them posted, along with any impressions I have of those players.

Also today, some of the Wizards Juniors teams were down in Springfield for the Greater Springfield Sports Champions Challenge Soccer Tournament. The Juniors U17 and U18 teams are playing in a combined U17/U18 division that includes defending MO state champions, Springfield SC's U18 team. This morning, the U17's lost to the U18 SSC team 2-0. Also this morning, the U16 Juniors team put a beating on Total Demize SC 8-0. The U15 Wizards are also competing at the tournament this weekend.
Photo courtesy of Steve Ole Olson, SGFsoccer.com