Yakima Reds Press Release - www.yakimareds.com

Friday, March 5, 2010

YAKIMA, WA - YAKIMA, Wash. -- Standing in the bleachers of Marquette Stadium, head coach Alex Silva kept his eyes glued to the 30-plus men auditioning for the Yakima Reds soccer team on Saturday.

He gauged the way they moved, their skill with the ball, how well they worked together. A week from now, about 22 of them will join the team.

"It's a long process. We are watching the players closely," said Silva, adding that a handful of people are helping him judge. "We're looking for players who are smart, who will work well with the group. We pay attention to their attitudes on the field."

Based in Yakima since 1995, the Reds play in the United Soccer League's Premier Development League. Those selected will play 16 games across Washington, Oregon and British Columbia. The team has a 20-man game-day roster.

The players trying out, who came from as far as Canada, Montana and California, ranged from their late teens to mid-20s. Racing across the field, they used their head, feet and knees to propel the ball forward. Directions were yelled to one another in English and Spanish, and when a ball went out of bounds, it was quickly replaced with another.

"It's been pretty tough," said Antonio Mandujano, a 24-year-old from Hillsboro, Ore. "I didn't prepare myself as much as I should have. I'm not getting any leg cramps, so that's a plus."

Mandujano drove to Yakima with his longtime friend, 21-year-old Fidel Izquierdo, also of Hillsboro. Both have loved the game since they were kids, and the idea of furthering their skills excited them both.

"I'm not nervous. I just enjoy playing soccer," Izquierdo said. "I just want to show the coaches what I've got."

The two men spent the morning doing drills and the afternoon in scrimmages with the rest of the group, while the coaches scrutinized their every move.

"We have a lot of skilled players," said Perry Piercy, who co-owns the team with Silva. "It seems like they're focused. I've seen a lot of confidence out there. I've been impressed."

On May 1, the Yakima Reds will open the season with a home game against the Kitsap Pumas from Bremerton, Wash. The professional club was champion of the Northwest division last year -- something Silva knows all too well.

"I don't like to lose," he said. "I want players who will commit to the team, who will fight to the last minute. ... Each game is a battle."