Reading Rage Press Release - www.readingrage.com

Monday, April 14

READING, PA – The Reading Rage is gearing up for their 13th United Soccer Leagues Season [4th in USL’s Premier Development League] and the roster assembled by the Rage staff is one of the best ever. This year’s roster has a noted “Southern Flair,” with quite a few signings from Florida, Bermuda and the Carolinas. The roster is highlighted by Tyrell Burgess, a member of Bermuda’s Senior National Team. Tyrell recently started in the midfield for Bermuda in their World Cup Qualifying match in the Caribbean Region of CONCACAF. He will be relied upon to add some offensive firepower in Reading beginning with the Rage’s season opener in Cape Cod on Friday, May 16. Reading’s home opener is on Sunday, May 18 against the Vermont Voltage. Both matches double as Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Qualifiers.

Most recently, Burgess scored Bermuda’s only goal in a 1-1 draw with the Cayman Islands to keep their World Cup dreams alive. In the return leg at the Cayman Islands, Bermuda prevailed 3-1 with Burgess again gracing Bermuda’s first-eleven on the right flank alongside notable counterpart on the left Khano Smith (MLS-New England Revolution).

Tyrell and Bermuda will face a formidable test in the form of Trinidad & Tobago in the next round of World Cup Qualifying in June. Tyrell is a junior at Lynn University where he garnered Second Team All-Sunshine State Conference Honors this past fall. The Sunshine State Conference is one of the most competitive in NCAA DII.

Tyrell will join fellow NCAA DII and DIII standouts Omar Cooke (2006 South Atlantic Conference Freshman of the Year and two time Second Team Member at Carson Newman College), Ged Quinn (2006 South Atlantic Conference Player of the Year at Lenoir-Rhyne College) and recent signing Jon Ports (DIII NSCAA First Team All-American at York College)

The Rage also have secured the services of eight key members of last year’s team including Adam Gazda (Region 1 – Lehigh University), Stephen Hogan (Ex-Irish Youth International – Martin Methodist College), Alan O’Connor ( 2007 TSAC Player of the Year – Ex-Irish Youth National Pool – Martin Methodist College), Scott Rowling (Region 1 and United States U19 Interregional All-Star Team 2004 – University of New Hampshire) and Gary Higgins (U18 Scottish Schoolboy International and South Atlantic Conference Second Team – Lenoir Rhyne College).

This group of talent accompanied by two major DI signings still pending and several other key signings from Carson Newman College, Penn State University and a group of very talented young players including local products Jeremy Vuolo (Downingtown, PA –Hartwick College), Liam Fitzwater (Schuylkill Haven, PA –Penn State), Corey Hertzog (Reading, PA –Antietam HS) and Kevin Strunk (Downingtown, PA –Downingtown HS) give the Rage their best opportunity in years to top the PDL league. Hertzog was a member of USL’s Super Y-League Select Team that toured Germany.

The Rage Soccer Club was founded in 1995 and competes in the United Soccer League’s (USL), Premier Development League (PDL), Northeast Region. With the Rage Super Y-League teams, the Rage Youth teams and Mini Academies – the club offers a full range of developmental opportunities for players from beginner to professional level play. The Rage is focused on promoting and developing a high level of soccer play and offers scholarships to ensure equal opportunity to players regardless of gender, race, or economic conditions.

For additional information regarding the Reading Rage PDL, please contact Rage PDL General Manager, Art Auchenbach at (610) 927-4474 or email at aauchenbach@bsarage.com. Any questions regarding the Rage Youth Teams should be directed to Rage Soccer Club Executive Director, Karen Carles (kcarles@bsarage.com). Additional club information can also be found at www.readingrage.com.