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We’ve all been waiting anxiously and the moment has finally arrived. The NSC Minnesota Stars soccer team will kick off their preseason camp on Thursday morning at 8:00 am at the National Sports Center Sports Hall.
According to Lagos, the team will begin arriving on Wednesday settling into the dormitories at the National Sports Center. They will begin with two-a-day’s starting Thursday with the second session at 1:30 pm.
The team will practice Monday through Friday at 8 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. with inter-squad scrimmages on March 24 and March 31. All practices are open to the public.
*The team kicks off their exhibition matches this Saturday at 2:30 p.m. against Shattuck St. Mary’s in Faribault, Minnesota.
*On March 27, the Stars will play the Marquette University Golden Eagles at 3 p.m. at Parade Stadium in Minneapolis. Admission to both games is free.
*On Sunday, April 4 (Easter Sunday), the team will travel to Omaha for two back-to-back exhibition matches against Creighton University and fellow North American Soccer League side AC St. Louis at Creighton’s Morrison Stadium. Details including game times and ticket information are yet to be determined.
“I’m really looking forward to preseason. Living and training on-site will create a unique camp experience,” said Lagos.
Lagos told IMS on Tuesday morning that he hopes to have 3 to 4 more experienced players signed shortly. He said he would like to start camp with 15 signed players and has invited another dozen or so to camp as trialists.
IMS has learned that former Rochester Thunder midfielder Kentaro Takato is one of those invited. Takato was called up for last year’s Thunder friendly between C.S.D. Comunicaciones and showed well for the team, almost scoring twice and seeing lots of the ball at midfield. Takato also tried out for the Thunder last season and was one of the last players to be released. The Japanese native also attended this year’s NSC Stars combine.
IMS is currently putting together a list of those who have been invited to camp and will get that posted as soon as possible.
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The National Sports Center has also taken on a new Media intern for the NSC Stars. His name is Alex Haueter and he will be joining NSC Media Relations spokesman Barclay Kruse and video producer Jake Frantzen as part of the Stars media team. Haueter will be specifically assigned to working with the Stars and according to Kruse he is a “soccer guy” and really knows the game. This is not Haueter’s first opportunity to work with a pro soccer team. He also spent time interning with the Kansas City Wizards. Kruse said the former University of Nebraska graduate comes highly recommended. Haueter jumped right into things writing today’s press releases for the new Minnesota signings.
