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Scorpions kick off inaugural season with first practice, groundbreaking ceremony for stadium and a scrimmage against the U.S. U-23 Olympic team.
It was a big day for the NASL San Antonio Scorpions on Saturday as the team kicked off with their first-ever training session. Heavy rain forced the event indoors in the morning as the team worked on stretching and indoor equipment. The afternoon session was played at an indoor soccer field with the team looking to move outside on Sunday. With a scrimmage against the U.S. U-23 team this coming Friday, head coach Tim Hankinson will need to kick the team into high gear this week.
“Since I got here in September, it’s been every day in the office all day behind a computer, talking to agents, talking to players, trying to create contracts that put a team on paper,” Hankinson said. “You go about it thinking it looks good on paper. To actually have them show up here ready to work and get on with the season, it means I’m out of the office instead of in the office. It’s a brilliant change.”
There were 22 players at Saturday’s first practice with 16 who are now under contract with the club. According to the San Antonio Express-News, two more Brazilian players will be arriving later this month after securing visas. Pablo Campos, who was second in the NASL in goals scored last season, is the other Brazilian on the team.
As previously noted, the Scorpions will travel to Frisco, Texas on Friday, Feb. 24, for a 7:30 p.m. scrimmage at the FC Dallas Stadium Complex against the U-23 U.S Men’s National Team, who prepare for CONCACAF Olympic qualifying which will kick off in March. The scrimmage will be open for the public to attend.
On Wednesday the 29th, the Scorpions will have a groundbreaking ceremony at the stadium construction site. Team owner Gordon Hartman released images of his planned stadium and explained a phased program of expanding the stadium in early January. But very few details have yet been revealed about the stadium construction. Some of those details should be revealed at the groundbreaking on February 29.
