Wizards Hire Goalkeeper/Fitness Coach John Pascarella
The Kansas City Wizards announced Tuesday that former MLS goalkeeper John Pascarella has been named the team's new Goalkeeper/Fitness Coach. Pascarella played professionally for nine seasons before beginning his coaching career in 1998 at the University of Maryland. Pascarella played club soccer with Wizards Technical Director Peter Vermes and was a teammate of Head Coach Curt Onalfo with the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer.
"John Pascarella has the playing experience of a professional goalkeeper and studied exercise science at Penn State University," Vermes said. "He has observed our training sessions multiple times over the past two seasons and will be an excellent addition to our coaching staff. Both Curt (Onalfo) and I played with John, and we are very comfortable with what he brings to the team."
Pascarella's playing experience took him to Russia and Peru before he returned to the United States to play in the A-League (now USL First Division) and MLS. Once his playing career was over, Pascarella began coaching as a member of Sasho Cirovski's staff at Maryland. He then went on to work in Northern Virginia youth soccer circles as a high school coach and Olympic Development Program coach before becoming the Head Coach and Technical Director of the Northern Virginia Royals of the USL's Premier Development League for the last two seasons.
"Peter Vermes and Curt Onalfo have put a great core of players in place over the last two years," Pascarella said. "I'm excited to be involved with the future of this club."
Playing History:
Russian Stars 1988-89
Sport Boys, Lima and Alianca Suyana of Peru 1989-92
Richmond Kickers 1994
Standard Falcons in Montclair, CA 1995
Los Angeles Galaxy 1996-97
Coaching History:
Maryland 1998-2000 (Assistant Coach)
Herndon High School, Virginia 2001-2006 (Head Coach)
Northern Virginia Royals (PDL) 2007-08 (Technical Director and U-20 Head Coach)
Virginia State ODP program 2003-08 (Head Coach)
Region 1 ODP 2004-08 (Head Coach)
Conrad, Hartman Participate in Nothing But Nets Awareness Event Saturday in Orlando
Defender and team captain Jimmy Conrad and goalkeeper Kevin Hartman joined former Wizards player Diego Gutierrez and Dwayne De Rosario at an awareness event Saturday in Orlando, Fla. For a second straight year, MLS W.O.R.K.S. and Kick It 3v3 partnered to raise awareness and support for the Nothing But Nets campaign at Disney's Wide World of Sports® Complex. Conrad and Hartman participated in the final day of activities for participants in the tournament who raised the most money for Nothing But Nets, a global grassroots campaign to prevent malaria in Africa by sending insecticide-treated nets.
All qualified Kick It teams were given the opportunity to compete in the "Kick It Malaria Challenge". Participants created Netraiser teams to engage their friends and family to raise money for the fight against malaria, a leading killer in Africa. Teams were competing for incentives such as:
Airline tickets
Private clinic with MLS Players
Autographed memorabilia
Private Meet and Greet with MLS Players at Epcot®
Conrad, Hartman, Gutierrez and De Rosario participated in an autograph session and led a brief skills demonstration from 12 - 1 p.m. ET on Saturday. The top five fundraisers through the Kick It 3v3 championship later attended a private Meet and Greet with the players at Epcot® at The Walt Disney World® Resort. The event featured a dessert buffet and fireworks. Raffle tickets were sold throughout the weekend for a chance to win autographed soccer balls and jerseys from the star players.
Three Members of KCW Juniors Make ESPN RISE All-America Teams
KCW Juniors U-18 player and Rockhurst High School star Alex Sweetin has been named to the ESPN RISE All-America first team for his high school season that included 26 goals and 25 assists. Sweetin was a part of the inaugural KCW Juniors U-17 team that finished as the runners up in the 2007 Soccer United Marketing Cup just weeks after the team was formed. He has committed to attend St. Louis University in the fall.
Also making the RISE lists were two other KCW Juniors U-18 players. Ethan Bauer, forward from Olathe South made the third team list and goalkeeper Christian Krueger, also of Rockhurst, earned an honorable mention nod. Bauer will attend Tulsa next year to play soccer. Krueger is still undecided. Sweetin and Krueger helped lead Rockhurst to the Missouri state championship this season.
Kansas City Wizards Lower Season Ticket Prices for 2009 Season
The Kansas City Wizards have lowered prices for season ticket holders from their 2008 rates and will continue to offer free parking at all events. Kansas City also introduced two exciting new seating options: All-You-Can-Eat Seats and Full-Service Terrace Table Seats. Wizards fans who put down a new season ticket deposit for the 2009 season will receive a free season ticket holder scarf. To purchase season tickets for 2009, call the Wizards at (913) 387-3400.
In addition to their existing seating categories, the Wizards are adding All-You-Can-Eat Seats and Full-Service Terrace Tables for fans who enjoy premium entertainment options. All-You-Can-Eat Seats will be located in section 106 behind the West goal and allow patrons unlimited food and drink during the game. Full-Service Terrace Tables are high-tops around the stadium and will include unlimited drinks during each match.
The Wizards also offer a free bus to groups of 50 from within the Kansas City metro area. Contact a Wizards sales rep at (913) 387-3400 for more information about bringing your group outing to a Kansas City Wizards match via bus. Alcohol, excluding kegs, is allowed on buses to the stadium.
2009 Season-Ticket Prices (All packages for 18 games)
Kansas City Wizards to Hold 2nd Annual Open Tryouts March 7-8, 2009
The Kansas City Wizards will hold its second-annual open tryouts March 7-8, 2009 in Kansas City. The Wizards held an open tryout in 2008 for the first time since their inaugural 1996 season, with the event drawing over 200 players from 15 different countries. Two players eventually signed for Kansas City, midfielders Kevin Souter and Nelson Pizarro. Both went on to play in MLS matches for the Wizards in 2008, and Souter started the final four games of the regular season and both MLS Cup Playoff matches for Kansas City. The tryout costs $200, and players can sign up through www.kcwizards.com/opentryout.
Participants will take part in matches Saturday, with the top players called back for Sunday's session. Finalists will then get the opportunity to tryout with the Wizards first team in March with the chance of securing a contract. Final tryout location and times will be provided to each participant closer to the event.
Kansas City Wizards Open Tryouts
March 7-8, 2009
Kansas City Wizards Swope Park Training Center
6310 Lewis Road
Kansas City, MO 64132
Google Maps here
Kansas City Kicks Off 2009 Season Saturday, March 21, 2009 at Home, Moves Home Start Times to 7:30 p.m. CT
The Kansas City Wizards will start the 2009 season with a home match against Toronto FC on Saturday, March 21, 2009. The game will kick off at Kansas City's new start time, 7:30 p.m. CT, at CommunityAmerica Ballpark. Season ticket packages are now available by calling the Wizards ticket office at (913) 387-3400. Group packages for groups of 15 or more are also available for the home opener. Single-game tickets will go on sale at a later date.
Kansas City finished the 2008 regular season with a 9-2-4 home record, good for the 3rd best mark in MLS. The Wizards defeated D.C. United 2-0 on March 29, 2008 in their first-ever match at CommunityAmerica Ballpark. The stadium quickly became known for its loud atmosphere and distinct home-field advantage for the Wizards, as the team closed with a 7-0-3 mark in its last 10 regular-season home games.
In 2009, the Wizards will continue to offer a free bus to groups of 50 from within the Kansas City metro area. Contact a Wizards sales rep at (913) 387-3400 for more information about bringing your group outing to a Kansas City Wizards match via bus. Alcohol, excluding kegs, is allowed on buses to the stadium.
