With an eye toward finances and the potential to create a "festival-type atmosphere" at a "true soccer event," the NCAA's Division I Championships/Sport Management Cabinet is considering holding the men's and women's College Cup championships at the same site in 2011.
Currently, the College Cups – the final three games of the Division I tournaments – are at different sites on consecutive weekends, with the women's semifinals and final first on the calendar. However, the Division II and III tournaments hold their men's and women's championships at the same site.
There are some concerns about the impact inclement weather could have on such an event, tentatively scheduled for the second weekend in December. Another potential issue concerns the impact of changing the women's schedule.
The NCAA report indicates that if a combined College Cup event is approved, it likely would be on a trial basis for 2011.
It looks like the creation of the newest National Premier Soccer League Midwest Region team, the Minnesota Kings, will have an impact on the division's two-time defending champions.
Midfielder Igor Stosic, last season's Midwest Region MVP and a three-time all-region selection, will play for the Kings in the men's amateur league this summer, according to Inside Minnesota Soccer.
The Kings have several other strong connections to the Twin Stars: The team was founded by former St. Paul goalkeeper Tim Haselberger, and its first coach is former Twin Stars midfielder Jason English.
St. Paul won the Midwest title the past two years, falling to the Pennsylvania Stoners in the NPSL national final in 2008 and falling to eventual champion Sonoma County Sol in last year's semifinals at Breese Stevens Field in Madison.
I don't mean to turn this blog into "At the Movies," but I think it's safe to say that 2010 will be a big year for soccer documentaries.
Earlier this month, I blogged about Pelada and One Goal. Today I was reminded about another upcoming soccer flick, Gringos at the Gates.
This one focuses on the U.S. and Mexico and their connections to the sport and their national teams.
The Web site Culture of Soccer interviewed Pablo Miralles, one of the three filmmakers working on the documentary, and has a good overview of the movie, which is expected to be released just after this summer's World Cup.
Here's a very well done video that looks at one fan's night out at last week's Premier League match between Arsenal and Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium in North London.
I think it gives a good perspective for those of us who have never been to such a game. Or if you have, maybe it's a nice reminder. Either way, it's worth a watch – even if you don't support Arsenal.
Here's the trailer for what looks like a fascinating documentary called "Pelada," the term used in Brazil to refer to pick-up soccer.
The movie follows two former college soccer players to 25 countries as they discover how and why people play the beautiful game.
"Pelada" debuts at next month's South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin, Texas. Hopefully, it will make its way north to Wisconsin in the near future.
For more information about the documentary or to donate to the project, visit the movie's Web site.
The National Premier Soccer League Midwest Region looks set with six teams for the 2010 season, while the Women's Premier Soccer League Midwest Conference could include as many as 12 teams.
The Madison 56ers and the St. Paul Twin Stars, Chicago Fire NPSL and Eau Claire Aris FC all return to the NPSL Midwest, while charter member Bavarian SC returns after a one-year absence and a second Twin Cities side, the Minnesota Kings, joins the division as an expansion team.
Charles Billings, the general manager for both of the 56ers' adult amateur teams and the NPSL Midwest commissioner, said that two Indiana clubs that were in discussions to join the league – the Fort Wayne Fever, which had played in the USL Premier Development League since 2003, and new club Indianapolis FC – weren't able to commit for 2010.
In the WPSL, Billings said that the latest plan has the Midwest splitting into North and South divisions, with six teams set for the South and five confirmed for the North – including the 56ers and FC Milwaukee, both newcomers to the league. A team from Des Moines, Iowa, is in discussions about being the sixth team in the North Division, Billings said.
Henry Aiyenero, an assistant in the Edgewood College women's program for the past six years and a 56ers youth coach, will be a player/assistant coach for Jim Launder and the 56ers' NPSL team this year. The former Canadian youth international led the 56ers with five goals in 2008 and played in six matches for the team last season.
German Andreas Davi will coach the Bavarian SC team in the NPSL, with Scott Dombrowski, Giovanni Luna and Chris Chiappa serving as assistants.
I'm fairly certain there haven't been many international soccer matches broadcast on Wisconsin radio stations, if any, but that could change this summer.
ESPN Radio will provide coverage of all 64 games from the World Cup in South Africa to its affiliates, EPL Talk reported today.
As with all of ESPN Radio's play-by-play coverage, it will be up to individual affiliates whether they want to broadcast the matches.
There are 18 ESPN Radio affiliates in the state: Chilton (WMBE 1530 AM); Eau Claire (WEAQ 1150 AM); Green Bay (WDUZ 1400 AM/107.5 FM); Jackson (WAUK 540 AM); Madison (WTLX 100.5 FM); Marinette (WMAM 570 AM); Medford (WIGM 1490 AM); Park Falls (WNBI 980 AM); Platteville (WPVL 1590 AM); Lancaster (WGLR 1280 AM); Rhinelander (WOBT 1240 AM); Ripon (WPRN 1600 AM); Sheboygan (WCLB 950 AM); Sparta (WKLJ 1290 AM); Spencer (WOSQ 92.3 FM); Tomahawk (WJJQ 810 AM); Trempealeau (WFBZ 105.5 FM); Wausau (WXCO 1230 AM).
The National Premier Soccer League Midwest Region looks set with six teams for the 2010 season, while the Women's Premier Soccer League Midwest Conference could include as many as 12 teams.
I'm fairly certain there haven't been many international soccer matches broadcast on Wisconsin radio stations, if any, but that could change this summer.