- Last season's leading goalscorer Chad Severs has signed with the Rochester Rhinos. - Club announced resigning of GK Dave Kern, Midfielder Mo Odour, Defender Dustin Bixler for the 06 season. - The club have also extended Derek Potteiger's contract through the 2010 season. Potteiger is the club's youth director as well, but thats not too often a USL 1 or USL 2 club signs a player on for 5 years.
Yea that's great news for Chad. I spoke with him during the season and asked him how he landed in Harrisburg. B/C he was invited to the MLS combine for college seniors and he ended up in USL 2. He said he got hurt at the MLS combine, then was training with Rochester and got hurt again. But thanks to last season he'll be playing in the USL Division 1 now.
Three more players have resigned: Midfielders John Lapore, Adam Clay and Ryan O'neill have all resigned. That's 7 players from last season that have already signed. HCI seem to be very well organized and taking the next season with a great approach, not many USLD2 teams on this fast of a track!
Are the tryouts actually a viable way of making the team or is it just a PR thing? I am seriously interested in doing it.
From the first two seasons, it seems like a number of players on the roster have come through the tryout process. It seems like it is a viable way to make the team. You could probably get more info from the team on the number of players from the roster that came through the tryouts.
Many players make the team from the open tryout. But I can tell you from experience, they'll have you paired in groups. IE - Group One - players they know, and want on the team. Group Two - players that were recomended or "know" someone. Group Three - local college players, college players that are good enough to make the team. Group Four - everyone else. I attended the tryouts their first season, it wasnt bad at all. I've thought about going again this year.......Now that I know what to expect. But if you are interested, I'd suggest that you go. It's a great experience and you never know what could come out of it. this year I would assume it should serve as dual tryouts for the players, as the Reading Rage staff should be there.