Sam Pierron from the Kansas City Wizards will be at El Tapatio on Tuesday, August 17, between 11:30am and 1:30 pm with information on season tickets for the Kansas City Wizards 2011 season which will be in their new soccer specific stadium. There will be giveaways and special discounts for season ticket purchases.

Purchasing season tickets for the Wizards is a great deal and this will be the best chance to get the best seats for the new stadium. This WILL BE the best soccer specific stadium in North America. Don’t miss out!

Players from the Sedalia Soccer U10 and U11 teams attended the Kansas City Wizards v Toronto FC game on Saturday, July 31. In addition to a fun tailgate and a great win over TFC, we had 8 players and 2 brothers of players participate in the initial trial of the Cerner HealthEAthletes Program. The players received their gear for the trial and then got to go on the field and were recognized at halftime during the Wizards game.

These players will wear a special Activity monitor at least one hour per day for the next 30 days. They will upload this data via their computer to their website portal which will keep track of all the data. It will also allow each particpant to compare their progress with the other players in the program. Particpants can also initiate challenges with other players.

Cerner is headquartered in Kansas City and is one of the largest medial/healthcare software companies in the world. Their ownership are the main owners in OnGoal, the company that owns the Kansas City Wizards.

The boys also particpated in the 94.9 radio Stuff the Bus program on saturday night, donating school supplies to benefit the City Union Mission.

We met at Skyline school at 11:30 to load the  bus. The temperatures were cooler than they had been and everyone was excited – boys and parents. We filled the storage bins full and at just past 12 noon, rolled out. The boys all sat towards the front and the parents in the back. The bus had direct-tv and the U20 Mexico v South Korea game was on. We arrived at Arrowhead at 1:30 and entered in Gate 1. We were directed into the parking lot and then  back out again to wait until 2:00. It didn’t take long for the boys to grab  the  ball and setup a quick game of parking lot kick-a-bout. At 2:00 it was game on and we parked  the bus and dragged out our massive tailgate.

Chris and Jim M got the monster grill fired up and started on the brisket, hot dogs and burgers. HA got us going with ceviche appetizers and everyone was happy. Jim S got the 305 top and the flags up and we were looking good. Mark had brought a cooler full of dry ice and ice cream treats. The kids were loving it. I can’t believe how fast the time flew by between 2 and 4. We headed towards the “new Arrowhead” at 4:30 after packin up, the boys in their Wizards face paint and in good voice.

The crowd was over 50,000 (52,424 officially) and lots of red shirts. The boys were singing “Wizards til I die” to any red shirt that walked by. We had great seats in 110 with the cauldron crew behind the goal. The atmosphere was electric and stepped up a notch with the flyover (One england paper said the T-38 Jets came from “Orangeburg, Missouri”. http://tinyurl.com/26z3r6k .

The Wizards started strong and were playing with  the heart we had been looking for the last few home games. The Cauldron was in good voice and the sun came out and started baking the crowd. Davey Arnaud scored in the 11th minute from an excellent pass from Kai Kamara putting the Wizards up 1 to 0 on the ManU giants. Just being up 1 to 0 on ManU felt great. The half was excellent and in the 40th, Berbatov got through the Wizards defense and Jimmy Conrad had to make a from behind tackle to try to stop him. The ref pointed to the spot and sent Jimmy to the locker room early with a red (which most of the English press called ‘harsh”. The penalty by Berbatov drew ManU level. But the Wizards came right back and Kai Kamara (what a game from Kai) smashed a header from Ryan Smith’s corner. ManU argued it didn’t go over – but it was a goal and the Wizards went in at half leading 2 to 1.

The 2nd half was mostly ManU with KCW playing with only 10. Sunil Chhetri got in the game with about 20 minutes to go and the crowd really responded. The Wizards were able to hang on and win 2 – 1!!! The Cauldron and the Wizards fans were singing loud with the historic win. The boys were having a blast and celebrating the  victory.

Check out these links – Official Press Releas - http://tinyurl.com/2d9j97n
Quote Sheet – http://tinyurl.com/278orlp
The Sun – http://tinyurl.com/2eelp7v
Giggs interview on ManU site – http://tinyurl.com/2eord5t

Thanks everyone for putting together such a terrific road trip. It was one of the great experiences that I am sure the boys will never forget.

We arrived at the state of the art KC Wizards Swope Park Training Facility to attend a private training session with Manchester United. There had been some rain on the drive in but we weren’t expecting rain. ManU had landed at KC International around noon and had a press conference at 3:00. They were expected to arrive for training around 5. National weather service issued a Severe weather warning around 4 and when the lightning moved in, we all moved towards the shelter. Then it rained, and rained and rained and rained. We were soaked. But it did clear off. And our reward was an autograph signing with the entire Manchester United Squad.

Everyone queued up and they worked us through the line. As we entered the room they were trying to speed things up and push us through. A hand touched my shoulder and a strong Scottish accent provided me with further instructions. It was Sir Alex Ferguson. I surprisingly acknowledged Sir Alex and welcomed him to Kansas City. At the same time, Berbatov was signing Maelin’s hat and Edwin Van der Sar was signing Riley’s goalie gloves. Our ManU kit moved through line picking up all their signatures. I was able to stop and greet Ryan Giggs and he signed his card for me. Pretty sweet.

We headed outside and the weather had cleared off. After the autograph session they would go ahead and do training, so we headed out to the training pitch to get a good spot. It was exciting to see all thes players in person, but personally greeting Sir Alex was the most exciting moment. Riley and I had attended a Chelsea practice session a few years ago in Bridgeview and had the good fortune to meet Jose Mourinho. Not bad, a soccer coach from Sedalia having the pleasure of meeting both Jose Mourinho AND Sir Alex Ferguson including watching both run their squads through training. Hopefully something will rub off.

It was only supposed to be a 20%chance of Rain…..But from our usual Sedalia tailgate spot at CAB – it was 100%. We arrived about 2:30 and Lori and I got the Tent setup. The Wallens and the Goss’s arrived soon after and the boys setup the soccer tennis in the parking lot. You would have thought it was sunshine and blue sky the way the boys were enjoying themselves.

Evidently it was gourmet night and Chris Wallen grilled up his amazing Bacon wrapped shrimp and jalepeno peppers (with the seeds this time) followed by the best lamb chops on the grill I have ever had. The malbec we had was perfect with the lamb and I don’t believe there wasn anybody that was having more fun and eating better than the Sedalia 305 KC Wizards crew at CAB.

We actually watched the first half of the game under the tent via internet (slingbox box from Direct-TV at work) on Fox Soccer channel. what fun. We were cheering and singing just like we were in the Cauldron. The secondd half the Wizards were attacking the Cauldron end and me and Chris and the boys headed into the Cauldron. It was still raining hard and the second half was amazing. McBride scored 4 minute in and then it was all Wizards with Kai Kamara getting us a goal back early in the half and then tying the game in the 89th. The usual poor reffing even though it was one of MLS most experienced refs… The boys lead the Cauldron in a round of “A rope, A tree…..” Classic.

Another day of soccer in the rain. Just doesn’t get much better than this.

After U9 and U10 played Saturday morning in the rain, we headed to Community America Ballpark for a tailgate (in the rain) before the Wizards played the undefeated LA Galaxy. We had a great turnout and the boys (and the parents) had a blast. Chris Wallen had scored a monster grill  that Mark Esquivel hauled up in his truck and HA brought what must have been hundreds of basket taco’s (or that basket didn’t have a bottom) and Mark Ciersdorff showed up with a van load of tops. So we were eating well, staying dry and having fun. Lori made a stadium birthday cake in honor of all the April Birthdays, Dylan Hayden, Hunter Gilliam, Maelin Moore, Owen Vannoy and Ian Wallen. Laura had hooked the kids up with Human tunnel passes and we all had a great time at the game with the Wizards outplaying the Galaxy but having the only goal of the game called back on another horrible call (ok – so I have seen the replay of this now and Kai amazingly did miss the ball and try to push it in. Where we sat on the lawn in the first half – it looked like the ball was across and he bungled in with it.). So 0 to 0. Can’t wait until the next game!

The boys had been bubbling all day about getting to play on the Wizard’ field at Community America Ballpark. We were set for a 5:00 matchup with Jefferson City Greece U10 boys. Our tailgate started early at 3:00 and it was great to have another weekend with the players and parents at another Wizards Game.

We played 8 v 8 going across the Wizard’s pitch with a playing time of 30 minutes. JC had the tallest U10 kid I think I have ever seen. But it didn’t matter. The game started and our boys went to work, Full-Wembley speed ahead. It was great fun and Hunter score two terrific goals and Dylan shut them out at the other end to give us the win, 2 to 0.

Then it was back to the tailgate with coach and HA Perez serving up some tailgate taco’s and carne asada. The Wizard’s game was a great one to end the season with a 2 to 2 that knocked DC United out of the playoffs. The game was followed by an autograph session with ALL the Wizard players and the boys enjoyed meeting the players and getting their autographs.

Saturday evening saw us at Community America Ballpark for the PKSA night at the Wizards. We had a great turn out from our two teams and the tailgate was a blast. Thanks to Lori and everyone that helped put it together. And a special thanks to HA Perez for the tacos and chips and salsa.

At 6:00 the boys went into the stadium for a special meet and greet with KC Wizards Captain and US MNT player, Jimmy Conrad. Jimmy is a very special person that has contributed so much to soccer, the Wizards and to Kansas City. I was excited that the boys would get to be in the presence of such a special and well balanced professional athlete. An athlete that is so rare these days. A role model that we can easily have our kids aspire to.

Thanks, Jimmy!

We wrapped up a fun day of soccer at Community America Ballpark for the Wizards v FC Dallas. When the Wizards visited Dallas a few weeks ago they ended up on the wrong end of a 6 to 0 shelling. None of us could remember the last home win by the Wizards and the last home goal was the 60 yard bomb from Lopez against the Galaxy. The Wizards had just signed Kamara from Dynamo and spirits were high.

It turned out to be a fun game. The wizards took an early lead thanks to Hirsig’s first goal on a nice assist from Lopez. But FC Dallas got one in before half. FCD went up 2 to 1 in the 2nd half but Josh Wolf equalized in the 77th minute. The Wizards were throwing everyone forward with Lopez, Wolf, Zoltan and Kamara all on the pitch. But it was Defender Jimmy Conrad that did a diving/sliding header into the back of the net in the 80th minute to put the Wizards ahead and give us a 3 to 2 win.

It is a rare August afternoon when you can hang out in the Community American Ballpark and tailgate and hear mumblings that the “air is cold”…..IT WAS GREAT! The tailgate that is. the game was another 90 minutes of the Wizards not being able to put one in the net, though they outshot Real 17 to 5 and Hartmann had only 2 saves to Seitz’s 11. The Wizards have not scored since the 50 yard shot from Lopez against the Galaxy.