Orlando Soccer Journal

Orlando Pride inaugural NWSL games announced

By MIKE GRAMAJO

Alex Morgan will make her return to Portland, only this time sporting purple during the National Women's Soccer League opening games in April. 

The Orlando Pride will begin its inaugural NWSL season at Providence Park when it takes on the Portland Thorns on Sunday, April 17 . Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET. 

The Pride will commence their season at the Citrus Bowl the following weekend on Saturday, April 23 when they welcome the Houston Dash for a 7:30 p.m. game.

“With the successful launch of the MLS team, as well as the 2016 launch of the NWSL and USL teams, this region continues to reap the economic benefit of world class professional soccer,” Orlando City President Phil Rawlins told the club's website. “This is a thrilling time for our organization, our partners, and for fans in the ‘Soccer Capital of the South.'” 

Sources have confirmed with the Orlando Soccer Journal the full Orlando Pride schedule will be released next week. Stay tuned. 

The NWSL will feature 10 teams in 2016 with the Pride being the league's newest expansion team. 

Kaylyn Kyle and Josée Belanger named as Orlando Pride's Canadian allocated players

Staff reports

The Orlando Pride announced on Monday some changes to its roster.  

Josée Bélanger joined the expansion NWSL team as an allocated player of the Canadian national team from the Canadian Soccer Association. 

Kaylyn Kyle, who joined Orlando in October, was also named one of the Pride's allocated players from Canada. 

For Bélanger, it will be her first year as a Canadian national team allocated player.

Per the release, “The placement of Canada’s allocated individuals was accomplished using the league’s prior placement processes, as that process began prior to the adoption of the new rule. The new Player Allocation Process, which was announced on Jan. 15, 2016, will be in effect moving forward to distribute the rights to any new individuals to clubs in the league.”

Prior to joining the Pride, Bélanger spent eight years in Canadian and Swedish leagues, making 30-plus appearances. She is also a 2010 CONCACAF Women’s Championship gold medalist.

Orlando Pride acquires first supporter club

Staff reports

As the Orlando Pride enter their inaugural National Women’s Soccer League season, Orlando City Soccer Club has been hard at work acquiring recognized supporter clubs. On Wednesday, the organization sealed its first deal.

Per a press release, the Pride announced its first recognized supporter club, The Crown.

“We’re thrilled to welcome The Crown to the Orlando City family,” Orlando City SC chief executive officer Alex Leitão said. “Our club supporters have been instrumental in helping create an incredible match-day experience on the MLS side, and we look forward to seeing that same passion and loyalty for Orlando Pride."

The Crown is similar to the Iron Lion Firm, the Ruckus and Harbor City Hooligans in that it will focus on promoting Orlando Pride spirit.

“Our goal is to create a culture that is supportive of Orlando Pride in a family-friendly environment, while also supporting the Orlando community through numerous charitable and social activities,” The Crown president Lisa Raymond said.

Local restaurant chain Graffiti Junktion was also announced as a partner of The Crown, which will help coordinate away-game watch parties in Oviedo and other events related to the fan club. 

While the The Ruckus and Iron Lion Firm pay much of its attention to Orlando City SC of Major League, and the Harbor City Hooligans to Orlando City B of the USL, The Crown's focus will solely be toward the Orlando Pride. 

For more information regarding membership, contact: CrownLeadership@pridescrown.com. Membership fee for the Supporter club is $25, and includes an exclusive scarf.

Orlando Pride 2016 roster | January edition

Below is the most current Orlando Pride roster (20): 

Stadium: Orlando Citrus Bowl 

Head coach: Tom Sermanni 

Assistant coach: Khano Smith, Marcos Mechado

Goalkeepers (2): Ashlyn Harris, Aubrey Bledsoe 

Defenders (8): Camille Levin, Taryn Hemmings, Toni Pressley, Maddy Evans, Monica Alves, Stephanie Catley, Kristen Edmonds, Sam Witteman 

Midfielders (3): Kaylyn Kyle, Rebecca Edwards, Dani Weatherholt

Forwards (7): Alex Morgan, Sarah Hagen, Jamia Fields, Lianne Sanderson, Jasmyne Spencer, Christina Burkenroad, Josée Bélanger

Report: Orlando City to open new Lake Nona training facility

By VICTOR NG

Orlando City Soccer Club will soon have a new training ground. 

According to the Orlando Sentinel, Orlando City will announce Friday it will partner with Lake Nona on a 23-acre training facility expected to open in 2017.

The new training ground will be home to Orlando City's MLS squad. Orlando City B of the USL and the club's U.S. Soccer Development academy teams will also train at the Lake Nona Facility, which will feature "as many as 12 fields on site." 

Orlando City currently trains at Sylvan Lake Training Center in Seminole County. They will begin training at the Lake Nona facilities by March 2017.

The Orlando Pride of the National Women's Soccer League will inherit the training grounds at Sylvan Lake Park in 2017. 

If the ownership decides to expand the proposed Lake Nona site, Orlando City also has an option to acquire 20-plus acres in front of the new facilities. Per the Sentinel, “The Tavistock Group, which owns Lake Nona, will develop the privately funded campus.”

Already, $2 million has been spent to help renovate the Sylvan Lake facility, as it has a new gym, locker room, training room and practice fields.

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You can email the author at [email protected].

If you go: Orlando City special announcement event

By VICTOR NG

With a little more than a month away from the start of the 2016 Major League Soccer season, excitement for the second-year team’s campaign is steadily building.

To get the fans more involved with the preseason festivities, Orlando City SC will be hosting a fan event for a club announcement. Here are the details: 

Orlando Pride's Alex Morgan, Ashlyn Harris named to U.S. national team for Olympic qualifying

Staff reports

Orlando Pride Pride forward Alex Morgan and goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris were called up to the 2o-player U.S. women’s national team roster for the 2016 CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying tournament. 

The tournament will take place in Frisco and Houston, Texas, and will run from Feb. 10-21.

“Orlando Pride will be well represented on the U.S. women’s national team as they pursue a berth in the Brazil Olympic Games,” Pride head coach Tom Sermanni said. “Both Alex and Ashlyn are instrumental to the success of that squad, and we look forward to their performance in the coming tour, as well as in the upcoming preseason for the NWSL.”

The U.S. will open tournament play on Feb. 10 against Costa Rica at 8:30 p.m., and will finish Group A play with a match against Mexico on Feb. 13 at 4 p.m. ET. The World Cup champions will cap its run of games against Puerto Rico on Feb. 15 at 8:30 p.m.

All 20 players that will attend the qualifying championship were a part of the 26-player roster that defeated Ireland 5-0 on Jan. 23. In that match, Morgan recorded her 100th career appearance for the U.S., and also tallied her 57th career goal.

“This was an exceptionally challenging roster to select,” women’s national team head coach Jill Ellis said. “The players all worked and competed very hard in the January camp and that made the final decisions extremely difficult. With only 17 field players allowed on the roster, and minimal time in between matches, I think we have one of the most versatile rosters ever for a qualifying tournament.”

If the U.S. qualifies for the Brazil Olympic Games, it will be the sixth-consecutive Games they’ve made. In 2012, the U.S. also won the Olympic-qualifying tournament in Vancouver, B.C., where they would also win the Women’s World Cup three years later.

U.S. women’s national team roster (by position) for 2016 CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Championship:

GOALKEEPERS (3): Ashlyn Harris (Orlando Pride), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars), Hope Solo (Seattle Reign FC)

DEFENDERS (7): Jaelene Hinkle (Western New York Flash), Julie Johnston (Chicago Red Stars), Meghan Klingenberg (Portland Thorns FC), Ali Krieger (Washington Spirit), Kelley O’Hara (Sky Blue FC), Becky Sauerbrunn (FC Kansas City), Emily Sonnett (Portland Thomas FC)

MIDFIELDERS (5): Morgan Brian (Houston Dash), Tobin Heath (Portland Thorns FC), Lindsey Horan (Portland Thorns FC), Carli Lloyd (Houston Dash), Samantha Mewis (Western New York Flash)

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Victor Ng (@_VictorT24) contributed to this report.

Around the City | Tim Holt leaves for USL San Antonio

By MIKE GRAMAJO

After nearly eight months as Orlando City's vice president of development, Tim Holt is taking another role in the soccer world. 

The former USL president was announced as USL San Antonio's managing director on Friday. 

It’s such an exciting opportunity to be involved with leading and shaping a professional soccer club from day one," Holt told the club's website. "We are well-positioned to follow the path of Orlando, Portland, Seattle, Montreal and Vancouver in realizing the objective of bringing MLS to San Antonio by building through the USL." 

Holt was named vice president of development for Orlando City last May, and even helped kick start the club's return to the USL with Orlando City B. Holt even spearheaded OCSC's effort in landing a National Women's Soccer League franchise with the Orlando Pride. 

Holt joins former Orlando City academy coach Darren Powell, who was named USL San Antonio's head coach earlier this month. 

USL San Antonio, not its official name, are owned by Spurs Sports and Entertainment who also own and operate the San Antonio Spurs of the NBA. The Texas expansion franchise are expected to start USL play later this year at Toyota Field. 

BOBBY MURPHY NAMED ASSISTANT COACH

Orlando City's coaching staff just got considerable large on Friday. 

The Lions announced Bobby Murphy as their third first-team assistant coach for Adrian Heath. 

“I am pleased to say that we have been able to agree to terms with Bobby Murphy to join the MLS coaching team and our academy," Orlando City president Phil Rawlins said in a statement. “Bobby has been the driving force behind the St. Stephens Academy, where he has been head of development for the past 13 years. He has an exemplary record of developing young talent." 

Murphy will also take the role as technical coordinator for the club's academy program. 

As the club heads into its second season in Major League Soccer, Adrian Heath will now have three assistants working under him. Mark Watson, Stewart Kerr and now Murphy will be alongside Heath on the sidelines for the 2016 season.

ORLANDO PRIDE SELECTS 3 IN NWSL COLLEGE DRAFT

The Orlando Pride's roster was already taking shape

But after the National Women's Soccer League college draft, it's now in the finishing-touch stage as preseason looms. 

Midfielder's Samantha Witteman, Dani Weatherholt and forward Christina Burkenroad were selected by the Orlando Pride in the 2015 NWSL College Draft on Friday at the Baltimore Convention. 

“We were really delighted with the picks that we made in today’s College Draft,” Pride coach Tom Sermanni said in a statement. “We didn’t think that we’d get three players of that quality when we had the 10^th, 15^th and 31^st picks, so I think we got the types of players that we want and the quality of players that we want.”

Witteman of the University of California at Berkeley was selected as the 10th overall pick. Burkenroad of California State followed as the Pride's 15th overall pick. Weatherholt of Santa Clara University capped the Pride's Friday picks when she was selected as the 31st overall pick. 

 

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Orlando City to play entire 2016 season at Citrus Bowl, downtown stadium set to open in 2017

By MIKE GRAMAJO 

Orlando City SC announced Wednesday it will play its entire 2016 MLS season at the Citrus Bowl, forgoing its original plan of playing in its downtown soccer-specific stadium later this year. 

Orlando City president Phil Rawlins cites construction delays for the announcement. 

"Unfortunately, stadium construction is taking a little longer than anticipated," Rawlins said in a statement. "In order to provide enough time, we have taken the prudent decision to play the entire 2016 season in the Orlando Citrus Bowl, and concentrate our construction efforts on being fully prepared for opening in 2017." 

The $155 million project was expected to be completed sometime this summer, with the Lions starting the 2016 season at the Citrus Bowl before moving down Church Street, its current location.

The stadium, which still doesn't have an official name or sponsor yet, is expected to seat 25,500 after majority owner Flavio Augusto da Silva announced last year the club will privately fund the stadium.

Orlando City's women's team, Orlando Pride of the National Women's Soccer League are also expected to play at the Citrus Bowl before moving to the downtown stadium.

Purple and TrueBlue unite

In other news, JetBlue Airways has teamed with Orlando City to become the official airline partner. 

The partnership includes an Upgrade of the Game promotion, which will award two fans during Orlando City's 17 home games at the Citrus Bowl with round-trip travel certificates to and from to any JetBlue destination.  

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Orlando City and WRDQ TV 27 announce TV deal

By MIKE GRAMAJO

Orlando City has officially launched a new local TV deal with WRDQ TV 27 and WFTV ABC 9. 

“We are thrilled to partner with WRDQ TV 27 and WFTV 9 to offer our fans even more Orlando City content each and every week of the 2016 season,” Orlando City president Phil Rawlins said in a statement. “The addition of a pre and postgame show will elevate the match broadcast to a higher level for our loyal and discerning fans." 

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the partnership is signed to be a multi-year deal, which includes a weekly Orlando City show. 

The announcement comes after WOFL Fox 35 partnered with the Lions for their inaugural Major League Soccer season. 

Orlando City kick off its 2016 MLS season at the Citrus Bowl on March 6 vs. Real Salt Lake. WRDQ will broadcast the match, which is slated to start at 2 p.m.