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Rowdies Rush 2012 Preseason Tour

Intra-squad Scrimmage as part of Red Bull Supercamp

Saturday, March 3, 2012

12 Noon

Monroe Middle School in South Tampa - 4716 Montgomery Avenue, Tampa, FL 33616.

Admission: Free

Roster:
The Rowdies will have 11 signed players available for Saturday’s scrimmage, as well as 12 trialists. Click here for the Rowdies current roster.

Who to watch for:
Team captain Frankie Sanfilippo, who signed a new three-year contract in December through the 2014 season, was second on the team with 2,250 minutes played in the 2011 season. Starting in 25 matches last year, the defender scored one goal and had two assists.  

Forward Mike Ambersley had a very successful 2011 season, where he led Tampa Bay with 11 goals and 29 points, landing him a spot in the North American Soccer League Best XI. Having just signed a new three-year deal with the Rowdies, he will definitely be one to watch for the 2012 season. The NASL’s August 2011 Player of the Month also led Tampa Bay with seven assists and 2,275 minutes played.

Luke Mulholland signed with the Rowdies in January of 2012 after having a successful run with the Minnesota Stars in the 2011 season as a midfielder/forward. The Preston, England native had several game-decisive goals in 2011, including the game-winner in the 3-1 Stars victory over Ft. Lauderdale in the first leg of the NASL Championship Series on October 22.

Quotable:
Head Coach Ricky Hill on being in front of fans early in training:
"Every player will tell you once they’re on the field, they’re playing for their pride, they’re playing for their families, they’re playing for their personal pride.  No one wants to go out there and play badly.  With fans being there, that extra element of adrenaline kicks in where you want to do something or not do something that is totally memorable to the fans, like a catastrophic mistake, but also if you do things well and people recognize you for your abilities, it builds confidence and that only happens when you have the public viewing. The most important factor for me will be coming away from tomorrow’s game with everyone’s health intact, no strains or injuries.”

Luke Mulholland
“I am looking forward to it. It’s always good to meet the new fans, so I’m looking forward to it. I’m enjoying it so far. You don’t want to overdo it the first two or three days because, when you’ve not been playing in the offseason, it takes your body a few days to get into a good regime of recovering.  It’s been a good steady couple of days and I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”

Up Next:
The 2012 Rowdies Rush Preseason Tour continues next Saturday, March 10 when Tampa Bay takes on Eckerd College at the Premier Sports Campus at Lakewood Ranch near Bradenton. Tampa Bay will face the Tritons at 6:30 p.m. in a match that will be hosted by the Chargers Soccer Club. The Premier Sports Campus at Lakewood Ranch is located in 5895 Post Blvd, Bradenton, FL 34202. There is an admission charge of $5 per car and concessions will be available for purchase.