Zarek Valentin   Kofie Sarkodie 

Pontiac, MI (May 7, 2010)-   The Michigan Bucks begin their fifteenth season in the United Soccer League’s (USL) Premier Development League (PDL) on Wednesday, May 19, with a game at the Cleveland Internationals.  Between now and then, first year head coach Gary Parsons has close to fifty players in camp vying for one of 26 coveted roster spots to be a part of the Bucks 2010 season.  Unfortunately for many, this may be the hardest Bucks team of all time to make.  This year’s team will have the fewest returning members of any Bucks team in history and that won’t be a coincidence.  Last year the Bucks missed the playoffs for only the second time in fourteen years, one of many records held by the former PDL champions.  The only other time that happened (2001), Bucks Chairman/CEO Dan Duggan made wholesale changes to return the team to winning ways and this year was no different.  “The two seasons we did not make the playoffs were very different situations,” said Duggan.  “Last year we had an incredible amount of talent on paper, but on the field we just couldn’t get a result.  The team scored a record low in total goals with a pretty potent offensive lineup.  Defensively, we had the players we wanted to shut people down; but that didn’t happen either.  Gary (Parsons) and I went to work the day after the season ended to make the proper adjustments.  Akron was the first place we went,” concluded Duggan. 

Both Duggan and Parsons have had a long standing relationship with University of Akron head coach Caleb Porter.  Duggan initially watched Porter at Indiana University and for several summers when he played in the PDL against the Bucks a decade ago for the now extinct Kalamazoo Kingdom.  Added Duggan, “if anyone ever saw the intensity with which Caleb competed as a player, they would never question why he would be successful as not only a college coach, but as a recruiter.  If I were a college player, this is the type of guy I would want helping to mold my future.”  Parsons scouted a half dozen Akron games this past season but needed only one to determine where the Bucks needed to start rebuilding.  “If you look at their back line, it is easy to see why they don’t concede goals.  They are all quick, smart and always organized.”  Three of the defenders that led Akron to an undefeated season, a number one ranking in the country most of the year and an appearance in the NCAA championship game against Virginia (where they lost the college title on penalty kicks without conceding a goal in the entire tournament) have committed to playing with the Bucks this season.  Center backs Zarek Valentin (Lancaster, PA) and Chad Barson (Lewis Center, OH), along with outside back Kofi Sarkodie (Huber Heights, OH) are also members of the US U20 National Team that just returned from playing international competition at the Dallas Cup and are off to Holland next week to compete in the Cor Groenewegan tournament. 

In addition to the three national team players from Akron, the Bucks are pleased to add two important pieces of the team’s offensive fire power in Ben Speas (Stow, OH) and Scott Caldwell (Braintree, MA).  Parsons is counting on all five players to make a huge impact on the team, both on and off the field.  “Most of our guys have played at a high level all their lives, but the Akron boys bring recent success and experience to the locker room that everyone can learn from.  As excited as we all are to have an unprecedented back line that includes three national team defenders on the same PDL team, we think that Ben and Scott are going to be very important solutions to our finishing that was lacking last year,” added Parsons. 

This year’s Bucks team will also include several Michigan youth standouts currently playing college soccer throughout the area.  Star midfield Spencer Thompson (Shelby Twp, MI) leads the Spartan contingent back to Ultimate Soccer Arenas this month and brings along with him newcomers Rubin Bega (Harper Woods, MI), Kevin Cope (Canton, MI) and Colin Givens (Troy, MI).  University of Michigan star Mauro Fuzetti (Houston, TX) was drafted by the Kansas City Wizards of Major League Soccer last year after two stellar years with the Bucks.  Representing the Wolverines this season will be Chase Tenant (Rochester, MI) returning for his third season and he will bring along with him rookies Kofi Opare (Niagara Falls, Ont), Adam Shaw (Lone Tree, CO)  and Brian Klemczak (Livonia, MI).  Locally, Oakland coach Eric Pogue will be represented by forward Makesi Lewis (Trinidad), Tom Catalano (Shelby Twp, MI), John Dreshaj (Clinton Twp, MI) and goal keeper Mitch Hildebrandt (Livonia, MI).

Hildebrandt will be challenged for the starting goal keeping position from Justin Luthey (BostonCollege), who just returned from playing in the Dallas Cup for the U20 team as well.  The Bucks also have an additional list of star players joining camp next week from all over the US, as well as several international players coming in by the end of May.  As always, the Bucks look dangerous on paper.  As Parsons will remind the team, they need to perform on the field.  The perennial “group of death” known as the Great Lakes Division of the eight division PDL is stronger than ever this season with the addition of the PDL pro team, the Dayton Dutch Lions.  The Bucks will open their home season hosting the Lions on Saturday, May 22 at Ultimate Soccer Arenas (7:30 kickoff).  For ticket information and for an opportunity to find out about very special (and limited) season tickets and family passes to this year’s Bucks home games, please visit our web site at www.buckssoccer.com and sign up for the Bucks Insider news letter for free.  For further information, please call the Bucks office at 248-334-7463.