Coach Chris Watkins just informed me of the official tryout times.

Thursday, Feb. 25
6-9am IPF
4-6pm RB Turf

Friday, Feb 26
6-9am IPF
4-6pm RB Turf

Saturday, Feb. 27
4-6pm RB Turf
10-Midnight IPF

It should be fun to see who’s added to the team. After publishing the signing day release last Wednesday, I’ve become even more excited at the prospect of practice beginning in a couple of weeks and the season being just around the corner.

I’m quite impressed by the collection of returning starters, injured forwards who will be ready to go (De Francis, Pugmire, Marshall), returned missionaries, and incoming freshman that will make up this year’s team. It should be a very exciting season.

Check out some video highlights from the 2009 season.

Men’s Soccer Gives Clinic at Junior High

by Jarom Jordan

PROVO, Utah (Jan. 12, 2010) — Members of the BYU men’s soccer team traveled to Mapleton, Utah Tuesday to give a clinic to students at Mapleton Junior High.

“It’s been great,” said Zach Beddoes, P.E. teacher at the school. “It’s been nice to get the kids into smaller groups and work on the little skills they need. I think these guys really liked it. Having these guys here really validates the drills we do.”

Over 400 kids participated in eight different sessions of 45 minutes throughout the day working on heading, passing, dribbling, and shooting.

“We’ve just tried to have a lot of fun with them,” said freshman forward, Tim Fitt. “We’ve tried to let them get their energy out. We let them shoot a lot and kick. We’ve played a lot of passing and heading games with them.”

Members of the team not only taught soccer skills, but important life skills too. “I think it’s an example athletically and socially and every other way,” said Beddoes. “One of the players was mentioning to make good choices, stay healthy, those types of things, and that’s every bit as important.”

To schedule the team for an event like this one, please visit http://byusoccerfoundation.com.

by Jarom Jordan

PROVO, Utah (Jan. 6, 2010) — Although the regular season doesn’t begin until May, the BYU men’s soccer began formal pre-season preparations for the season this week.

The Cougars will lift, condition, and have free play as a team starting this week through the end of February.  Tryouts are February 25-27.

The Cougars prepare for a 16-game schedule against teams from the Southwest Division of the Premier Development League from May through July.  All eight teams in the division play each other home and away.  The Cougars won the Northwest Division in 2007 and took second in 2006.  The schedule will officially be released in February.

Last season, BYU finished 7-5-4 and in fourth position in the division, just one spot out of the playoffs.  Despite some major injuries the Cougars defeated Southwest Division champion, Hollywood Hitmen, 1-0 and tied eventual PDL champ, Ventura County 2-2.  This season seven starters return including goal keeper, Bryan Black, veteran defenders, KC Whitworth and Drew VanWagenen, and forwards Zach DeFrancis, Brady Marshall, and BJ Pugmire.  The Cougars lose seven players to graduation, including All-PDL Western Conference Honorable Mention, Richie Bindrup.

Several freshman will leave on LDS missions and four have returned.  Toni Niccoli, James Bindrup, Doug Clark, and Conner Bassett all gained experience prior to serving two year missions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints across the globe.  Nils Lofgren, Jordan Layton, Jake Petersen and Rich Harrison are some of the players who have left or will leave the team to serve missions.

During the 2009 season the Cougars suffered multiple injuries to experienced forwards, namely BJ Pugmire, Brady Marshall, and Zach DeFrancis.  Pugmire has rehabbed his second torn ACL and is playing again.  Marshall is out for a few months with a possible sports hernia and DeFrancis suffered a broken arm and nerve damage that still effects him.  During the fall forward Blake Tillotson made the team and scored two goals in fall exhibition games.  BYU finished 1-1-1 in fall play.

“We’re excited to play home and home with everybody to have an equitable schedule”, said BYU head coach, Chris Watkins. “We feel like, with all the players we have returning from injury, returning from missions, that we’re in great shape for 2010.”

2009 Fall Schedule
9/25   Utah State          2-0 W   (Lofgren, Osborne)
10/2   Real Salt Lake    4-1 L    (Tillotson)
10/16 Weber State       1-1 T    (Tillotson)

Stay tuned to byusoccer.com for updates on the team.

I hope everyone had a great holiday break.

Congratulations to assistant coach, Clay Christenson, and his wife Kim (former media relations director) on the birth of their first child, Ellie.  She was born seven pounds (not the movie) and 10 ounces.  That happened way back on December 2.

The team will be in official pre-season mode Monday, January 4.

The team will lift Monday’s and Wednesday’s in the mornings and condition Tuesday’s and Thursday’s with free play on Tuesday’s and Thursday’s as well.

Tryouts are February 25-27.  For more info on the tryouts, click here.

The season begins in May with 16 regular season games.

Jarom Jordan
jarom.jordan@byu.edu
801-471-4469

TAMPA, Florida (November 24, 2009) — Head Coach, Chris Watkins and General Manager, Deniece Oates traveled to Tampa, Florida for the United Soccer Leagues annual general meeting to discuss the 2010 Premier Development League season. The meetings were held in the ballroom of the Hyatt Hotel.

The PDL schedule was among the items discussed and will officially be released in February. The Cougars will continue to play in the Southwest Division of the   Western Conference. The Southwest Division is down to nine teams after the Bakersfield Brigade franchise folded.

BYU will play 16 games, featuring eight home and road games and will play each team twice, home and away. The Cougars used to play the Ogden Outlaws up to four times in a season but will only have two games against the in-state rivals in 2010.

“We’re excited to play home and home with everybody to have an equitable schedule”, said BYU head coach, Chris Watkins. “We feel like, with all the players we have returning from injury, returning from missions, that we’re in great shape for 2010.”

The Cougars regular season will go from May 8-July 17 and features two games against the PDL Champion, Ventura County Fusion. The Cougars tied the Fusion at home, 2-2 and lost 4-2 on the road last season.

The Premier Development League playoffs will revert back to the 2007 system with two qualifiers from each division, instead of three. Last year the league allowed three teams from each of the eight divisions, with the division champions earning a first round playoff bye. BYU has qualified for the PDL Playoffs twice (2006 & 2007).

Jarom Jordan
jarom.jordan@byu.edu
801-471-4469

PROVO, Utah (Nov. 6, 2009) — Jarom Jordan sat down with head coach, Chris Watkins to discuss the addition of Brandon Gilliam to the coaching staff, the creation of the BYU Men’s Soccer Foundation, what the team is currently doing, the upcoming Calle tournament, and his duties with the women’s soccer team.

Listen to the interview below.

Chris Watkins-Head Coach

Jarom Jordan
801-471-4469
jarom.jordan@byu.edu

PROVO, Utah (Oct. 24, 2009) — Team “Fresh Legs” and Team “Weight Watchers” mixed rosters Saturday to play a blue/white game. The White team beat the Blue team, 4-2 on Haws Field in front of about 100 people in cloudy, cool weather. Dan Watkins and Brandon Leroy were some of the players who scored in the game.

“My team lost again but it was a lot of fun,” said Hugh VanWagenen. “We had a great turnout this year. It’s great. There’s not a whole lots of kids from my generation…but great day, great fun.

“It’s fun seeing the guys, but we could meet somewhere and see each other,” said former player and coach, Tom Skousen. “It’s not that. It’s seeing them in context. We belong on the grass together. It’s the connecting with the guys on the field that’s fun.”

The game was the culmination of a successful alumni weekend.

“It was a great weekend,” said Corey Cuvelier. With the number of alumni that were here, it was probably the most successful turnout we’ve had. We had about 40 over the course of the two days.”

“Today’s game was good. Very slow paced, a lot of out of shape guys and so it was just fun. The team I had won it 4-2 so I rigged it just enough to give us just a few fresh legs.”

“Once you’re out of shape, you’re out of shape. The weight watchers had wisdom in their feet,” said Hugh VanWagenen.

Listen to audio below:

Corey Cuvelier

Tom Skousen

Hugh VanWagenen

These pictures were taken by Drew VanWagenen on Friday night.

I took these pictures Saturday.

Jarom Jordan
801-471-4469
jarom.jordan@byu.edu

PROVO, Utah (Oct. 23, 2009) — Some of the legends of yesteryear were on display Friday night as the BYU alumni fielded two teams against Utah Valley.

The BYU alumni split in two games with Utah Valley on Friday night at the Stadium at South Field.

The “Fresh Legs” alumni team lost 1-0 to Utah Valley during the 6:30 p.m. game and the “Weight Watchers” Alumni team pounded the Utah Valley alumni team, 3-0 in the night cap.

The alumni appreciate the experience and are proud to be a part of the BYU men’s soccer tradition.

“It’s incredible,” said former player, Devin Dahl. “It’s fun to see this stadium. It’s fun to see the team and how they’ve progressed in the league that they’re in and to be a part of an organization that started with a bunch of guys that liked to play soccer and formed a club team.”

“A lot of these guys here tonight, we used to travel in 15-passenger vans,” said former player and assistant coach, Brian Jolley. “We would stay with members. We would travel 12-14 hours, playing game after game and now to see them traveling internationally, representing the university, the church in not just the country but the world. It’s amazing to see how far the program’s come and to see the potential for the future.”

Saturday the two alumni teams will mix and play each other at 1 p.m. on Haws Field. Admission is free.

Listen to audio interviews with Dahl and Jolley below.

It’s a busy weekend around Provo.  It’s homecoming and the men’s soccer team is the most avid organization getting alumni participating!  The alumni will play multiple soccer games this weekend. What other teams actually have them playing games?  For the men’s soccer teams,  national champions and PDL pioneers will be in action against UVU.

Friday, 6:30 p.m at the Stadium at South Field vs. Utah Valley
Friday, 8:00 p.m. at the Stadium at South Field vs. Utah Valley
Saturday, 1 p.m. at Haws Field, Alumni Game

All three are free.

Check out the PDF release.

If you are an alumnus I would love to get photos from when you played and know as many of your teammates names as you can remember, records that season, opponents, foreign trip and national championship reflections, etc.  I’m trying to gather information for next year’s media guide that includes more about the history of the program.

Jarom Jordan
801-471-4469
jarom.jordan@byu.edu

Jarom Jordan
Media Relations Director

PROVO, Utah (Oct. 16, 2009) — In the final exhibition of the fall season BYU finished with a 1-1 draw against Weber State in double overtime.

Blake Tillotson scored off a Trevor Henderson cross in the 45th minute. Weber State tied it in the 83rd minute on a Kyle Christensen free kick from 30 yards out.

It was a very physically game. BYU played down two players, 9 on 10 for the final 35 minutes. Referee, Jeff Young dished out eight cards on the night (5-Weber State, 3-BYU).

Check out the the game recap, post game notes, and audio interviews from tonight’s exhibition finale between the Cougars and Wildcats.

Game Recap

Post Game Notes

Audio

Chris Watkins-Head Coach

Blake Tillotson (So.)-Forward

Trevor Henderson (Fr.)-Midfielder