Stars announce two tryouts

Seeking to bolster a championship-winning squad, the Minnesota Stars announced two combines for players wishing to exhibit their skills to the coaching staff. The Stars will host a combine for local players on Friday, January 6, 2012, and a three-day invitational tryout February 21-23.

Registration is now open for the local combine, which runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. January 6. Space is limited to the first 50 registrants on a first-come, first-served basis. Players in the Twin Cities area and Western Wisconsin wishing to attend should click here for registration information. Registration for the local combine closes at 5 p.m. on Monday, January 2.

“We’re excited to add the local combine to try to identify local talent,” Stars head coach Manny Lagos said. “As a club, we believe in seeking out and nurturing players who’ve grown up and played in our community. This is a thriving soccer market, and we believe there are pro-caliber players already in the Cities.”

The Stars will also host an invitational combine in February. To be considered, players should fill out the web form on this page and paste their CV or playing résumé into the text field. Coaches will review applicants, contact former coaches and references and issue invitations in January for this three-day event.

Combines have yielded several players for the club in its two-year history. Forwards Simone Bracalello and Devin Del Do have combined for 18 goals in two seasons. Midfielders LeiLei Gao and Leland Wright also signed for the club in 2010 after impressing in tryouts.

“We’ve signed players through combines who’ve traveled to Minnesota to see what this team and pro soccer are all about,” Lagos said. “It’s not easy to find good players, so this is another avenue and gives players a chance to present themselves to us.”