Red Stars announce preseason schedule
The Chicago Red Stars will begin preparations for the inaugural 2009 WPS season on Sunday, March 1, when the players convene for the first time on the training field with coach Emma Hayes and staff.
The Red Stars preseason will be brief, with only five weeks before the team kicks off the inaugural campaign in St. Louis on April 4. During that time, the Red Stars will play six exhibition matches and pare the roster number down from 28 to 18, plus four developmental players.
"We've finally arrived at the moment we've been waiting for," Hayes said. "All the months of preparation and player selection have led us here. The coaching staff cannot wait to get onto the pitch and start working with our players."
The Red Stars' preseason schedule will include a three-team round robin competition involving the Red Stars, Northwestern University and Purdue University on March 7, as well as a 10-day minicamp in Sunrise, Fla., where the team will have a chance to square off against a WPS opponent for the first time. The Red Stars and the Boston Breakers will play an exhibition match on March 18 at the Sunrise Holiday Inn soccer field.
Upon their return, the Red Stars will attend the Illinois Youth Soccer Association Soccer Expo on March 21 in Schaumburg. There will be two autograph sessions, a town-hall meeting and a full team training session that will be open to the public.
In the final week leading up the season opener, the Red Stars will play two tuneup scrimmages against the University of Notre Dame and the University of Illinois.
"We're very fortunate to have excellent, quality programs, like Northwestern, Purdue, Notre Dame and Illinois in such close proximity to us," said Hayes. "These high-level scrimmages will help to prepare us to step onto the field for our first-ever WPS game as a cohesive unit."
The Red Stars open the season on the road against Saint Louis Athletica on Saturday, April 4, at Ralph Korte Stadium at SIU-Edwardsville. Following a second road game at the Washington Freedom on April 11, the Red Stars play their home opener on April 19 against Sky Blue FC at Toyota Park in Bridgeview.
Season tickets, starting at $120 for 10 regular-season games plus two bonus games, are on sale now. Call (866) WPS-2009 or log on to chicagoredstars.com to reserve your seats.