“The club systems of Europe are in place to be certain they have squeezed the absolute best players out of the raw talent pool,” said United Soccer Leagues President Francisco Marcos. “With the lack of correlation between the youth and professional levels in North America, it is important to have events like these which fill the void in player identification.”
The 2006 USL Men’s Player Showcase presented by UMBRO will be open to 250, U23 athletes under process of application, making it one of the largest combines in U.S. Soccer history.
The event will allow these players the opportunity to impress professional coaches of North America and abroad. Selected players will converge upon Tampa, Florida from December 16 through December 20. The combine is open to all interested players, scouts, and coaches.
Among the top Major League Soccer, USL First and Second Division, and foreign scouts prowling the event for talent will be USL First Division side Miami FC.
“As a new franchise at the beginning of 2006, Miami FC relied to a great extent in finding talent within the PDL ranks,” said Miami FC General Manager Luiz Muzzi.
“However, we did have to go around looking for that talent at various locations. We firmly believe the upcoming UMBRO showcase is a great step forward, allowing all clubs to see this existing talent firsthand in a centralized location. We look forward to participating and, once again, tapping into this great source of skilled players.”
“The USL Men’s Player Showcase is an opportunity for top-level players to tryout with as many teams as possible in one centralized event,” said Showcase Coordinator and PDL Director Lee Cohen. “The combine gives these players, who otherwise couldn’t afford to travel North America trying to get on a professional roster, a chance to advance their career to the next level.
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About the 
USL Premier Development League
The top U23 men’s amateur league in North America lives in the USL Premier Development League (PDL), the development ground for elite players. The 2006 campaign features a 59-team format within four conferences, consisting of 16 regular season matches, 8 home and 8 away. The schedule is augmented by participation in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, and various exhibitions. Players have the ability to compete in the PDL throughout the summer months in a professionalized setting while maintaining their collegiate eligibility. The league is the proving ground for players that aspire to reach the highest-levels of the game, while providing affordable family entertainment within their city.
About United Soccer Leagues
As United Soccer Leagues celebrates its 20th year, soccer at all levels continues to grow in the U.S., Canada, and Caribbean. The largest organization of elite-level soccer leagues in North America, United Soccer Leagues is dedicated to growing the sport at the grassroots level in every community. The USL First Division and Second Division (North American men’s professional soccer), the USL Premier Development League (U23 North American men’s amateur), the USL W-League (North American women’s amateur), the USL Super-20 League (U20 North American men’s and women’s amateur) and the USL Super Y-League (North American boy’s and girl’s elite youth amateur) have provided a platform for thousands of players to reach their dreams since 1986. This vision and commitment to develop a soccer nation by fans, investors, administrators, coaches, and players has created the foundation for the growth of the sport, while presenting affordable, exciting family entertainment in over 100 cities and towns on the continent.
