Sunday, December 16

CHARLESTON, SC – The second annual USL Men’s Player Showcase kicked off here today in Charleston, South Carolina. The event, containing 90 of the most talented amateur players available, began formally as players from around the world descended upon Daniel Island and the Charleston Battery’s flawless facilities which includes the country’s first privately funded soccer-specific stadium, Blackbaud Stadium.

“This is an opportunity for the Charleston Battery to show players and coaches that professional teams in North America are stepping up their level of professionalism,” said Charleston Battery Head Coach Mike Anhaeuser. “We are lucky to have an owner in Tony Bakker that cares as much as he does and has the vision to create an atmosphere like the one we have here in Charleston.”

“An event like the USL Men’s Player Showcase is particularly important because I do not get too many chances to see players from all over the country, especially players from the West Coast.

After their arrival today, players were open to acclimate themselves to the playing conditions on the Battery’s practice field. Following the kick-around session players were transported to Blackbaud Stadium’s Three Lions Club for dinner. The Three Lions Clubs is the home of the Charleston Battery’s passionate season ticketholders. The pub is a world-class soccer establishment located on the second floor of Charleston’s stadium.

“During home matches we open the gates 30 minutes early give the season ticket holders time to come here, soak up the atmosphere of this incredible pub and enjoy the buffet meal prepared by our extraordinary chief Pete.

“This place is packed before kickoff,” added Anhaeuser. “Everyone tells me how hard it is to get a seat.”

The Three Lions Club is often considered one of the top soccer bars in the U.S. Littered with priceless memorabilia, the museum of soccer history and stadium were completed in April of 1999. Blackbaud and the restaurant will host three 90 minute matches tomorrow evening and a second set of matches on Tuesday.

“We were a professional club before we built the stadium,” said Anhaeuser. “We had great teams and a lot of success, but after Blackbaud was built we were on a whole other level. All of a sudden we were recognized locally and nationally as a first-rate professional club.”

“The facilities make all the difference in the world,” added Anhaeuser. “As a player, as a coach and even as a league official, you feel like a professional when you are here. You feel respected. It makes it very easy to come to work each day.”
Work for Anhaeuser the next two days will consist of examining the 90 elite-level athletes in USL’s second-year showcase event. Made up of the top players in USL’s 67 team Premier Development League, the USL Men’s Player Showcase is Anhaeuser’s, and many other professional coaches best chance to see PDL players looking to turn pro this offseason.

“I catch glimpses of players from the local PDL clubs, the Carolinas Dynamo and Cary’s (North Carolina) U23’s,” said Anhaeuser. “In the U.S. Open Cup I got a look at some players from the Fresno Fuego, but events like this are really special because I get to see so many new players.”