NEWS
Stars to call NSC home this summer
By Jason Olson
SportsPrepZone Editor
The National Sports Center took the next step in bringing a professional soccer franchise back to Minnesota by unveiling NSC Minnesota Stars and its logo.
Three days later the team released its 2010 schedule with an April 11 opener at the Vancouver Whitecap before returning to the National Sports Center in Blaine April 24 to face the FC Tampa Bay. The regular season will conclude Oct. 3 with a home-and-home playoff series determined by total aggregate goals to begin Oct. 4.
Added Feb. 10
The Stars announced Feb. 10 that Manny Lagos, will take over coaching duties in addition to being the Director of Soccer Operations.
“This announcement shows we are focusing Manny's attention on the soccer part of team's operations,” said Kris Bjerkness, the team's General Manager. Bjerkness is also the NSC's Chief Administrative Officer. “Manny will be responsible for all aspects of the team's performance, from player recruitment, training, right though game-day coaching decisions."
Lagos' Minnesota soccer roots run deep as well. He was a star player at St. Paul Academy in the late ‘80's and went on to be an All-American at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1990 and 1991. His father Buzz Lagos, was a founder and then the long-time coach of the Minnesota Thunder pro soccer team.
Lagos' history with the National Sports Center goes back to his youth playing days. At the first-ever USA CUP youth soccer tournament in 1985, Lagos led his St. Paul Blackhawk U12 team to the championship final, where they lost to a team from Palos Verdes, Cal. He was a member of the gold medal-winning team at the 1990 U.S. Olympic Festival, which was played in the NSC Stadium, and he played for the Minnesota Thunder in 1994 and 1995.
“Manny's extensive knowledge of the Minnesota soccer landscape will be an invaluable asset for this team,” continued Bjerkness. “He has seen soccer from every level, from youth to the World Cup. We're a new team, but we want to respect and build on the rich tradition of pro soccer in Minnesota; for that, Manny's the strongest person we could hire.”
“This is a tremendous opportunity for me, professionally and personally,” said Lagos. “With a strong administrative structure in place at the NSC, I will be able to focus my energy on field-of-play issues. I think we have the ingredients to build a model team organization, and I want to fans to know that my focus will be on building the best possible soccer product.”
“This announcement shows we are focusing Manny's attention on the soccer part of team's operations,” said Kris Bjerkness, the team's General Manager. Bjerkness is also the NSC's Chief Administrative Officer. “Manny will be responsible for all aspects of the team's performance, from player recruitment, training, right though game-day coaching decisions."
Lagos' Minnesota soccer roots run deep as well. He was a star player at St. Paul Academy in the late ‘80's and went on to be an All-American at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1990 and 1991. His father Buzz Lagos, was a founder and then the long-time coach of the Minnesota Thunder pro soccer team.
Lagos' history with the National Sports Center goes back to his youth playing days. At the first-ever USA CUP youth soccer tournament in 1985, Lagos led his St. Paul Blackhawk U12 team to the championship final, where they lost to a team from Palos Verdes, Cal. He was a member of the gold medal-winning team at the 1990 U.S. Olympic Festival, which was played in the NSC Stadium, and he played for the Minnesota Thunder in 1994 and 1995.
“Manny's extensive knowledge of the Minnesota soccer landscape will be an invaluable asset for this team,” continued Bjerkness. “He has seen soccer from every level, from youth to the World Cup. We're a new team, but we want to respect and build on the rich tradition of pro soccer in Minnesota; for that, Manny's the strongest person we could hire.”
“This is a tremendous opportunity for me, professionally and personally,” said Lagos. “With a strong administrative structure in place at the NSC, I will be able to focus my energy on field-of-play issues. I think we have the ingredients to build a model team organization, and I want to fans to know that my focus will be on building the best possible soccer product.”
Many of the home dates will correspond with soccer tournaments already happening at the NSC, including the home opener during the NSC's Spring Cup youth tournament.
The popular Fourth of July game is back again this year as the Stars will face Crystal Palace Baltimore followed by Blaine 's Blazin' Fourth fireworks display at the National Sports Center campus.
NSC officials knew the identity of its own pro soccer franchise would be key in continuing to grow the sport, after the Minnesota Thunder folded at the end of 2009.
The Stars will play in the national USSF Division II league which consists of two six-team conferences " the USL and NASL Conferences. Minnesota joins Austin, Portland (Ore.), Puetro Rico, Rochester (N.Y.) and Tampa Bay. NASL Conference teams will play from Baltimore, Carolina, Miami, Montreal, St. Louis and Vancouver.
The NSC ran an online voting contest to help guide team officials to come up with the nickname. The result was 3,110 votes over a two week period wrapping up Jan. 26.
During a live Web cast on the NSC Web site, team General Manager Kris Bjerkness said Northstar FC was the most popular choice, but trademark issues prevented using the specific man.
"But that's why we're going with the Stars nickname; in recognition of the fan votes and that Minnesota is the North Star state," Bjerkness said, adding fans may develop a team identity and another nickname on their own. "There's a tradition of that in international soccer and we'd be very supportive of that. This will be the fans' team."
The team will roll out its new Web site (www.nscminnesota.org) in early March and until then fans will be directed to a separate page on the NSC's site.
Jason Olson is at jason.olson@ecm-inc.com
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