Community Events
Community United Room Refurbishment Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony
Who: Brad Ring, Kelly Gray
What: Room Refurbishment Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony
Where: Starbird Community United Center at 1050 Boynton Avenue in San Jose, Calif.
When: Tuesday, Dec. 18 at 4 p.m. PT
Details: Earthquakes midfielder Brad Ring and club ambassador Kelly Gray will be on hand for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to unveil a homework room that the Earthquakes refurbished along with Community United.
Wondolowski’s One Goal at a Time Check Presentation with Street Soccer USA
Who: Chris Wondolowski, Street Soccer USA
What: Check Presentation
Where: Everett Middle School at 17th and Church in San Francisco
When: Wednesday, Dec. 12 at 6 p.m. PT
Details: Wondolowski will donate $5,400 to Street Soccer USA, a sport development program for the homeless.
Miscellaneous Notes
Quakes One of Three in Mobi Fehr Lottery
The Earthquakes are one of three teams vying for the services of former U.S. U-17 national team defender Mobi Fehr in a weighted lottery on Tuesday. San Jose has a 1.4-percent chance of landing Fehr compared to Portland’s 83.1 and Seattle’s 15.5. The odds are based on 2012 performance. The Tokyo-born product represented the U.S. at the 2011 U-17 World Cup as a central defender.
Quakes Select Three in MLS Re-Entry Draft
The Earthquakes selected defenders Dan Gargan and Ty Harden and midfielder Bryan Jordan in Stage 2 of the MLS Re-Entry Draft last week. The Earthquakes now have rights to the trio and may negotiate new contracts with the players. Gargan, 30, is a seven-year MLS veteran who spent his last two seasons as a member of the Chicago Fire. The right back has two goals and eight assists in 123 career appearances. He was a regular starter for the Fire and helped the club reach the MLS Cup Playoffs in 2012. The former All-Big East selection was a co-captain for the Georgetown Hoyas in college. Harden, 28, is a five-year MLS veteran who spent his last three years with Toronto FC. The 6-foot-1 center back has 74 appearances and 64 starts during his career. He captained the Washington Huskies and was a four-year starter in college. Jordan, 27, has five years of MLS experience, each with the two-time defending MLS Cup Champion LA Galaxy. The speedy wide midfielder has two goals and three assists in 56 career appearances with the Galaxy. One of those goals came in a 1-1 draw against the Earthquakes on April 18, 2009. He was a Pac-10 All-Academic selection with Oregon State in 2004 and 2005.
Earthquakes Acquire SuperDraft Pick for Ike Opara
The San Jose Earthquakes acquired Sporting Kansas City’s natural second round pick in the 2013 MLS SuperDraft (No. 33 overall) in exchange for defender Ike Opara last week. Opara appeared in 35 games over three seasons with the Earthquakes, scoring three goals in the process. The former No. 3 overall SuperDraft pick saw his 2010 and 2011 campaigns cut short due to season-ending foot surgeries, but came back to appear in a career-high 16 games in 2012.
Earthquakes to Hold 2013 Open Tryout
The Earthquakes will host an open tryout on Saturday, Jan. 19 at Danville's Mustang Soccer Complex for males ages 18 or older. The tryout will be broken down into three heats between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. Each heat will last 90 minutes with players getting two opportunities to play in a 30-minute scrimmage in front of the Earthquakes’ technical staff. The best 25-30 players will be selected to play each other in a game coached by the Earthquakes’ technical staff for a second audition on Saturday, Jan. 26 at 3 p.m. A maximum of 200 participants will be allowed to try out. The cost is $100 per person. For more information about the tryout, contact the Earthquakes Front Office at 408-556-7700. Registration will not be available the day of tryouts. All proceeds from the 2013 Earthquakes Open Tryout will benefit the San Jose Earthquakes Community Fund.
Quakes Announce 2013 Preseason Schedule
The San Jose Earthquakes unveiled their 2013 preseason schedule today, a slate that includes trips to Tucson, Ariz., Oxnard, Calif. and Portland, Ore. for friendlies and the second-annual Timbers FC Preseason Tournament. Players will report to camp on Saturday, Jan. 19 with the club’s first practice to follow on Monday, Jan. 21. For more information on the preseason game schedule and the preseason travel schedule, visit www.sjearthquakes.com.
San Jose Earthquakes Preseason Game Schedule:
Feb. 2 – #Earthquakes vs. Houston Dynamo, 10 a.m. PT
Feb. 17 – %Earthquakes vs. Portland Timbers, 5 p.m. PT
Feb. 20 – %Earthquakes vs. AIK (Sweden), 5 p.m. PT
Feb. 23 – %Earthquakes vs. FC Dallas, 2:30 p.m. PT
Note: Dates and times are subject to change. Games may be added at any time.
#The Desert Friendlies presented by FC Tucson at Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, Ariz.
%Timbers Preseason Tournament at JELD-WEN Field in Portland, Ore.
San Jose Earthquakes Preseason Travel Schedule:
Jan. 19 – Team Physicals
Jan. 21-27 – San Jose, Calif. at Earthquakes Training Facility
Jan. 28-Feb. 2 – Tucson, Ariz. at Kino Sports Complex
Feb. 3-5 – San Jose, Calif. at Earthquakes Training Facility
Feb. 6-10 – Ventura, Calif. at Oxnard Community College
Feb. 11-15 – San Jose, Calif. at Earthquakes Training Facility
Feb. 16-Feb. 23 – Training in Portland, Ore. (Matches on Feb. 17, Feb. 20, Feb. 23)
Earthquakes Partner with Downtown San Jose’s Christmas in the Park
The Earthquakes will once again partner with Downtown San Jose’s Christmas in the Park at Plaza de Cesar Chavez. The club will feature an Earthquakes-themed tree in the park throughout the holiday season.
Wells Fargo Goals for Education
The Earthquakes raised a total of $18,500 through the Wells Fargo Goals for Education program thanks to the club’s 72 regular season strikes and two MLS Cup Playoff tallies. The club is now sifting through donation requests to determine which organizations will receive funds through the program. Thanks to 40 goals in 2011, the partnership raised $10,000 for local youth soccer and athletic development programs a year ago.
Academy Update
Kendall McIntosh Named to USMNT Under-20 Camp
Former Academy goalkeeper, Kendall McIntosh, has been named to the USMNT under-20 camp by head coach Tab Ramos. McIntosh is one of 13 non-professionals named to the roster as well as one of three goalkeepers. McIntosh, who now plays for Santa Clara, will use the camp to prepare for the under-20's CONCACAF Championship tournament held Feb. 18-March 3 in Puebla, Mexico. The U.S. will face Haiti and Costa Rica in Group A. During the weeklong camp, the U.S. will play two matches closed to the public: an intrasquad scrimmage on Dec. 18 and Venezuela on Dec. 21.
