Introducing Minnesota Kings FC
The Minnesota soccer scene is continuing to expand with the addition of Minnesota Kings FC. The team will be joining the NPSL this summer thanks to the efforts of team owner and former NPSL goalkeeper Tim Haselberger. After playing with the St. Paul Twinstars, Tim started to take steps to add an expansion team in Minnesota. Tim studied current NPSL teams and youth clubs and put together a plan to form an elite team focused on providing local players a chance to play soccer at a high level as well as supply role models for Minnesota youth.
During the post season Tim developed a business plan which included a NPSL team, youth development program and youth soccer camps and was voted into the league in November. As he said in an interview with the NPSL, “We are not re-inventing the wheel, Minnesota has extremely solid programs throughout, we are just refining existing ideas and implementing them into a professionally run, youth to professional program that all have an opportunity to participate in.”
For the 2010 season Minnesota Kings FC will not play at a home stadium. The team is working with several youth clubs throughout the state to act as hosts for league games. The Kings are taking this approach in order to provide a chance for local youth leagues to provide their players with a high level soccer game in their own community. “Interaction with the youth is our most important goal,” said Haselberger. “We want to provide young soccer players in Minnesota with positive role-models, so we go to where clubs have expressed interest.”
The long term plans of Minnesota Kings FC is to start developing Minnesota’s youth from a young age and not turning them away when they enter college. The Kings want to have a development program with the intentions of training young players and giving them a goal in sight which is to become future players for the NPSL team.
Kings FC Head Coach Jason English
The head coach of Minnesota Kings FC will be Jason English. Jason played for Burnsville High School and helped the team win a State Championship. After graduating he attended Truman State and played Division II soccer. While he was with the team he was selected as the league Most Valuable Freshman. After his freshman year Jason transferred to the University of St. Thomas and played for three years, earning MVP honors in his senior year. After college he played professionally in France for three years, but his time was cut short due to injuries. He then returned to his alma mater serving as an assistant coach for the past four years as well as for a variety of club teams and top high school programs.
Assisting Jason will be Denzil Lue. Denzil has been involved with the St. Thomas men’s soccer program for 27 years and was head coach for 23 years. During his time at St. Thomas, Denzil was named MIAC Coach of the Year twice and led the Tommies to four conference championships and four NCAA Division II playoff berths. Denzil is also a member of the Jamaican soccer Hall of Fame for his play with the Jamaican National Team and coaching Jamaica’s U-19 team.
In addition to a coaching staff, Minnesota Kings FC has also started to develop their roster. Joining the team will be some of Haselberger’s former teammates from the St. Paul Twinstars including the 2009 NPSL MVP, Igor Stosic. Stosic began his NPSL career with the Minnesota Blast in 2005. After the team disbanded Stosic moved to the Twinstars for the next four years. As a five time all-star, Stosic adds a lot of talent and experience to the roster. The Kings are currently holding tryouts to look at current professional, college and high school players to add to the team. The Kings also hope to add other veteran NPSL players before the season begins.
Minnesota Kings F.C. will play their first league game against the St. Paul Twinstars May 22nd. The very next day the Kings will host the Twinstars in a league game that will also serve as a benefit match for Haiti. The game will be at Mounds View High School. The game time is 2:00 pm and tickets will be sold for $1 when families and individuals give a non-perishable food donation. All goods received will be given to a Haiti relief fund so that Minnesotans can come together for the good of soccer, family and helping those in need.
Comments are closed.
The website for the team says their first game of the season is on the 22nd at 7:00 hosted by the Twin Stars. The benefit game is the 23rd at 2:00 at the HS.
Jason is going to be busy this summer. He is also coaching a U12 and U13 boys teams for Dakota Rev.
With the expansion of the league this year they have grouped teams together. The Kings are grouped with the Twin Stars for obvious reasons. Its a double header game and we each are hosting each-other. Our first Home game is May 23 which yes, is the Haiti Benefit.