Minnesota Stars Wrap Up 1-Day Combine for Local Talent

The atmosphere was upbeat and the play was fast-paced as the defending 2011 NASL Champion Minnesota Stars kicked off their 2012 preseason by hosting a combine at the National Sports Center Sports Hall on Friday. Although the combine was targeted for Minnesota players, several candidates from other states and countries, even as far away as France, made the trip to impress the Minnesota Stars coaching staff.

According to Djorn Buchholz, CEO of the Minnesota Stars, “The main purpose was to find talent that is local.”  Buchholz noted that the Stars are committed to giving local players a chance to make the squad and pointed out that last season’s roster included local players such as defender Brian Kallman and midfielder Andrei Gotsmanov. Buchholz also noted, “this is a chance for other players to be seen by the coaches and make the team.”

Coach Manny Lagos concurred with Buchholz about the importance of finding local talent, and the development of soccer players for the 2012 squad. “The pathway to pro soccer for a young player in terms of development may take a few years, but there are different avenues each player can take,” noted Lagos.  Coach Lagos went on to state that the combine gave him a chance to see if a player had “the right tools to play D2 soccer,” and that he was looking to add talent at their forward and outside midfield positions.

During the morning session, the 34 players who signed up for the combine were split into three teams.  They then played a series of 20-minute 8 v 8 matches. Following a lunch break, the players continued their audition by playing full-field 11 v 11 matches in front of coaches Manny Lagos, Carl Craig and Kevin Friedland. Coach Lagos indicated that players fitting the needs of the team will be asked to attend the team’s February combine or possibly start training with current Stars players who stayed in the Twin Cities during the off-season.

Information regarding the next Stars combine, which will be held on February 21-23, can be found on here.  All players wishing to attend this combine are required to register in advance, and attendees will then be selected from that pool.

Player roster from Friday’s combine:

Name                               City/State/Country   Year Born

Caleb Norman                   White Bear Lake, MN     1989
Jonathan Linke                 Cottage Grove, MN         1990
Jason Adams                     Little Canada, MN           1989
Ryan Cammarota             Neenah, WI                       1990
Andrew Hill                       Erie, CO                             1989
Hendrik Hohlfeld             Eden Prairie, MN            1994
Iyengumwena Emwinromwanekhoe    Brooklyn Park    1992
Mohammed El Hilali       Little Canada, MN          1984
Drew Carlson                    South St. Paul, MN         1987
Angel Riera                       Minneapolis, MN            1990
Samake Mamadou          Paris, France                    1991
Mehmed Jasenac            Coon Rapids, MN            1996
Michael Werdien            Coon Rapids, MN            1990
Jorge A Kefati Zelaya    Willmar, MN                    1986
Kwaku Amaoh                St. Cloud, MN                   1992
Amilcar Mijares             Burnsville, MN                 1979
Jake Schlitz                    Coon Rapids, MN             1991
Alberto Nova                  Italy                                    1984
Ben Metcalfe                  Mankato, MN                   1984
Sebastian Kramer        Savage                                 1988
David Cameron            San Antonio, TX               1985
Ole Froystad                 St. Anthony, MN              1986
Graham Lynch             Charleston, IL                   1988
Michael Mbu                St. Paul, MN                      1987
Ejiro Newton-Denila  St. Cloud, MN                   1991