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Showing posts from April, 2019

Early squad details

Fusion aren't announcing players but someone has posted them on the NPSL site. Returnees: Mohammed "Billy" Bangura, the Beljulji brothers, Lewis Grant, Jacques "Jackie" Ncengetere, Jade Johnson, Isaac Kehson,  Osman "Ozzie" Mwerba, Fiaz Musa, Hartrick Tarr, Saye "Archie" Suah, Nuukele "Nuke" Gboe By my count that's 13 guys but notably no Steve Harris - the first choice goalie so far for the whole history of FC Fargo and then Fusion. Presumably an opportunity for Habib Beljulji. New guys: Brandon Beyer - West Fargo High, Bismarck State Leonard Dunor - West Fargo Sheyenne Rex Dweh - Utah Matthew Janke - New Ulm, MN Garrett Johnson Eduardo Melo The club's WPSL page mentions five players. I only recognize one, as Moorhead Spud Lauren Hodny continues to wear Fusion colors as she moves on to life at Bemidji State (D2, Northern Sun - a league with a tonne of Fusion talent last year) The other four are Megan Philips, Elle

The grassroots can be wide

Covering amateur soccer requires a) knowledge of the high school and college rosters and coaches and b) knowledge of a myriad of small towns and/or suburbs and c) some knowledge of international geography. Ideally, clubs pick up some of the slack and provide biographical details for players but often it is the colleges, local papers and research that fill in the blanks and as a new season approaches I apologise for any lack in bios as part of my club role and ask for forgiveness for player name mispronounciation when I haven't had the chance to get a definitive version. I hope to be able to chase those down, in particular. At least for my club and primary beat, Fusion. I'm looking forward to tracking those guys from country A via college B into home town C but also those guys like Jade Johnson who are synonymous with a particular town. See you guys later. Tim

Going pro

As far as I know, there are three Fargo kids currently in pro sides. Part of me wishes they were in the Founders Cup but thanks to the pipeline of Schaecter Sports, they are playing in Northern Europe. West Fargo High's Akeem Prince Smith has moved on to IF Älgarna in Sweden's fifth tier from Fusion. Fargo South's Jacob Weiler and Fargo Davies's Austin Peterson (via Concordia Moorhead - NCAA D3) are playing for SC Hauenstein.