CASA GRANDE, ARIZ.-After successfully hosting MLS’ FC Dallas and the 2014 MLS Cup Finalists, New England Revolution, earlier this month, Grande Sports World is excited to have two more teams select the state-of-the-art facilities for their preseason training.
Grande Sports World is hosting Arizona United SC (USL), and the MacEwan University’s men’s and women’s soccer teams while the they prepare for their games against some of the top local teams this weekend, and according to the coaches, they’re excited to be staying here too.
“After I looked around I said, ‘Wow, yeah. This is the place to go,’” MacEwan’s men’s soccer head coach Karl Orom said.
Both MacEwan teams will be playing this weekend on Grande Sports World fields against some of the toughest competition the state has to offer. The coaches said the facility allows them to prepare for those matches because they don’t have to worry about trivial things like travel.
“It’s just so easy,” Orom said. “We don’t have all the headaches. We’re not having to drive places to get to fields. Everything is here. There’s nothing more you could ask for.”
“We knew that it was going to be good, but like I said, it was better than we expected,” added Dean Cordeiro, MacEwan University’s women’s head coach.
Arizona United head coach Frank Yallop agrees and said that he enjoyed how focused on soccer Grande Sports is.
“There are no distractions. It’s all soccer and I think that’s important,” Yallop said. “It feels like a soccer environment, which is big.”
The Peoria-based team will be headed out to Tucson over the weekend to open up their preseason, but will be returning to Grande Sports for another week of training next week.
MacEwan will be returning home to Canada once the weekend is over, but said they felt so welcomed at Grande Sports that they too would consider coming back to train.
“Thank you to all the staff, because they’ve done a tremendous job,” Orom said.” “There’s always a smile on their face, their always saying good morning and good afternoon, and it’s just a pleasant place to be.”
You can watch all the MacEwan matches this weekend at Grande Sports World fields:
Friday @8:00 p.m.
MacEwan University Men vs. Arizona Sahuaros
MacEwan Universty Women vs. Grand Canyon University
Saturday @4:00 p.m.
MacEwan University Men vs. Embry Riddle Aeronautical University
MacEwan University Women vs Embry Riddle Aeronautical University
Sunday @8:00 a.m.
MacEwan University Women vs. Arizona State University
Later this month, Indy Eleven of the North American Soccer League (NASL) will also be returning to Grande Sports World from February 28- March 8 as part of their preseason training. They will be joined by fellow NASL team, Ottawa Fury FC (February 28- March 7). During the 2015 season, Ottawa won the NASL Fall championship and reached the Soccer Bowl (NASL Final), where they lost to the New York Cosmos.
This will be Ottawa Fury FC’s first preseason at GSW.
Orange County Blues will also be joining Grande Sports World from March 6-11 for preseason training.
Don’t forget that preseason training is open to the public, so come down to Grande Sports World to see all of your favorite pros get ready for their season.