Alabama Soccer to Kick Off Season with Midnight Practice
8/7/2006 12:00:00 AM | Soccer
TUSCALOOSA ?? The 2006 Alabama soccer season will officially begin Wednesday at 12:01 a.m. as the Crimson Tide will hold a midnight practice session underneath the lights of the UA Soccer Stadium.
The practice session will be open to the public and soccer fans are encouraged to come out, show support for the team and take in the action.
“We are all excited about what this season has in store for us and we can’t wait to get started,” Alabama head coach Don Staley said. “This is the earliest possible time we can get on the field and we want to do everything we can to get a jumpstart on the season.”
Wednesday’s practice will be the first for six Alabama freshmen. Transfer Jamie Zimmerman, who participated in spring drills, will begin her first season at the Capstone as well. The Tide also welcomes back eight starters and nine additional letterwinners from last year’s squad including SEC All-Freshman goalkeeper Kara Gudmens.
Following Wednesday’s midnight session, Alabama will practice on campus the remainder of the week before packing its bags and heading to Orange Beach, Ala. for training camp August 12-18. While training in Orange Beach, the Tide will participate in a clinic at the Fairhope Soccer Association on August 17.
Alabama will host Samford in an exhibition match at the UA Soccer Stadium August 19 at 7 p.m. before opening the season against Denver on August 25 in Nashville, Tenn. The Tide’s home opener will be on September 15 against Mercer at 7 p.m. Admission is free to all Alabama home soccer matches.
