Pro Soccer Showcase offers players platform for future after collegiate career

Orange Beach, Alabama- 70 players from more than 20 states and 15 countries joined collegiate and professional coaches last week for the first-ever 2011 Tourbeau College Soccer Showcase in Orange Beach, Alabama.

The pro combine was a first of its kind- an event to bring exposure and opportunities to the top players in the NAIA and NCAA. Through a strict application process, players were then approved and selected by a staff of soccer professionals who decided on the player pool for the week-long event.

The week included two days of training, classroom seminars which included video Skype interviews with various current professional players and panel discussions by the combine staff, 7v7 matches, a local Kids soccer clinic and the 11v11 matches for the final two days of the event.

Seven professional and development clubs were in attendance at the event at some point during the week and several other clubs were viewing the 11v11 matches via the live online video streaming over the internet.

"We have players who are already getting invites for closed trials", expressed combine director Chase Neidig.

A couple of those players who are going to other trials are Achille Campion (Belhaven) who will be joining Steven Kane (Notre Dame) for the Seattle Sounders camp next week. Kane was also invited into Wilmington (NC) Hammerheads camp in two weeks as well.

One of the event's top prospects, Joel Theissen (Rio Grande), also turned several heads. "I have been contacted by several clubs, and we'll look to assist him in getting into these different cities for the teams to see him in more depth", added Neidig.

Over the next several weeks, Neidig and company will be analyzing each player at the event and working with players and interested clubs to get them into trials or finalized contracts for the new pro season in 2012. Not only do the personal relationships help which Tourbeau Sports has developed, but also the fact that each 11v11 match was filmed and each player has access to their playing footage for refernce moving forward.

Neidig looks forward to future events and we'll look to expand and change a few dimensions of the combine next year and on. "There are some things we need to work through for next year, the combine was a first-time thing. We understand there will be a few issues no matter how much we prepare for it...But we are very satisfied with the response of the players and clubs, but we are more excited to see how many players benefit down the road with the environment/opportunity we created as a result."

The talent was obvious at the event. Every player had either All-Conference honors, All-American honors, PDL experience, Youth or current National Team caps, or came from a professional youth academy system included with their successful collegiate careers.

Many thanks also go out to the Alabama Gulf Sports Commission and the City of Orange Beach and their staff. The home of the showcase was an unbelievable first-year host with top-class fields and facilities.