The Baltimore Blast will officially begin their on-field title defense tonight at 6 p.m. when they host the Philadelphia KiXX in a preseason battle at Clarence “Du” Burns Arena in Canton.
The team opened training camp Monday, with a schedule of two-a-days set to run throughout the week. The team?s roster and camp invites totaled 37 players, nearly twice the amount they can keep once the season starts in November.
But the Blast didn?t do anyone any favors. They invited players they thought could make the team.
“We don?t want to break a lot of hearts,” Blast president and general manager Kevin Healey said.
First-year coach Danny Kelly, who took over late last season as a player/coach and led the franchise to its fourth Major Indoor Soccer League title, said the team is looking for depth at all positions. But the forward position is key, with MISL MVP Adauto Neto out with an injury.
The roster hopefuls enter camp on the heels of an open tryout, with a number of players joining the group with outdoor soccer résumés.
“Some haven?t played indoor regularly,” Kelly said. “Now, they got in with the regular guys, and today, you can tell. Everything is a bit more under control.”
The team did a lot of conditioning this week in preparation for tonight?s contest.
“Fitness is an important part of the game,” Kelly said. “It?s not a lot of guys? favorite thing to do, but it?s part of their job.”
Healey said earlier this week that he was happy with the team?s fitness entering camp. Now it is time for the unproven and inexperienced players to stand out with the veterans in a real, game-time atmosphere.
Admission to tonight?s game is $5, with all proceeds going to the Brian Hunt Memorial Fund.
