REINA RETURNS TO RECAP THE OFFSEASON

by Joseph Reina

It’s been too long, hasn’t it? Indoor soccer very much has an offseason, but rarely does a day go by when there isn’t something happening in the soccer world with a connection to our hallowed turf.


For many players, the summer represents a chance for them to play elsewhere, to show off their talents and grow their personal portfolios as well as the game at large. One of the more prominent opportunities took place in early June at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina

 

Over 100 current and former MASL players participated in The Soccer Tournament, a 7v7 outdoor soccer tournament with a $1,000,000 grand prize for the winning team. Seven of the eight quarterfinalists featured at least one MASL player and the championship saw La Bombonera defeat Nani FC with the league heavily represented on both teams.


There were many moments that caught the attention of the national media, but few more than Pat McAfee’s appreciation for the “Arena League Boys”. His Concafa SC, garnered some love during their stay in North Carolina, thanks in large part to the efforts, both on the field and off, of his MASL cohort.


“We are very lucky to have a great crew,” Pat said in a video he posted to X. “These five dudes out of Arena League were nothing short of electrifying.”


The champions, La Bombonera, won with a squad almost entirely made up of MASL players from Mexico. It’s the second year in a row that teams heavily utilizing the league’s talent have won the $1,000,000 grand prize after Newtown Pride FC won in 2023.


Following the success outdoors, many players shifted back into the arena for a series of preseason exhibition games hosted by the Empire Strykers and San Diego Sockers. Both games pitted USA against Mexico and featured stacked rosters, heavily utilizing the MASL’s wide breadth of talent.



Mexico won the first bout 6-3, but team USA managed to get their revenge the second time around. Aside from being a thrilling spectacle, the game served as the christening of the Sockers’ new arena in Oceanside, California, as well as the backdrop for the league’s combine weekend.


Players from across the country flocked to San Diego for an invaluable opportunity to learn and compete against other immensely talented players. Their reward was an opportunity to be drafted and hopefully signed. The Harrisburg Heat traded with St. Louis for the first overall pick and took Noe Favila, a former Strykers player from Carlsbad, California.



The combine allowed teams the opportunity to bolster their squads with new talent, after a long offseason filled with trades and transfers. Empire took several major leaps forward by signing nine players since the end of last season.


Among those signings, last season’s Defender of the Year Robert Palmer. This, combined with a new coach in Onua Obasi will give the Empire every reason to be excited in 2024/25.


Across the rest of the league, Franck Tayou, Dylan Hundelt, and Mohamed Ndiaye left Utica for the Ambush, Milwaukee signed standout defender Robert Williamson from Harrisburg, Texas traded Vinicius Dantas to Utica City, and the Comets re-signed Guerrero Pino after a six-year stint in San Diego.


The many, many other roster moves can be seen in the Transactions tab at MASLsoccer.com.


We’re only a few short days away from the 2024/25 season kicking off, so make sure you follow the MASL on social media to keep up with all the latest news as it happens!