November 27, 2004

Planning Begins for 2005 Utah Spiders Season
Partnership Deepens Between Spiders and UYSA

The Utah Youth Soccer Association and Utah Spiders are working together to make plans for the Spiders' 2005 season. Having entered into a strategic partnership earlier this year, the Spiders and UYSA worked together to bring exciting Women's Premier Soccer League action to communities across the Wasatch Front during the 2004 season.

Spiders Director of Operations Jamie Schock, Spiders General Manager Mark Drown, and UYSA President Burke recently attended the annual general meeting of the Women's Premier Soccer League in Las Vegas to make plans for the upcoming 2005 season. The Spiders will likely play six home matches. Preliminary plans calls for these games to be hosted across the state. Venues under consideration include St. George, Cedar City, Logan, Salt Lake City, Ogden, and Sandy. Players from the Utah Youth Soccer Association will again be granted free admission to Spiders' matches during the 2005 season.

"It is our hope that all UYSA players---and particularly young girls---will be inspired by watching the Spiders," said President Paul C. Burke. "The Spiders share the mission of UYSA: namely to promote soccer and provide soccer opportunities for Utah players. The Spiders showcase top Utah talent in venues across the state before the eyes of thousands of impressionable young Utahns. That is why the Utah Youth Soccer Association is so proud of its relationship with the Utah Spiders."

Spiders General Manager Mark Drown believes that the 2005 season will bring roster changes as well as continued excellence on the field. "We intend to reinvigorate the Spiders' roster with an infusion of young players," said Drown. "We expect to draw these players from the ranks of the Utah Youth Soccer Association. Our team has always featured players who developed within Utah Youth Soccer and its Olympic Development Program, and we expect that this year will be no exception." In addition to players from Utah's university programs, Drown hopes that a pool of younger players from Utah Youth Soccer will train regularly with the Spiders and will challenge for positions on the team's roster.