It’s the new year, and that means it’s time to start a new MLS season.
Every year the league calendar kicks off with the adidas MLS Player Combine, which started on Saturday with fitness testing (see results below) before the matches get underway on Sunday.
What is the MLS Combine? It's the event that gives each MLS team an up-close and personal look at the prospects that will be entering the 2017 SuperDraft, which is set to take place on Friday, January 13 in Los Angeles (12 p.m. PT on whitecapsfc.com).
Here are some more facts you should know about the combine.
Location
The Combine will be held in a the StubHub Center in Carson, California from Jan. 8-12. Fans may attend the games at the StubHub Center for free.
Participants
A committee of MLS coaches and NCAA Division I coaches from every conference selected the 53 initial invitees, all of whom completed their college eligibility this season. On Jan. 4, 13 more players were added including five players who make up this year's Generation adidas class. Those players will be split up into four teams (Team Chaos, Team Control, Team Copa and Team Tango) to compete over three matchdays. In addition to the players, every MLS technical staff will have a presence in Southern California. This includes head coaches, assistant coaches, technical directors and general managers.
Fitness Testing Results
A pair of players shone brightly in the performance tests on Saturday, with UConn centre back Jakob Nerwinski and Maryland right back Chris Odoi-Atsem finishing in the top five in the speed, agility and power tests at StubHub Center.
Syracuse defender and Generation adidas signeeMiles Robinson also impressed, finishing second in both the 30-meter dash (3.88 seconds) and vertical jump (34.5 inches).
Click here to see the top 10 finishers in each performance category.
Players & Combine Matches
The four teams will each play three games, with doubleheaders set for Jan. 8, 10 and 12. The games will be played at StubHub Center.
· List of players at the combine (Combine Invitees)
· Parchman: Top 10 SuperDraft prospects
· SuperDraft Speculation: First round of mock drafts
Sunday, Jan. 8
· Team Chaos vs. Team Control (1:15 PM PT/4:15 PM ET) - STREAM
· Team Copa vs. Team Tango (3:00 PM PT/6:00 PM ET) - STREAM
Tuesday, Jan. 10
· Team Chaos vs. Team Copa (1:15 PM PT/4:15 PM ET) - STREAM
· Team Control vs. Team Tango (3:00 PM PT/6:00 PM ET) - STREAM
Thursday, Jan. 12
· Team Copa vs. Team Control (10:00 AM PT/1:00 PM ET) - STREAM
· Team Chaos vs. Team Tango (11:30 AM PT/2:30 PM ET) - STREAM
What are some success stories from the Combine?
One clear example of the Combine helping a player's stock was before the 2014 SuperDraft, when a little-known player from the Colorado School of Mines shot up draft boards. Few people knew about Tesho Akindele prior to the Combine, but everyone knew about him after. Akindele was picked sixth overall by FC Dallas and went on to win the 2014 MLS Rookie of the Year award; he has also become a full Canadian international since joining MLS.
Another Combine success story: Joao Plata. The striker was largely unknown to MLS scouts from his time at LDU Quito, but the Ecuadorian attended the 2011 Combine and was selected in the third round of the 2011 SuperDraft. Plata spent two seasons with Toronto FC before joining Real Salt Lake in 2013. He had a breakout year in 2014, scoring 13 goals, which eventually led to a call-up to the Ecuadorian national team.
