Contact: Tony Poarch DMV FC Evergreen Diplomats 813-523-9016 www.EvergreenDiplomats.com [email protected]

Press Conference Review

DMV FC Evergreen Diplomats Press Conference Review Announcements of Coaching assignments and First Three Player Signings

Bowie, Maryland, July 27, 2014 Evergreen Diplomats is pleased to announce the coaching assignments and three player signings to include veteran Stephen Basso. The Press Conference took place at Uno Chicago Grill in Bowie, Maryland on July 17th during the afternoon of the first of a two day final trial before Preseason kicks off the following Monday July 28, 2014. The DMV Evergreen Diplomats are an Expansion Professional Soccer Team that will begin their inaugural season of the American Soccer League (ASL). The ASL League will field a total of eight teams. With one team in Maryland, four teams out of New Jersey, and two teams out of Massachusetts. The Diplomats will play a ten game Fall Season, with five home games and five away games, as well as a Spring Season with the same format. The league will progress with the model of providing an opportunity and platform for players to initiate or move forward in their careers. The Diplomats will open the season away on August 23, 2014, against Ironbound Soul out of New Jersey. The first home match for the Diplomats will be August 30, 2014 at the home stadium PG County Sports and Learning Center’s Warren Wilson Stadium against the AC Crusaders with the theme of the night “Youth Night”. Tickets are on sale via the website with discounts on season tickets still available.

The Diplomats have assigned Phil Gordon as Head Coach, Tom McDermott Technical Director, and Al Reza as assistant coach for the inaugural season. Head Coach Phil Gordon is a former professional player and a resident of Maryland from Scotland. He is a product of Hibernian FC Academy and spent time with Real Maryland and Crystal Palace USA before retirement and pursuing a career in coaching. Phil holds an A License and is heavily involved in coaching within the Maryland Olympic Development Program (ODP). Phil recently spent two years learning world- renowned AC Milan team formations, training, and implementations procedures focusing on system strategies. Phil is a young, up and coming coach that we feel is a perfect fit for the Diplomats expansion professional team and vision moving forward.

Tom McDermott has been assigned as the Technical Director. He is from Long Island, NY and currently resides in Huntsville, Alabama where he is a LTC with the US Army. Tom has played with the likes of Pele, Franz Beckenbauer and Giorgio Chinaglia and holds an A License. He has also been a

more Page 2 DMV FC Evergreen Diplomats Press Conference Review coach and club director for many clubs that produced winning and successful seasons under his direction. For the Diplomats, his focus will be on formations and team logistics helping the head coach in implementing current strategies.

Al Reza, appointed as an assistant coach and scout, is a well-known and respected coach in the Maryland area who has also had much success as a player and coach. Al is presently the Super-Y, USL U16 Blackhawks (National Champions) assistant coach and goalkeepers coach. Al is also a former Vice President and current Director of Coaching and Education for Western Howard Soccer Club. He has been a part of many youth players’ lives that have achieved their goals of playing in college and have made it into the Professional Soccer ranks. Coach Al has a great influence in building winners wherever he has coached and the Diplomats look forward to him helping us bring a winning team to the D.M.V. Al has an equally impressive playing career. He played for Northwestern High School, was an MVP, made All County, and captained the team as a junior and senior. He made the US National Olympic pool and Reserve Team training for the Pan Am Games. Al played college ball at PGCC, then the University of Maryland where he earned his degree in Recreation. After college, Al played semi-pro ball for the British Lions, MD Sports Friends, Northwestern United, and Sicilians. Some of Al's accolades include first Team All-Conference Region; first Team All-Region; Team MVP, and All Tournament Team. Al will bring his coaching and scouting talents to the Diplomats. The diplomats are excited about the coaching appointments and moving forward with a successful campaign!

The Diplomats first three player signings are Baltimore resident and Senior Veteran, player - coach Stephen Basso, Veteran from Waldolf, Zach Bowman and local youngster, Joel Musa.

Stephen Basso was born in Costa Rica, and is a resident of Baltimore, Maryland. Stephen brings his professional playing career back to Maryland! Stephen started his career out of high school playing in the German Bundesliga the highest league in German where many of the current 2014 World Cup German players play. To further his career Basso returned to the USA to play for Real Maryland, and Crystal Palace USA, a sister team to the English Premier Team Crystal Palace. For the past four years Basso has been with the USL Pro City Islanders of Harrisburg, PA. Three years of which he was an impact player and Team Captain. He has over seven years pro playing experience and 100 plus games in the USL Pro Division. Additionally, for the past two years, he has also played indoor soccer with the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) with the Rochester Lancers. In his debut season in the league, Basso was a candidate for Rookie of the Year, and on the US Futsal National Team Pool. Off the field, he is just as dynamic as he is on the field. As head coach, he has recently guided his youth soccer team, to the National Championship games to be held the July 20, 2014 weekend in North Carolina. Stephen Basso will be an integral part of the Diplomats, moving forward on and off the field as a player coach.

La Plata’s own, Zach Bowman, is our second signing for the Diplomats inaugural season. Zach is heading into his 3rd season of playing professional soccer. Zach has played professional over the last 2 years in Canada, State, and most recently, he played professional indoor for the Detroit Waza-Flo a powerhouse in the PASL Pro Indoor League where he ended 3rd in team goals his rookie season. Zach is excited to be returning to Maryland, to continue his professional career, having grown

more Page 3 DMV FC Evergreen Diplomats Press Conference Review up playing youth soccer for La Plata, and Waldolf soccer clubs. In college Zach was a standout at Stevens Institute of Technology. The Diplomats are pleased to have Zach joining our club as he provides a veteran pro experience to our new young professional team.

The third player that the Diplomats signed is local PG County youth standout Joel Musa. Musa attended high school at High Point High and PG County Community College where he achieved top honor as an NJCAA College All American. He has played in the DC United youth and reserve system and will be joining the Diplomats in his professional debut. He is a young, up and coming player with a huge upside to his potential. We are excited to have such a talented and youthful player making his first steps into the professional ranks with the Diplomats.

Just to give a bit of insight into the Diplomats community involvement that we are very excited to be a part of for this upcoming season, we are working with several youth clubs to provide camps and clinics. We have a local youth Soccer Camp and Clinics in Charles County and West Howard County Youth Soccer Club in place this summer. We will also host a High School Soccer Clinic for all the high school players to attend before the upcoming season. The Diplomats are hosting a charity game for Special Olympics on October 4th and working on a date with John Hopkins Children’s Center to also have a charity game (Visit our web site www.evergreendiplomats.com for dates and times).

Further, we have agreed to a friendly preseason match this August with the College of Southern Maryland, and the Regional 2013 Champions, Montgomery Community College. Additionally, we are currently negotiating with the USL Pro on a possible date for a friendly, as well as many others to include NCAA Division 1 college programs.

In conclusion, we would like to thank all of our fans who attended the Press Conference. We are looking forward to seeing you this season and thank you for your support. We are excited about the inaugural season of the ASL and the DMV FC Evergreen Diplomats.