San Luis residents organize caravan to see former city standout in Major League Soccer exhibition
February 24, 2011 10:19 PM
Some fans dating back to his days as a standout at San Luis will be cheering on Irving Garcia next month when he plays with the New York Red Bulls in a exhibition game in Glendale.
They plan to travel up to the University of Phoenix Stadium in a caravan to attend the March 8 matchup against the Mexican professional soccer club Atlas.
“This is one of few opportunities to see Irving in person on the field, because the team will be near here,” said Jorge “Toto” Reyes, a soccer organizer in San Luis, Ariz.
Garcia, a native of the Arizona border city, went on from San Luis to play soccer for Yavapai College in Prescott, then to the University of California-Irvine, where he help that school's team win back-to-back Big West Championship titles and make two trips to the NCAA College Cup.
He made his debut with Major League Soccer's Red Bulls in 2010 and will enter this season vying for a starting position at midfield.
Next month's game begins at 8 p.m., with tickets at $15 and up.
Reyes said the prospect of the game being played nearby in Phoenix led him and Garcia's other fans in San Luis to organize the caravan to show the former Sidewinder star that they haven't forgotten him and that, indeed, they still follow his career.
Garcia's parents quickly got behind the idea.
Area residents wanting to attend the game are invited to a meeting Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Joe Orduno Park to finalize details of the caravan up to the Glendale stadium.
Those who make the trip will get the chance not only to see Garcia but renown Mexican soccer star Rafael Marquez, who joined the Red Bulls after having played for Barcelona.
In a news release, the Red Bulls said that the Glendale preseason game will have special meaning for Marquez, who made his professional debut with the Atlas club.
They plan to travel up to the University of Phoenix Stadium in a caravan to attend the March 8 matchup against the Mexican professional soccer club Atlas.
“This is one of few opportunities to see Irving in person on the field, because the team will be near here,” said Jorge “Toto” Reyes, a soccer organizer in San Luis, Ariz.
Garcia, a native of the Arizona border city, went on from San Luis to play soccer for Yavapai College in Prescott, then to the University of California-Irvine, where he help that school's team win back-to-back Big West Championship titles and make two trips to the NCAA College Cup.
He made his debut with Major League Soccer's Red Bulls in 2010 and will enter this season vying for a starting position at midfield.
Next month's game begins at 8 p.m., with tickets at $15 and up.
Reyes said the prospect of the game being played nearby in Phoenix led him and Garcia's other fans in San Luis to organize the caravan to show the former Sidewinder star that they haven't forgotten him and that, indeed, they still follow his career.
Garcia's parents quickly got behind the idea.
Area residents wanting to attend the game are invited to a meeting Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Joe Orduno Park to finalize details of the caravan up to the Glendale stadium.
Those who make the trip will get the chance not only to see Garcia but renown Mexican soccer star Rafael Marquez, who joined the Red Bulls after having played for Barcelona.
In a news release, the Red Bulls said that the Glendale preseason game will have special meaning for Marquez, who made his professional debut with the Atlas club.
