DAPHNE, Alabama - The Mobile-Baldwin area’s largest youth soccer clubs, Mobile Soccer Club and Blast FC, announce the merger of their competitive travel teams to form Mobile Bay FC.

Mobile Bay FC will hold travel team tryouts for the upcoming fall season June 9-13, 2012 at Trione Park in Daphne. Registration information and detailed tryout schedules are available

at www.blastfc.net and www.mobilesoccerclub.org.

For over 16 years, Mobile Soccer Club and Blast FC have served their respective youth soccer communities, providing both player development and high level of competitive play. Beginning with the June tryouts, the clubs will merge their U13 through U18 competitive travel programs to form Mobile Bay FC.

“Our goal with this alliance is to pool our resources to provide the best possible soccer experience for each and every child in the area,” noted Glenn Davis, President of Mobile Soccer Club.

“Every player will have the best coaching and training available, regardless of skill level,” said Dennis Sherrin, Blast FC President. “By joining together we will offer outstanding player development in a positive youth focused environment and at a reasonable cost. We will provide all players an opportunity to participate with a travel team by offering multiple teams in an age group. This will give more youth an opportunity to develop and pursue their goals.”

Blast FC and Mobile Soccer Club will both retain their Recreational and Developmental Academy programs on the respective sides of Mobile Bay, under their current names, to better serve the younger soccer players of each area. The 12 to 18 year old competitive players will blend together to form multiple layers of competitive teams that will compete in the AYSA Division I and II Leagues,

the Gulf States Premier League and the Region III Premier League, as well as high level competitive tournaments.

The merger combines the coaching resources of both clubs to provide a consistent coaching curriculum focused on development, allowing individual players the opportunity to reach his or her potential. Jamie Ferguson and Mohammed El-Zare will lead the coaching curriculum.

Jamie Ferguson has been Director of Coaching for Blast FC since 2004 and Head Coach at Bayside Academy since 2005. Mohammed El-Zare has been Director of Coaching for Mobile Soccer Club since 2007 and was Assistant Women’s Soccer Coach at the University of South Alabama from 2002 until 2011. Both Ferguson and El-Zare hold numerous coaching licenses and certificates.

Mobile Bay FC will host two informational open houses regarding the merger and tryouts. The Baldwin area open house will be held Friday, May 25, 2012 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., during the Battle of the Bay Soccer Showcase at W.C. Major’s Field in Fairhope. The Mobile area open house will be held Wednesday, May 30 at 7 p.m. at the West Regional Library on Grelot Road.

All players are invited to attend Mobile Bay FC tryouts regardless of prior affiliation. All players must register for tryouts. Tryout times vary for each age group. Registration information and detailed tryout schedules are available at www.blastfc.net and www.mobilesoccerclub.org.