Sacramento Republic FC holding local tryouts; one player will earn training camp invite
Aspiring soccer players in the Sacramento region will have a chance to live their dreams this weekend.
Sacramento Republic FC will hold its annual tryouts Saturday and Sunday at Bartholomew Sports Park in Elk Grove, as the club has every year since its 2014 inception. The team is guaranteeing at least one participant will be invited to preseason camp with a chance to earn a contract for the 2023 USL season.
“I love this time of year as it signals the start of the season and also gives the opportunity to a number of players we may never see the chance to represent our club and community,” said manager Mark Briggs, who will be in attendance along with general Todd Dunivant.
Tryouts will begin at 8:30 a.m. regardless of weather, unless there is lightning. Those interested can register here.
Several players found at these tryouts in past years have gone on to sign pro contracts, including Ashkanov Apollon, Emrah Klimenta and Elliott Hord.
Apollon earned a deal in 2020 and became a regular on the Republic FC squad during the pandemic-shortened season. He made 12 appearances while being among the team leaders in tackles and success rate. Since then, he’s played for the Haitian National Team in the CONCACAF Nations League B and World Cup qualifiers.
Klimenta, a Bay Area native, made the cut after the club’s first set of tryouts in 2014. He appeared in 115 games over four seasons for Republic FC and also earned a role on the Montenegrin National Team. Alvarez also made the club through the 2014 tryouts after four seasons playing for Sacramento State.
Hord, a UC Davis alum, initially didn’t make the cut in 2014, but the front office kept its eye on him when he went to PDL side Fresno Fuego and then played with Swedish third-division club Yxhults IK. Hord signed with Sacramento when he returned stateside and ended up making 61 appearances from 2016 to 2019.
This story was originally published January 13, 2023 at 5:00 AM.
