The Aztexan

At long last, it's finally here: the 2009 Aztex season begins Saturday night!

For this first game, the Aztex will be taking on the Minnesota Thunder, who started their season last weekend with a 2-1 loss at the Carolina Railhawks. The Chantico's Army site has more pre-game scouting info on the matchup.

The Aztex have gotten some good press leading up to the opener. News8 Austin has a nice 5-minute story & interview with Coach Heath, and there are rumors of a big story coming in Saturday's Austin American-Statesman.

We also have a great write-up from the Austin Chronicle's Nick Barbaro: Chapter One: A Team Is Born.

A few months ago these 20 young men were spread out around the country and overseas – many of them more or less unemployed – and now they are the Austin Aztex. Here they are, sitting in a hotel bar watching the Champions League together after Media Day. There they are, having a meet-and-greet with fans at Cuatro's as we go to press. Not 20 guys fighting for jobs anymore, but a team – our team. Part of our community but also their own community.

It's a young team – younger, perhaps, than last year's PDL squad. Well-traveled English striker Gifton Noel-Williams is the old man at 27. On the other hand, there's a good bit of top-level experience in the clubhouse, from manager Adrian Heath on down. And there seems to be a level of maturity as well. There are no teens, no prima donnas, just about every player has had some life experiences to speak of – all in all, they seem like a really good group of guys.

That story also includes the current Aztex roster, which includes each player's position, height, weight and "life in 20 words or less".

In other team news, there are new, discounted ticket prices for kids, and the Nelson Field parking lot will be open earlier for tailgating, starting at 4:30 PM (but remember, alcohol is never allowed anywhere on the grounds).

The Chantico's Army supporters group will start even earlier than that, congregating at Nelson Field at 3:00 to practice chants, songs, etc. They'll adjourn to the Nomad at about 5:00 (where, as it happens, alcohol is allowed), then be back at the stadium at about 6:30. The group will march into Nelson in unison at 7:00, and invites anyone and everyone to join them at that time, and (of course!) throughout the game.

To paraphrase the Longhorns' slogan: come early, be loud, stay late, wear red!

Labels: gameday, USL-1