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Harrisburg Heat ollowing a 10-34 campaign in 2001-02, the Harrisburg Heat named Erich Geyer as the franchise's third head coach on August 6, 2002. The fiery German, who has won 13 championships as a player and coach over his career, has initiated the biggest off-season roster turnover in club history, bringing in 10 new players as of mid-September. Some of them – such as defenders Martin Hernandez and Genoni Martinez, midfielder Marco Coria, and forwards David Barbosa and F Matt Tanzini Mr. Defense?s n Saturday, October 12 at Reunion Arena, Michael Powers' #5 Jersey will be retired, something that has happened only three times before in Dallas Sidekicks history. After playing over 500 career indoor games, Michael "Mr. Defense" Powers decided it was time to stop playing. In order to show their gratitude for everything Powers has done for the organization, the Sidekicks will retire his number during a halftime ceremony at the second home game of the season. Powers notes, "It will be a great honor seeing my number retired and lifted to the rafters with some of my former teammates. I'll be forever grateful to the Sidekicks organization, the owners, my coaches and my teammates for this honor." Powers started his professional indoor career in 1980 with the Wichita Wings where he was the Wings first-ever draft pick. He O Renato Pereira – played for Geyer's highly successful Monterrey La Raza, which won three CISL titles from 1995-2000. Others, such as midfielders Ato Leone (the 2001 WISL Most Valuable Player) and Jake Atkin, caught Geyer's eye over the last several years while playing for other clubs. Harrisburg will not have to worry about who's minding the nets as long as eight-year veteran Doug Petras is playing. The team's all-time leader in wins with 91, Petras will play behind a defense featuring Martinez, Hernandez, Francisco Rodriguez, Chris Morman (146 blocks in his first two years), and possibly the versatile duo of Mike Henning and Matt Tanzini, both of whom can also play in the midfield. Offensively, the club's all-time leading scorer David Bascome (team-leading 88 points in '0102, 822 career points as a Heater) will be joined by Leone (28 points in 17 games with Kansas City last year), Pereira (16 goals with San Diego in '01-02), Coria (25 points with Dallas in '01-02), and a pair of 22-year old rookie midfielders, Kevin Burk and Horacio Robledo, both of whom showed well in the preseason. If Martinez (who has had two 100-point seasons in this league), Hernandez (109 points in 112 games with Monterrey), and Tanzini (33 points in Harrisburg's final 13 games last year) MISL Notes The Dallas Sidekicks tradedMarco Coria, Genoni Martinez & Raul Salas to Danny Harrisburg Heat in exchange for Barber, Justin Labrum & financial con sideration. In a 3-Team trade, the SideDallas kicks received Beau Brown, the Cleveland Force received Bernie Lilavois, Eric Kvello, and Steve Klein; and the Harrisburg Heat received Marco Lopez. David Bascome produce out of the back, the Heat should have no trouble denting the twine. If the new faces blend in easily enough, the Heat stands as good a chance as anyone of making the postseason. was selected in the territorial round of 1979 out of Rockhurst College in Kansas City, Missouri. He stayed with the Wings through the 1982-83 season and then moved to Dallas where he played with the Dallas Americans of the United States Soccer League from 1984-1985. But because of his great love of indoor soccer, Powers tried out for the Sidekicks three times. Powers remembers, "Coach Gordon Jago was impressed with my persistence and desire to play indoor soccer so he finally signed me to a one year contract. To this day I am still very proud of the fact that I didn't quit after the first two tryouts." On October 30, 1986, he signed with the Dallas Sidekicks as a free agent. During his first season with the Sidekicks, Powers said the staff and players were very supportive. "After one of my first road games that the team won against Kansas City, I remember Tatu telling me in the locker The Harrisburg Heat tradedNate Hetherington to the Diego Sockers for San Renato Pereira. The Philadelphia KiXX tradedMatt Caution to the Kansas City Comets forMatt Knowles. Knowles, who is entering his 13th season, is a five-time AllStar and a three-time Defender of the Year (1991-92, 1995-96, 199798.) The Philadelphia KiXX acquired AllStar defender Glenn Carbonara from the Milwaukee Wave. The Vineland, New Jersey native is entering his 13th season. room that he would go into 'any battle' with me on his side. I took this as one of the first signs that I was being accepted by my new teammates." Powers went on to spend 15 years playing for Dallas where he holds the record for career blocks with 904. He proved his incredible endurance by playing in a franchise record 220 consecutive games (March 10, 1987 - December 4, 1990). Powers and Tatu are the only players to be a part of all four Sidekicks Championships, winning titles in 1987, 1993, 1998 and 2001. "To be able to win four Championships with one team is a fantastic feeling. Being able to spend 15 years with one team has been incredible. I've played with some super players and have made some great friends, such as Tatu, Nick Stavrou, David Doyle, and former teammates, such as Krys Sobieski, Billy Phillips and Mike Uremovich." Every Championship is special to Michael, but winning in 1987, his first season, is one of his favorite memories. "The atmosphere of the sellout crowds at Reunion Arena and in the Tacoma Dome was incredible and it all came down to game seven. The incredible come-from-behind finish by the Sidekicks to beat the Tacoma Stars in overtime to win the MISL Championship is one of my cherished memories as a Sidekicks player." Powers still plays an important role in the Sidekicks organization. This season is his second as Assistant Coach, where he assists with player contracts and coordinates team fitness schedules and travel itineraries. He will continue to direct the Sidekicks'/Dr. Pepper youth 4-v-4 tournament program. Since taking over in 2000, he has coordinated 12 tournaments around the Metroplex with enrollment of nearly 2400 teams and 18,000 participants. In the 18 seasons of his professional indoor career, Powers played a total of 496 regular season games, totaling 904 blocks, eighth in indoor soccer history. He tallied 132 points from 66 goals and 66 assists. His team made the playoffs 16 of 18 seasons where he played a total of 82 games, totaling 151 blocks. He brought the Sidekicks to the League Finals eight times, winning G O A L I n d o o r • Oct.-Nov. 2002 • 13

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