Jack Jewsbury Dishes An On-Goal Feast

I’m Back-

I know some of you may be underwhelmed by my writing, but I feel as if I am finally hitting my stride so stay with me. In this installment I will be focusing on some behind the scene things that are going on within the Wizards organization.

The most recent news being the Wizards ownership group, OnGoal, announcing almost a month ago that they were going to start demolition of the Bannister Mall for KC’s new soccer-specific stadium as soon as possible. The stadium will hold about 18,500 people and is targeted to open in the latter part of the 2010 season or opening day 2011. Included in their plans, the facility will feature retail stores, restaurants, and bars that will give Wizards fans a unique and enjoyable experience before and after each game. If you are interested in checking out what is going to be the most impressive stadium in MLS, please visit their website.

Editors note – KC Star looks at Stadium financing and Down the Byline offers some insight as well.

As I am complimenting the owners, I might as well explain the process of how OnGoal provided us with our phenomenal practice facility we now occupy at Swope Park. For those of you who did not know, when Lamar Hunt owned the team we trained at the Arrowhead practice facility. Once OnGoal bought the team, we had to find somewhere to train until our facility was finished; and that new home for the time being – Sprint World Headquarters in Overland Park, KS. Awkward – just a bit! Showering and changing with angry Sprint workers….Walking a ½ mile from your car to the locker room to change….Then a ½ mile from the locker room to the field….Repeating the process all over again after training….Hearing Sprint workers talk about how they dislike your presence in their facilities…. (I think you get my point!) The upside to all of that was how quickly OnGoal built one of the finest training facilities in the country.

We moved into the facility in June of 2007 and everything they did was absolutely world-class. To start off with, we have three different fields so whether we are home or traveling on the road – whether the opponent’s field is turf, bermuda, or bluegrass – we will have been training all week on that surface so we know what to expect. Not only that, but the 7,000 sq. ft. building contains coaches offices, treatment room, locker room, players’ lounge with kitchen, training room with weights and cardio equipment, and my personal favorite the boot room. This room is dedicated for all our cleats and is the last room you are in before you hit the field! The busiest room before and after training has to be the players’ lounge, especially since they provide breakfast for the players prior to training. It also houses the plasma TV, Playstation3, and Xbox which can produce quite a crowd and create some epic battles.

If you cannot tell, I am little pumped about the direction that this club is headed; especially since I recently re-signed with the Wizards and MLS meaning I, with any luck, will be around for at least a few more years. I can only hope I get the chance to open the new stadium and represent the Wizards in a venue which the fans have been longing for and deserve. Now all we need is another championship banner to hang up when the stadium is finished –work on that begins January 20th!

Editors note – Jack signed a new 4-year contract with the Wizards in November

Hope you enjoyed and Happy Holidays!

Jack Jewsbury

P.S. – If you are in need of a last-minute gift, there are still spots open in my clinic in Springfield from Dec. 29th – 31st! Click on the graphic below to be taken to the Lake Country website for Registration information.

Editors note – KC Wizards Head Coach Curt Onalfo was interviewed Thursday, here’s one key comment he made regarding the season

I also made a strategic move when I decided to go with Davy Arnaud and Jack Jewsbury in the middle of midfield.

Catch the entire interview – Kansas City coach Curt Onalfo comes clean