A Look at the Sounders FC Trialists

Ben Dragavon in action for Sounders FC (Seattle Times)

We know that according to MLS rules Seattle can have 24 signed players. However with injuries and National Team recalls other players are brought in to train with the squad. These trialists are there to help facilitate practice or for their own training but they are also trying to catch Sigi, Schmetzer, or Chris Henderson’s eye.

Currently there are 4 non-roster trialists training with Sounders FC.

Three of those non-roster players are goalkeepers. One is familiar to Sounders fans already, Ben Dragavon is an MLS Pool Goalkeeper who came on for Kasey Keller in the Kansas City match.He is currently the backup to Keller as Chris Eylander is on the Injured Reserve List.

Chris Blais is in his third week of training with the Sounders. He went to JFK High School in Burien and is a goalkeeper at the University of Michigan. As a freshman for the Wolverines last year, he started 1 game and played in 2 others.

Tyrel Lacey is joining the Sounders Training Camp this week for the first time. Lacey is a 4-time letter winner at the University of Tulsa. He was drafted by the New England Revolution in the 4th Round of the 2008 MLS Superdraft (#55 overall).

The fourth trialist in camp with the Sounders is forward Lamar Neagle. A native of Federal Way (Thomas Jefferson HS), he just finished his four-year campaign at UNLV. He was a part of the Sounders FC squad that completed pre-season training in Southern California where he played in two matches and contributed two assists.