The Carolina RailHawks players and staff arrived at WakeMed Soccer Park to open preseason training only to find a training field covered in snow. An unexpected snow shower hit the Triangle area Sunday night forcing the RailHawks to move their 10:00 a.m. morning session indoors. Once warmer weather prevailed, the RailHawks were able to take the field at WakeMed Soccer Park for the 3:00 p.m. afternoon training session.
Assistant coach Dewan Bader led the group of 30 individuals, made up of RailHawks players and players on trial, as RailHawks head coach Colin Clarke had to unexpectedly return to the United Kingdom due to a death in the family. The team will continue morning and afternoon training sessions at WakeMed Soccer Park, with their first exhibition game on Saturday, February 25 against Campbell University finishing out the week. The match will kickoff at 3:00 p.m. and is open to the public.
“We are thrilled to get the 2012 season underway,” said RailHawks President Curt Johnson. “We will look to build on the 2011 NASL Regular Season Championship and are excited about the challenge of playing Vancouver and testing ourselves against a Major League Soccer team at WakeMed Soccer Park on March 4.” Johnson continued, “Most importantly, at this difficult time, our thoughts and prayers are focused on Colin and his family. We look forward to his return."