UpDate - Vol. 12, No. 28, Page 5
April 22, 1993
Blue Hen wizard to make field debut on Friday night

     John Sellers, four-year veteran of the University men's soccer team
and a finance major, has just signed a contract to play professionally for
the Wilmington Wizards, a local soccer franchise and member of the United
States Inter-Regional Soccer League (USISL).
     Last fall, Sellers said he read in the Wilmington News Journal that
the Wizards were holding tryouts in December. Wizards head coach Joe Brown,
a former coach at Delaware Technical and Community College, selected
Sellers for the 27-man roster from a group of over 170 candidates.
     Signing with the Wizards entitles Sellers to a percentage of the box
office earnings generated through ticket sales. "Granted, we're getting
paid, but the money is not that substantial," Sellers said. "We're playing
for the love of the game. If I didn't like it, I wouldn't play."
     Sellers began his soccer career at age 6 in a Wilmington Y.M.C.A.
league, and two years later, was playing for his home town club soccer
team--the Concord Spirit. Sellers, who called his 10-year relationship with
the Spirit "the nucleus of his career," received All-State recognition in
high school.
     After graduation, he played for the Delaware Olympic Development Team,
which included some of the best players in the state, and he qualified for
the East Regional Olympic Team, one of four teams in the country. Select
players from each regional team are chosen to play for the U.S. Olympic
Soccer Team.
     At Delaware, Sellers received the All-Time Leading Freshman Scorer
Award at his traditional offensive striker position and, in his fourth year
as a starting Blue Hen offensive player, Sellers scored 10 goals and had
numerous assists. He finished sixth on the all-time University scorers
list.
     Professional soccer requires a lot of time and commitment, Sellers
explained.
     The team practices four times a week, and many of the players travel
from Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania to attend practice. He said there
are fewer practices than he had while playing for Delaware, but the level
of competition is higher.
     The Wizards are scheduled for 16 games during this initial season,
which will run from April through August. The home opener is at 7:35 p.m.,
Friday, April 23, against the Baltimore Bays at Glasgow High School
stadium, off Route 896 south of Newark.
                                        -Michael Garrett