The Wilmington Hammerheads are taking on the New Year with full force as they continue their search for top notch players to complete the 2012 roster.

Hammerheads head coach David Irving says he is looking for players to fill every position. “Despite finishing second overall in the USL PRO we are looking to be even better than last year to compete with the likes of teams like Orlando City and the Charleston Battery,” said Irving.

The first combine of the year is set for Saturday, January 14 and Sunday, January 15 at the Hammerheads home pitch, Legion Stadium. The following weekend, January 20-22, Irving will travel to Charleston, S.C., to explore another combine for potential players.

The USL Showcase is scheduled to begin Thursday, January 26 which Irving will also attend. Last year, the Showcase is where the Hammerheads spotted 2011 USL Rookie-of-the-Year, Luke Mulholland. “The USL Showcase always provides a good opportunity for the Hammerheads to scout fresh faces to contribute to the team,” said Irving. “Last year, for example, we found our leading scorer,” continued Irving.

Despite catching a rookie standout at the USL Showcase, Irving said that the majority of Hammerheads’ players in the past were scouted at regular tryouts and completed the standard tryout process. Some of these players include midfielder Hakop Avesyan, midfielder Dylan Riley and defender Tom Parratt, all from the 2011 team and returning in 2012.

The weekend of March 2-5, Pro Soccer Consulting (PSC) will host a professional soccer combine for the Hammerheads at the Maryland Soccerplex in Boyds, MD. The combine is designed for Irving and his staff to recruit players for 2012 and for PSC to evaluate players from North America who are looking to play professional soccer in Europe.

“Our final tryout will be the second weekend in March (10-11) where we already have a number of skilled young players signed up. It’s definitely going to be a hectic next few months searching for the right players but I’m looking forward to attending the different combines and I plan to build an even stronger Hammerheads team than last year,” said Irving.

Players interested in trying their skills for a chance to play with the Hammerheads should visit www.wilmingtonhammerheads.com for more information and how to register.