Michigan Bucks News Release -- www.buckssoccer.com
Friday, July 8, 2011
PONTIAC, Mich. -- The Michigan Bucks will be honoring three former and current Bucks players and coaches at halftime of Saturday night's Premier Development League (PDL) game against the Cincinnati Kings at Ultimate Soccer Arenas in Pontiac (7:30 kick off). The third class to be inducted represents sixteen years of some of the top players, coaches and soccer entrepreneurs to be a part of the organization. The Class of 2011 covers Bucks legends from the first season in 1996 until this current year's squad. Entering the Bucks Hall of Fame are Tim Richey (1996-97), Kheli Dube (2005-07) and Dan Fitzgerald (2002- present). 
Tim Richey
Richey was a part of the Bucks inaugural season and came to the team after a couple of years of professional soccer with the Tulsa Roughnecks and the Detroit Wheels. The Birmingham Groves and Michigan State graduate led the team to the PDL Finals in each of the franchise's first two seasons and scored the winning shootout goal in the first season to send the team to the CocoaBeach. FL. national finals.
Richey's influence with the Bucks far exceeded White Pine Stadium where the team played its home games in Saginaw, MI back in the early years. Richey joined forces with Joan Duggan (mother of Bucks Chairman/ CEO, Dan Duggan) to form the first inner city soccer league in Detroit in 1998, where Richey coached his first group of 20 kids as a volunteer. Together they received financial support from the USSF Foundation and the Michigan World Cup Organizing Committee Foundation (funds from the 1994 World Cup) and partnered with Think Detroit to further develop the program.
In 2006, the Detroit Police Athletic League (PAL) joined forces with Think Detroit to support the non profit organization that helps develop young children raised in the city of Detroit. Today, the TDPAL Detroit Youth Soccer League has over 1,000 boys and girls playing organized youth soccer within the city. In the past three years, Richey has developed his kids from being introduced to organized soccer for the first time to producing several premier teams that compete with all of the top youth clubs in the area. Richey is currently the Chief Operating Officer for Think Detroit PAL.
Mkhokheli (Kheli) Dube
Dube is the most famous of the three inductees, currently playing in Major League Soccer for the New England Revolution. Dube first came to the Bucks in 2005 from Lindsey Wilson College and led the team through 2007, including back to back appearances in the PDL Championship game in 2006 and 2007.
Dube was one of the hardest working, diligent college players to ever play in the PDL and played every minute of every game as if he were auditioning for a job in MLS. Even though he played two games against the Columbus Crew with the Bucks and finished a stellar college career at Coastal Carolina, he was not drafted until the eighth pick of the supplemental MLS draft in January 2008. He made an immediate impact for the Revolution, scoring eight goals in his rookie season, including scoring in his very first match. Dube was the leading candidate for MLS Rookie of the Year until a late season injury sidelined him (he finished runner up).
Although hampered by a couple of fluke injuries this season, including a recent car accident, the forward has stayed positive and rehabbed enough to hopefully make a major difference as the Revolution prepare to make a playoff run in the second half of the season. Dube will be on hand for Saturday night's ceremonies, thanks to Rev's head coach Steve Nicol allowing him to miss training to receive his honor in person.
Dan Fitzgerald
Fitzgerald might be the most invisible coach the PDL has ever seen. He has been an integral part of the Bucks organization since he began as an assistant coach in 2002. He has been the assistant to three different Bucks head coaches and held the top spot from 2006-2009. During his reign as the Bucks leader, the team went to back to back PDL title games, won its only PDL championship, won the PDL regular season championship (2008) and went to three consecutive U.S. Open Cups, an unprecedented run in league history.
Although Fitzgerald has kept a full time job outside of the Bucks and a low profile within the team, he has been a long time key to scouting, recruiting, coaching and analyzing competition.
"He has an incredible eye for talent and a computer for a memory for soccer," said Bucks CEO Duggan. "When ever coaches from around the country want to know about a player that played against the Bucks, we have them call Dan. He can't remember where he had dinner last night but he can tell you who scored in what minute of every game dating back to 2002. When we need to know what we are up against, we send him on the road and he will come back with a fool-proof game plan. He has been a wealth of soccer knowledge and a great friend of the program for a long time and we are grateful to have him as part of our team for life."
The Bucks are looking to keep their first place lead in the Great Lakes Division as the regular season winds down. They also would like to avenge an earlier season loss at Cincinnati. The team gave up a late penalty kick goal to tie the away game and then were scored upon in the 92nd minute to be eliminated from U.S. Open Cup qualification. Tickets for the rematch on Saturday are $10 Adults (16 and over) and $7 Youth (5 and under free) at the door but all tickets are on sale now for only $5 when buying in advance. Discounted tickets can be purchased by visiting the Bucks web site at www.buckssoccer.com and clicking on the TICKETS link.