Hamilton FC News Release -- http://www.hamiltonfc.com
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
HAMILTON, Ont. – Hamilton FC announced today that it will be releasing midfielder Joshua Bennett so that he can sign with the Chicago Fire. Bennett, 22, a Hamilton native, will initially sign as a member of the Chicago Fire’s Premier Development League (PDL) roster but will train with the Major League Soccer (MLS) squad for further evaluation by the Fire coaching staff. With the Fire in contention for a PDL playoff spot, he will augment their roster for their remaining regular season games. Playoff competition will provide further experience and exposure for him.
"Josh made an impression in both games we played against Chicago this season,” Hamilton FC Head Coach Brett Mosen said. “He caught the eye of their coaching staff and they approached us about getting him exposure with their MLS squad. It was Josh’s speed and power which caught the attention of the Chicago coaching staff, two important attributes in today’s modern game.”
“This has all happened very quickly,” Bennett beamed. “It’s really an exciting opportunity for me and I’m so thankful to Brett and the Hamilton FC organization for allowing me to pursue this challenge. I know it will be hard work but I am definitely up for it.”
Josh has scored once in 13 regular season games for Hamilton this year, with the goal coming at Chicago. He is currently attending Simon Fraser University and will be heading back to school in September to complete his fourth year.
“This is exactly the reason we began our operations with Hamilton FC,” Mosen said. “It’s great to see players like Josh get noticed and be given the opportunity to progress further in their development. We are excited for him and will be following his progress closely.”