Heat Sign Returning Starters

March 9, 2006, (Laredo, TX):

The Laredo Heat Soccer Club announced the signing of three returning starters for the 2006 Premier Development League (PDL) Season which begins on Saturday, April 29th versus the Austin Lightning at the Student Activity Complex at 8:05 PM.

The three players signed this week are 2005 team captain Jake Downs, Laredoan Nicho Infante and former Mexican First Division and Santos Laguna player Ernesto Contreras. All three players assisted Coach Collazo during the team tryouts the last weekend in February and have been participating in the team's pre-season conditioning program that started on Monday, March 6th.

Heat Head Coach, Israel Collazo, is excited about the three first signings and said, "I'm looking forward to the 2006 PDL Season and I'm also looking forward to setting the foundation for the season with not only these three players but with the players we're talking to with this week and next." Collazo added, "With these savvy veterans and the young talent we are going to incorporate into the club this season, I feel we're going to offer local soccer fans an exciting product that they can be proud of and support."

Nicho Infante, the first local player signed in what should be a handful of local talent that the Heat will be signing, has played professionally in Nuevo Laredo with Inter-Laredo and the Venados de Nuevo Laredo. Infante is the returning forward for the team and is 23 years old.

For additional information on the Laredo Heat Soccer Club and future game updates, please visit their web site at www.laredoheatsc.com .