Q: What is your full name and jersey number?
Andrew Bliss #20
Q: What KC Fusion team do you play for?
KC Fusion Academy 00/01 Houser
Q: Where do you live, what school do you attend and what sports do you play?
I live in Maize, KS with my mom & dad (Michelle and Kirk). I have 3 older brothers: Derek (22), Drake (19), Daniel (17) and two younger sisters Madison (13) and Meaghan (7). I am a freshman at Maize South High School. I play football, soccer, and run track.
Q: So you live in Wichita and play for a team based in Kansas City? How does that work? How many times a week do you attend training?
Yep. There are 3 of us on the team from Wichita (Caleb Brown & Baithe Abdullah). We carpool and try to attend at least one training session a week.
Q: I understand you also play in the Kansas State Olympic Development Program (ODP). Which Kansas team are you on? Why did you decide to play in the ODP program?
Last year I made the Kansas 2001 team and then made the Region II 2001 team. I enjoy soccer and had some friends that were doing ODP too.
Q: Are you able to play club and ODP? Do they ever conflict?
Yes. At times there are conflicts but club always comes first.
Q: Where/when was regional camp? What was it like? When did you find out you made the regional team (Link)
Last summer the Region II tournament was in Rockford, IL. 14 Region II states participated. The Kansas State 2001 team won the tournament. Afterward there was a hold over camp and the regional coaches selected players to be held over for an extra week of training. A few weeks after camp the regional pool team was announced on the Region II web site.
Q: You were one of eighteen 2001 Region II players selected from the pool group to play in the 2015 Thanksgiving Interregional in Casa Grande, AZ. What was that event like? Who was a part of it?
The Casa Grande event was training and games. Our Region II – Midwest team played teams from the other 3 US Soccer youth regions (Region I – East, Region III – South, Region IV – West).
Q: From that Interregional Tournament you were selected to the All-Star Team (Link). How did that come about? Who selected it?
Not really sure how that happened. There were national team coaches and scouts watching the games. I guess they liked the way I played.
Q: Tell me about your trips to play in Costa Rica and Argentina with the ODP program. How long are the trips?
All 4 Regional ODP teams are going to Costa Rica February 10 to 17. We will have training sessions and then play some local Costa Rican teams. Then March 25 to April 3 I’ll be travelling to Buenos Aries and Rosario, Argentina with the 2001 ODP Regional All-Star team to play some local teams. We’re also going to get to see a World Cup qualifying match between Argentina and Bolivia.
Q: What are you looking forward to this season with your club team?
We hope to win state cup this year!
Q: What are your aspirations & goals (college, soccer, other)?
I would like to go as far as I can playing soccer.
Q: What coaches have had the biggest influence on you?
Corey Brown who coached me when I played in Wichita with the Air Capital Destroyers. Also Kevin Mangayi and Qaies Alamood who gave me opportunities to play in Wichita. I have also really enjoyed my coaches with KC Fusion: Jason Pendleton, Rocky Denney, and Nate Houser.
Q: What would you tell a player considering playing for KC Fusion?
It is a great club. I have lots of new friends in Kansas City. The coaches are really good and train us hard.
Q: What would you tell a player considering playing ODP?
I would say go for it. You still get to play for your club. It is training sessions with different players and different coaches. Extra practice and training that may open doors. I am glad I did it.
