Jonathan Bornstein in town to meet fans, promote Hoefflin charity game.

[view:node_ad=5]At College of the Canyons on Saturday, February 23rd, two Major League Soccer teams will go head to head in front of fans from Santa Clarita and beyond.

 

Chivas USA and the Columbus Crew will battle it out in a charity game that will benefit the Michael Hoefflin Foundation.

 

However, Chivas soccer made an early debut on Sunday, when star Jonathan Bornstein made a special appearance at the Santa Clarita Soccer Center.

 

Aside from talking with kids and fans that came out to the event, Bornstein also took some time to talk to KHTS about the health of Major League Soccer, his personal successes on the field and why he may not be in the running for the US Olympic Team.

 

When asked how he saw the future of Major League Soccer, Bornstein said that he believed the outlook was good. “I think it’s very healthy,” he said. “The league is growing by leaps and bounds, the exposure ratings are getting very high…and I think one of these days its going to be very big.”

 

Having played soccer for most of his life, Bornstein said that he grew up playing on fields just like the SoccerCenter and other fields in our town. The transition from child player to young adult standout came quickly for him. He led Los Alamitos high School to a CIF championship, and the Irvine Strikers club team to a national championship. He played two years at Cal Poly Pomona, followed by two years at UCLA, and was a key part of the U.S team’s silver medal victory in the 2005 Maccabia games.

 

Now, he enjoys talking to youth about his experiences and their potentials.  “I always just tell the kids to keep working hard, and never let the fun get out of it,” he said. “You never know where you can get in life if you continue to get your education and play soccer.”

 

As for the Olympics, Bornstein may have one factor working against him. “I’m actually two months too old for the Olympic Soccer time,” Bornstein said, explaining that the Youth 23 national team requires that players be born after January 1985. He was born in November of 1984.

 

To hear the full interview, click here.

 

 

Bornstein will be at the Chivas USA vs. Columbus Crew game on Saturday, February 23rd at College of the Canyons.

 

The game starts at 5:00pm, and tickets run $15 for adults and $10 for anyone under the age of 18.

 

Tickets can be purchased from:

 

Michael Hoefflin Foundation – 26470 Ruether Ave, Unit 101, Santa Clarita

Santa Clarita Soccer Center – 21613 Soledad Canyon Rd,

KHTS AM 1220 – 27225 Camp Plenty Road, Suite # 8, Santa Clarita,

SCV Soccer Store – 28309 Newhall Ranch Road,

CASL Chatsworth Arena Soccer – 9000 Independence Ave, Chatsworth.