Major League Soccer

Now that Major League Soccer has its first openly gay player , the league is launching a new effort to tackle anti-gay attitudes and encourage inclusion in its ranks. Through a partnership with the You Can Play Project, a nonprofit dedicated to fighting LGBT discrimination in sports, the MLS and MLS Players Union hope to build on existing anti-discrimination efforts to offer greater support for gay players and fans. "The diversity found in our League has always been a point of pride for us," MLS commissioner Don Garber said in a statement released today.

Now that Major League Soccer has its first openly gay player , the league is launching a new effort to tackle anti-gay attitudes and encourage inclusion in its ranks. Through a partnership with the You Can Play Project, a nonprofit dedicated to fighting LGBT discrimination in sports, the MLS and MLS Players Union hope to build on existing anti-discrimination efforts to offer greater support for gay players and fans. "The diversity found in our League has always been a point of pride for us," MLS commissioner Don Garber said in a statement released today.

Major League Soccer finally is beginning to stir.This week, Alan Rothenberg is expected to be replaced as chairman and chief executive officer. The need for a hands-on leader will be cited for the switch, Rothenberg being viewed as having spread himself too thin between MLS, his law practice and the presidency of the U.S. Soccer Federation.The shake-up is said to be a mutually agreed-upon move.Coaches, too, are being named. There are two already in place -- Kansas City's Ron Newman and Tampa Bay's Thomas Rongen.

Major League Soccer D.C. United renews contract with Comcast SportsNet D.C. United has reached a long-awaited - and long-term - agreement with Comcast SportsNet, but coverage will not begin until May 8 and no matches are currently on the outlet's schedule after Sept. 15. The three-year deal calls for at least 16matches annually. Every other U.S.-based Major League Soccer club, except Chivas USA, will have 21 or more games on local channels this season. More United: Captain Dwayne De Rosario will miss tonight's match at Sporting Kansas City with an adductor strain.

Soccer superstar David Beckham, about to make his Major League Soccer debut last summer, was talking about the advantages of playing on the grass field at Washington's RFK Stadium. He said he loathed FieldTurf, a brand of artificial surface that is popular in the United States and is used on the Toronto field where Beckham's Los Angeles Galaxy had played its previous game. He said FieldTurf stresses athletes' bodies. Oops. It turned out that three fields at Beckham's California youth academy are FieldTurf.

Los Angeles Galaxy defender Omar Gonzalez , a former Maryland standout, was named Rookie of the Year by Major League Soccer. Gonzalez was one of only 14 players in the league to play in all 30 regular-season games and ranked second among rookies with 2,672 minutes played. Gonzalez helped the Galaxy surrender 31 fewer goals compared with 2008, the largest defensive turnaround in league history. The 6-foot-5 defender scored one goal and added an assist. Maryland alumnus Maurice Edu won the award in 2007 as a member of Toronto FC.

University of Virginia sophomore forward Brian West said yesterday that he will sign a professional contract with Major League Soccer through Project 40.The former Baltimore Sun All-Metro Player of the Year at Centennial High will forfeit his final two years of eligibility at Virginia. He will be the third Cavalier to sign with Project 40 this year, joining juniors Ben Olsen and Scott Vermillon.Project 40 is a plan by U.S. Soccer to identify the 40 most promising players in the United States and to get them playing experience at the professional level with the goal of winning the World Cup by 2010.

They came from all over the world, from Finland, Argentina, Ghana and Puerto Rico, at their own expense. Eight paid minimal expense, since they had a Baltimore connection.Spirit coach Mike Stankovic greeted 36 players at a tryout that marked the opening of training camp this week at the Baltimore Arena. The most notable no-show was midfielder Tim Averell, a third-round draft selection out of Muhlenberg who has an injury.Things are going pretty well, according to Stankovic."Some of these guys can definitely play," he said.

Major League Soccer D.C. United renews contract with Comcast SportsNet D.C. United has reached a long-awaited - and long-term - agreement with Comcast SportsNet, but coverage will not begin until May 8 and no matches are currently on the outlet's schedule after Sept. 15. The three-year deal calls for at least 16matches annually. Every other U.S.-based Major League Soccer club, except Chivas USA, will have 21 or more games on local channels this season. More United: Captain Dwayne De Rosario will miss tonight's match at Sporting Kansas City with an adductor strain.

Et cetera Hogg wins third BMGC Amateur Stroke Play championship Serge Hogg , tied for the lead after a second-round 68, recorded a 1-over-par 72 and a 54-hole total of 210 in winning the 45th annual Amateur Stroke Play championship of the Baltimore Municipal Golf Corporation at Mount Pleasant Golf Course. It was his third win in the event, and the first since 1997. Three-time champion Billy Wingerd (71) followed at 212, trailed by Brett Williams , whose opening-day 66 was the low round of the tournament (75-213)

D.C. United acquired former Maryland star Casey Townsend from Chivas USA on Friday for a second-round pick in the 2014 Major League Soccer draft. Tied for third on Maryland's career goal-scoring list, Townsend was the fifth overall selection last year and had a goal and two assists in 17 regular-season appearances. "We were quite surprised that Casey was available for a trade and we pounced on it," United general manager Dave Kasper said in a written statement. "He is an exciting striker who brings a ton of energy to the attack, and we think he will be a great fit with our side.

Women's college volleyball Webster MVP as Texas wins national crown Junior two-time All-America outside hitter Bailey Webster (St. Paul's School for Girls) was named Most Valuable Player as third-seeded Texas (29-4) won the NCAA championship with a 25-11, 26-24, 25-19 victory over Oregon (30-5) on Saturday night in Louisville, Ky. Playing before the second-largest NCAA-final crowd, 16,448, the Longhorns won their second national title in eight Final Four trips. Webster led Texas in kills (14)

Colleges Terps' Cirovski, Mullins receive ACC men's soccer honors Maryland's Sasho Cirovski and junior Patrick Mullins were named the Atlantic Coast Conference men's soccer Coach and Offensive Player of the Year, respectively. Senior John Stertzer was named to the first team for the second straight season and seniors Taylor Kemp and London Woodberry , in addition to freshmen Mikey Ambrose and Schillo Tshuma , made the second team. Ambose and Tshuma also represented Maryland on the ACC All-Freshman Team.

Major League Soccer Namoff sues United for $12M over concussion Bryan Namoff , a long-serving D.C. United defender whose career was cut short by a concussion three years ago, filed a $12 million lawsuit Wednesday against the Major League Soccer club and former coach Tom Soehn , claiming they failed to properly evaluate his injury and cleared him to play too soon. The complaint, filed in District of Columbia Superior Court, alleges United was "negligent in its management, care and treatment" of Namoff after he was injured in a game at RFK Stadium on Sept.

Et cetera Hogg wins third BMGC Amateur Stroke Play championship Serge Hogg , tied for the lead after a second-round 68, recorded a 1-over-par 72 and a 54-hole total of 210 in winning the 45th annual Amateur Stroke Play championship of the Baltimore Municipal Golf Corporation at Mount Pleasant Golf Course. It was his third win in the event, and the first since 1997. Three-time champion Billy Wingerd (71) followed at 212, trailed by Brett Williams , whose opening-day 66 was the low round of the tournament (75-213)

Citing scheduling issues, Juventus, the Italian Serie A champion, has canceled a North American preseason tour that was to have included a July 28 friendly againstD.C. Unitedat RFK Stadium. In a statement, United said it is in discussions to bring another major European opponent to the D.C. area. - Steven Goff, The Washington Post Olsen to coach MLS stars In just his second full season as head coach, D.C. United's Ben Olsen has received one of Major League Soccer's highest honors: He will guide the league's all-star team against European champion Chelsea on July 25 in Chester, Pa. Olsen has United (9-4-3)

Women's college volleyball Webster MVP as Texas wins national crown Junior two-time All-America outside hitter Bailey Webster (St. Paul's School for Girls) was named Most Valuable Player as third-seeded Texas (29-4) won the NCAA championship with a 25-11, 26-24, 25-19 victory over Oregon (30-5) on Saturday night in Louisville, Ky. Playing before the second-largest NCAA-final crowd, 16,448, the Longhorns won their second national title in eight Final Four trips. Webster led Texas in kills (14)

D.C. United acquired former Maryland star Casey Townsend from Chivas USA on Friday for a second-round pick in the 2014 Major League Soccer draft. Tied for third on Maryland's career goal-scoring list, Townsend was the fifth overall selection last year and had a goal and two assists in 17 regular-season appearances. "We were quite surprised that Casey was available for a trade and we pounced on it," United general manager Dave Kasper said in a written statement. "He is an exciting striker who brings a ton of energy to the attack, and we think he will be a great fit with our side.

Major League Soccer United signs two-year lease to stay at RFK D.C. Unitedwill play its home games for the 2012 and 2013 Major League Soccer seasons at RFK Stadium, which has been its field since the team's inception in 1996. In addition to the lease agreement, Events DC also announced Thursday a multimillion-dollar capital improvement project that will include improved concourse lighting and renovated restrooms at the stadium and new bleachers, upgraded sound system and renovated restrooms at the DC Armory.

It began as a "cool idea" three years ago in the backyard of a friend's house in tiny Shelby, Ohio, after Devin Barclay found in a closet an old football that needed to be pumped up. The Annapolis native, now 26, who played soccer at McDonogh before moving on to Major League Soccer in 2001, had never kicked a football before that night. On New Year's Day, he will be kicking for Ohio State before 90,000-plus fans in Pasadena, Calif., and millions watching on television, as the Buckeyes take on Oregon in the 96th Rose Bowl.