Last season a small tweetmeme of #TheTrialist started after Seattle Sounders FC reported non-drafted, non-contracted players as "trialist" in their reports of pre-season scrimmages. There were occasions when "Trialist 1" passed to "Trialist 4." Due to Major League Soccer's various player acquisition methods this was done to reduce the chances of said player being claimed prior to Seattle claiming the player as their own.

Part one of an entirely prejudiced, unscientific look at 12 players I'll be keeping track of in the SPL this season. Maybe not the biggest stars but a player from each team whose progress I'm interested to follow.
Steven Naismith, Rangers
Steven Naismith turns 25 this September. No longer a kid bursting with potential but a senior member of a championship winning squad with a five year contract under his belt.

Cillian Sheridan, the goal scorer for both goals in this match, is currently on trial with the Portland Timbers.

Look closely at the first goal. It looks like a cross which is bumped in by his team mate, but a few second later in a different view you can see that he popped it in himself.

The Los Angeles Galaxy reserves are on the board.

Rookie Paolo Cardozo set up both Gregg Berhalter and Adam Cristman, and the Galaxy held on for its first MLS Reserve League victory, a 2-1 result over the Vancouver Whitecaps on Monday.

Cristman's goal in the 73rd minute from the top of the penalty area proved to be the game-winner after Whitecaps rookie Omar Salgado sliced the Vancouver deficit in half with a goal in the 77th minute.

It's been a fairly eventful week for the Sounders; a disappointing draw at home to the Vancouver Whitecaps, the end of the trials of Cillian Sheridan and Myron Samuel, the beginning of the trial of Sammy Ochoa and the beginning of (credible) big-name transfer rumors. CSRN MEDIA PLAYER

It's been a fairly eventful week for the Sounders; a disappointing draw at home to the Vancouver Whitecaps, the end of the trials of Cillian Sheridan and Myron Samuel, the beginning of the trial of Sammy Ochoa and the beginning of (credible) big-name transfer rumors.

We'd also hoped to have an interview with Ben Rycroft of Canadian Soccer News and It's Called Football, but the technology demons got in the way.

Seattle Sounders fans are going to get hammered with trialists and rumors over the next month. The lead up to this Summer's window is going to be fast, furious and ideally fortunate. Adrian Hanauer has some cap room to play with, a DP slot available, and MLS has slightly higher respect than it did four years ago.

If you were in the gamethread you know he scored the game winner in the 82nd minute off of an Erik Friberg cross. Sammy Ochoa wasn't afraid to change his game and get a bit more physical as the match went on and he adjusted to the refereeing. His effort on the goal could have been waved off, but it wasn't and Seattle maintained their perfect record.

It's been a busy news week for the Sounders and the rest of MLS. The Seattle Sounders invited strikers Cillian Sheridan and Myron Samuel to train with the Sounders this week. Sounders fans were able to see both play in the reserve league game against the Vancouver Whitecaps. The Whitecaps senior team, and their family-friendly fans, will be in town this Saturday for the big rivalry game.

Cillian Sheridan, after long plane travel, went 45 minutes and opened the scoring, while Myron Samuel played the second half showing some raw promise but nothing in the boxscore as the Seattle Sounders reserves beat the Vancouver Whitecaps reserves 2-0 on Tuesday. They entered a team that is showing depth in interesting ways.

UPDATE: Just received confirmation from the Seattle Sounders that Cillian Sheridan is, indeed, one of the players on trial with the team and he could appear in tonight's Reserve League match against the Vancouver Whitecaps. In case you needed another reason to head out to Starfire, that probably qualifies.