Domenic Mediate once played soccer for the Arkansas Comets. After a great college career at the University of Maryland, Dom spent the past 2 seasons as an MLS player, first with the Columbus Crew and then with DC United. Last year Dom's season was cut short by a broken leg. DC United released him this preseason as he was not fully rehabilitated from his injury.
Dom has graciously agreed to share some of his daily experiences and emotions with us as he tries to get himself back into professional soccer and evaluates his future options. This is real-life insight into the life of a professional soccer player. Professional soccer is not all about what we see on TV. There are harsh realities that go along with the profession.
From Dom:
So, I guess this is it. A day in the life of Domenic Mediate.
September 26, 2007
So the season is over. I believe we are all a little shocked and dissapointed that it ended when it did...in the first round. We were definately a better team, but we took a few plays off and paid for it.
The offseason is always a time of doubt. Teams are looking to change, so you never know if you'll be traded. There is also another expansion draft this year, so San Jose will take a few players from each teams roster. Each team can only protect 11 players.
The last three years i have gone on cruises during this time of the year...but as of right now I plan on staying in town and working. My vacations will be going home for thanksgiving and christmas. I will also be going to Arkansas for a few days at the beginning of January.
September 26, 2007
Welp..apparently just over a month has gone by...and it has gone by fast...Up to this point I have played in 8 league games, starting 1 of them. We tied chicago, but our team coming off a 10 day break did not look very good. Still, we are at the top of the league with 4 games remaining. Only one of them is away (at KC)...so we are in pretty good shape to win the supporters shield for the second year in a row.
Note: The supporters shield is the name for the award given to the team with the most points in the entire 13 team league..
Today starts the Copa Sudamericana...which is basically a tournament just like the superliga..tonight we play Chivas Guadalajara...It should be a good match up and will start at 845 ET.
Off the field...I am still working with United Soccer Club...which is a non profit sector of DCUnited that works with innercity DC children. I am currently working two locations. One is the boys and girls club at milwakee, and the other is ketchum elementary school. Basically we go out there tuesdays and thursdays and teach youngsters the game of soccer. It serves to teach kids the game of soccer in areas where theyve only known basketball and football. Our goal is to keep them active and off the streets. Although this kids are often so excited that it is hard to keep their attention for longer than 5 seconds, it is a great feeling showing up and seeing how excited they are to see you.
August 18, 2007
So, not a lot has happened in the past month on the playing field. I played 12 or so minutes against the New England Revolution in Boston, Massachussetts. I also got in one of the Superliga games against Club America from mexico.
For those of you that do not know, The SuperLiga is a new tournament this year that takes place ib/w the MLS and mexican league...it is in the middle of our (MLS) season and it is the preseason of the mexican league...The winner takes home a million dollar bonus, of course if an MLS team were to win, most of it goes to the league, and the team would split 150...I was really excited about that, as that would have been a great bonus for me, unfortunately we were knocked out by LA on a spectacular freekick by beckham....probably the best freekick ive seen in person. All I could do was shake his hand after the game and tell him it was a nice penalty. We did not show up that day and we got handed a loss because of it...
We flew straight to columbus and are preparing for our game today.
Off the field...I found a place to live!!! haha, I relocated to Arlington, Virginia and it is a perfect fit for me at the moment..I am also looking for little jobs to do. I am working on doing volunteer work at a hospital for cancer patients, and I will continue to do some coaching on the side.
Recommendation for the day: I read a book called the Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo...I recommend that everyone reads it, it sends a great message through a story about a boy and his travel. The message is plain as day, but if you are young you may have your parent read it and guide you through the message...It is about reaching your dream and meaning for life...it is only 168 pages..if you are older you should be able to finish it w/in a day..
July 19, 2007
First of all....thank you to those who travelled to KC to watch me play on july 4th.....I played the 2nd half, and felt I did fine...I should have taken the ball to goal a few times, but played safe. We won the game....I have travelled to all 4 of the games Ive been available, but only got in that one...I may get some PT in the game this weekend....so be looking....
Other than that things are good...I am looking for a new place to live...I am currently still up in the hotel, but that ends this saturday, then I am off on my own!
June 27, 2007
News Flash: I will be signing with DCU today on a month to month basis until sept 1st, and then it will be guaranteed through the remainder of the year. I will be dressing in the game tomorrow, june 28th against CO.
June 4, 2007
So it's been awhile....Ive been a lot of places. I travelled to Toronto to play in a reserve game with DC on may 19th....I left toronto and flew directly to Italy meet up with my brother, grandpa, 2 Aunts, and a cousin where we toured the country....It was a great experienced and I enjoyed it. We flew into milan, went to venice, then a quick stop in bologna on our way to florence. then down to sorento and capri, and then down to my relatives who knew absolutely no english. ahaha, luckily my grandpa was there to translate. My brother also knows a little as he is taking Italian in college.
I got home late on the 30th, early on the 31st. stayed intown on june 1st which was my birthday, and then left on the 2nd to LA to play with dc reserves. i am going to train with them this week, and see where things go from there. They have had a few injuries so they may have some room on their roster opening up.
May 11, 2007
A lot of things going on....not much with soccer. ha. Ive been busy packing up my place, I am in the middle of relocating. I am Looking for a place a little closer to baltimore. Along with that I have been substitute teaching and coaching. I have met a few kids that knew who I was, one of which was at the game where I broke my leg. That's always warming
I figure one day we may work something out with one of the two teams. If not, maybe I will train with one of the 2 until the summer, and then see about getting on a team. So I guess really in all this time, with so much happening, the end result has stayed the same. A bit boring. I did get advise from a student today that I need to go play with DC again and not get a real job. He was pretty adament about that!
May 1, 2007
Sorry for the delay, I have been extremely busy, and when I would finally get to the computer I would forget. Ill try to post an update once or twice a week.
I hadn't really gotten a firm answer from CP, so I called DC and trained all last week with them. They asked me to play in the reserve game in columbus, so I did. I had some harsh luck as I experienced bad knocks on both knees, but I made it through. I started at defensive midfield in a 3-5-2, and then moved to right back b/c columbus was creating too many opportunities, so we moved to a 4 back system. I played solid, and did my job, but I would have liked to be in a more attacking role so I could "turn some heads". I have taken off the past 2 days, just done coaching and some substitute teaching.
Hopefully I will know my job status in the next week or two.
April 13, 2007
Happy Friday the 13th.
I havent heard any news from crystal palace. I have had a few players, including a referee, ask me what I was doing here (at this level), so that is a little discouraging, but something I was already aware of. So I have to remember the bigger picture of possibilities. The sacrific of playing in a lower division now, may pave the road to a more glorious path in the future.
April 12, 2007
"If you can't win, make the one ahead of you break the record". -Jan McKeithen
"our aspirations are our possibilities". -Robert Browning
"To accomplish big things, I am convinced you must first dream big dreams". -Conrad Hilton
"The Hardest thing to learn in life is which bridge to cross and which to burn". -David Russell
"Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there" . -Will Rogers
April 11, 2007
Well, I have decided that if I am going to play soccer I might as well get paid for it, no matter what league I am in. I have been happy with the progress of Crystal Palace the past week and a half and I think it would be worth a few months. Plus, after the season I will get to train with the real team in Europe and try and earn a contract with them. Plus, I won't have to relocate yet again.
I called Minnesota and let them know I was looking into Crystal Palace and if it fell through I would give them a call. Manny was completely understanding and wished me luck.
I worked this morning on contract negotiations with my agent, and I am waiting to hear back from Crystal Palace.
The game today was much better. The movement on and off the ball was good and resulted in a 4-0 win. I came out midway through the second half as my leg has been a little sore the past few days from all the training.
Tomorrow is not a day off, but with my leg being sore I have consulted with the coaches and will rest tomorrow if the throbbing continues. I believe I just need a few days to recover after the past 2 long weeks of training. The team has another scrimmage saturday, I believe this is the last one until the season opener next friday (or saturday).
April 10, 2007
Minnesota called me today, a USL division 1 team. (Recap- DC United had called them in hopes of helping me find a team so he could keep an eye on me). I also had a long talk with the Crystal Palace coaches and spoke with Leo Cullen today (he is helping me as my agent).
I spoke with Manny Lagos at Minnesota. He was on my '05 columbus crew team. I told him I would consider his offer and get back to him soon. I am to the point where I have to make a decision soon. It is a big decision, and I have been given the luxury of taking my time. Usually you dont get this much time, so I appreciate the Crystal Palace coaches respecting my space and letting me gather my thoughts.
Crystal Palace is looking to start training at a new field on thursday. The one they have is in poor shape and the organization has been working hard to find a new place. Again, another positive step.
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Tomorrow there is another scrimmage.
Other tid bits of info.....from what I have heard.........2 of the VA BEACH players signed with the crystal palace today. 1 player from VA beach signed a developmental contract with KC Wizards, 1 player signed with the USL2 Harrisburg team, and another player (a forward) is on trial with DC United.
Today I will leave you with this thought....
"The measure of success is not whether you have a tough problem to deal with, but whether it's the same problem you had last year". -John Foster Dulles.
April 9, 2007
Today the coaches had a meeting with a few players, and the rest of us were on the field. So we got ourselves going and organized a little game of possession. Then when the coaches arrived we played a 2 hour scrimmage on a 65 yard field. The intensity was good. Again, the team is making steps in the right direction. The coaches are looking for a new field. So everything seems positive.
I have never had a 3 hour session in my life, but we have had them the last 3 days. I think b/c it it still preseason and we are having one long one instead of 2 a days. Some of the players are concerned b/c it may produce fatigue and overtraining. No one wants that. Time is essential in a training program. At the youth level and the professional level. Usually anything over 2 hours has negative effects b/c concentration starts lacking and fatigue sets in.
After the practice there was a lifting session, and our trainer there also has the same concern as the player, and is going to talk to the coach. My point today is that your body is your temple. You have to take care of yourself in order to make it to the top. You need to eat right and exercise properly. Eating right doesnt mean you cant ever have junk food. You can eat anything you like, in fact you should, but in moderation. And as far as exercise, I touched on overtraining the other day. But you also have to train the correct muscle groups and do exercises that are going to benefit the particular sport you play. (i.e. a lineman in football is should do a deep squat b/c he starts low and explodes up in his sport, but a basketball player may do 3/4 squat jumps using dumbells (lighter weight) to simulate the jumping they do for rebounding). Offseason is the time for crosstraining.
April 8, 2007
HAPPY EASTER!
April 5, 2007
Today was the best practice Crystal Palace has had. For the first time they made a positive step. Instead of sending guys out on the field with no clue what they were trying to accomplish, the coaches had a talk, and discussed some defensive issues so that everyone was on the same page. The fact that it was discussed is a positive step and I feel better now about the team. Most of the guys seemed to grasp the concept, and we just had to get a little team organization. Hopefully the results show in the game saturday. The team also signed a Japanese player from the J-League div one who looks promising. 1. The possible benefits are great if I can get to Europe
2. I dont have to relocate again.
3. It's a pretty good contract, and a way to get back into shape until Aug.
4. The players they bring in may be able to play at a good enough level to keep me sharp.
Mistakes
"The greatest mistake a person can make is to be afraid of making one" -Elbert Hubbard
This is the mentality a young person needs to to have when progressing into a higher league. As discussed, the older guys at some point are going to get on the younger guys. It is the guys that can take the criticism, without shutting themselves down mentally, that prevail. The guys that can take the criticism, shake it off and learn from it will be the guys that do well. they are the guys who play their game without worrying about making a mistake and worrying about getting yelled at. Mistakes are going to happen. Try not to make them, but when you do, work hard to win the ball back and everything will be ok.
April 4, 2007
Tommy, the DC coach called me last night to see if Minnesota had gotten in touch with me. Last I had heard about them was from him telling me they were interested but didnt feel they could offer me a good enough contract. He seemed a little dissapointed that I hadnt heard from them, but I told him about the new team forming in MD. He told me to keep him informed. It is good to know he is still keeping in touch, seeing what is going on with me.
My leg feels a lot better, but I havent been to get to a gym the past few weeks. We had another game today, it was not a good showing, but everyone knows that and we will work fix the problem. They are still toying with the system and players. It is a bit frustrating for me, b/c some players do not understand where they are supposed to be. This is what I was affraid of at this level. We shouldnt have to be working on shape and organization in practice, but it is a no brainer that we have to. Still we havent done it yet. Hopefully tomorrow.
This leads me to talk about adjustment. Whenever players come into a new level, be it preseason for college or preseason for pro's, they are met with a faster paced game. Some guys adjust a lot slower than others, and it takes a toll on the team. The veterans try to stay calm, but usually get frustrated and bickering starts. This problem never got solved at columbus, and bickering and a losing season was the end result of a team that couldnt solve problems. It is times like these where although I understand the rookies point of few, I also understand the veteran and how it is frustrating when people just dont get it. I guess that is what preseason is for.
DC lost last night 2-1 to put them out of the CONCACAF tournament. The goals can be seen on mlsnet.com.
If you would like to see what is going on outside of the game for DCUNITED you can visit bobbyboswell.com, where bobby is doing a little blog website. Some of it is actually funny and does justice to the personalities of the team. Id have to say, I've never heard anyone teach themself english as fast as Emilio did, and it is apparent when you watch the video that he is getting pretty good, and has good humor.
April 3, 2007
Yesterday I mentioned goals. I believe setting both short term and long term goals are important. If you dont set goals you lose sight of what you are working towards and you find yourself drifting along. With goals you can monitor your progress and make sure you are working each day to reach them.
"Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there" . -Will Rogers
Todays Decisions
I have an option to sign with Crystal Palace. I am a little timid to make this decision, but if things work out properly it may be a good thing. I am a little worried about the quality of play in training. It is a little slow and the field is not great. Im worried I wont get enough out of practices. They are working on getting a new practice field by the end of the week, so that would take care of that problem. Hopefully, the quality of play would pick up as well with the better surface.
Still, it is 2 levels below the MLS, and DC being the best team in the league, the speed of play is significantly less. This takes a toll on my decision. I am worried that I may start playing down to the competition, and then if I got called back up, I would have a hard time adjusting.
On the other side of the coin, I would be getting games. Games are important for me right now, and I couldnt get those in if I simply train with DC and hope to stay fit in hopes of getting a trial when teams start looking to adjust their roster.
I am still looking into a European passport, if I can get that taken care of then a ton of doors will open up. So keeping fit right now is crucial.
Crystal Palace also knows that playing d2 is not my goal. Therefore, I have to make sure they will be willing to support me if an opportunity comes for me. In my contract I will have to make sure there is a clause stating if an MLS team wants to pick me up, and I can come to a deal with them, then Crystal Palace will let me go. I also have to make sure that there is an agreement in writing that I will go train with Crystal Palace UK in august, no matter how I play in the season.
April 2, 2007
My goals this week are to get a step closer to 100% and figure out what path I am going to take.
I could continue to play with crystal palace and sign a contract.
Or I could get a part time job and work on getting 100% on my own and keep in shape by training with DC. Then if DC didnt pick me back up I could get a trial over the summer when teams start looking to adjust their rosters.
I'll touch on the pros and cons tomorrow.
Hard Work
My buddy from H.S., Kyle Brown, used to have a quote, it was something along the lines of...."someone out there is training harder and more often than you, When you play him, he will win". I'm not sure where he came across this quote, or who actually said it, but it is good.
Hard work is something that has become a part of me in all aspects of life. It is little things like this where I see how lessons from soccer have molded my character. Whenever I have had a job, or set out on a task, I have always seen it all the way through, and I have given it my best work. For example, I was building a paddock fence (for horses) the other month, and at the beginning I was so concerned with making sure the poles were perfect. Then I realized I was nitpicking on the little details when really the little details of this job were less important.
So in this sense, it can be an annoying habit. I guess its better to be over the top then underachieved though, and it's a good habit to have. Hard work will get you a lot of places. It has for me.
Soccer takes hard work. Hard work to play, and hard work to get to the top. Players that don't want to work at it, or work at practice don't make it. But with this, you also have to know how much to work. Overworking can lead to overtraining syndrome, and then players get burned out and quit.
April 1, 2007
Parents Another factor that weighs heavily on the continuation of sport is parental influence. I took 2 psychology classes in college (sport psychology and children in sport). Both touched on this factor. Id have to say I learned a lot from these classes and it would be beneficial for all parents to take a class like "children in sport". I also recommend reading "So your son wants to play in the NHL" by Dan Bylisma (Anaheim Mighty Ducks) and his father, Jay.
I dont know if my parents took a class like this, but I'd have to say they did a pretty good job at it. They were there to take me, or get me a ride to where I needed to be. They were able to pay the fee's the sports I played required. And they were there to tell me good job, or you'll get them next time. Their job was to support me. Although reaching the professional level is an accomplishment, my parents didnt set that as a goal for me, I set that for myself. I reached my goal like the bylisma's say...spite people. I had a goal that some people laughed at, and I was out there to prove them wrong. Whenever I have come accross a problem or accross someone that told me I couldnt do something. That is when I worked even harder, and put more effort into it....to prove them wrong. Although I believe it may not be the right reason for playing, but I believe it is still one the the main reasons why I play today....to prove to people that I can.
In other words, my parents knew sports was a game to keep me busy, keep me involved in the community, and out of trouble. I think it was also a way for them to be proud, but never a goal for them to push me to the top. That is a decision for the player. I made that decision. I decided what sport I was going to play or not play. (Of course, this is since the age of about 10-12, before this my parents would sign me up for a sport so I could learn about it and try it out, and then they would ask me if I wanted to play again next season).
Hockey was the only sport I wanted to play, but never did. It was too expensive and time consuming b/c I was already playing soccer, baseball and football. So I was told if I wanted to play hockey then I wouldnt be able to play one of the other 3. I thought this was a fair assessment. I chose to keep hockey out of the mix.
I hope you've all seen the commercial that states how many college athletes there are, and just about all of them are going pro in something other than sports. This is very true, only a select few actually make it.
March 31, 2007 Played in a game today against Maryland and lost 3-1. Id have to say Maryland dominated the game, and I was sitting there in the center of the park trying to figure out how a team could be so disorganized. I guess that is normal after only a few weeks of preseason and players are still trying out. I did score the 1 goal though, so positives came too.
Mental
I just wanted to tie the past few days into a mental aspect so that you dont have to assume for yourself.
The increase in level, the money, and the injuries, along with other nuances affect players mental game. To play at a top level you have to be able to disassociate yourself from these outside influences. In other words, you must be able to play without them being on your mind, otherwise you will struggle (an example of this at any level is the ability to play without thinking of the people in the stands....Did my dad see that? what did he think? Is my girl/boyfriend going to breakup with me?). You can take care of these off the field. If they aren't, the fun will be taken out of the game.
Soccer is supposed to be enjoyed. Though from a team point, this is not the goal. The goal is to be the best and win the championship. When working towards this goal, it is easy to start criticizing. The fun gets lost. There have been many times throughout my career where I questioned myself and what I was doing. I wasnt having any fun out there. I was bored, frustrated, and didnt want to be out there. Plus, the game is so physically demanding that you wonder if it is worth it.
This was evident in columbus when the team was struggling, and practices became worthless. This was also the case sometimes in college. I would walk home from practices and we would talk about how it wasnt fun anymore and we couldnt wait for the season to be over.
Last year, with DC, I had a goal........ to get better every day....I enjoyed every practice and I went out there with something to prove. I actually enjoyed the practices more than the games. You get the ball more and its challenging.
You could make more money if you went out and got a real job. So is it worth it, or do these nuances make the answer no. These questions definately take a toll on the level of happiness (and will), especially if you are struggling day to day to get by.
So there are ups and downs. You have to take in the good and filter out the bad. But these things will always be there causing you to ask questions. And at one point, you will have to decide if its worth it or not.
March 30, 2007
3 players ended up making an appearance to practice this morning instead of just the 1. Can't really comment much else. Id have to agree with one of the VA beach players when he compared the practice today to a club team practice, which is a bit of a shock when youre training with a professional team. We will see how they do against Maryland tomorrow.
Level
Even in club ball, with each year, teams get bigger, faster, stronger and the level becomes better. Jumping in from high school to college feels like you skip 3 levels. Mainly b/c the majority of the team is upper classmen who have played at that level for 2-3 years already. Everyone is a little faster and more athletic as well. In high school, you dont realize how much you actually stand around, in college there isnt as much standing. So the games are more physically demanding.
At the professional level it is even worse. It may look slower from the stands, or maybe you are watch a game being played in 100 degree heat. Those games will be a little sloppy and slower even at the professional level. But trust me, if you are on the field, the speed is fast. Those guys aren't slow, and they make it look easier than it is b/c they know how to play, and they let the ball do the work. Thats not to say there is less running, there is more running, but the running is to supporting positions where the ball will be played to, instead of dribbled to.
The amount of time you have on the ball before being closed down by a defender is a matter of seconds. You have to have in your mind where you are going to play that ball, or where you are going to trap that ball. You have to be able to pass a ball to the right foot of a player if he has a defender on the left side. You have to give options that are 2 and 3 steps ahead, what about 1 step ahead? not really, someone is already in that spot. They were there 2 steps before. Follow that? you also have to do all this at a high pace, b/c everyone is bigger faster and stronger.
One again, this also means there is less resting. You cant cheat as much and get 10 yards out of position if the ball is on the other side of the field. Why? Because players in the league can ping a 50-70 yard ball in a matter of seconds right to the player you were supposed to be marking. Positioning and organization become the most important factors in the outcome of a game. Usually, the most organized team will end up winning. And the national team level (from what I hear) is a whole other ball game.
With so much set on perfection, making the right decision, and being in the right spot, stress becomes a key factor. These things take the fun out of the game, but the guys that can do them, and still stay relaxed and have fun are the players that will enjoy soccer the most. In the end, its a job, its about bringing home a paycheck, so you have to try and be sharp day in and day out.
March 29, 2007 I just got word that VA Beach folded their season. The league hopes to get them back in the league next year (if new owners prevail). Now all the VA Beach players are scrambling to find a team. I've already had three contact me for help. One, a goalie, is coming up to play in a game with Crystal Palace this evening. With that said, I decided I'm not going to play in the game tonight, but I'll show up for practice tomorrow and see how the game against Maryland goes on saturday.
Millionaires
All professional athletes are millionaires right? This is a common misconception (Believe it or not, a lot of people think this). At a charity golf tournament for the Columbus Crew, my playing partners asked me if I owned a million dollar house like those that lined the course. I laughed.
David Beckham and Landon Donovan are exceptions. There are only a few players in the league that make that kind of money, though it may be normal for other sports or soccer in Europe. A team is made up of 28 players (18 roster players and 10 developmental). The league minimum for a roster spot is 28,000. the Maximum is 300,000. 3 developmental spots are senior spots making 17,000 and the other 7 are making 12,500, for the year.
These players have to do a lot of coaching or find outside jobs to get by. Some teams, like DC, do a really good job in the community and will have paid appearances for players. Some appearances are free, but others will be paid ($250 or $350 depending on the event). Keep in mind that players still have to pay for housing, and locations such as DC, LA, and NY are expensive.
If you graduate college most teams will try and stick you with a developmental contract, b/c they can. The league is getting better though.....If I would have left college early, Nike would have paid me around 40,000 (These players were called project40 players). Today, the p40 players are now called generation adidas players (b/c adidas took over). The top players leaving school early (the past two years) have signed contracts for over 100,000. So in that since, the league is improving.
If you do sign developmental, or are stuck on a regular contract at minimum, it is tough to get a raise. Bobby Boswell, played his first year as a developmental player and got moved up to a roster spot at minimum wage even though he started almost every game his rookie year. Then, this past year, he started every game, made the all-star team, won defender of the year, and then was finally was finally able to negotiate a contract more than league minimum. There are plenty of players on each team in their late twenties still making minimum. One 29 year old player for DC is still making around 30,000 and has played plenty of minutes.
Hopefully, this will change as the league grows older and starts making more money. I imagine it will be able to pay all of the players a decent salary in ten more years. I hope I’m right (for the sake of the player).
March 28, 2007
Update
Tomorrow I plan on getting back into training, as I am starting to recover from the flu. Once again, I will have to start from scratch.
Road Blocks II
Injury isnt the only obstacle I have had to overcome. I have also experienced the reality of a soccer player in the MLS (or any professional sport for that matter). There are a select few players who are lucky enough to stay with one team their whole career. Ben Olsen is an example (and his career isnt even over), but even players like Jaime Moreno have to face trades. In fact, I know a few players who have played for just about every team in the league.
In my first year at columbus I saw 3 different coaches. I started out with Greg Andrulis, then our assistant coach became the interim (temporary) coach when Greg was fired, and then Sigi came in as the perminant coach at the end of the season. I slowly saw my old teammates disappear and replaced by new faces. I knew my time was coming, and I thought about contacting teams over the offseason, but I didnt want to stick my foot in my mouth. I should have confronted Sigi with my concerns and worked out a trade, this way I would have been set with a team, and had a spot that I deserved instead of scrambling to find a team 2 weeks into preseaons (a time when most teams are full). Instead, I got stuck taking a contract that I didnt prefer, and that I was better than. I had to take it though, b/c it was the only thing available at the place I wanted to play, DC.
At the start of year 3, as we know, I was back in the same position, only the reason this time was due to my injury. Once again, Im trying to figure out if I want to put up with this anymore. If you ask me, Job security is a high priority when looking for a new job. So why would it not be a priority if the job was a professional sport? One positive is that you get to meet a lot of new people and experience new places if you are traded. And if you are up for that then great. But as players get older, and have families, you can see the toll it takes. Johnny Walker, one of our goalies with the Crew, was playing with us in Columbus, while his wife worked and took care of their kids in Tennessee.
In the end, it comes back down to sacrifices. Can you live with the fact that you dont know what team (or if you will even have a team) next month or year? Or are you willing to play in a lower division even though its not your goal, b/c you enjoy playing soccer and just want to play? Neither team I played on ended the year with the same team they started with. And neither team started the next year with the that team they ended with.
March 27, 2007
Update
No training today as I am still a bit under the weather. This flu is not good as I am missing out on time to continue my rehab. Last week was spring break for U. of Maryland, so I was unable to use the facilities. Thus, I haven't been able to work on any strength training for a week and a half. Not good.
The VA BEACH team is supposed to have a meeting today to figure out what the future holds for them. Of course they've been told this every day for the past week.
Road Blocks
Speaking of rehab, I guess this could serve as a good time to explain some of the obstacles I have overcome due to injury. Lets see, where do I start. I've broken both orbitals (the bone right under your eye), nose, jaw, both clavicals, right fibula, and ankle (ankle - the only one not from soccer). Who ever said soccer was a no contact sport. Ive also had a sports hernia repair (tear in the lower abs).
I was lucky that none of my facial breaks impaired normal function (i.e. I could have lost some normal eye sight with the orbital fractures). I have a titanium plate and three screws in the right side of my face b/c I actually broke three bones (orbit, zygomatic, and maxillary bones). I have 12 staples and a mesh screen in my lower abs for the sports hernia. And I have a steel plate and some screws due to my latest fibula break.
When I get knocked down in all aspects of life, I get back up mentally stronger and more motivated. This past break was the toughest on me mentally and physically. It took the longest to heal, and the longest to rehab. The other ones didnt really effect my leg muscles so when it healed I was off to the races. But with this, I found my left leg to be normal size while my right leg looked like a walking stick. I am still trying to get full strength/power and speed back. It was also the only time that I thought to myself, in the doctors office getting xrays, "I cant take this anymore, Im tired of it". I thought to myself one more injury and Im done. I want to be able to walk when I'm older. It was as if the wind was sucked out of me. It was the only time that I got knocked down and wanted to stay down.
The only other injury that hit hard on my mental state was my broken collarbone (clavical) sustained in the 2nd round of the NCAA tournament my junior year. This was the one that ended my season, I knew it wouldnt be my last season, but it I worked hard all year and I couldnt see the season out. We ended up going to the Final Four, for the 2nd year in a row, but I had to watch my team lose 1-0 in the semifinals to a team (st. johns) who we outshot about 30 to 6.
Lucky for me, I had one last chance the following year where once again, for the 3rd straight year, we lost in a heartbreaking game that we should have won. 3 years in the final four, 2 were lost on a PK call and the last loss with 48 seconds in double overtime. Maryland went on to win the NCAA championship the following year.
March 26, 2007 I've been struck down by the flu. Ha, yet another pilar in my path. I havent heard any news from VA BEACH. I played in Crystal Palace's first preseason scrimmage yesterday and it was a little sloppy. No one was pleased with the low performance. They will try and organize things a little for game 2 against maryland. I am looking into what it takes to get dual citizenship. As for now, I must return to bed.
March 25, 2007
Update
I've been in touch with a few of the guys from VA Beach. Apparently, I made a good decision coming back to Md/DC. They haven't had practice and the scrimmages scheduled for this weekend were cancelled. There is a meeting monday (tomorrow) with certain parties to try and resolve this problem.
Lesson of the Week:
Here is a quote for you to think about.........
"A journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step". -Lau-Tzu
Sacrifice- All decisions you make in life will involve some sort of sacrifice. You have to decide whether you want to make that sacrifice in order to take that first step in your journey. With soccer, its a sacrifice of time and missing out on some events. All of you in club know you spend most of your weekends and holidays on the road at tournaments instead of at home with your classmates. Hopefully you have developed close relationships with teammates. Two of my best friends, to this day, are my old teammates from the Arkansas Comets '82 team.
Sacrifice is also made in college. I was never home for thanksgiving, b/c that was the start of the NCAA tournament. I also had to decide both my sophomore and junior years if I would continue college soccer or if I would move onto the MLS draft. I chose to sacrifice two years in professional soccer in order to stay in school and get my degree. There are pro's and cons. Maybe I will touch on these later. I also chose to graduate in 3.5 years, so I missed out on my last semester so I could enter the MLS draft in february of my senior year as a graduate, as opposed to having one semester left. This was a big sacrifice. If you ask me, college was the best time of my life (to this point), I missed out on a lot of the normal student experience, b/c I had to concentrate on soccer and travel due to soccer. I would love to have one semester without having to juggle soccer and school, but I had to sacrifice that in order to reach my goal. I chose to sacrifice that, b/c it is something I can live with. I believe that the biggest question to ask yourself is can you live with the decision? March 24, 2007 12:20pm
BACK TO MD/DC
Being told to stay in touch, I contacted DC and informed the coach (Tommy) of the situation. This unraveled the plans of sending me to a place where he could keep a close eye on my progress, but he also has contacts at Minnesota. What I've heard is they are interested, but are looking into things and with the time being so close to the season, they dont believe they have anything to offer that would be worth it for me. We will see what they can do.
This takes us back to the decisions I had to make about playing or not. I had decided that I dont want to be moving around and playing at places where I dont desire to be. I did not enjoy my stay at Columbus, so I dont want to go back to a similar situation just so I can play. That's a sacrifice most people have to make, but at this point, it isn't of interest to me. So in the end, if I am going to continue playing, I would like to play somewhere I wish to be.
Meanwhile, I got in touch with a former Maryland Terrapin who played several years in the MLS. He was the assistant coach of the MD womens soccer team last year, and now is working to become an agent. I inquired about the new USL2 team forming in baltimore (Crystal Palace baltimore/usa). USL2 is under USL1, and USL1 the league previously known as the A-league.
Here is what he could tell me....Crystal Palace is a club over in England. Last year they began forming a team in baltimore that would work somewhat like a feeder system. It would work on developing players in hopes of being able to send a few guys over to train with the UK team, or they could send guys from the UK over to play with this team in baltimore. Essentially, they are starting out as USL2 because of the new development, but hope to move to USL1 in the near future. I believe they are partially funded by the UK team, and therefore have a good budget to fund a quality team.
This option could benefit me if I am able to get a dual citizenship, which I may qualify for due to my paternal grandfather. I am looking into this. If I can get dual citizenship, I would be more valuable and could transfer to the European league. Thus, this option would be of interest to me, especially if they can produce a team that will play/practice at a high level.
My other option, still, is to call NY Redbulls and see about a trial. But if I do that, DC, would lose my rights and wouldn't be able to get me back, which is why they suggested I get with a USL1 (A-league) team to get back into form.
March 23,2007 4:30pm
HOW IT WENT DOWN
My injury was taking its time healing, and DC had to make a decision because they had to meet roster regulations March 1st. I knew there was no way I could be 100% by that day, but I fought as hard as I could, unfortunately fell short. DC still shows interest in me, and wants me to get back to where I was last year before my injury. They were pushing me towards VA BEACH, a USL division 1 team, because Colin Clark, the coach, was the previous coach of FC dallas, and there is a relationship between him and DC. This way DC could keep a close eye on me, and bring me back up if things worked out (before the aug 15 deadline).
VA BEACH EXPERIENCE
When to head down? VA Beach (mariners) had a game scheduled Wed. the 14th. I had a decision. When to go down. They were training thur and fri, but not sat and sun. I had previously signed up to take a class monday, so I decided I wasn't going to drive down and back twice. I would wait till monday after my class.
I showed up tuesday for training, and it ended up being an agility and core workout, no soccer. I went back for the second session and the team had a meeting, where they found out the owner backed out of his contract. No Owner, no money. HA. There I was, down there for a day of agility work, when I originally had planned on training with DCU(united) for the week before they left the country. Now I had to decide if I wanted to drive up and catch DC's last two practices, or stay and see what happened. I was talked into staying just to see how things panned out, and at least I would get to see a practice. Morning comes. No word yet from the league, to this moment they are still trying to solve the problem. So after one practice, I decided to head back to DC. I was eating out every meal, and if I had stayed a few more days, it would have been an easy couple hundred dollars down the drain ($$ may not be reimbursed if the team folds with no owner). It is a good thing I didnt head down the previous wednesday for the game, huh?
The class I almost skipped out on monday morning? A class to complete the proccess of becoming a substitute teacher. Another laugh. Now at least I can do a little substitute teaching for a few extra bucks while I decide what to do. This is where I will leave you today. Tomorrow we will talk about today.
March 22, 2007 MORE BACKGROUND
As Dave stated, my season ended prematurely last year due to a bad tackle (I pasted the video below). Our team doctor diagnosed me with a spiral fracture, and suggested surgery. A plate and some screws were inserted to repair my broken distal (lower) fibula (the bone on the outside of your Tibia/shin bone). I suppose "spiral" can also be used here to describe the events that have taken place since, and because of, the outcome of a bad tackle. Currently, I am trying to decide if I am ready to move on from soccer and get a real job, or if I will give it one more shot.
Today, Ill leave you with this thought....a quote we follow at maryland, Ill try to find out who its by, but it was tought to us by or sport phychologist Rob Kehoe......"Good, Better, Best, never let it rest, until your good is better, and your betters best".
Lesson of the Week:
Every mistake could be avoided by making at least one different/better decision. Here it is two-fold. 1. Ugo should have never went down for the tackle, it is a reckless and needless foul. 2. I should have kept my body between the ball and the player. I made a mistake by cutting back, and showing ugo the slightest bit of ball. Athough Dave may teach you this important lesson, most of you may not realize how important this simple task is. At the highest level, you will learn these habbits come natural...It is the star player who can execute them to perfection without thinking.
Definition: bad tackle - a two footed tackle from behind. An example can be found by clicking or copy and pasting the link below, and clicking "view the clip". Although some ball is touched, if you pause right as Ugo slides (apprx. .06 sec), you will see the foul is from behind (take in mind this video is in slow motion). Ugo and I played club ball against each other when I lived in Texas during High. click here to watch- http://www.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20060829&content_id=70792&vkey=pr_mls&fext=.jsp