Ask any men’s club soccer player to explain a disappointing 2001 season, and he’ll probably say two things.
Last season was disheartening.
Expectations for 2002 are high.
It’s no surprise the 2002 men’s club soccer players gave those two examples when asked about how the team would fare in the upcoming fall season.
The Ducks had high expectations, goals and dreams coming into the 2001 season. In 2000, the team came in second place in the national tournament, held every year during the last week of November.
With anticipation high and expectations even higher, the team came up remarkably short in 2001.
The Ducks got second again. Second to last.
“We did well in league but not good at nationals,” said senior Matt Tassos, who is the player-coach for the team. “Our focus wasn’t there. This year we have that focus and work ethic.”
Tassos said the Ducks will need to return to their good play from two years ago in order to be successful in 2002. That means throwing out all the sports rhetoric and proving it on the field.
“It looks like we have a pretty good team, and I hope we do well,” senior midfielder Ryan Rose said.
How well remains to be seen. Because the squad was one game away from claiming the 2000 national championship, hype and hope will surround this year’s team.
“Our goal is to more than better last year,” senior forward Kenny Otley said. “We have a lot of potential that we didn’t utilize last year. This year we will play as a team, not as individuals.”
Injuries were one reason the Ducks didn’t play up to their potential last season.
“We had one player that was shot in the leg four weeks before nationals,” said Tassos, referring to a shooting near Hilyard Street Market in the spring in which one soccer player was injured.
Tassos will be coach and player for the second year in a row, bringing experience that should eventually become an asset to the team.
“It’s different,” Otley said, referring to playing for his peer. “I’m not jealous of Matt’s job.”
Problems have arisen in the past with player-coaches in the Club Sports program. Otley said players skip mandatory practices, expect to get playing time on game day or don’t take their peer-coach seriously.
“It’s different trying to coach and play,” Tassos said. “You want to concentrate on your own game but also the team’s game. ‘What needs to be better?’ It’s hard to do one thing, let alone two.”
But Tassos seems to be more than up to the job.
“I think (the coaching) is handled well,” Rose said. “I’ve seen it cause problems other places, but not here.”
And with that, the coaching situation is an afterthought for the team. The Ducks have more important things to focus on — like winning.
“Definitely win league (title) and win nationals, those are two realistic expectations,” Tassos said.
Dreams have now turned into expectations for the team. The 2002 national club tournament, held Nov. 21-23 in Bakersfield, Calif., will tell the Ducks whether those expectations will become reality.
Three home games are scheduled for Oct. 20, Oct. 27 and Nov. 3. All games will be held at the turf field, with kickoff for all three scheduled for 1 p.m.