United Chronicles Ch. 6: The Team Takes Off

United Chronicles Ch. 6: The Team Takes Off
February 24, 2012
(The United Chronicles is a work of fiction. Any similarity in name to real-life is unintentional. Any similarity to real-life events and situations is starting to seem practically unavoidable).
 
Chapter 6: The Team Takes Off
 
Click to read previous chapters: One | Two | Three | Four | Five
 

Derek took a drink of water and sat on the bench.
 
In the eight weeks since the Labor Day Tournament, the U14 Boys of United FC had begun to coalesce. Players whose first instinct at the beginning of the season was to try to solve every problem individually, were now playing more intelligently, picking their spots for dribbling better, and flourishing as passers and movers on the field. The results on the field were reflecting this, but more importantly to Derek, the conversations were beginning to change among the team.

Instead of just being content with winning everything, which they had the potential to do, the team members were talking more about playing well, about living up to the standard of leading teams and players from around the world. They were starting to think and play like real soccer players, and seeing this was one of Derek’s favorite parts of coaching.

This team has serious talent, he already knew, but now Derek was seeing it being used in a way that would ultimately separate great teams from a much larger group of good teams.

Additionally, Derek was recognizing he had no fewer than three special players in the group, and by special, he felt these were players with real potential to play professionally and internationally. Most parents were hoping their sons would have the chance to play collegiately, and Derek figured probably everyone on this squad was that good, but the talent level for his terrific trio was tantalizing.

The players who really excelled were Joe Mitchell, Freddy Barazza, and Mickey Hilliard.  Joe was not only a fast forward built a bit like a fire hydrant, but someone who brought excellent close control along with his magnificent acceleration. What Derek was really noticing about Joe was how quickly he was learning when to make those explosive runs, mixing his  plan of attack in such a way to really accentuate his speed and skill.

Freddy “Froggy” Barazza was a bit more physically mature than the other boys, and while his strength helped him keep the ball for long spells, what really set him apart were his exceptional skills. Derek noticed that whenever he got to practice, and it was usually pretty early, Froggy was already there, working on technique. Sometimes he was just fooling around with tricks like the other boys would do, but more often he had dragged a dozen or so balls to a certain part of the field and was practicing things that he would actually use in a match, while his dad and younger sister chased down the balls and brought them back. Froggy had the passion for the game, and the willingness to put in the work.

The other standout was Mickey Hilliard. Taller than everyone on the team but goalkeeper Caleb Waugh,  Mickey had perhaps more natural talent than anyone in the group. He sometimes seemed too casual to Derek. He wasn’t as explosive as Joe, and he definitely didn’t work on his game the way Froggy did, but he just seemed to have this special knack for making the ball do the right thing for him, and like the other two, he was very smart in knowing what that was.

The other players had their positives, and Derek didn’t want to peg anyone too early, either way, but at this point and time that was the way the talent ladder on his team unfolded.

The team had rolled through its Regional League schedule with just one draw blemishing the record. On the final weekend of the season, United was set to play Bayside FC, which with one loss, was the only team that could steal the league crown away. A win by United and the league title would be won on its first attempt.

The match started uneventfully, but Derek noticed his team was a bit tight, much as it had been in the final of the Labor Day Tournament. Sure enough, about 20 minutes in, defender Edgar Frick failed to deal with a simple cross, and while Caleb Waugh made a great save on the first close-ranged shot, the rebound fell kindly to a Bayside player and he scored to put United down for only the second time all season.

The halftime whistle blew and the players trudged to the sideline, clearly frustrated. Ruben Lomeli kicked a water bottle and Trevor Walker got into an argument with Rich Metzger and then Chase Yates. After letting the players vent for a few seconds, Trevor stepped in.

“Listen to yourselves. You are so cool when things are going well, but you fall behind and now you’re a bunch of whiny babies,” he said. “It’s like you have forgotten every good thing you’ve done all year, just like that. This is the kind of challenge that makes a good team a great team, you have to think of it as an opportunity.

“All year you’ve been playing soccer in a way that makes the other team chase you around the field. The other team has had very little of the ball,” he continued. “Now this team has had a lot more of the ball, not because they are taking it from you, but because you are giving it to them. They are a little bit bigger, a little bit faster, you have to take that advantage away from them. Work a little harder to make the spaces smaller. Link better and you can keep the ball like you normally do. If you don’t, it’s going to be more long passes and more of them getting the ball. Is it important enough to you to do that much more?"

The group murmured.

“I said, is it important enough to you?”

“Yes,” the players answered back more assertively. He didn’t see a convinced look in every eye, and that was the main thing dictating his lineup for the 2nd half. He pulled Trevor Walker aside just before the team returned to the field for the second half.

“This starts with you,” Derek said. “You lead by example. Show me the work rate in the middle that we need. I know you’re fit enough.”

Trevor had a surprised look on his face at the affirming challenge. He nodded and ran out, calling the players together for a quick huddle.

The second half was a different story. Bayside was quickly chasing the game and within a few minutes Jack Grobmyer had combined with Ron Metzger to set up Mickey Hilliard, and the tall striker scored to tie the match.

A few minutes later, Trevor chased down a ball in the center circle, and hit a nifty pass over the top for Joe Mitchell to run onto. The speedster split the middle and banged a shot in off the upright.  Bayside mounted one good attack but Waugh was there to make the save.

With about 10 minutes left a Bayside player fouled Froggy in the box and Alex Wasserman, a defender who had won a penalty contest in practice, stepped up to knock in the PK, and United were regional league champions.

When the final whistle blew it touched off a wild celebration as the team knew it was the best thing they had won so far. Derek enjoyed the predictable Gatorade bath from the players, and later accepted congratulatory handshakes and hugs from the parents, even a hug from Pamela, who had largely kept her distance since the ill-fated night at his apartment.

Derek made it home that night and thought about the good season the team had enjoyed thus far. He had settled into all of the director’s duties and the board were making it clear that he had a good chance to be hired permanently since Warren did not appear to be recovering enough to return to his old post.

Things were going very well, but Derek had learned through his life not to trust happiness. He knew something was coming, he just didn’t know what it was going to be.

Next Week: Florida Follies
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