Earthquakes Pre-Draft Combine

Hello All,

I apologize for taking so long to post. Last week I attended my first combine of the year at Stanton Field next to the Earthquakes Stadium at Santa Clara University! Stanton Field is a turf field, and I played center back for "Team 1" during the Monday and Tuesday morning games.

Leading up to the combine I was nervous but excited. In December 2008 I attended a preliminary combine at the same field so this year I was probably a little more prepared than my teammates. There were probably about 40-50 players who attended the combine, most of them recent college seniors. This was what I expected going into the combine and I used it to my advantage.

A week before the combine I received an email from Joe Dincecco at the Earthquakes indicating the roster for Team 1. So I googled the names of every player, easily picking up information from college websites and articles. Therefore, when I arrived a half hour early (David Beckham style) to the locker room Monday morning, I felt very much in control of my surroundings and recognized my teammates as they strolled in. Also, the week before, I had called USF coach Erik Visser and my agent to ask for advice on what I should do to stand out.

Overall, I felt the combine went well. As a center back my goals were to play simple, win every ball in the air, defend aggressively against any striker that challenged me, and be very vocal. While the first day was a little shaky as the nerves sorted themselves out, I still felt like I achieved my goals and the second day I was complemented for playing better than day 1.


(that's me on the left, and in the background: Earthquakes Head Coach Frank Yallop, GM John Doyle, and Assistant Coach Ian Russell. I don't know the striker's name on the right, but he was good)

While I know that MLS teams rarely invite more than 2-3 players from combines into their preseason camp, I'm still hopeful that I made an impression. Now, I'm told that the Portland Timbers are having a combine at the end of this month, so I'm off to the field to train!

Cheers,

Jeff

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U.S. Soccer Press Conference Gives Insight to New Division II League

A last minute press conference called Thursday revealed new details regarding the new Division II soccer league in the U.S. U.S. Soccer will take charge of the league and it will most likely be called USSF 2nd Division, unless a sponsor is found. Sunil Gulati, President of U.S. Soccer Federation, emphasized that the league will be based around intraplay between the two different divisions - The NASL and USL. Gulati stated that the schedule has yet to be decided, but U.S. Soccer is looking to enact a 28 or 32 game season. As of now, this new Division II league has no connection to Major League Soccer, but Gulati could easily envision a connection in the not to distant future. It would probably resemble "AAA" baseball and the MLB, but MLS teams would not be responsible for Division II players' salaries.

More information becomes available each day as this story continues to develop. Please look to Soccer Hype for breaking news as it is made available to the public by U.S. Soccer.

USSF Gives USL and NASL 7 Days to Compromise

In a shocking move, US Soccer has refused to sanction both the NASL and the USL for the 2010 season. According to the USSF, neither league was able to prove it would have the required eight teams in order to field a proper league. The USSF has given both the USL and the NASL seven days to work things out and develop a way for both leagues to exist.

To find out more, check out Soccer Hype as we will be providing up-to-date coverage of this story as it unfolds over the next few weeks.

Highlight Video From Croatiaaaa

So, last May I received a Facebook message from an organization that was holding tryouts for a team that would travel to Europe and showcase American soccer players to professional teams. The team is based out of Southern California and offered young players a great experience for 2009 - a trip to Croatia to play against some top professional teams. There is also something unique about this particular organization, in that they documented the whole trip on film and hope to make it into a show one day entitled, One Shot One Dream. Apparently it might already be in the works for Gol TV, who knows? Perhaps I'll go on their next trip.

Personally I had a great time on the trip. I was able to visit some parts of Europe, make new friends (check out Kyle Kaveny's blog) and memories, and of course play soccer. We stayed in Pula, in the northern part of Croatia and played five games against 1st, 2nd, and 3rd division Croatian teams. This the their site: http://www.isoccerstar.com/index.php

On the site you can check out the videos and see what the trip was like. We stayed for 15 days in Pula and played five games. I'm posting this because they just finished the highlight videos for all the players. Here's a link to my highlight video

I would encourage any aspiring player to travel and experience what soccer is like in other countries. Traveling to Croatia was really eye opening for me, in the soccer sense and the social sense. I got to see a country and a culture very different from the United States. I had never traveled overseas before either so having to get my passport for the trip was a good idea too!

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Christmas Presents for the Soccer Player in Your Family?

Well I don't know about you but I had a wonderful Christmas with my family this year. We packed it all in for three days and I was fortunate enough to get some training done throughout. On Christmas Eve my Mom's side of the family got together and it was the usual presents and turkey dinner, with a little CatchPhrase on the side (a nice day off). On Christmas day we celebrated in the morning with immediate family then traveled up north to visit my grandfather for a couple hours (after a run and footwork). To top it all off my Dad's side came over on the 26th for a while and my brother and I played in an indoor tournament in Sports City Cotati.

All in all it was a very enjoyable family time, and lots of fun soccer. In the tournament on Saturday there were five 30min games, starting at 3pm with the last one ending around 11:45pm. My brother Luke was unable to make the first two because he chose to spend time with my father's side of the family, whom he rarely sees due to living in Southern California. However we pulled through without him early on, and he gave us a hearty boost of energy for the last three games helping us win in the final. A fantastic end to the Christmas celebrations!

However, that's not all. Throughout the past four days I unwrapped some great gifts that I'm happy to share. Who wouldn't enjoy two new Nike Premier Team balls, Sir Bobby Charlton's, Alex Ferguson's, AND Steven Gerrard's autobiographies!?? They are sitting on my desk right now and I can't wait to dive into them (thanks Mom and Dad!)



I hope everyone had a blessed Christmas and happy holidays. Stay tuned, it's time for tryouts!

Cheers,

Jeff

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Great Day to Train in the North Bay Rain!

Now I know what you're thinking: there goes another crazy guy catching pneumonia in the rain. Yesterday I couldn't help but be outside for 90+ mins. But really folks, it's ok jeez, I wore a long sleeve shirt! Haha. Who can't help but love the rain?! I mean, with all the global warming and pollution, etc. - it sure is great to spend some time in the cleansing rain playing the beautiful game (even though my opponent was a wall at a local middle school). Some of my favorite runs have been in the rain. Or even better: You start running, work up a sweat, and after a mile or so it just starts to pour on you. That's the best! Then again, with a ball, in the grass (and mud), it's always more fun :)

Cheers,

Jeff



Then it's off to the top of the dryer to get dry!

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Working through fear

Well, as every day comes and goes I feel stronger in the beginning, and completely exhausted at the end, and I wouldn't have it any other way. However, there are times when I have doubts and fears, as is natural for every human being.

A little over a year ago, the college season was just getting underway. I had just been officially assigned the captaincy, and we were traveling to Northwestern for the Lakeside classic, our first game of the preseason. When we arrived at Midway Airport, our team walked down to the baggage claim while our coaches and trainer headed off to get the rental cars. We sat around for 15 minutes waiting for our bags, and when the bags came out I thought that as the captain I should have known what the next step was: stay near the baggage claim? head out to the curb? catch the bus to the rental car area? Having never been to Midway before, I called our assistant coach and he simply said to head outside and wait for them there. But when I announced this to the team, trying to sound knowing and in charge, some of my teammates reacted differently than I expected. It was as if I had become annoying, pushy, big-headed (and I'm sure I came off that way).

I was simply trying to do the job I had been assigned. Needless to say, I was utterly confused and disheartened. So when we got outside, I separated myself from everyone, pulled out a notepad, and all the doubts and fears came out: "You're not ready for this...you can't handle this...you don't have their respect...you don't have what it takes...just give up." Just give up. I filled up a whole page with self-deprecating comments.

Then a funny thing happened. After relieving myself of such vitriol, I felt better, and I turned the page. I wrote: "I can do this." Then another, "I have what it takes," and another "I am respected." And it continued: "I am strong. I am fast. I can lead. I know how to do this. I am a force to be reckoned with." By the time the vans pulled up there were two pages of confidence in front of me.

Since that day I have realized something profound about myself: That I have a tendency to be afraid of greatness, and that I am in control of that fear. There are two quotes I would like to share, one from Marianne Williamson, and one from Nelson Mandela's favorite poem, Invictus (recently the name of a movie, it's awesome go see it):

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure."

-Marianne Williamson


"It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul."

-William Ernest Henley


So, as I continue on my journey, and throughout my whole life, I know I will encounter fears. But I will always remember that I am the master of my fate, the captain of my soul, and that paying attention to random fears is a waste of time.

Cheers,

Jeff

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