2001 Men's Soccer Journal
8/23/2001 8:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Aug. 23, 2001
College Park, Md. - Men's Soccer Journal: Entry No. 1
It happens every summer, twenty strapping young lads gather in College Park for two and a half weeks of grueling training in preparation for the upcoming season. But this year is a little different. Our team this year consists of only two upper classmen, our names are Kevin Schmidt and Beckett Hollenbach and we'll be taking you through an inside look of the trials and tribulations of the 2001 Maryland men's soccer team. For the past week our daily lives have consisted of two practices a day, nightly sessions of dominating the women's volleyball team in board games, fine dining at Ellicott, and luxurious accommodations at LaPlata hall. During this period a large amount of time has gone towards getting to know each other, seeing as we're such a young team. Many of the eight new freshmen have been quiet to this point, but little by little they're coming out of their shells.
So far we have been making continual progress on the playing field and all signs point to the making of a very successful season. A vigorous summer of running, lifting, and playing is paying dividends, as we all seem to be in top shape and raring to go. All of our injured players from last year have made a triumphant return and are eagerly waiting to start the season to prove themselves again. All of the freshmen are showing themselves to be valuable assets to the team, and will contend for many starting positions. Much of the leadership will have to come from Beckett and I as we use our experience and maturity to guide the team in the right direction, as well as making sure the boys are tucked away in bed at night.
Our first test of the season came on Sunday when we scrimmaged Georgetown. Overall it was an impressive start in which we dominated most of the play and earned a 3-0 victory. Highlights from the game included the return of the African connection (Sumed & Siba) who dazzled the crowd with a few jaw-dropping plays. All together it was a good day and Sasho appeared to be pleased with the performance. For now it's back to the practice fields until our scrimmage with Richmond on Friday. Until next time, this is Beckett and Kevin saying keep your eyes on the prize!
