Sasho's #20WinningMoments: 2003
8/30/2012 8:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Aug. 30, 2012
Sept. 5, 2003
No. 2 Maryland defeats No. 1 UCLA/The Crew is Formed
As Told By Mike Mastrantuono, University of Maryland Class of 2007
"September 5th, 2003 was a momentous day for me. It changed the trajectory of not only my college career but my life.
"I have always been a fervent follower of soccer and this passion was one of the draws that brought me to the University of Maryland. I had looked forward, after gaining admission and accepting a spot as a freshman in the Class of 2007, to attending the soccer games. We had made it as far as the College Cup in the previous year but had bowed out to none other than UCLA, the team we were to face on that night.
"I gathered a small group of freshmen, including my two roommates, and arrived early to the game. Noticing the seats behind the goals, which were new for the 2003 season, we perched ourselves only feet from the netting, a few yards from the UCLA keeper warming up. A couple of heckling cheers turned into a witty pregame exchange between students and the keeper. The witty exchange quickly evolved into a full-scale assault throughout the entire game. More students in the stands caught on, we all made friends, and the rest is history. The Crew was born.
"Some might say that The Crew helps the team and is a reason for its success. And that might be true. A team cannot accumulate such a fine home record in the last 10 years like ours without a significant home field advantage. But, the reality of it is that the soccer team does more for The Crew than the other way around. The team gives us a sense of community, pride, and, most importantly, purpose. For many of us, it gives meaning to our lives, whether it be through the victories on the pitch that we share in the stands or the lifelong friends we would not have otherwise made unless we had joined the group."
To commemorate Sasho Cirovski's 20th season as head coach at Maryland, UMTerps.com is celebrating his decorated career with a series titled "20 Winning Moments". Have a moment you think deserves to be on the list? Tweet us at @MarylandMSoccer with the hashtag #20WinningMoments.
