Coach Mac's Corner (2010)
November 23, 2010
Good afternoon and I wanted to wish you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving from the men’s soccer office. We are truly thankful for your fantastic support this past year and I hope that you enjoy some quality time with your family and loved ones.
The boys have demonstrated a willingness to invest fully in the hard work necessary to improve both individually and collectively as a program. Under the guidance of “Big Dan” the group is already preparing for the future and I know that (with the necessary commitment, drive and passion) we will continue to move forward in 2011.
We realize that we have many obstacles to overcome in the weeks and months ahead as we go in search of success in a very competitive BIG EAST Conference. The 2010 NCAA Division I Soccer Championship includes seven BIG EAST teams (the most number of teams from any one conference) and the overall number one seed (Louisville). But we have a group of student-athletes who are excited about such a challenge and want to prove themselves against the very best competition. The hard work has already begun and we are excited that you choose to be there with us each and every step along the way.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank those SU alums, supporters, community members, friends of the program and Syracuse family members who have very generously provided financial support to our men’s soccer program after the completion of our 2010 season. Your generosity, passion and commitment is the very foundation of our program and allows us to support our student-athletes in the best possible way. Even after a difficult season your support has been unwavering and the future of our program appears very bright with such champions of our team who take ownership of our program and directly contribute to our future success. THANK YOU!
There is much work to be done both on and off the soccer field. I look forward to providing you further information and insight into our collective efforts here at Syracuse and please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or requests.
Once again thank you so much for your continued support of our men’s soccer program and please keep cheering on the boys!
Happy Thanksgiving!
November 1, 2010
Good afternoon and a quick update from the soccer office as I reflect upon Saturday night’s disappointing loss at the hands of Cincinnati and the resulting (premature) conclusion to our 2010 season. On this particular night we were second best for long periods of the contest to an experienced Cincinnati team playing with six seniors who were desperate to secure second place in the BIG EAST Red Division. Our opponent was a worthy victor and perhaps our inexperience and naivety was exposed in a difficult environment. It will certainly benefit our young team in the future (seven underclassmen started this game), but that does not provide too much comfort at this juncture. I would like to thank those parents and SU supporters who made the trip out to Cincinnati for the game.
It was rather a quiet and understandably dejected group traveling back to Syracuse on Sunday. My daughter’s excitement and eagerness to participate in last night’s Halloween festivities provided temporary relief but as soon as “Snow White” was tucked up in bed, the unsatisfied, painful ache of defeat quickly returned. At one stage my wife complimented me on my uncanny ability to adopt the role of one particular dwarf without even needing a costume!
But today is a new day and we will move forward as a group. It certainly has been a season full of highs with perhaps a few more lows. I have, however, been proud of the boys’ application and we have a terrific group of young men here at Syracuse University. At times we have demonstrated the necessary toughness and steal to our performances that have allowed us to compete against some quality opponents. Ultimately, however, we require additional quality to elevate our overall performances. This is not the time (or forum) to provide an in depth analysis and initial judgment of the season. Many lessons have been learned about our team and the rigors of competition in the BIG EAST. It is unacceptable for our Syracuse program not to be competing in the BIG EAST Tournament and every member of our team will be committing to the necessary worked required to ensure that we are still competing in November in 2011.
At this time I would like to say a very big thank you to our student-athletes for all of their effort and commitment this season. It has been a good group to work with and I would especially like to recognize the older guys for welcoming my family and I to Syracuse University. Thanks guys for all the hours that you have put in and now start hitting the books!!! Eight months have truly flown by and we are thankful to have the wonderful support of Dr. Gross, Rob Edson and the entire SU Athletics Department. We are all excited to have been afforded the opportunity to build something special here at Syracuse University. We will not let you down.
The players and I are also blessed to be supported by such a tremendous group of coaches and SU staff who have worked tirelessly to create an environment that provides us the very best possible chance of success. Jukka Masalin and Mike Miller have been the bedrock of all of our efforts both on and off the soccer field. They have quickly become a very important part of our Syracuse program and I greatly appreciate their loyalty, passion and commitment.
The boys have enjoyed working with Big Dan (Pribula) this year and he will continue to be an integral part of our program as we continue to move forward and prepare for our 2011 campaign. Matthew Mitchell has quietly gone about his business in the training room to ensure that the boys receive the very best treatment and care to allow them to be out on the soccer field. Jim Miller and the 'grounds guys' have worked extremely hard this year to ensure that we have some of the very best training and playing facilities in the BIG EAST. We all truly appreciate having a terrific playing surface to train and compete… thanks lads and keep up the good work! George Frank always welcomes the boys with a broad smile on his face and has kept all of us organized this year… not an easy task. And finally Stephanie Claxton Langstaff has been absolutely terrific with her academic support of the boys as the boys pursue of excellence both on the soccer field and in the classroom.
All that remains is for me to say a HUGE thank you to all of our alums, parents and SU supporters. We have received some terrific support both here at the SU Soccer Stadium and when we are on the road. It means a great deal to us. Thank you so much for your continued support and please keep cheering on the boys!
October 26, 2010
Good morning and a quick update here from the soccer office as we prepare for the visit of Louisville on Wednesday evening. It will be another stern test for the boys as Coach Lolla’s undefeated team is enjoying a fantastic season and are currently ranked #2 after recently securing the BIG EAST Red Division title last weekend.
It is exactly the kind of challenge that we are looking for after a disappointing defeat against Rutgers University on Saturday evening. We quickly drew a line under the game and all of our attention moved towards a mouthwatering match-up against Louisville on Wednesday evening. Every student-athlete, coach and supporter of a particular program wants to be afforded the opportunity to test oneself against the very best. I know that our young team will embrace the challenge of welcoming a quality Louisville team to the SU Soccer Stadium.
On Saturday evening, we failed to secure important BIG EAST points in front of another terrific home crowd. The players and I would like to say a big thank you to all of our SU supporters who have continued to come out and cheer on the team in all conditions. Thank you for your loyal support and we hope to see you again on Wednesday.
Rutgers was the quickest out of the gate on Saturday night and took the lead through an excellent strike from the top of the box. The boys, however, responded well and created several quality scoring chances during the first half. A Nick Roydhouse strike cannoned back off the bar and a Robbie Hughes header was cleared off the line. During the late stages of the first half we were pushing numbers forward and creating a great amount of pressure on the Rutgers’ defense. The final attack of the half saw a Justin Arena shot spilled by the opposing goalkeeper. Jakob Karlgren’s follow-up shot was well saved by the goalkeeper before the third shot hit Karlgren on the Rutgers’ line and bounced away!
At halftime, the boys were in good spirits and we realized that the next goal was going to be the most important one of the game. We pushed forward as a group and forced the Rutgers goalkeeper into early work. Unfortunately, it was Rutgers that took a 2-0 lead and they would also tally an insurance goal late in the game on a restart. It was a very dejected locker room after the final whistle, but the boys quickly realized that there are some important points to be played for this week.
Well that about does it for now and we are all back to our preparations for another exciting week. Thank you so much for your continued support of the program and please keep cheering on the boys!
October 21, 2010
I would also like to say a big thank you to our parents and SU alums who came out in numbers to support the boys on Wednesday afternoon. At times it appeared that we actually had more support than the home team and for that we all say a very big THANK YOU. I would also like to pass on our kind regards to Mr. Obrant who put on a tremendous “Philly” spread for the boys after the game. It was a terrific gesture and immediately lifted the boys’ spirits. Once again, further evidence of the great support that we receive from our parents and SU alums.
There is no time to dwell upon the disappointment of this loss as we have an exciting matchup on Saturday evening against Rutgers University. We are playing against a strong Rutgers team with an extremely talented roster. It is a team which is also trying to secure a BIG EAST Tournament berth and it should be a cracking game. It has been a tough ten days on the road and I know that the boys are delighted to be back home at the SU Soccer Stadium. We will all be ready when the first whistle blows!
Saturday night is also a special evening as we recognize five exceptional senior student-athletes who have been an integral part of the Syracuse program in recent years. Justin Arena, Geoff Lytle, Manny Sevillano, Daniel McGowan and Jeremy Vuolo will be honored prior to our 7:00 p.m. kick off. I hope that you will be able to join me in thanking these tremendous young men for their dedication and commitment to our team. Well done boys…. But we still have some work to do during these last few weeks!
Well that about does it for now and we are back out onto the training pitch. Thank you for your continued support and please keep cheering on the boys!
October 19, 2010
Good morning and I wanted to provide you a quick update from the soccer office. We experienced mixed results this past week in our travels to St. John's and Marquette. An excellent 0-0 tie in Queens, N.Y. was followed up with a disappointing 3-0 loss in Wisconsin and we will now prepare correctly for another tough road trip to Villanova. This has been a very tough stretch (physically, mentally and emotionally) for the boys who arrived back on campus from St. John's at 4 a.m. on Thursday morning after our overtime exploits in New York City. Only 24 hours later we were driving to the Syracuse airport to travel to Marquette. As successful student-athletes, the boys are working hard to excel on both an academic and athletic front and I am proud of how they have embraced these challenges to ensure that they balance their athletic and academic pursuits.
We all realize that every game in the BIG EAST presents its own challenges and we will face another excellent team on Wednesday afternoon. Villanova is enjoying a good season and we will need to be performing at our very best to secure valuable conference points on the road. I hope to see some of you at our game on Wednesday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. (Certainly an excuse to get out of work early!)
On Saturday evening against Marquette, we started well and should have taken the lead within the first 30 seconds of play. We would rue this early miss as a well-taken strike gave our opponent the first-half lead. We were not satisfied with the energy and quality of our performance during this period of the game and adjustments were made at halftime. We are a very ‘honest’ group of players who have enjoyed success this year through our hard work and selfless commitment to our game plan. The first half of our Marquette game was disappointing as we surrendered too much time and space to our opponent. We allowed our opponent to impose themselves physically on the game and we struggled to come to terms with a hard, bumpy surface that affected our passing rhythm.
The second half saw a vast improvement to the tempo and passion of our play and we created several good chances to pull ourselves back into the game. Unfortunately, a defensive mistake gifted Marquette a penalty late in the game and they secured a third goal as we pushed numbers forward at the end of the game. We will learn a great deal from this particular game, especially our younger players who are being exposed to the rigors of BIG EAST play and the need to be physically and mentally prepared for the opening whistle.
Our travels had started very well with a valuable point secured at St. John's on the previous Wednesday evening. Belson Stadium is a very tough place to play and the boys were excellent in their approach, commitment and execution of our game plan. We were able to withstand an early barrage from our hosts before we settled in and largely frustrated a talented St. John's team. Every member of the squad demonstrated a true resilience and commitment to defend when necessary and then the courage to attack with pace and numbers. Although St. John's had the lion’s share of possession during the match we did create some excellent scoring chances. We were good value for our point and it was also an important performance demonstrating that we can go on the road to such an environment and perform well.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Mr. and Mrs. Iordanou for graciously hosting the team after our game against St. John's. The boys were treated royally and with full bellies it made sleep on the bus ride home much easier. Thankfully, the 4 a.m. arrival at Manley ensured that there were no witnesses to observe the comedy of Christian Iordanou trying to squeeze a six foot sub into his car to take back to his apartment. (Christian fell asleep cuddling the sub about 30 minutes after leaving St. John's!) It is fantastic when parents look to be involved in the program and we truly appreciate all your support. We have a good group of parents and I would like to thank each of you for your support this year.
In other news, congratulations to Geoff Lytle who has been selected as this week’s Scholar Athlete of the Week.
I would also ask you to continue to vote for Jeremy Vuolo who has been selected as a finalist for the prestigious Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award which is presented to the nation’s most outstanding student-athlete. In addition to votes tabulated from coaches and members of the media, supporters are encouraged to vote for one of the 10 finalists. I would ask all of our alums and supporters of the program to get behind JV and submit votes on his behalf.
Well that about does it for now. Thank you for your continued support and please keep cheering on the boys!
October 12, 2010
Good morning and I wanted to provide you a quick update from the soccer office as we prepare for our trip to Queens, N.Y. to take on St. John’s University on Wednesday evening.This will be a great test for our team against another nationally-ranked opponent. St. John’s is an extremely well coached, talented team who were tapped pre-season to win our BIG EAST Red Division. We have a tremendous amount of respect for Coach Masur’s program which has established itself through the years as the premier team in the BIG EAST. As we look to move our program forward we will continue to use St. John’s as a benchmark and we all look forward to having an opportunity to compete at Belson Stadium on Wednesday night. I hope to see some of you at the game as we look to secure some important points on the road. It should be a cracking game and we would love to see some Syracuse scarves in attendance.
On Saturday night we received some tremendous fan support as we battled Depaul University to a 0-0 tie. As scoreless games go this was a pretty exciting affair with many opportunities to break the deadlock. At the final whistle we were disappointed not to have secured all three points, although I was proud of the honest endeavor of the guys. A combination of some excellent goalkeeping and a lack of clinical finishing prevented us from scoring the all-important winning goal that our build-up play deserved. We realize that as we enter the business end of our season our ultimate success will depend upon our ability to finish off such close games although it was pleasing for the team to secure another clean sheet. It was another very solid team performance with both Justin Arena and David Neumann excelling on the defensive side of the ball, while Nick Roydhouse was a constant threat to our opponent and Brett Jankouskas continues to mature as a forward.
In other news, Mark Brode was recognized by the BIG EAST for his performances last week. Well done Mark!
I would also ask you to continue to vote for Jeremy Vuolo who has been selected as a finalist for the prestigious Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award which is presented to the nation’s most outstanding student-athlete. In addition to votes tabulated from coaches and members of the media, supporters are encouraged to vote for one of the 10 finalists. I would ask all of our alums and supporters of the program to get behind JV and submit votes on his behalf. Click here to vote for him.
Well that about does it for now and I hope to see some of you at Belson Stadium tomorrow night. Thank you for your continued support and please keep cheering on the boys!
October 5, 2010
Good morning and a quick update from the soccer office as we are back home from our trip to Tampa, Florida. It has been a tough week in which we drew 1-1 with Canisius at home before Saturday night’s 4-0 loss to a very talented USF team. The boys realize that against Canisius we did not perform to our full potential and it appeared that we were somewhat jaded and heavy-legged after our emotional BIG EAST opener the previous weekend. On Saturday evening, however, I was extremely proud of the application, commitment and energy of the group.
As I sit here and reflect on the game I truly believe that Saturday’s score line does not reflect the boys’ performance. I think those in attendance would share my sentiments that it was a very solid (workman like) performance for 75 minutes of the contest and I applaud the boys for successfully following a particular game plan in a difficult environment. We largely frustrated a skillful USF team and created some good scoring opportunities on the break. USF took a 1-0 lead in the first half although the boys felt good about the game at halftime and thought that we had a real chance of completing the upset.
During the early stages of the second half, Jeremy Vuolo was a spectator in our goal for long stretches of the game as we enjoyed some good periods of play and grew in stature. Ultimately, however, our final ball into the USF penalty area lacked the precision to open up our opponent’s defense and score the all important equalizer. At this stage of the game we felt that we were the more likely to score the next goal and we successfully created sustained pressure on our opponent.
The game changed for the worse, however, with less than 15 minutes of the contest remaining when Vuolo was judged to have brought down a USF forward in our penalty area. The resulting red card and converted penalty kick made life extremely difficult for us although the boys kept playing until the final whistle. Two late goals were a product of us pushing forward and leaving us exposed at the back which perhaps harshly inflated the difference between the two teams. Credit should be given to a quality USF team who effectively made the most of their chances. The game was certainly a harsh lesson learned and for many of our new guys this was a difficult baptism and introduction to BIG EAST games on the road. I know that both our team and our coaching staff will be better because of this experience…. Even if initially it is a little tough to take at this time.
The players would like to say a big thank you to our fans who came out and supported us in Tampa and especially those family, friends and former teammates who drove up from Miami. It means a great deal to us to have you out there with us. Although we are sorry that we could not provide you with the result that your loyal support deserved, we will keep working hard to make you proud. A disappointed group of players and coaches huddled on the field at the conclusion of the match and collectively recommitted to making the necessary sacrifices required to ensure that we continue to develop as a team and move forward during the weeks ahead. A line was firmly drawn under the USF game and all of our effort and attention immediately shifted to our match on Wednesday night against a Colgate team that is enjoying an excellent season. It is exactly the difficult challenge that we all need at this time and we look forward to getting back out onto the training pitch.
I hope to see some of you back out at the SU Soccer Stadium at 7 p.m. on Wednesday evening when we take on Colgate University. Thank you so much for your continued support and please keep cheering on the boys!
September 28, 2010
Good morning. I wanted to provide a quick update here from Syracuse as we prepare for Tuesday evening’s game against Canisius College. It should be an exciting game with two teams committed to playing an open, attacking style of play. I hope to see many of you out at the SU Soccer Stadium.
Another weekend has passed by and the wife, kid and mother-in-law are back in front of the television to critique the “stars” as they sho -off their ability to quickstep and jive. Last week, I actually received an email from a disgruntled family member who chastised me for referring to my better half and daughter as the “wife and kid”. I would like to re-assure everyone that such an expression is a form of endearment rather than a portrayal of incarceration or a marital state of purgatory. I do realize that my recent inability to attend several family weddings has somewhat left me on thin ice with my extended family…. although any college soccer coach would attest to the fact that Saturdays in September often lead to some painful conflicts.
It is now that time of the season when games begin to stack up on one another, but I know that the boys are looking forward to the week ahead. Ask any athlete and they would always rather play games than spend more time on the training fields!!! It will be great to be back out at the stadium and playing infront of our own SU crowd.
This past weekend we welcomed back to campus our 1985 SU BIG EAST Championship team. It was a terrific couple of days and it was a true honor to be able to introduce this special team to our current crop of SU student-athletes. Thirteen members of the ’85 team and their families were recognized both at our soccer game versus Pittsburgh and at the SU football game in the Carrier Dome. I would like to thank each member of the team for traveling back to Syracuse and it was evident that this remains a very close group of friends and teammates.
After our Pitt game the '85 scrapbooks were pulled out and dusted off. SU stories were shared, revisited and no doubt (slightly) embellished throughout the evening as all alumni stories are. It was apparent that the bonds between these SU teammates still remain very strong today. It was fantastic that the guys were joined at the Inn Complete by Heidi and Alden Shattuck, Dean Foti and some of our local SU supporters and alums. It was a very special weekend during which we had the opportunity to recognize and re-connect with a very special SU team. Great stuff guys and we all hope to see you back on campus very soon!
On Saturday evening we received some tremendous support (the third largest crowd in SU Soccer Stadium history) as we opened up our BIG EAST campaign against Pittsburgh. A solid 0-0 tie ensured we registered our first BE point of the year and the boys certainly worked very hard during the 110 minutes of play. In fairness to our opponent we were often second-best to a strong Pittsburgh team during the first half. Only excellent play from our goalkeeper (Jeremy Vuolo) and some sloppy finishing from Pitt allowed us to reach the interval on level terms.
It was another slow start to a game which is an area of our play that we will be looking to improve upon as we move forward. But once again we were considerably better when the game resumed and an early Nick Roydhouse shot unluckily struck the bar. As the game progressed we grew in confidence and created several good scoring opportunities. Ultimately, however, a tie was probably a fair result on a night when two committed teams battled and cancelled one another out.
Well that about does it for now and I will check back in with everyone later this week. Thank you for your continued support and please keep cheering on the boys!
September 21, 2010
I hope all is well and just a quick update here from campus. Well actually from my living room… the kid has been shipped off to bed and the wife is watching Dancing with the Stars so this is a great time to catch up. I just observed David Hasselhoff swinging his hips for the cameras and the Situation clinging onto his own 15 minutes of fame. It would appear to be another quality evening in the McIntyre household!
But back in the real world we have a busy, exciting week ahead of us as we prepare for a couple of important games against Cornell (on the road) and then our BIG EAST home opener against Pittsburgh. Right now our full attention is on Wednesday evening and a Cornell University team that is coming off a couple of good victories this past weekend. We realize that we will have our hands full with a well coached team that plays an effective brand of soccer. Former Syracuse University assistant coach, Jaro Zawislan, has built a very organized, disciplined team that places opponents under continuous direct pressure for the entire 90 minutes of a contest. The boys understand that we will have to effectively defend Cornell’s restarts and long throw-ins throughout the game and ultimately impose our own style of play onto the game. It will be a great challenge for the guys and I know that we will be anxious to get back out onto the soccer field. I hope to see some of you in Ithaca on Wednesday night.
We were disappointed to return from our travels to Washington D.C. without the result that our hard work and endeavor deserved. American is a talented team and they enjoyed the lion’s share of the possession during the opening exchanges of the game. They deservedly took a 2-0 lead within the first 18 minutes of the game and Monday (on the training fields) we addressed the poor start that we had to the contest. During the game, we made some early adjustments to our collective shape and the boys started to get to grips with our opponent. We were unfortunate to have a good ‘goal’ called back for offside just before the interval, but the boys re-grouped during the intermission and put together an excellent second forty-five minute performance.
Within minutes of the restart we reduced the difference to a single goal when Brett Jankouskas was pulled down in the penalty area. Nick Roydhouse converted the spot kick and the boys immediately grew in confidence. We were certainly in the ascendance and created several quality chances before the final whistle ultimately left us disappointed on the wrong side of a 2-1 decision.
On the bus ride home the spirits of the team were good and we know that we are not too far away from securing the results that our performances deserve. As crazy as it may sound, we are currently a team who quite likes where we are now... and where we hope to be going. We have showed consistent improvement throughout our season and now it is imperative that we start converting some of the chances that we are creating. Hopefully we will be able to start securing some improved results on Wednesday evening.
I would also like to thank those of you who have signed up for the ’85 BIG EAST Championship celebration and additional information may be found on our SU Web site. For those of you who are unable to join us at one of our remaining home games this year you may also catch the last five games of the season via Orange All Access.
Well that about does it for now and I will join the wife in front of the TV to see if any former NFL or NBA players can successfully strut their stuff on the dance floor. And I guess the definition of celebrity requires some further analysis if just the fact that you are the daughter of a Republican Vice-President candidate gets you the nod on the show. I actually went to high school with the nephew of Phil Collins and once I even saw Andre Agassi at the mall…. Perhaps I will receive a call from ABC next fall!
Thank you for your continued support of the program and please keep cheering on the boys
September 15, 2010
I hope all is well and I wanted to provide a quick update from campus after our recent trip to Oneonta, N.Y. Overall the boys should be proud of their effort and commitment this past weekend securing a second place finish at Mayor’s Cup XXXV with a 1-0 victory over Northeastern and a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Columbia University.
It is a good sign, however, that we had a very quiet locker room after our Sunday afternoon match against Columbia. The expectations of the group are high and the boys realized that the Columbia game was a contest that we ultimately let get away from us. There was real belief in the group that we could secure the Mayor’s Cup trophy and thus the boys were extremely disappointed to return to campus without any hardware. But we are certainly making progress and our spirits are high as we prepare for another difficult road trip to take on a talented American University team on Saturday, September 18.
From a personal standpoint it was great to return to Oneonta and our gracious hosts ensured that we were well looked after throughout the entire weekend. Obviously, it was fantastic to get our first win of the season against Northeastern and it was a reward for all the hard work that the group has committed to. We were forced onto the back foot for long periods of the game by a strong Northeastern team, but the guys defended resolutely and Nick Roydhouse’s strike was worthy of winning any soccer match. Stephen Krachie and Nick Bibbs made their first starts for the team and Daniel McGowan was called into action very early on and responded magnificently. We will all remember the electric atmosphere on the bus as we returned to the team hotel and the performance will certainly provide confidence for the challenges ahead.
Our Sunday game against Columbia University started at a very high tempo and the boys did not show any signs of tiredness as a result of the emotional win on Friday night. The boys quickly imposed themselves on the game and only a fine reaction save on a Federico Agreda shot prevented us from taking a deserved early lead. Throughout the game (and especially the first half) we played some of our most fluent attacking soccer and our ball movement was good as we created several quality chances. Ultimately, we did not test the Columbia goalkeeper as much as we would have hoped and it was Columbia who scored the all important first goal before halftime. We huffed and puffed during the second period, but were caught late on the break as we pushed numbers forward. We had some heavy legs on the field at the end of the game, but I was happy and proud of the overall commitment and character shown by the group during the weekend.
Our focus now swings towards our trip this weekend to American University of the Patriot League. American is a talented squad who have already enjoyed some good results this season. We will be working hard to prepare for the game and I hope to see some of you on the road in Washington.
Please also confirm your plans to join us here on Saturday, September 25 as we recognize the 25th anniversary of the 1985 SU BIG EAST Championship. If you require any help in planning your trip please let us know here in the soccer office.
Well that about does it for now. Thank you so much for your continued support of the program and please keep cheering on the boys!
September 7, 2010
Good afternoon and I wanted to provide you a quick update from campus. I hope that you had a terrific Labor Day weekend with your family and friends and I would like to thank those alums, family members and SU supporters who came out to support the boys at Adelphi University on Saturday evening. It means a great deal to the guys to see Orange shirts and familiar faces in the crowd when we travel. Thank you! We all hope that you will continue to be our 12th man on the road.
When the bus pulled into Manley Field House at 3:30 a.m. on Sunday morning it initially appeared that we had returned home without any tangible reward for all our hard work and endeavor on Long Island. I would argue, however, that our group took a very positive step forward this weekend and showed a tremendous amount of character and pride on Saturday evening. Certainly an overtime penalty kick separated the two teams and left us disappointed on the return journey home, but the boys realized that our performance showed that we are evolving into a decent team and we look forward to embracing the challenges ahead. Adelphi is a talented, experienced team who will win some games this year. It was a great test for the team that will prepare us for our difficult October road games in the BIG EAST.
After Wednesday’s very disappointing result I challenged the boys to show me (and more importantly themselves) a positive reaction during our first road trip of the season. The team responded very well and I felt that we were very unfortunate not to take something from this game. The boys demonstrated a commitment and conviction that will now become the benchmark for all of our future performances. We realize that, ultimately, we will require better use of the ball as we transition from defense to attack. We have some dynamic attacking players on the squad and it is now time to ensure that we have good service and support into our forwards. But overall the application of the boys was first class and today we were back on the training fields to prepare for our next match against Northeastern University.
The great thing for the team is that we now have a full week to prepare for our next opponent. We will have an opportunity to work on a couple of things and I know that we will be raring to go on Friday. It will be nice to have the boys all together for a few days and we are looking forward to participating in Mayor’s Cup XXXV in Oneonta, N.Y. This tournament has a special place in my heart (this will be my 16th year participating in it!) and we will compete against two well coached teams in Northeastern and Columbia University. I hope that we will be able to see some of you at our games this weekend as we go in search of the Mayor’s Cup trophy.
Well that about does it for now. Please also remember that we will be celebrating our 1985 BIG EAST Championship team on Saturday, Sept. 25 during our game against Pittsburgh and please make every effort to join us for the festivities. Thank you for your continued support of the program and please keep cheering on the boys!
September 2, 2010
Good morning and I wanted to provide a quick update from campus as our SU soccer season opened up last night when we hosted Siena College. In front of the fifth-largest crowd in SU Soccer Stadium history we were unable to secure a victory that our fantastic support deserved. Ultimately, we were left frustrated from our first performance of the year with a disappointing 5-1 defeat.
We will reflect upon three soft goals conceded on restarts that ultimately took this game away from us. It was a combination of some naivety and perhaps a lack of mental toughness that prohibited us from clearing the initial danger from Siena’s corner kicks and their long (flip) throw-ins. But we will be back on the training fields today and we will work tirelessly to ensure that we learn from our mistakes and progress forward. As difficult as it is to hear this, we will be a better team today from our experience last night.
Now please do not confuse these sentiments as the team’s acceptance of such a defeat. The 5-1 result was unacceptable for our team and we all understand the expectations placed upon each of us when we pull on an Orange jersey. But as my own college coach stated “after the game is before the next game” and it is important to move on and prepare correctly for our difficult Adelphi matchup.
Today is a new day. This morning the dog pawed me again as usual to go for a walk, the wife made sure I took out the garbage and recyclables, and my daughter (Princess Lyla) ensured that I played the role of the evil dragon and chased her round the dining room table. We will move forward together. I was extremely proud of the way our guys handled themselves after this difficult, emotional loss. It would have been very easy for the group to hide or disappear after the final whistle but every member of the squad went to interact and engage the large youth group that was waiting for them. We are very appreciative of the fine support we receive from our local soccer community, our SU alumni and our SU student body. You are the foundation of the program. And for the gentleman who vocally reflected “Same old Syracuse” we guarantee that we will work relentlessly to provide you a team that you will be proud of both on and off the soccer field.
Now as daft as this may sound I thought that we actually played some decent stuff at times. We did move the ball well in patches although ultimately we will look to challenge our opponent’s goalkeeper a little more. Although we conceded five goals our back four played well and there are positives to be taken out of this game. In total eleven new guys made their SU debuts last night and several more players will be integrated into the team over the next few games. We all realize that we share some lofty goals for the program and we are afforded a fantastic opportunity to show everyone (and ourselves) how far we can progress this season.
After conceding an early goal from a corner kick we established ourselves in the game and we were pushing forward for an equalizer. Shortly after we hit a Siena post we conceded a second goal from another restart right before the interval. The goal was really against the run of play but was another example of a momentary lapse in concentration. I was very proud of how our boys rebounded in the second half and we were immediately on the front foot again. Freshman Brett Jankouskas got us on the board with his first collegiate goal through good work from Geoff Lytle and Mawuena Agbossoumonde. During this portion of the match we were really enjoying the lion’s share of the play and I truly thought that we would go on and score the next goal. Siena, however, caught us pushing forward and scored on a counter-attack. Another goal from a corner kick and a late breakaway cemented our fate.
Well that about does it for now as we start preparing for a very tough road trip to Adelphi University (1-0) who are a talented team coming off a 13-2-4 record in 2009. I hope to see some of our fans in Long island and I would also like to say a very big thank you to everyone who has E-mailed and called to wish the boys well both before and after our Siena game. Thank you for your continued support and please keep cheering on the boys!
August 31, 2010
I hope all is well and I just wanted to provide a quick update here from campus. Pre-season camp has officially wrapped up with the boys attending their first day of classes yesterday. It is always somewhat of a jolt to the players’ system when they attend their first full day of school and then trot out to afternoon practice. Back in my day, the first class of the year was always an “accepted / understood” 20-minute affair before each class was excused with a syllabus in the hand of each student. As such I expected the boys refreshed and raring to go for practice today although a frazzled Nick Roydhouse reflected that he immediately had a test in calculus and the class even ran over! But in fairness to the group, the boys did a fantastic job of focusing on the training field and I know that everyone is excited to have our first home game here on Wednesday night (7p.m.) against a talented Siena squad.
Preparations for the season have progressed well and the steady (individual and collective) improvement of the group is a good sign for the future. With so many new faces in camp it is inevitable that it will take a little time for us to hit full stride, although I have been impressed with the application and effort of the players. It is already a close team and credit should be given to a special “veteran” group of players who have made our new additions feel very welcome. The older returning players have ensured that there has been a rather seamless integration of new guys into the program while also setting a high standard both on and off the soccer field. As cultural architects of our program this veteran group has an integral role to play in the progress of the team as we establish expectations for all current and future SU soccer players. The group has pushed one another and committed to each and every practice. A real passion and enthusiasm is evident in our locker room and the boys have referred to this SU group of 30 players as requiring “60 feet with one heart” if we are going to fulfill our lofty goals for 2010.
Now we have an opportunity to test ourselves against a well coached Siena team who has its own high expectations for the 2010 season. Siena will provide us with a stern test on Wednesday. They are a program with good team speed and some experience and maturity in key areas of the field. We realize that we will have to be at our very best to secure a win in our first game of the season. We are, however, all excited about having the opportunity to represent Syracuse University on Wednesday evening. There will be many student-athletes who are making their collegiate debuts and several more players will be making their first ever appearance for the Orange. It should be a terrific contest and we would love to see you at the game. New York State battles are always competitive contests and, as we move forward, we will be looking to establish ourselves as a perennial force in this region. Please make yourselves heard and we truly appreciate our important 12th man.... you!
Well that about does it for now. Congratulations to Coach Phil Weddon and the Syracuse women’s soccer team for their recent victory over Colgate University and we hope to keep up the winning tradition at the Syracuse Soccer Stadium. Thank you for your continued support of the program and please keep cheering on the boys!
August 14, 2010
I would like to welcome all of our loyal fans, supporters and SU alums to the 2010 season. Pre-season camp is always my favorite time of the year as the boys arrive back on campus. There is always an excitement and anticipation as every member of the program focuses on the challenges ahead. This is a time when life-long friendships are cemented as players commit to the work required to reach our lofty goals. It is a time to sweat, a time to endure, it is a time to dream.
We are all excited as we prepare for an important year. The hard work and commitment of both the players and our coaching staff has helped us establish a strong foundation, and we are very pleased with the direction that we are heading. Once again we have a difficult schedule that will successfully prepare us for competition in the BIG EAST. We would love to see an “Army of Orange Support” both when we travel on the road and when we compete here on campus.
Although we will have a young team this fall, I believe that we have a lot of talent in our locker room and also a tremendous amount of character. A selfless commitment to our collective team goals will create a strong team identity and the necessary team culture required to succeed throughout this campaign. We will need to be focused, determined and playing at our very best to be successful in 2010.
This season marks the 25th anniversary of our 1985 BIG EAST Tournament Championship. I hope that you will be able to join us here on campus as we celebrate the 1985 team on Saturday, September 25 when we open up our BIG EAST schedule against Pittsburgh. It should be a terrific weekend and we hope to have many former players back at the stadium to relive our special 1985 victory over UConn.
Nothing is more gratifying to the players and staff than the passion and support that we receive from our Syracuse soccer fans. We are constantly humbled and appreciative of the enthusiasm and energy that you bring each and every time that we step onto the field. We promise to match your passion with our determination and effort, and we are incredibly grateful for your support.
From the time our coaching staff arrived on campus in late January, we have had the opportunity to meet and chat with many of our alumni and friends of the program. Thank you so much to those of you who have already extended yourself to our staff, and I hope that I will have the chance to meet with many more of our SU soccer family in the upcoming months. Please feel free to contact me at any time at ismcinty@syr.edu or 315.443.3025. If you are currently not receiving E-mail updates on the program please drop me a line to ensure that you receive the very latest news from campus.
We are constantly reminded of the honor and privilege that we are given to represent Syracuse University, and we promise to put forth an effort that will make all our supporters proud. We certainly hope that you are there with us as we embrace the challenges ahead, and we look forward to seeing many of you at our games this fall.
Thank you for your continued support and please keep cheering on the boys!
August 2, 2010
Good morning and I hope all is well. Just a quick update from campus as we move closer to our 2010 preseason camp. The boys will be returning on Sunday, August 15 and I know that they are all anxious to start training. (This may be somewhat of an oversimplification of the emotional state of the group as testing starts on August 16th and, strangely, there is often an anxiety surrounding initial testing dates!) But I know that the boys have really committed to their summer workouts and they have laid a strong foundation from which to work from as we move forward into the season. I recently heard Coach Hicks suggest that you “coach a team in the fall but you build a team in the summer” and who am I to argue with a guy with over 25 years of experience. A huge thank you to (Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach) Dan Pribula who works closely with our program. ‘Big Dan’ has done a fantastic job with our guys and I know that they will be physically prepared for the 2010 campaign.
Many on our SU squad joined us back on campus for our recent 2010 Syracuse University Soccer Camp. It was great to see the guys and it was an opportunity for the boys to spend some time together before official camp starts. It was a terrific week with 150 players training with us in our residential camp and another 60 local Junior Orange campers joining us at the Syracuse Soccer Stadium. It was a great opportunity for our coaching staff to meet many members of the local Syracuse soccer community as well as work with student-athletes from all across the United States and beyond.
It was a fun week and many new friends were made. A lot of good work was done on the training fields and I would like to recognize the commitment and effort of both the players and our excellent camp staff. During one of our evening sessions a fire engine and crew turned up at Hookway Fields to watch some of the games. (One member of the brigade had three boys playing in the camp and brought the entire station with him!) It was a real sight to observe a large group of uniformed men walking out onto the training fields to cheer on the teams. I would like to thank these firefighters for attending the games… especially on behalf of the mums in attendance who all seemed quite “impressed” / flustered by our newly acquired cheering section. I am actually thinking about utilizing (exploiting) the talents of our firefighter friends for a 2011 fundraising calendar. It would appear that we would have a captivated local market for such a project!
Recruiting is in full swing once again and we are also checking up on the progress of our current squad. I have recently returned from the USYSA National Finals in Kansas where four of our incoming guys competed for national championships with their club teams. It is great to see our boys competing at such high levels and we also have student-athletes who are competing for a national title in the Professional Development League (PDL) prior to reporting for camp. Good luck boys!
I know that our soccer staff is excited to embrace the challenges that lay ahead and we look forward to welcoming the boys to campus in a few short weeks. It has been a little crazy since our arrival in January although we (our coaching staff) will ensure that we are all re-charged by the 15th. Jukka Masalin was recently invited to observe Bayern Leverkusen’s training camp in Germany which culminated with a behind closed doors game against Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid. This was a fantastic opportunity for Jukka to observe one of the top Bundesliga clubs in a very intimate, personal setting. I know that Jukka is anxious to expose our guys to some of the methodology of the Germans and we will certainly benefit from the experience. (We will shortly provide additional insight into Jukka’s trip.)
Well that about does it for now. Thank you for your continued support of our Syracuse men’s Soccer program and please keep cheering on the boys!
June 11, 2010
Good afternoon and I wanted to provide you a quick update here from campus. Well here we are…. the 2010 World Cup is about to “kick off” and we can finally get down to watching some games. Thankfully, all of the hype (and hopefully all of the injuries) are behind us now! I am envious of those of you who have made the trip over to South Africa. I will, however, make do with my own couch and see how long it takes before my daughter asks for the channel to be switched over to Sesame Street. I will attempt to introduce (subject) her to another form of “educational television” over the next month. A battle of wits will no doubt unfold. But I am determined to show my three-year old daughter who is the boss. I will be both the master of my own domain and my own remote control. Well, that is, as soon as she shows me which remote turns on the television and which one moves the channels up and down. I will also show her that soccer can be viewed in both English and Spanish and thus there is little need to watch either Dora or Handy Manny during important World Cup matches. Wish me luck!
One of my former players sent me a World Cup care package today that included England flags and several “English” car fresheners. Now while I truly appreciate the thought, and I have already “dressed up” both my office and my front room, I am not sure if there is a suggestion that I require assistance to correct a current odor problem. Oh well, I will just have to let it go. After all two games today and the USA vs. England game tomorrow.
I am fully behind Coach Bradley and the USA team (other than the match on Saturday afternoon) and I feel that this is an important time for our special game here in the US. It was a little strange to listen to a full hour of soccer discussion on ESPN Radio last night although it is a very welcome and it is great to see such blanket coverage of the World Cup. Well done ESPN. It will be an exciting month and I hope that you have the opportunity to enjoy the games. Enjoy the Cup!
Although campus is a little quiet the soccer office is still in full swing as we prepare for the fall. I just returned from my first BIG EAST Soccer Coaches’ meeting in Providence, R.I. It was a very productive couple of days and I left the meetings very excited about our Syracuse program having the opportunity to embrace the challenges ahead this season and beyond. A couple of times during our meetings I found myself looking round the room and reflecting on the strength of BIG EAST soccer and the programs that we will compete with once again in the fall. The leadership within the group is first class with outstanding coaches directing some of the finest soccer programs in the country. It was very evident that we have some fantastic soccer programs in the BIG EAST who are aggressively pushing the envelope and quickly moving our collegiate game forward.
I believe that it is imperative that we position Syracuse Soccer with the top programs in the BIG EAST as they look to separate themselves from the pack. We realize that there is much work ahead. We will, however, be looking to aggressively enhance our program and build upon the strong foundation that already exists here at Syracuse University. We will be looking for your support along the way to help us move forward and I ask that every SU soccer alum and supporter of the program take ownership of our team. I truly believe that, with the necessary commitment – passion – and hard work, we have some exciting times ahead of us. With your support we can establish ourselves as one of the select programs in the BIG EAST.
In other news we recently announced our 2010 recruiting class and I know that you will welcome each student-athlete into our Syracuse soccer family.
Our 2010 Syracuse Soccer Camp is filling up quickly and I would encourage anyone interested in sending either a team or individual players to the camp to register as soon as possible.
Well that about does it for now. Thank you for your continued support of the program and please keep cheering on the boys!
May 7, 2010
I hope all is well and just a quick update here from campus as the boys prepare for their final exams. I wanted to say a very special thank you to all of our student-athletes who have worked extremely hard this semester. It is a smashing group of young men and they have been a credit to our program with their application and commitment on the training ground and in the classroom.
This past weekend saw many alumni soccer players back on campus and it was fantastic to have an opportunity to meet and interact with you. It is a reflection on the tremendous passion and loyalty of our alumni group that we had so many former student-athletes back on campus. Our alums traveled great distances to be part of this special weekend and I am truly thankful for the effort undertaken by this group. I am a firm believer that the strength of any program is the alumni and local community that supports a team. It was blatantly evident that we are in very good hands and I am very excited to work with this dedicated body to help move our program forward. I appreciate your genuine offers of assistance and I will most certainly lean upon our champions of the program for ideas, energy and support.
On a beautiful Saturday morning our Alumni Game was certainly a very open affair! Some of the younger alums quickly realized that “older alums” preferred / demanded that balls were hit too feet rather than to a space in front of them. We appreciated this adjustment and the game was a lot of fun. At halftime our graduating seniors were recognized and welcomed into our alumni soccer family. I would like to thank Kenny Caceros, Brien Chamney, Pete Hill, Tom Perevegyencev, Sean Summerville, Elliott Townsend and Hansen Woodruff for their great contributions to the program during their tenure here at Syracuse University. Some of us certainly stiffened up during the interval but we gamely played on during the second half before both squads ate lunch together and re-visited some of the same stories that the alums shared with us on Friday evening at the Inn Complete!
Many of us made a quick wardrobe change and headed to the Lafayette Hills Country Club to tee it up. Congratulations to Don Swete, Greg Cunningham, Kevin Cooper and Fritz Kraus who took home the 2010 Orange Open with an impressive 8-under score of 63. Our coaching staff of McIntyre, Masalin and Miller was joined by Dan Isaf from SU compliance to compete for our first Orange Open crown. Unfortunately a disappointing score of 73 did not trouble the leader board although the inclusion of a member of our Syracuse Compliance Department ensured that there were no concerns about our scorekeeping on the course (although lets be serious – who would fabricate a score of two over in a Captain and Crew event!!!) But it was a lot of fun and I would also like to thank Lafayette Hills Country Club who were gracious hosts.
A big thank you to everyone who came out to join us for Alumni Weekend and I hope to have the chance to catch up with you all again very soon. Please mark your calendars for next year and we hope to continue to build upon this great event. I would also ask that you pass on details about our Residential Boys Soccer Camp encourage those teams and players who you are familiar with to join us here on campus this summer. We are also hosting the Junior Orange Camp for boys and girls from 6-12 years of age.
Well that about does it for now and I truly appreciate all of your support. Please keep cheering on the boys!
April 29, 2010
We are wrapping up the 2010 spring season and the boys are now “enduring” a couple days of testing prior to our Alumni Game on Saturday morning (10 a.m. at the Syracuse Soccer Stadium.)
This past weekend saw the boys register back-to-back wins. On Saturday afternoon our young team secured a 2-1 victory over a Rochester select team with goals from Charles Schoening and Mark Brode. On Sunday, the boys returned to the SU Soccer Stadium and came away with a 5-0 win over the Sygma Soccer Academy from Canada. Goals from Hunter Carlson (2), Clayton Dubin (2) and Manny Sevillano rounded out a good weekend. It is always nice to score a few goals and it was reward for the commitment demonstrated from the squad throughout the entire spring. The boys are looking forward to playing with those alums returning to campus this weekend and it is always fun to introduce our guys to those individuals who have proudly worn the Orange jersey.
On Friday afternoon the boys volunteered their time to work with the Salvation Army After School Program. I was very proud of how the boys interacted with the group and they were fantastic ambassadors of Syracuse University and our program. The guys had a blast and took a great deal out of the afternoon.
Last night was my first exposure to the ‘Cuse Awards and it was a great event. Brode was nominated for the “Male Rookie of the Year Award” and Elliott Townsend was nominated for “Shot of the Year”. It was an exciting night for all the athletes and it was a great opportunity to have the entire athletic department come together.
When I told my wife that I would have the honor of presenting a ‘Cuse Award she quickly ridiculed my current appearance and made me promise to have my hair cut prior to the event. Now I realize that my wife’s “constructive criticism” was purely motivated by a desire not to be embarrassed through an association with me. But I thought it best not to further antagonize my better half and, as luck should have it, I had recently been convinced of the virtues of a Supercuts haircut through a radio advertisement by our very own Juli Boeheim. I must confess, however, that the young hairdresser at Supercuts seemed rather perplexed and confused when I initially said hello and then, as I had been instructed by the radio commercial, informed her that I had been sent by Juli Boeheim. I suddenly realized that this particular hairdresser was perhaps not a basketball fan and therefore I limited the remainder of our conversation to the weather and the recent American Idol vote off. Next weekend I intend to enquire about a KIA Sorrento as I have heard marvelous things about them from Gerry McNamara on my drive to work.
We have a busy weekend here as many of our alums come back to campus. I look forward to having the chance to catch up at the Inn Complete on Friday evening. Our Alumni Game will be played at 10 a.m. at the Syracuse Soccer Stadium on Saturday morning and then many of us will compete for the 2010 Orange Open at the Lafayette Hills Country Club.
Well that about does it for now. Thank you for your continued support and please keep cheering on the boys!
April 23, 2010
I hope all is well and I wanted to provide you with a quick update here from campus. I would like to say a big thank you to those supporters who traveled down to Binghamton University to cheer on the boys this past weekend. It was a very productive afternoon of games and the boys were anxious to step onto the field and compete. There were some good individual performances and many lessons were learned during the two games.
Our attention now turns towards this upcoming weekend with home games on both Saturday and Sunday. The kickoff for each game this weekend will be 2 p.m. - we would love to see (hear) many of you at the Syracuse Soccer Stadium.|
The coaching staff is also extremely proud to announce our 2009 Men’s Soccer Team Awards. Redshirt freshman Ryan Jones '12 was recognized as the 2009 Most Valuable Player with Mark Brode ’13 named the 2009 Rookie of the Year. In other awards, Hansen Woodruff ’10 picked up the 2009 Golden Boot Award and Geoff Lytle ‘11 was recognized with the 2009 Dean Foti Award. Congratulations to each of our award recipients.
We would like to remind our soccer alums and supporters of the program that we are hosting our 2010 Alumni Weekend on April 30th – May 1st. Our Alumni Game will be played at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 1st at the Syracuse Soccer Complex. Post-game refreshments will be served and we will be recognizing our graduating senior class at this time. Our 18th Annual Orange Open will begin at 1 p.m. at the Lafayette Country Club. For those of you arriving in town on Friday, April 30th there will also be a “social gathering” and a relaxed pre-hydration event at the Inn Complete starting at 7 p.m. This will be a great chance for you to meet our new coaching staff and a way for us to connect with many of you.
I would ask that you keep us informed about your plans so that we can organize appropriately and please confirm your foursomes with me by the end of this week. (And absolutely no practicing is allowed prior to this event!)
Well that about does it for now. I would like to thank you for your continued support of the program and please keep cheering on the boys!
April 6, 2010
Good afternoon everyone,
I hope all is well and you enjoyed your Easter weekend with your family and friends. I wanted to provide each of you with a quick update here from campus. We just left the practice fields this morning as the heavens opened up and it now looks like the rain has set in for the day (certainly saves me $10 today on a carwash and another item ticked off the wife’s honeydew list!).
It has been a crazy last few days on campus with temperatures soaring at the weekend when Syracuse actually boasted higher temperatures than both Atlanta and Miami. And yet amid this whole “global warming thing” the boys have put in some good work as we prepare for games on Saturday against UMass and Rhode Island. Game times are 11 a.m. against URI and then we turn around and play UMass at 12:30 p.m. We would love to see some of you on the road and I know that the boys are anxious to compete against some outside competition. It should be a terrific trip and we will certainly learn a lot about our young squad.
Our alumni soccer game is all set for Saturday, May 1st please let me know if you can make it back to campus. There will also be a golfing adventure (this refers more to my golf game than the actual activity) later in the day and I encourage those interested to touch base with me during the next week to confirm details.
Information on our 2010 Syracuse University Boys Soccer Camp is now available and if you would like us to send you additional camp brochures please drop me an E-mail. I would love to see many of you back this summer with your own families and those teams you are involved with. Camp is Sunday, July 11 – Thursday, July 15, and yes there will be plans in place to catch the possible USA – England (rematch) in the World Cup final on July 11. It should truly be a very exciting summer of soccer.
But before we start our spring soccer season and before we start to really analyze the approaching FIFA World Cup, I would like to congratulate Coach Jim Boeheim and his boys on their tremendous 2009-2010 campaign. March Madness is just wrapping up and Coach Boeheim is, rightfully so, sweeping up all this year’s coaching awards. I will join the ranks who have applauded Coach and his team for a thrilling rollercoaster ride. I was very proud to be a Syracuse basketball fan this year as the boys progressed in the NCAA Tournament and my heart was with each of them in Salt Lake City. Well done boys!
It is very difficult (impossible really) not to be swept up in the basketball frenzy here in town during this time of year. Everywhere you go you are exposed to passionate support of the program. As I recently waited for my potato salad at a local store I was cornered by a 76-year-old woman who was explaining the advantages and disadvantages of Coach Boeheim’s zone defense! Rather a lovely lady actually. Hosting the NCAA Regional was also quite a unique experience. Even an international guy like myself can appreciate the tension and excitement associated with March Madness (although I am not sure if the NCAA will allow me to use this trademarked term in such an E-mail). I do, however, consider myself somewhat of a basketball fan although a New Jersey Nets season ticket does not exactly improve my credibility as a true student of the game.
And recently, I did choose to display a rather more naïve, innocent ignorance to the game of basketball when I walked into one of Coach Calipari’s practices with his talented, young Kentucky side in the Carmelo Anthony Center. As I was “questioned” by security I thought that an accentuated English accent could assist my efforts to save face and flee the scene. Puzzled faces finally let me be on my way when when I asked for directions to the loo. If NCAA forces are still searching for that disruptive British presence during one of their closed team practices they might just have found their man.
Well that about does it for today and I look forward to chatting with you again very soon. Thank you for your continued support and please keep cheering on the boys!
March 15, 2010
Good morning everyone,
I hope all is well and I wanted to provide each of you with a quick update here from campus. It continues to be an exciting time to be an Orange fan and I know that many of you have plans to support the basketball team this week in the NCAA Tournament. Congratulations to Coach Jim Boeheim and his team for receiving a No. 1 seed. I would also like to congratulate Coach Paul Flanagan who was recently recognized as College Hockey America (CHA) Coach of the Year. Well done Paul and I know that you must be very proud of your girls.
The semester is truly flying by and amazingly the boys are already on Spring Break. The boys realize that a week away from campus is not simply a green light to “neglect” their workouts but rather a time to re-charge and build upon the good work accomplished so far. The group has put in some excellent work this semester and great strides have been made both individually and collectively.
When the group returns after break we will only have a short time to prepare for our spring games. I have included the schedule below and we would love to see some of you out at the games this spring. (So find those Orange garments in your wardrobe and wear them proudly to a match.) If you are planning on supporting the boys at a game please let me know and I would love to have the opportunity to catch up with you and your family. Also remember that we are having our Alumni Match / Golf Outing on May 1. Let me know if you will be in town and we will shortly be sharing more specific details.
2010 Syracuse Spring Schedule
Saturday, April 10 - UMass Tournament (Amherst, Mass.)
vs. Rhode Island - 11 a.m.
vs. UMass - 12:45 p.m.
Saturday, April 17 - Binghamton Tournament (Vestal, N.Y.)
vs. Binghamton - 12 p.m.
vs. Rochester - 1:30 p.m.
Tuesday, April 20
at Colgate - 7 p.m.
Saturday, April 24 (Syracuse, N.Y.)
vs. Hamilton Croatia - 2 p.m.
Sunday, April 25 (Syracuse, N.Y.)
vs. Sigma FC - TBA
Saturday, May 1 (Syracuse, N.Y.)
Alumni Game/Golf Outing
I am also delighted to be able to welcome Brett Jankouskas to our Syracuse Soccer family. Congratulations to Brett and his family! Brett has enjoyed a terrific senior year which has seen him garner All-American honors and the PA Player of the Year. Brett has the ability to score goals at this level and we look forward to working with him in the fall.
Additional information on our recruits will be available shortly and please keep your eyes open for any special talent in your local community. There is no better “recruiting identification service” than our own alumni and supporters of the program. You know what intangibles make a Syracuse student-athlete and you are well aware of the pride, commitment and passion required to pull on a Syracuse jersey. So please continue to recommend those young men who you feel would be a great fit for Syracuse University.
We are also hosting our Syracuse University Boys’ Soccer Camp on July 11th – July 15th and we would love to see some of you back on campus this summer. (More information will be available very shortly). If you have a team or players who you feel would benefit from this week of training please contact us or pass on their appropriate details.
Thank you for your continued support and please keep cheering on the boys!
February 24, 2010
Good morning everyone,
I hope all is well and I wanted to provide you with a quick update here from campus. The boys have been working extremely hard in preparation for our spring schedule of games. It is a really good group of young men who are truly committing to the hard “graft” required as we collectively move forward as a program.
Campus is buzzing with excitement as our athletic programs continue to excel here at Syracuse. The energy and passion showed by our student body, alums and local community is contagious and campus is truly awash in Orange. Although I am still working on expanding my own orange wardrobe, I have been completely swept up into this Orange frenzy and it is amazing how many friends I now have who all appear to have a passing interest in the upcoming Villanova game! I would like to personally thank Coach Jim Boeheim and his boys for expanding my own Christmas card list… No doubt some of my newly acquired friends will develop a strong affinity to lacrosse games as time goes by.
I am excited to announce that Federico Agreda has signed a National Letter of Intent to attend Syracuse University in the fall. I have watched Federico play for several years now and he is a young man who will take enormous pride in wearing our Syracuse jersey as we compete for a BIG EAST championship. He is a talented player and an outstanding person. I am delighted to welcome him into our soccer family here at Syracuse University and look forward to working with him in the fall.
On March 14th we will be hosting our 2010 Winter Soccer Camp here on campus. This is a fantastic opportunity for student-athletes to visit with us here on campus and participate in a day of training exercises and full-sided games. We will be using both Manley Field House and the Carrier Dome. Please pass on the camp information to any young men who you feel would benefit from being exposed to such a training environment.
Well that about does it for now. Some of you have asked about information regarding our spring matches and I will share that with you shortly as we finalize the schedule. I would like to thank you for your continued support of the program and please keep cheering on the boys!
