Day 21 -- July 7, 2013

The Team before we walked onto the field at halftime

One of the reasons I absolutely love playing soccer for the US Paralympic National Team, aside from the companionship that comes with being on the team and the thrill of competition during training, is all the cool things that we get to do when we’re not training. In the last few days, I’ve been able to experience several interactions with the US Men's National team, and it makes our training time even more valuable and focused.

Watching practice at Qualcomm Stadium

The first cool thing that I got to do on Thursday of last week was watch the US Men’s national team train at Qualcomm Stadium ahead of their match against Guatemala. It was incredible to see the pace that these players train at, and to see how physically sharp and mentally strong they are. They played 10v10 possession on a condensed field, and the teams were still able to keep the ball for a few minutes at a time. To be able to do this, you need an extremely in-depth knowledge of the game and exquisite connection with your teammates, which these players displayed throughout the training session.

As awesome as it was to watch the US Men’s National Team train, the most memorable part of my day on Thursday was when Jurgen Klinnsman, the head coach of the US Men’s National Team, came over and spoke to us after practice. He talked a lot about what they were doing in practice, how possession on a condensed field was going to prepare the players to face Guatemala, a team that likes to put pressure on the ball and tighten the passing lanes. He also talked about the importance of taking training and friendly matches seriously. He said that if you don’t take training seriously, you won’t be ready to seize your opportunity when it comes, and sometimes you only get one chance. To finish the conversation he said that he’d be pulling for us in our upcoming trip to Barcelona, which was a really cool thing to hear from a person of his status.

Jurgen providing advice

Jurgen talking to the boys

The next day, we went back to Qualcomm Stadium to watch the US take on Guatemala, which was a really amazing experience. Our seats in the first half gave us the perfect view of the field. Coach Hoffman told us to watch how they executed what Klinnsman was talking about in regards to possession, and after a slow first twenty minutes, they started to find their groove.  The coolest part of the night for me was when we walked out on the field at halftime in front of a crowd of 25,000 people. That experience made me feel like our team is a valued part of the US Soccer Federation, and that they truly respect what we are accomplishing. All said, my experience Friday night was one that I will cherish for the rest of my life, and I hope to have many more like it throughout the course of my career.

Before the game

The US Men's National team vs Guatemala

The US Paralympic Team on the field during halftime

Day 14 -- June 30, 2013

This is my first camp that we have played actual games, and I finally got to see all of the preparation that goes into games when you are playing at an international level. Even though today was just a friendly against a local San Diego club team (who have just returned from Hawaii after winning the U-20 Nationals), we prepared for it like we are going to prepare when we are in Barcelona for the Intercontinental Cup. I still don’t know if I’m going to Barcelona or not, but I need to attack practice every day as if I am already on the team.

Preparation for the game actually started last night, with a team meeting. We held the team meeting in the visitors center at 7pm to discuss everything from how we should be hydrating, to when we should eat, and of course, what is our strategy for the game. We prepared for the game as if we were playing the Ukraine, our first opponent in Barcelona and the second best team in the world. Because the Ukraine boasts such a strong team, we prepared to play a mostly defensive game. Then the goal was to  respond with a counter attack when we get the ball, pushing up the field with quick one and two touch soccer.

Game Strategy

Walking around the grounds

The next day we were able to sleep in and eat breakfast at 9am instead of seven because our game was at 5:45pm. After eating breakfast as a team we went for a walk around the training grounds to talk strategy and stay loose. After the game walk I went to the ice bath to get my legs ready, and then I went back to my room and took a nap. In advance of a big game it’s very important to stay off your feet so you don’t wear yourself out. It's also very important to stay hydrated. This means drinking small amounts of water throughout the day, because if you only drink water during training, you’ll sweat most of it out during training.










We ate lunch as a team again, followed by some more rest, and then it was time for the game. We headed to the field at 4:45pm to get warmed up and take a look at our competition. We knew that we were in for a tough game with the Nationals Champions. We played three twenty minute periods, and I finally got some playing time in the third one. Even though they were much bigger, faster, and stronger than I was, I did my best to keep attacking and trying to make plays for the team. Sadly, I was unable to score. Despite that, I still feel like I was able to take away some positives, and I will try to improve in the next two games. Even though I’ve been training on this team for three years, my performance the next two weeks is what determines whether or not I go to Barcelona.

US Paralympic Team with the U-20 Nationals Champions, fresh from their win in Hawaii