Marla Ridenour: Finding leaders is ’s true challenge with Zips soccer 11/17/11 11:00 AM

Click to Print Marla Ridenour: Finding leaders is Caleb Porter’s true challenge with Zips soccer Soccer coach Porter starts over after losing seven players to MLS By Marla Ridenour Beacon Journal sports columnist Published: November 17, 2011 - 12:00 AM After the men’s soccer team dropped its final home game of the regular season 1-0 to Michigan State, it seemed like the perfect time for senior to hold a players-only meeting, just as he did after the upset loss to Cleveland State in 2010. But oh, wait, the ebullient Sarkodie is a member of the Houston Dynamo, which faces the L.A. Galaxy on Sunday for the MLS Cup. In last Friday’s Mid-American Conference semifinal, the Zips outshot Western Michigan 22-10 and dominated a foe that carried an RPI of 169, but tied 1-1 and were eliminated on penalty kicks. They seemed to expect their coach on the field, sophomore , to take the big shot and score the goal that would ignite a rout. But oh, wait, the fiercely competitive Kitchen started 30 games in the MLS this season for D.C. United. For Zips coach Caleb Porter, finding talented players to replace the seven starters who bolted for after winning the NCAA championship last season was the easy part. Finding new leaders was Porter’s true challenge. “It’s harder than probably anybody could possibly realize,” Porter said Monday. Going into the first-round NCAA Tournament game tonight against Northwestern, the unseeded Zips (13-3-4) hope they’ve finally filled that void. It wasn’t an issue just because they have 15 newcomers, 11 of them freshmen. It’s because of the personalities lost when Sarkodie, Kitchen, , and left early for the pros, along with 2010 seniors Chris Korb and Anthony Ampaipitakwong. “Even though we had captains last year, we really had a team of captain-type players,” defender Chad Barson said by telephone Tuesday. “Everyone would step up and take that responsibility the past couple years. With a bunch of new guys, and young guys especially, you don’t really have that where everyone shows that leadership, regardless of whether they wear the armband. “It was a little different, going from a whole team of guys that had leadership qualities to a team where you have a bunch of new players and maybe only a few of those dominant personalities.” Porter won’t minimize the efforts of junior captains Barson and midfielder Scott Caldwell, who were joined by sophomore striker near the end of the regular season. Porter put a lot of pressure on Barson and Caldwell. “Chad and Scott have stepped up and done the best they can,” Porter said. “A good team takes on the personality of its leaders. This team at times has had a little bit of a soft personality, mostly because we’re young, mostly because we have guys that haven’t been used to leading. http://www.ohio.com/cmlink/1.245973?print=1 Page 1 of 2 Marla Ridenour: Finding leaders is Caleb Porter’s true challenge with Zips soccer 11/17/11 11:00 AM

“They’ve been put in a situation they may never have wanted to be in, but they’re the best guys. I’ve goaded and pushed them through a lot, trying to make it happen in four months.” When there were issues, Barson said he and Caldwell called the team together. “We’ve had more meetings this year than we probably had in the past two years combined,” Barson said. “Whatever it takes to get everyone on the same page, that’s what we need to do, especially this time of the year.” To help in the chemistry department, freshmen Wil Trapp and Bryan Gallego have become vocal of late. That’s just like what happened with Kitchen, who didn’t feel comfortable enough to do that last season until he proved his skills. “Caleb gives them the power to speak up and be a leader, but it takes time to emerge as that type of player,” Barson said of Trapp and Gallego. “I’ve really seen huge growth, especially out of those two guys. They’re great leaders. I knew that coming into the year. Everyone respects them and listens to them.” At the Zips’ NCAA draw party Monday at the Barley House, junior forward Thomas Schmitt was the first to mention the importance of the two freshmen. He knows initially they didn’t want to seem cocky or step on the toes of the team’s veterans. “Earlier in the year, some younger guys were kind of scared to step up and be leaders,” Schmitt said. “Now that it’s later in the season, they know everybody’s going to respect them and they can be leaders on the field as well.” The elevation of Mattocks to captain might have seemed a stretch considering his quiet demeanor, but as Porter said, “He has to be. There’s no choice.” “Darren’s being a vocal leader, which isn’t him,” Schmitt admitted. Porter also cleared up a communication issue when he tabbed Mattocks, who has scored 36 goals in two seasons and will be the next player to leave with eligibility remaining. “Usually a captain is the center back, but it’s good to have guys on the front who can orchestrate stuff and communicate to the guys in the attacking half,” Barson said. “Sometimes stuff gets lost in translation when you try to relay messages to teammates further up the field.” Taking the Zips to the NCAA championship the previous two years, Porter had “seasoned” teams that rarely needed a translator. Players left early for the MLS, but never like the mass exodus of late December 2010. Those departures put Porter’s motivational skills to the ultimate test. “This year, I’ve pulled out all my bags of tricks,” he said. “I’ve had a harder time trying to push the right buttons.” Now with UA set to make its 26th NCAA appearance and its fifth consecutive under Porter, he might have finally found some young men to push those buttons for him. Marla Ridenour can be reached at [email protected]. Read her blog at http://marla.ohio.com/. Follow her on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/MarlaRidenour. Follow ABJ sports on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/sports.abj.

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