Princeton-56ers coach
Age: 39 (or 53, depending on my knees).
Hometown: Milwaukee (Custer High School).
Playing career: College — UW-Milwaukee. Pro/amateur — Hungarian Tigers, Milwaukee Kickers, Colorado Kickers, Club Deportivo Latino, Madison 56ers.
Coaching career: NPSL Princeton-56ers, present; Princeton Club director of soccer, 2004 to present; MLS Columbus Crew assistant, 2002-04; A-League Milwaukee Rampage, 2000-02; Wisconsin Youth Soccer Association, director of coaching, 1999-2002; W-League Chicago Cobras technical director and PDL Chicago Sockers assistant, 1999-2001; University of Dayton, director of soccer, 1998-99; Dayton men's coach, 1997-98; Region II Boys ODP assistant, 1988-96, head coach, 1997 to present; U.S. Soccer national staff coach, 1995 to present; University of Wisconsin men, assistant 1979-81, head coach, 1982-97; UW women's coach, 1979-81; UW-Milwaukee men's assistant, 1974-78.
Honors: Coached UW to only NCAA championship, 1995. National coach of the year, 1995. Big Ten Conference Coach of the Year, 1991 and '95. Inducted into UW-Milwaukee Hall of Fame, 2000.
Favorite clubs: Princeton, Arsenal, Burnley, Columbus Crew, Chicago Magic.
I What has kept you involved with soccer over the years?
The game is intriguing in its simplicity, yet it has endless variation on a "correct" answer.
II What's the biggest challenge putting together the Princeton-56ers team?
Probably getting the players from colleges organized in the short amount of time before opening day — many do not arrive until days before, and some after.
III Why should people come watch PSC56?
This will be a high level of play, and I would predict an exciting one. Young fans can enjoy and learn as is only possible from live game watching, and older fans can enjoy second-guessing at will.
IV What's your preferred formation for a team?
I prefer to design the system based on the best mixture of players available — it usually winds up being a mutation of the typical systems.
V What's the best goal you've ever seen?
Live, it would have to be a goal John Wolyniec (MetroStars) scored against the Crew two years ago with 12 seconds left in overtime to win the game. On a full-paced run, he outran Frankie Hejduk to a 50-yard pass and volleyed it like a rocket from a severe angle at the edge of the penalty area into the far upper corner. Jon Busch — one of the quickest GKs around — couldn't even blink and it was in. Try it some time and let me know what you think of the degree of difficulty.
Check it out here:
VI What are the top things most youth soccer players need to work on?
First touch, vision and fitness (not in running laps, but in playing more).
VII What's the biggest challenge coaching young players?
Their parents and their schedules.
VIII How do the U.S. ODP players you've coached match up against players from overseas?
Often at the younger age groups we can match up very favorably with the elite youth overseas, but as they age (over 15) many lose out due to lack of a professional environment.
IX What is the best soccer venue in the Madison area?
The best venue is Breese Stevens, due to an excellent field that affords good play and stands that are close to the field, which helps create an excellent atmosphere — it always feels like a great game waiting to happen!
X Who are the three best players you've coached?
Tony Sanneh, Brian McBride and Chris Klein.
XI Your all-time Madison-area starting XI?
From Madison originally or life-timers, I take it. I am sure I will miss someone — or at least misspell a name:
Goalkeeper: Gerard Averill.
Defenders: Joel Adams, Raffi Mesdjian, John Carlson.
Midfielders: Jim Mullen, Dean Duerst, Mike Gross, Craig Webb.
Forwards: Amado Diagne, Eric Senn, Jeff Roberts.
Subs: John Reddan, Larry Fredrichs, Shant Mesdjian, Ian Barker, Ian Davies, Tim Farney, Chris Wentz, Theresa Senn, Patti Mesdjian (nee Wirth), Karen Lunda.
Coach: Bill Reddan. Assistants: Klaus Feller, Keith Binns.
