Q&A with the SA Editors: Feb. 13, 1998

Keith Bundy

Battle Ground, Wash.

When will the new U.S. men’s jerseys start being worn by the national team?

Pete Bailey: The new U.S. World Cup ’98 uniforms will make their debut Feb. 21, when the U.S. plays the Netherlands at Pro Player Stadium in Miami.

Muncie, Ind.

I read the intros for both gentleman running for U.S. Soccer president, and my question is, who gets to vote? If it is open to the public, or members of affiliations, which ones are they and can I become a member?

Paul Kennedy: Basically, the vote is divided in three: the pro leagues get one-third of the vote, the amateur state associations (seniors) get one third and the youth state associations get one third. Within each group, voting is again weighted based on the size of leagues or state associations (a big state association may get 5 votes and a tiny one get 1). The U.S. Soccer election, scheduled for Hawaii after the World Cup, isn’t like a political convention where there are delegates for each vote. At the youth level, each vote (which may carry one delegate per vote) will have a multiplier of 1. The number of amateur votes will be divided by the number of youth votes and each vote will be multiplied by that number — the same for the pros. I remember at the ’90 election in Orlando, seven guys from the seven remaining MISL (old indoor league) teams each had 1/21 (a little less than 5 percent) of the total vote and they swept unknown Alan Rothenberg into office in a veritable coup d’etat. That’s why the pro vote is so crucial, and guys like MLS’s Sunil Gulati and the USISL’s Francisco Marcos carry such political muscle in U.S. Soccer circles.

Ann Arbor, Mich.

I’m very happy to see Frankie Hejduk getting some games at the Gold Cup, but could you please tell me why Sampson has not given him a try at his natural position? At right back, he was arguably the U-23’s most consistent performer during the Olympic build up, and it’s the position he plays with Tampa Bay. Beyond all that it’s a position that needs solidifying in the U.S. squad with Pope moving back into his best position in the center of defense and Burns not a completely reassuring option. What is Steve Sampson thinking?

Duncan Irving: Hejduk lacks the tactical sense, technical ability and experience to play right back at the international level right now. He needs to become a better tackler and a more disciplined player. The combination of playing offensively and defensively appears to be too much for him at this point, so Sampson, who likes Hejduk’s speed, is playing him in midfield. It allows Hejduk to concentrate on using his speed offensively, without being overburdened and a liability in defense. Perhaps in the future he will be the answer at right back — I certainly agree with you that Eddie Pope is at his best as a central defender.

Covington, Va.

Can you give me some ideas on teaching players to shield the ball while dribbling? Are there several ways to shield? How can I effectively coach this technique in a logical progression?

Dan Woog: A good way to teach shielding is to start out with no pressure — in other words, players simply get used to keeping their bodies between the ball and an imaginary opponent. Then add an opponent who gives passive pressure; then add active pressure (actually trying to take the ball away) without any sideline restrictions; then, gradually, put restrictions on boundaries, so the shielder has an ever-tighter space in which to work. Once players are comfortable witih that, you can introduce a game, played in the center circle. Give each player a ball EXCEPT ONE — he or she has the task of winning the ball away from one of the many players with a ball, all of whom are moving and shielding. If he succeeds, the player who lost the ball then tries to win it away from anyone. Do this for 30-60 seconds; when you stop, the one player without the ball “loses.” To make this more difficult, have fewer players with a ball, and more without one. Obviously, the “shielders” then have to work harder, because more people are trying to win the ball from them. Good luck!

Mount Olive, N.J.

I’ve noticed that the U.S. Youth teams have a large proportion of players from California while the New York/New Jersey area has relatively few. This seems to be out of proportion with the current pro ranks. In your opinion, does this indicate the ascendency of California as THE soccer hotbed in the U.S., or is California over-represented on U.S. squads?

Paul Kennedy: California is the largest state in the nation, so it is only indicative that it has the highest proportion of national team players, as represented both by the suburban soccer leagues and Latino organizations. New York/New Jersey soccer has been on the decline in terms of national team players for about a decade. In the mid-80s, a great crop of players came through, led by the three Kearny boys (Harkes, Meola and Ramos). The only big-time player since then is Claudio Reyna, out of Springfield, N.J. If MLS begins to recruit more heavily at the local level, players from New York’s ethnic leagues should emerge.

Framingham, Mass.

UC San Diego won the Women’s Division III title again (the third time) this year. How is it that a school with over 14,000 undergrads is allowed to compete in Division III? Shouldn’t they be made to “pick on someone their own size.”

Pete Bailey: Joe, the size of an institution has nothing to do with the division of the NCAA in which it chooses to participate. There are three criteria that Division III schools must meet: 1) 50 percent of their football/basketball schedules must be against other Division III members or schools that offer need-based financial aid only. 2) Division III institutions must offer at least four sports (including two team sports) for both men and women and must represent each playing season for both genders. 3) The school must not give any financial aid on the basis of athletic ability — aid is need-based only. (For more information, contact the NCAA at 913-339-1906.) I suspect that the coaching staff and the success of the program are the major reasons that UC San Diego continues to be a power in DIII soccer. (The weather might have something to do with that as well.) If undergraduate population were the determining factor in what division a school belonged in, then schools like Coastal Carolina, Liberty and Fairfield wouldn’t be able to play in Division I with the huge schools like Michigan, Cal and North Carolina.