TEN QUESTIONS WITH...

You began at UB when the program wasn’t even at the Division I level. 13 years later, UB is not only a D-I program, but also a member of the Mid-American Conference. What are the major differences you have noticed between the program now, and when you started at Buffalo?

Back then, the competition was good. It was hectic, but certainly not as well organized as it is now. Today, you have teams with many better players. The talent is just richer, much more experienced perhaps. The realm of recruiting is so much more widespread. At the Division II or III level, you often didn’t see a foreign player on a team. Today, our biggest competition includes a number of teams with a greater balance of international players.

I think the coaching is a little more sophisticated, as well. Also, the players now have to play 12 months a year. Before, you had a player who had a lot of spirit, loved the game and loved to play it. But probably he didn’t have the dedication that a player has to have nowadays.

Describe the men’s soccer recruiting process from the head coach’s perspective.

It has become difficult because at this level you really need the best players from each area. I think there are certain areas throughout the country that are richer in talent, but then there is more competition for those players – that top-layer of players that everybody wants.

For instance, we are in competition with Duke, Georgetown, Michigan, St. John’s, and Southern Methodist for some great players out of the Midwest. It’s hard with our budget to go after the top out-of-state players. Unfortunately, we find ourselves competing for dollars. As a credit to the university, though, often times when we bring a recruit in here and they see the university firsthand, it sells itself.

For us, we always look locally for the top-talented players first. Then, we extend to the adjacent areas of Rochester, Syracuse, and Binghamton. New York State is definitely a top priority as far as our recruiting goes.

Before, you mentioned that players have to work all year long. What does the off-season entail for your team?

We have our off-season winter training in which the NCAA allows us to work as a team a certain number of weeks per year. Basically, in the wintertime and springtime we are going six days a week – three together as a team and three for individual workouts. We have found that the weight room work has increased our ability to compete a great deal. It has strengthened our athletes so we can be much tougher, but also it’s prevented us from injuries. So I credit the fitness room work and the job that our strength coach Phil Ryan has done – they’ve both benefited the team a lot.

In addition to all of that, we send players home over the summer with a fitness manual. We expect them to follow that, and generally find that those who do are a lot more successful when we come back in the fall.

Your team is off to a great start this season. Where does most of that credit go?

We have been riding five of our veterans’ backs (Bill Norberg, Joe Peplinski, Kevin Pitra, Brian Wozniak, and Matt Yeates). Those five guys are the only ones on the team that accumulated any appreciable playing time for us in the past. We are relying on their hard work.

In addition to that we also have a couple of transfers that have come in and fit nicely (Jenton Esworthy and Dave Pidgeon). Also, some of our unproven guys have shined (Patrick Beckley, Mike Geller, Brandon Myrie, Jason Seymour, and Geoff Thompson). We’ve put them out there and they are delivering. We have a couple of freshmen (Justin Higgins and Jeff Martinko) that are putting in some significant minutes.

Our staff has pretty much decided that with our lack of experience to go with the simplest possible form of play. Offensively, we’re down to the most basic style you can play. It’s been very effective for us, though.

How much will the quality start of the season help you out when MAC play begins?

Well, it’s got to start against Akron – they are a team that just tied the defending national champion, Connecticut. Our team knows what formidable task we’re up against in Akron.

Our guys are playing their hearts out in this system we use. As I talked about before, it’s not sophisticated. It’s very simple style that calls for less touches on the ball, but more people touching the ball more. A ‘just keeping the ball moving all times’ approach. We try to catch the opposing defense off-balance and explode through any hole we find.

The success we’ve had playing within our system should build our confidence. No matter how good the other team, we can play with them.

Last year, your team was only a couple of goals from advancing to the MAC Championship Game. What benefits does an experience like that have on this year’s squad?

When it comes to the MAC tournament we always seem to be peaking at the right time. We always seem to be one of the toughest teams to beat in tournament play. Last year, I was totally confident that we would go through to the Championship Game. I felt we were offensively explosive, experienced, and balanced throughout the field.

I think that the few experienced guys we have particularly take something positive out of last year’s run. They definitely know we can do it.

What is the next step for UB soccer?

We have to win the MAC, there’s just no question about that. Our team needs to play in the NCAA Tournament. We’ve come awfully close, even just minutes away in ‘95. We just feel that’s the route to go, I think we belong there.

Right now the goals of our staff begin with recruiting – to give ourselves more experienced players that would be able to take us to that level. But also, to train the ones we have now. I think that some of the talent should be develop in a couple of years into a player at that high of a level

Our staff also wants to increase the difficulty of our schedule. We’ve always been known for playing a tough schedule that includes a couple of Top-25 teams. That’s important, we have to travel to other areas of the country to make sure that we expose our kids and our program to the different styles and higher level of play.

A few of your past players – including Steve Butcher of the Rochester Rhinos and formerly the Buffalo Blizzard – have moved on to the professional circuit. How much individual pride do you take in that?

Well I’m not sure I take it that personally. I’m just very happy for those who go on to try their hand at professional soccer – we’ve had about eight of them (Steve Butcher, Brian Durovic, Joey Mercik, Tim Merrick, Antony Wright, and three others). That’s not my ultimate goal as a coach, to turn out a professional player. I think if they should happen to come out of this program ready to play professionally, it’s their God-given talents that have taken them there.

As far as Steve, being a local boy out of North Tonawanda, it’s a pleasure to see him succeed. Our staff has been very happy for him and his family.

You’ve been at UB for 13 years, and the surrounding Buffalo community for a great number more. Talk about what this school and area mean to you.

I think it’s one of the great pleasures that one gets to be able to first coach at the high school level and then to have the chance to coach at an institution like this one. It’s a dream come true for myself.

It’s been a great privilege coaching for such a great institution and always having had the support of the Athletic Director and other administration.

Now that you have become UB’s all-time winningest men’s soccer coach, are there any other individual accomplishments on the horizon?