I designed these newsletters while working with the Pickerington Area Soccer Association. In addition, all of the writing, with the exception of the President's Letter, is mine.
The newsletters are in Adobe Acrobat format, and are just over 300K in size.
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JUNE 16, 2006
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Published in Freekick Magazine
Distributed at Columbus Crew Home Games
Spring 2006
The success of the United States National Team at the last World Cup was one of the soccer stories of 2002. And while the team was shocking pundits around the globe while playing in South Korea, Columbus was cementing it's status as America's Soccer Capital in the strangest of ways -- with a series of viewing parties offered free to the public at Columbus Crew Stadium.
It was an unorthodox idea, but was one that showed the passion found in the city of Columbus for the world's game. Thousands gathered at Crew Stadium on the morning of June 21st to watch Germany defeat the U.S. at the Quarterfinal stage, and despite the fact that the American's lost the match, a new tradition had already begun in Columbus.
"This is another way for us to distinguish ourselves from other organizations," said Crew General Manager Mark McCullers. "We talk here about being innovative all the time, and one of the ways that we do it is to keep doing creative stuff like this. A lot of people will jump on the bandwagon, but they're just going to open their doors and show the games. That's not good enough for us. We're going to put on an event again that will have people talking about what we're doing in Columbus, and they'll be scrambing to do something similar... just like last time."
One of my fondest memories of these events came on June 17th, gathering in the West parking lot with friends to cook pancakes and eggs on a portable grill, drink a few beers, and get ready to see the U.S. defeat Mexico.
McCullers and former Crew General Manager Jim Smith came up with the idea for the 2002 parties.
"When we first laid this out to the staff in 2002, we really didn't know how they would react," McCuller's said. "We really had to sell this to them. The selling point was simple. We told them 'Many of you will never have a chance to do anything like this again in your career.' It was so unique. When people are grilling pancakes and drinking beer in the parking lot, that's different, and that's what we want."
One of the challenges in 2002 was undoubtedly the time difference between Columbus and the games in Japan and South Korea. Some games started at 2:45am local time, but as the World Cup went on, the parties just got bigger. What started as a small group who gathered to watch the opening game, in which Senegal stunned France, swelled so much that the Crew had to modify their original plans to just have a few large TV's in the tent beside the stadium.
The solution? Open the stadium, put the games on the scoreboard video board, and see what would happen. Another fond memory of mine from that month in 2002 was hunting down Smith while the United States was getting pasted by Poland in the final group game, begging him to change the video board to show the South Korea-Portugal game instead, knowing that the right result would guarantee the American's passage into the knockout round. Smith agreed, and though there were a few people who were angered by his decision, he knew that it was the thing to do. When that game ended with a South Korea win, it was amazing to celebrate with so many fans of the game.
In 2006, at least for me, no selling is required. I've already scheduled the time off work. McCullers said that, unlike in 2002, beer will be sold at the events.
Four years have passed, and McCullers promises that the parties will look a little different. But the goal is the same -- give people a place to gather and enjoy the biggest sporting event on the planet. The games take place in Germany this time around, a mere six-hour time difference. Most games will take place in the late morning and mid-afternoon Eastern time.
"The thing that I've told the staff is that we've got to bring something different this time," he said. "We just can't do the same thing that we did last time and expect the same result. Obviously in 2002, we had no idea that the U.S. was going to go on that fantastic run."
In Group E, the United States faces Czech Republic on June 12th, Italy on June 17th, and Ghana on June 22nd.
"If the U.S. obliges and we catch lightning in a bottle again, that's great!" McCullers said. "But even if they don't, we still want people to have a World Cup experience here."
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Published in Freekick Magazine
Distributed at Columbus Crew Home Games
Spring 2006
Crew head coach Sigi Schmid made an interesting observation following Columbus' home-opening draw with the Chicago Fire. Discussing the difference between the two teams, Schmid said that he had looked the night before and the Fire's expected starting lineup had played over 1,000 MLS games between them, while Columbus has just over 400.
That statistic makes it clear that the Crew is a young team. As Schmid continues rebuilding this team, it's obvious that it's going to be centered around these young players, surrounding them with experienced players to learn from. Three of these players are still teenagers.
Danny Szetela, Eddie Gaven, and Tim Ward are all playing significant roles in Schmid's overall rebuilding plan, all before the age of 20. Szetela joined The Crew midway through the 2004 season, while Gaven and Ward came to Columbus via trades this past off-season.
"It speaks well for the future of this club," Schmid said. "These are players who are going to be good players here for a long time. I see these guys developing into the nucleus of this team, but I've still got a job to do in making sure that we have experienced players here to help these guys continue to grow. Players develop faster if they have mentors within the team that they can look to. I'm under no illusion that a coach is somehow the grand guru who can make that happen for them.""
Though young in age, it's clear in talking to this trio that they're not a group of shy kids just happy to belong. All three have been playing higher-level soccer for years now in the U.S. National Team program and in MLS.
"I don't really consider myself much of a young guy anymore, to be honest," said Szetela. "Once you sign a contract at this level, your age doesn't matter. We decided to step up here with the big boys. That stuff is always going to be in the papers, and we always get (crap) from the guys, but being young... I just try to do my job and get in the lineup."
Gaven has a similar impression of his stature despite his age. After joining the league at the age of 16, the 2006 season is his fourth in MLS, putting him near the top of the veterans list in terms of MLS experience -- at the age of 19.
"I look at this more as a positive challenge," Gaven said. "I don't feel like there's a lot of pressure on me here. I want to step up and be a leader here and help us win in any way that I can."
Schmid sees this trio of players as the spine of the future Crew. Experienced in the development of young players in the United States, the Crew head coach had a nearly 20-year career as head coach at UCLA followed by two stints with the U.S. Under-20 National Team program.
"It's nice to have a coach like Sigi who believes in us... who is always encouraging us," said Ward. "He's coached at the U-20 level and he understands us."
When discussing this trio of talented young players, Schmid pointed out one of the most striking differences between MLS and other leagues in developing these talented athletes.
"It's an easier process if you can have a very experienced player next to you," he said. "Right now, Danny is lining up next to Brandon Moss. Between the two of them, their experience adds up to very little. And Marcos Gonzalez is new to this country and is still getting used to being here, but he'll become a help to Tim Ward. Situations like this, while they don't stop the process, certainly slow it down. It just means that, at training, we have to do more teaching."
He pointed out the situation of Argentine star Lionel Messi, who burst onto the world stage at the FIFA Under-17 World Championships in 2005, and is fast becoming a key player at Barcelona in Spain's Primera Division. He's also expected to be key to Argentina's World Cup run this summer.
"He's able to step onto the field with Deco, Ronaldinho, and Samuel Eto'o. So whatever he can bring... it's more like a little bit of spice. He's not expected to cook the main meal. He just adds a little bit more, he's an ornament out there. The expectation of these sort of players is so much higher in MLS. Some of these players are expected to come in and carry the load right away. But when you're not forced into that sort of a role, you have more freedom to develop. Look at (Manchester United's) Wayne Rooney... he plays beside Ruud Van Nistelroy! That makes things a little bit easier."
Schmid points out that for these players, getting their legs under them in an environment like Columbus should ultimately further their development in a better environment, pointing out that in some of the larger markets, the pressure on these players is too much to handle right away.
"The pressure here in Columbus is a bit less, and the crowd support is tremendous. It's good for them as long as they keep it in perspective. Sometimes it gets easy to start thinking that everything is fine, but they've still got to be real with themselves about what's needed to grow as players."
If early season play is any indication, this youth movement is going to be exciting to watch from the stands of Crew Stadium. All three players are dynamic and excited to be playing in Columbus.
"When I played in New Jersey, we never made it past the first round of the playoffs," Gaven said. "That's one of the goals that I have here. I want to win something with Columbus. Of course, I want to play well, but my ultimate goal with this team is to win. I've never won anything at this level, and I really want to."
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Published in Freekick Magazine
Distributed at Columbus Crew Home Games
Summer 2006
Out of the league for three years after a 5-game stint with the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2003, midfielder Jose Retiz is slowly becoming a core member of the 2006 Columbus Crew. Retiz left MLS after the 2003 season, was injured in 2004, and had given up hope of playing professional soccer... until this past February.
"I was just working and going to school," he said. "As a player, it's always a frustrating thing when you're on the bench and don't get to play."
But Retiz had been noticed in his time with Los Angeles by a former Galaxian, none other than Mexican National Team assistant coach Jorge Campos.
"He saw me playing and asked me if I wanted to play in Mexico," Retiz said. "But I got hurt when I was working to sign a contract."
Retiz was close to signing a deal with Puebla in the Mexican First Division, but an ankle injury put his hopes on hold. He had trained with the club for nearly six months leading up to the injury, but there he was again, on the cusp of his dreams, but once again on the sidelines. Frustrated completely by this point, he walked away.
Unable to even train for several months because of the injury, Retiz decided to put his life as a player behind him. He proposed marriage to his girlfriend Mayra and she accepted. The new couple decided to return to his native Orange County, California, where he would work on completing his college studies and they could start a new life.
While working and attending college, Retiz took on the head coaching position at his alma mater - Saddleback High School in Santa Ana, California.
"I was pretty much tired of playing soccer," Retiz admitted. "Work and coaching were going well and I had my life pretty much settled down."
That 'settled-down' life took a dramatic turn earlier this year. Retiz received a call from his agent, informing him that Sigi Schmid, now the coach of the Columbus Crew, wanted him to come to Florida to join the Crew in preseason training.
"I knew what he could do," Schmid said. "And I knew he was willing to play a slightly different position than he had in the past, where he was more of an attacking midfielder. I knew he would accept the different role."
Retiz rejected the overture, telling his agent that he was uninterested.
"I just asked him to tell the coach that I said 'Thanks,' Retiz said. "But tell him that I just don't want to do it."
Half an hour later, Schmid called the young player himself.
"I wanted him to understand that this wasn't a situation where I was doing a favor for an agent or something like that," said Schmid. "I wanted him to know that I was serious about this, so I decided to pick up the phone."
"It really made a difference that he called himself," Retiz admitted. "I said 'Just give me one week, but then give me an answer.'"
Just like in 2003, when Schmid invited Retiz to camp and he fought to make the squad, the young midfielder was back in camp again -- three years since last playing professionally. Both times, he succeeded.
He was aware of very little about MLS by that point. Three years removed from it, his focus was on his life, his work, and his job as a coach. Professional soccer was no longer on his radar.
"I'm not going to lie to you," he laughed. "I'm just not a person who really likes to watch games. I want to play."
But after discussing it with Mayra, the couple decided to give the opportunity a serious shot.
To travel to Florida for his chance, Retiz left behind his high school team, who were preparing for the playoffs. Though his players were 'sad,' as he put it, they understood. Retiz was able to take advantage of a three-day break in training to travel back home and surprise them by showing up unannounced at pregame warmups. They won that game, but with Retiz back in Florida, they were eventually eliminated from the tournament.
"It was an uncomfortable situation," Retiz admitted. "But the players understood. They know that I'm a soccer player."
On March 21st, Retiz signed a contract with The Crew. He made his debut in the Black and Gold on April 8th, playing 21 minutes as a substitute in a 3-1 loss at Colorado. Since then, Retiz has slowly been beoming more of a fixture in Schmid's midfield. His first start, at Los Angeles on April 22nd, was Columbus' first win of the season.
"I would like to see him continue to improve," said Schmid. "I expect that he will as he gets more comfortable in his position."
Retiz has been through a lot of downs during his young career, but maybe this time will be different. Jose and Mayra have settled into Columbus. He's playing regularly for his team. He says the that the Crew is like a family to him now. He's happy now doing what he loves - playing soccer.
"When I was coaching my high school team, I always told my players to practice like they were going to play in the game," he said. "Just work your butt off and be ready, because sometimes those chances are very few... maybe even just one chance. You've always got to be prepared to take advantage of your chance, and that's what I did."
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