Terps For Life
By Emily Olsen
Coach Sasho Cirovski sat smiling on a stool in the film room of the University of Maryland's varsity house when a telephone call interrupted him. The call was from one of his onetime players who wanted to constitute a scholarship or some kind of player recognition to add to the university'south soccer program.
With 17 former Terps currently playing in the MLS, phone calls like this are common for the 23-year-veteran head coach.
"We have developed a very professional surround here," said Cirovski. "The demands for fantabulous performance are extremely high in all aspects of your life."
On Feb. 2, 2015, President Obama honored the LA Milky way at the White Firm for its 2022 championship season. 3 former Maryland Terrapins—AJ DeLaGarza, Omar Gonzalez and Robbie Rogers—played on the winning Galaxy team.
Midfielder Rogers talked about the differences betwixt MLS championships and the 2005 Higher Cup championship, which he helped Maryland win.
"Winning a college title like that is very innocent and pure," said Rogers. "You know yous're not getting paid, but it's a great experience."
Rogers and Gonzalez said Maryland is home to special college team memories. The two players won college championships in 2005 and 2008, respectively.
"It's just great to get back in this expanse," said Galaxy defender Gonzalez. "Hopefully in the next couple of days I tin go back to the University of Maryland campus, accept it all in and think about some of the memories I have there and hopefully encounter Sasho."
Cirovski has created a family atmosphere within Maryland's soccer program, an atmosphere that continues fifty-fifty after the players have moved on to the adjacent step of their careers.
"It's an overwhelming sense of pride when you see the players at the very highest levels of the game, knowing that part of their development occurred under your spotter with the Maryland name," said Cirovski. "I feel like a proud papa."
Players like Gonzalez, Rogers and DeLaGarza have kept in contact with their college charabanc.
"The neat thing nigh these kids is they are Terps for life," said Cirovski.
Current Maryland players said that Cirovski constantly emphasizes the idea that once you are a function of the Maryland men's soccer team you are part of a special customs that will support yous throughout your life.
"He harps on that sense of family," said center back Alex Crognale. "He'south obviously our motorbus, merely he's also like a father effigy in the way he mentors us and supports usa."
Maryland players accept experienced success at every level. Midfielder Graham Zusi and Gonzalez played on the U.Southward. Men's National Squad last summer during an admirable Globe Cup run.
Current Maryland midfielder Mael Corboz transferred from Rutgers before the kickoff of last flavor to be a part of the prestigious Maryland program. He said he watched Zusi during the Earth Cup and took special note of how he handled free kicks.
"When a guy similar Graham Zusi plays I make sure I watch and try to see what he does," said Corboz, who scored the winning 2022 Big 10 Championship goal off a free kick. "He's really skilful at free kicks and I similar taking free kicks."
Other connections between quondam and current players are more than obvious. Crognale and current Maryland defender Chris Odoi-Atsem, Cirovski said, are his current Gonzalez and DeLaGarza.
"Omar [Gonzalez] is a big tall center dorsum and I'm the same way, so I await to him," said Crognale. "Whenever LA Galaxy is playing I'k always watching what he does and what I demand to improve on."
Gonzalez even paid a visit to Crognale's dorm in the past, which humbled the alumnus'southward counterpart.
"It was a big deal," said Crognale. "I definitely expect up to those guys, particularly with all of the success they had hither."
Odoi-Atsem has a close connection with his MLS equivalent even though they have never met. Odoi-Atsem and DeLaGarza both grew up in Maryland.
"He's a guy from Maryland who is a fiddling small for the center back position, but nevertheless fights everyday and works hard to go improve," said Odoi-Atsem. "I remember him when I used to become to the summertime camps and now I'm in the aforementioned position he was in dorsum so."
The Maryland family does not just back up players on the field , but is also there for players during tough times.
Last year DeLaGarza and his wife lost their son Luca later on he suffered complications with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. To bear witness support, the Maryland team wore Luca Knows Centre shirts during warm ups.
"Even though I've never met AJ it still feels like he is actually shut to me," said Crognale. "That touched our whole team and it really brought us all together. It was this sense of family unit that the Maryland soccer community has."
The team reached out to DeLaGarza to allow him know they were at that place to support him and volition continue to be there in the future.
That dual sense of community in the Maryland soccer program is function of the reason players have had and so much success later higher.
"It'due south important for the younger guys. If some of us can make information technology pro and come back and show that we still support Maryland; that we didn't forget what got us there," said Corboz. "It's important and a big inspiration for guys like us when those pros come back and see us play."
Whether it's being honored at the White house for winning the MLS Cup, representing the United States in the World Loving cup or winning a Big Ten Title in front of the Crew, soccer at the Academy of Maryland is more than titles.
"My goal was to build a culture that was going to exist very nurturing, very family unit oriented, bigger than merely winning championships," said a beaming Cirovski. "I think nosotros take achieved that."
Source: http://wmucsports.net/terps-for-life/
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