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 The 2006 Williams College Ephs |
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Dana Leary Named NSCAA/adidas National Player of the Year
Leary to attend invitation-only tryouts with D.C. United and New England Revolution of MLS
Williams senior captain, defender/forward, Dana Leary (Gonzaga College High School/Washington, DC) named the NSCAA/adidas National Div. III Player of the Year by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA).
 Dana Leary '07 |
"Dana possesses all the attributes of an elite player," said Eph head coach Mike Russo. "He's clearly the most powerful player we've had in our program at 6' 4" and 220 lbs. He strikes the ball well, is exceptional in the air and he has a versatility that many players do not -- he can score goals and he can prevent goals."
Leary, a four-year letterman in soccer anchored a back line this season that allowed just 8 goals in 17 games as the Ephs went 14-1-2 on the year, winning both the NESCAC regular season and tournament titles and advancing to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen. Leary netted four goals this season and three of them were game-winners.
Williams compiled a four-year record of 57-9-6 (.833), won four NESCAC regular season titles, three NESCAC Tournaments, played in four straight NCAA Tournaments and allowed just 48 goals during Leary's career. Leary tallied 16 goals and assisted on seven in his career for a point total of 39.
The presentation of the National Div. III Player of the Year award will take place at the annual NSCAA Convention on January 13th in Indianapolis.
"Technically Dana is very sound and mentally he excels as either a central forward or a central defender and he is most deserving of this honor," said Russo. "His graduating will leave us with a large hole to fill next year."
 Dana Leary controlling the box |
Leary, a history major, also lettered in basketball for the Ephs for two years and spent the spring of his junior year abroad in Australia where he studied public policy and multiculturalism where he focused on aboriginal issues. Leary plans to take a year off and work in a law-related job like paralegal work or something similar before enrolling in law school. "If I came across an opportunity in soccer I would definitely purse it," said Leary. "It's every kid's dream to play pro sports and I'd really like to try and see what happens." Leary recently accepted an invitation to tryout with DC United of the MLS and he will head to the nation's capitol January 16 and 17 to compete with other candidates for a spot on the D.C. United roster. His tryout with the New England Revolution is scheduled for February 2nd.
Leary is quick to point out that this award is the result of hard work and having the love and support of two families – the Learys and Williams soccer -- on and off the field. "This honor means a lot to me," said Leary. "It represents the hard work I've put in over the years. My mom would come down to the park by my house over the summer where I was working out and scream at me to stop running and playing because she thought I would collapse from the DC heat and humidity. It's funny to look back on those moments, they were the only times I didn't listen to her."
"I also want to thank my coaches, Russo and [Tom] Demeo for making me the player I am today'" said Leary. "From pushing me hard, perfecting my skill and technique on the field to being mentors off of the field. I can not emphasize enough how much our relationship means to me."
"I have so many memories that I will cherish of Williams soccer," said Leary. "First our preseason trip when it's just the team. I've never had such a close bonding experience. Next would be the sprints at the end of practice. We all hated it and loved it at the same time, you could just look over into your teammate's eyes, and you both know that you are going to keep running and pushing yourselves for each other. There was no option of quitting, It's a good feeling. I'll also remember circling up with the team before games, feeling the intensity and knowing that no matter what happened, we were in it together and we were going to fight."
Leary joins Alex Blake '01 (forward), Brad Murray '97 (forward) and Terry Kaufmann '96 (back) as Ephs named national players of the year under Mike Russo.
Patrick Huffer Named 2006 NSCAA/adidas Senior College Men’s Scholar All-American of the Year
The National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) has named Williams senior midfielder Patrick Huffer (Boulder, CO) to the 2006 NSCAA/adidas Senior College Men’s Scholar All-America Soccer Team and selected Huffer the 2006 NSCAA/adidas Men’s Scholar Athlete of the Year for Senior Colleges.
Huffer was one of 34 players named nationwide to the three Senior College Men's Scholar Athlete Teams and he is the first from Williams to be honored as the Scholar Athlete of the Year by NSCAA.
 Patrick Huffer '07 – All-American & Scholar All-American |
The presentation of the 2006 NSCAA/adidas Men’s Scholar Athlete of the Year for Senior Colleges award will take place at the annual NSCAA Convention on January 13th in Indianapolis. Huffer, a two-time District One ESPN the Magazine First Team Academic All-Region selection, was named a First Team ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American this season.
A biology major, Huffer sports a 3.93 GPA. He is a two-time Academic All-NESCAC choice, has been a Dean's List (minimum 3.5 GPA) student every semester at Williams and was elected to membership in Phi Beta Kappa as a junior ranking in the top 5% of his class as determined by GPA. He has worked for the Williams Outing Club, at the College's Hopkins Forest and he helped coordinate the "Log Lunches" sponsored by the environmental Sciences Department.
During the spring semester of his junior year Huffer participated in the Poverty and Development Program through Pitzer College in Ecuador. He attended the Universidad de San Francisco de Quito and volunteered at a homeless shelter for elderly people called Fundacion Abuelitos de la Calle (Foundation Grandparents of the Street). He cooked and served food, led dances and calisthenics, and played games at the Foundation. Huffer, whose future plans include attending medical school, also helped out as a medical assistant with Hospital Tierra Nueva (New Earth), serving as a translator for a medical clinic run by the American group The Timmy Foundation.
Huffer was a four-year letter winner at Williams and a captain of the 2006 Ephs. This season Huffer led the Ephs and NESCAC in goals (14). This was the third consecutive year Huffer was the top goal scorer for Williams. He registered 30 points on the year with 14 goals and two assists. He was named First Team All-NESCAC, NESCAC Player of the Year, First Team All-New England by the NSCAA and a NSCAA First Team All-American.
Huffer scored three game-winning goals for the 14-1-2 Ephs as Williams won both the NESCAC regular season and conference tournament and advanced to the round of 16 in the NCAA Tournament, before falling to eventual national champion Messiah in a penalty kick shoot out.
"Patrick is the quintessential midfielder in the sense that he is indefatigable, has a high work rate, defends well and is a dynamic attacking player," said Eph head coach Mike Russo. "He also linked defense with our attack and gave us a lot of scoring opportunities, especially with his ability to make the last pass forward. He's a man of action on the field, not vocal when leading. He is a tremendous person, student and he had a fantastic career here."
A four-year letterman, Huffer, helped lead the Ephs to a record of 57-9-6 (.833) over the past four seasons by netting 33 goals and registering 10 assists for 76 points.
2006 Season Wrap-Up
Mike Russo's 2006 Eph squad advanced to the NCAA Div. III Tournament for the ninth consecutive year. This year the Ephs (14-1-2) received an automatic bid to the tourney by winning the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Championship over Middlebury on PKs.
Dana Leary '07 – Two-Time 1st Team All-American & 2006 NCAA Div. III Player of the Year |
Patrick Huffer '07 – 1st Team All-American/ESPN 1st Team Academic All-American & NSCAA College Division Scholar All-American of the Year |
Williams hosted its two NCAA games, and beat Keene State for the second time this season in NCAA second round action. The Ephs downed the Owls in a regular season game on September 27, 3-1, and advanced past them 4-0 on November 11 in post-season play, to set up a showdown with No. 3 Messiah.
The Ephs hosted Messiah the next weekend in the NCAA Round of 16 and battled to a 0-0 tie through two overtime periods. Messiah advanced past Williams in PKs and eventually won the NCAA Div. III title for the third straight year.
The Ephs opened their 2006 campaign with ten straight wins, outscoring their opponents 30-3, before falling to Middlebury 3-2 in the second overtime session in NESCAC regular season play.
After the loss, Williams won two straight, including a 2-1 overtime victory against Wesleyan. Six days later, the Ephs headed to Amherst for a Little Three showdown that would also determine the host of the NESCAC tournament. The game was cancelled due to rain and Williams was awarded the regular season NESCAC Title and given host privileges for the tournament.
 Jeff Castigilione '07 |
 Tommy Day '07 |
No. 1 Williams received a first-round bye in NESCAC post-season action and hosted Bates, the winner of an overtime duel with Wesleyan, in the conference semis. The Ephs rolled by the Bobcats 3-0, to set up the championship game with Middlebury.
After battling to a 0-0 tie through two overtimes, the NESCAC Championship came down to a PK shoot out. Senior goalkeeper Jeff Castiglione made two saves in the face-off to give the Ephs the team the title. Castiglione was named the NESCAC's Player of the Week for his efforts.
Castiglione gave up just seven goals on the season, finishing with a goals against average of .47 and posting five shutouts. Castiglione was helped by a tough backfield, led by First Team All-NESCAC and First Team NSCAA All-New England selection Dana Leary. For the second consecutive year Leary was named a First Team All-American by the NSCAA. Leary was also named the NSCAA National Div. III Player of the Year, making him the fourth player coached by Mike Russo to win the award.
 Brett Olsen '07 |
Fellow senior Patrick Huffer, who led the conference and the team in goals with 14, and added two assists for a team-high 30 points, was named the 2006 NESCAC Player of the Year. He was also named to the all-conference First Team, the NSCAA All-New England First Team, and was selected as an ESPN the Magazine First Team Academic All-American.
Additionally, Huffer was named a NSCAA First Team All-American a NSCAA/adidas Senior College Men’s Scholar All-American and the 2006 National Scholar All-America Player of the Year for Senior College Men. Huffer, a biology major, sports a 3.93 GPA and was elected to Phi Beta kappa as a junior.
Senior Tommy Day, a midfielder, was also named as a first team selection on the All-NESCAC and All-New England squads. Classmate Brett Olsen was a Second Team All-NESCAC selection and a Fourth Team All-New England selection.
2006 Season Outlook
Returning All-American Dana Leary '07 |
Eph head coach Mike Russo probably does not even know that he is entering his 28th year at the helm of the Ephs with a chance to record his 25th straight winning season. The humble and reserved Russo never looks back and never looks past the next game, but he does know that he returns a highly skilled Class of 2007 (10 players) and all but five players from last year's 16-3 team that advanced to the NCAA Quarterfinals.
The losses are significant as two of those lost to graduation signed professional contracts. The pool of returning talent is nonetheless quite impressive.
Lost to graduation is two-time NESCAC Player of the Year and two-time First Team All-American Josh Bolton. The last six NESCAC Players of the Year have all been Ephs. Bolton controlled the midfield for the Ephs netting two goals and assisting on seven. Bolton currently plays for the Rochester Rhinos in the USL.
Goalie Nick Armington, a three-year starter, who signed with Real Salt Lake of the MLS, played all but 135 minutes last season, leaving the Ephs with a large opportunity in the net. Solid veterans Keith Jackson, Matt Bilodeau and Ned Castle have also graduated.
The good news for Russo is only two of the 47 goals scored last season were lost to graduation and only 10 of the 40 assists.
Russo may have to count on applying a lot of offensive pressure to give his backline and new goalie a chance to come together into a cohesive unit.
Seniors Jeff Castiglione and Greg Walker will battle in the preseason to determine who will get the nod in goal at the season's start. Castiglione played 73 minutes last season and allowed one goal and made one save. With his 6' 3" frame he has been effective in PK shootout situations. This summer Castiglione was in the Officers' Candidate School boot camp of the U.S. Marines, which should allow him to be even more of a presence in the box.
First year Andrew Graham of Northbrook, IL could even be in the goalie mix.
"There's some inexperience here because of all the time Nick Armington played over his four years and it is a wide open battle," said Russo. "The returning seniors would have a slight edge having been here, but this job will be won in preseason in our training sessions and our two scrimmages."
First Team All-American Dana Leary at 6' 3" will anchor the backline and also move forward on set pieces, as he is a most dynamic force in the air in the box as well. Leary netted six goals and registered two assists last fall.
 Ryan Pelletier '08 led the Ephs in assists with 8 last season |
Joining Leary on the backline will be the reliable junior Ryan Pelletier who started every game last season. Pelletier scored one goal, but posted a team-high eight assists (10 pts.). Will Ford, back from an injury last season, is expected to fill one of the other two slots in the four-back alignment.
Candidates to fill the fourth spot in the back include three sophomores, three first years, a junior and a senior. Sophomores Will Jaquiss, Chris Gocksch and Brian Dolezal will be in the mix along with first years Kiel Bonhomme, Connor Smith and Will Whiston. Martin Sawyer, a junior will vie for time as well. Russo is also toying with the notion of moving tireless midfielder Dan MacGregor to the backline if needed.
"When playing zone in the back it's important to have players who have worked and grown together and we have that with Dana Leary, Ryan Pelletier and Will Ford," said Russo. "This is a strength of our team because we are very good in the air, disciplined and we have good one-on-one defenders."
 Patrick Huffer led the Ephs will 11 goals in 2005 |
Seniors Patrick Huffer, Dan MacGregor and Tommy Day will be back to lead the midfield and one of them will be moved into Bolton's role of 'schemer'. Huffer, a First Team All-NESCAC and All-New England selection, led the Ephs in scoring in 2005. Huffer slotted home a team-high 11 goals a year ago and he assisted on three on his way to earning conference and regional recognition.
MacGregor tallied four goals and recorded four assists last season, while Day notched one goal and assisted on three.
Midfield depth will come from a senior, a junior, a sophomore quartet and a trio of first years. Senior Matt Nolan will return after being sidelined last fall with an injury to add experience. Junior Nathan Elwood will be given a look at holding midfielder or possibly in the back. Dan Curbelo-Zeidman, Sam Empson, Jay Ingram and Will Sheridan are the sophomores. Empson registered two assists last fall
First year midfielders who are expected to battle for time this fall include Alex Johnson, Ben Mackinnon and Matt Furlong.
"Midfield is another strength on this team," said Russo. "We have hard, physical players who are creative and can scheme. We have the ability to score from the midfield."
Two seasoned senior scorers return up front in John Hillman and Brett Olsen. Hillman is coming off a strong 2005 campaign that saw him score the second most goals on the team (9) and record one assist to notch 19 pts. Olsen had an injury filled 2005 season, but still managed to net two goals and dish out three assists in limited time.
 A healthy Brett Olsen '07 this fall will add firepower to the Eph attack |
Olsen was the NESCAC Rookie of the Year as a first year with nine goals and seven assists. He then followed that up with six goals and six assists as a sophomore and now has 17 career goals and 16 assists for 50 points. A healthy Olsen gives Russo plenty of offensive options and should open the field up even more for Hillman and a host of other quick and dangerous forwards.
Junior Kit Fuderich displayed a knack for finding the back of the net scoring five goals in 2005 and his one-on-one abilities led to some key goals a year ago.
Others expected make their presence known up front include senior Folafolu Folowosele (1 asst.), junior Mike Darling (1g, 1 asst.), and sophomores Sam Denton-Schneider (2g, 1asst.), Peter Gordon (1 goal) and Pierre Meloty-Kapella (1 goal).
First year Peter Houston will be given a long look in preseason camp.
"We have a number of quick, skilled and dangerous forwards who are very good one-on-one," said Russo.
Last season the Ephs surrendered just 12 goals in 19 contests, out scoring the opposition 21-3 in the first half and holding a 26-9 margin in the second half. The Ephs will need to organize their defense quickly to be ready for a run at postseason honors as the season-opener is against defending NESCAC Champion and NCAA participant Wesleyan.
First among team goals, as always, is winning the Little Three title and then the NESCAC title. Winning the NESCAC title provides an automatic bid to the NCAA Tourney where Russo's booters have found themselves in 12 of the last 13 seasons.
"NESCAC is very strong again this year with Wesleyan, Middlebury, Amherst, Bowdoin and Tufts all having strong teams along with us and every team in NESCAC has gotten better over the past few years – every game will be a battle," said Russo.
The Ephs open their 14-game 2006 regular season at home with a key Little Three and NESCAC contest against Wesleyan at 1:00 pm on September 9.
Nick Armington Signs With Real Salt lake
 Nick Armington '06 |
WILLLIAMSTOWN, MA – Monday Real Salt Lake (RSL) of the MLS signed former Eph goalie Nick Armington '06 (Manchester, MA) to a developmental contract to serve as the team's third goalie. Armington was a three-time All-NESCAC selection and a two-time All-New England choice for the Ephs in compiling a record of 48-11-2.
Scott Garlick is the RSL number one goalie and Jay Nolly is currently the backup goalie. Garlick has played just under 20,000 minutes and has started 215 MLS games, while Nolly is a second year keeper out of the University of Indiana who has played in six MLS contests.
Armington has worked tirelessly to attract the attention of the MLS including putting together a highlight tape and attending goalie workouts and tryouts with MLS teams like the MetroStars, the Colorado Rapids and Real Salt Lake. He was on the draft list for the 2006 MLS SuperDraft but was not selected.
During the Winter Study period this past January Armington even traveled to Iceland in hopes of securing a GK spot on one of their professional teams.
"Nick has worked incredibly hard to get noticed by the MLS," said Eph head coach Mike Russo. "He improved immeasurably here in four years and he has good quickness and size [6' 2"] and he is willing to work hard to get on the field. He had an outstanding senior season and had key game-changing, result-producing saves in our biggest games – Middlebury, Amherst, Keene State and Wheaton." 25 of Armington's 48 wins at Williams were shutouts.
"I'm really excited for Nick because he gave himself a year to get a pro contract and he did it much sooner," said Russo. "Now with the MLS's Reserve Division he will get a great opportunity to practice with RSL and get some game experience in the Reserve Division and be seen by all of other MLS teams as well. And who knows what all of that can lead to"
Armington is the 14th player coached by Russo in his 27 years at Williams to sign a professional contract.
The life of a professional soccer player is quite a bit different than that of a college soccer player. In professional soccer there is a lot more free time and the season is much longer.
At Williams men's soccer practice always happened during the "division of the day" time slot of 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., but that is no longer the case for Nick Armington who recently signed with Real Salt Lake of the MLS shortly after graduating from Williams. A Real Salt Lake practice is sometimes as short as 90 minutes and never as long as two hours. Most of the time the goalies spend the first 20-25 minutes working as a group on techniques and tactics and then it is time for 5 on 5 or 8 on 8 small-sided games that are usually played across the field, but on occasion are played between the 18-yardlines. Real Salt Lake usually practices around 10:00 a.m. "Unless it is a Tuesday or Thursday when we lift I'm usually home by 1:00 p.m. and on days we lift I'm home by 2:30," said Armington."
"Days off come around once every 10 days or so, so the coaches keep the practice sessions short and lively to keep the players sharp and active, but you can't afford to leave your game in practice because the regular season goes from April to October," said Armington.
That's quite a contrast from an in-season day at Williams where the two-hour soccer practice window is seen as a break from academics and a chance to get in a good physical workout before completing papers and reading assignments after dinner.
"I'm going out on a lot of day trips and exploring the area as it is much different from what I'm used to in back in Massachusetts and it's been great having my girlfriend here for company," said Armington. "This is a beautiful area and we've enjoyed getting to know it."
"The team does not hang out together much, but we do get together to watch the World Cup games," noted Armington. Armington's favorite goalie is Italy's Gianluigi Buffon, but he admits is pulling for the host nation, Germany to win.
One of Armington's teammates was a former club soccer opponent of his in Massachusetts – Ryan Johnson. "Ryan played on Mass Bay with [former Eph] Matt Bilodeau, but he is the only one on the team I knew before I got here."
Armington a three-year starter in goal for the Ephs, appeared headed to Iceland to play in the professional league over there, but a call to tryout with Real Salt Lake sent him west instead of east. "The Iceland situation was getting a little annoying," said Armington. "First the team in Iceland said they had the money and then they didn't and then they said to sit tight. Fortunately for me Real Salt Lake sent their third string goalie to the Columbus Crew in a trade around the same time and that put them in the market for another keeper."
Armington signed a developmental contract for this season that places him on the Real Salt Lake roster and means he can dress for the MLS games, if needed, and play in the MLS Reserve League games. "I get to work out with a veteran keeper in Scott Garlick who just won his 100th game and the second string goalie is Jay Nolley form Indiana so I'm learning an awful lot in a short amount of time. Both Scott and Jay have been welcoming and helpful."
While the chances of getting some time in a MLS game this season might appear to be slim right now, Armington is getting the kind of exposure that can only help in the future. MLS rosters now carry 26-28 players with the Reserve League commitments and the entire Real Salt Lake team practices as a unit. First rate coaching, experienced goalies to work with and the chance to perform in front of every other MLS team (at least on tape) are opportunities for exposure and development that were just too good to for Armington pass up.
Khari Stephenson '04 Signs 3-Year Contract With GAIS in Swedish Premier League
Former Williams College All-American soccer player Khari Stephenson has signed a three-year contract to play for GAIS in the Swedish Premier League known as Allsvenskan.
 Khari Stephenson '04 to play in Sweden |
"Khari is a big, strong player with good technique and a strong passing game," said GAIS head coach Roland Nilsson. Nilsson, a legend in Sweden for leading their 1984 World Cup team to a bronze medal in the U.S. in 1990 knows he has a solid, underrated player in Stephenson. "Our contact sent us a DVD of Khari and we liked what we saw. He can play offensive and defensive midfield. He always wants to have the ball and he has a very good idea of what to do with it once he gets it," said Nilsson. "If you start on your national team you have to be a strong player." Stephenson has played 17 times for the Jamaican National Team with 14 starts. He has netted three goals for Jamaica as the central defensive midfielder.
Stephenson was most recently with the Kansas City Wizards in the MLS. He was drafted in the third round of the 2004 MLS SuperDraft after excelling at the MLS Combine by the Chicago Fire, but was soon traded to the Kansas City Wizards. In his first season in the MLS Stephenson scored a goal in the MLS semifinals vs. San Jose and started the MLS Cup game.
"I think I can help this team right away," said Stephenson. "I've always wanted to play in Europe and I remember watching Roland [Nilsson] in the World Cup as a kid. They have excellent coaches and a lot of good players."
Stephenson's Career Highlights at Williams:
2003: Named a first team all-American by the NSCAA for the second straight season. Led Williams College in goals scored (15) and points (34). Earned first team all-NESCAC and first team all-New England honors. Named the NESCAC Player of the Year. Finished his college career with 40 goals and 18 assists for a total of 98 points. Helps Jamaica advance in Olympic qualifying rounds.
2002: In his junior year, finished second on the team in goals (15) and points (37) and tied for third in assists (7). Named a first team all-American. Also named first team all-New England and NESCAC Player of the Year. Ranked third in the conference in points per game (1.76). Led Williams to a second straight NESCAC Championship. Collected his first cap for Jamaica in an appearance the Jamaican National Junior Team in a game against Brazil. Also played for the Jamaican Olympic Team.
2001: Finished fourth on the team in scoring, tallying five goals and three assists for a total of 13 points.
2000: Tallied five goals and four assists for a total of 14 points.
Josh Bolton Signs With USL's Rochester Rhinos
Williams College senior midfielder Josh Bolton (Penfield, NY) has signed a contract to play for the Rochester Raging Rhinos in the USL First Division.
Bolton is the 11th player to play for Mike Russo at Williams who has signed a professional contract.
 Josh Bolton '06 maneuvers through the midfield |
Last season the Rhinos finished second to the Montreal Impact in the USL First Division regular season and advanced to the semifinals of the U.S. Open Cup with a win over the NY/NJ MetroStars of the MLS. The Rhinos were eliminated in the semifinal round when they lost a penalty kick shootout with the Chicago Fire (MLS).
Rochester is one of the more established franchises in the USL First Division, averaging over 10,000 a game. There have even been whispers that the team may get an invite to the MLS in the near future. This season the Rhinos will be opening their new facility – Paetec Park – which seats 17,500.
Bolton, a two-time All-American and NESCAC Player of the Year, scored two goals and assisted on seven last fall. In his career Bolton tallied 19 goals and assisted on 21 for 59 points. "Josh is a fabulous player," said Eph head coach Mike Russo. "He has all the tools. He is strong physically, runs well, is good in tight situations and his delivery of the long ball is the best I've seen at Williams."
Bolton signed with the Rhinos two days before the USL Draft and on the same day that the New England Revolution called to say they were going to take him in the MLS Supplemental Draft. While the a shot at the MLS is appealing to Bolton he was excited to go back home to play as his hometown of Penfield is only about 10 miles from Rochester.
"I grew up watching the Rhinos play so I really wanted to go to their combine [tryouts]," said Bolton. "I was able to get up there for a the last two days of the weeklong combine. The head coach wasn't even there, but I guess it went pretty well because when I called back to check on my status they offered me a contract."
The Rhinos will go into their preseason near the end of March and Bolton is lucky that one of the weeks that the Rhinos will be training in Cary, NC, Williams will be on spring break. "I'm not sure how I'm gong to be able to train while I'm finishing up school, but the Rhinos' coaches have assured me that we will be able to find a happy medium." The Rhinos' first regular season game will be played on May 5 and graduation at Williams is June 4.
"Josh can go a long ways in this game with the right opportunity to develop," said Russo. "Soccer is his passion, he just needs a chance to show what he can do."
After Amherst, It's the Peace Corps for Matt Aronson '05
 Matt Aronson encouraging the Eph back line |
For Matt Aronson the challenge in life is in leaving your comfort zone.
A three-year starter in the back for head coach Mike Russo, Aronson earned a reputation for being a hard-nosed defender and a great communicator on the field. He captained the 2004 Ephs and graduated last June with a degree in political economy. He has served this fall as a volunteer assistant coach under Russo.
Over the last four-plus years Matt Aronson has been a significant contributor to the continued success of the Williams men's soccer team, but now it is time for him to leave the Purple Valley. The Amherst game on October 29th could be the last time Aronson sees his beloved Ephs play a game on Cole Field for three years.
Sometime in November Aronson will be deployed to an English-speaking African country — either Swaziland, Botswana or Gahanna — as a member of the Peace Corps. His assignment is to teach basic computer skills. After a three-month in-country training program Aronson will be assigned to a specific country for the next two years.
Aronson has designs on either law school or some other graduate school in the future. "I'm looking forward to seeing how I react in the Peace Corps to having put myself in a place where I will not be comfortable (at first).and seeing how I react.”
Mike Russo was not surprised to hear that Aronson was looking at the Peace Corps. "Matt was always concerned about others and he is always trying to find ways to help," said Russo. "He was a true leader for us, even when he was injured as a senior. He was always positive and enthusiastic."
The notion to purse an opportunity with the Peace Crops just kind of entered Aronson's mind one day early in his sophomore year at Williams. "I was just thinking one day about what real life would hold for me and how I would like to join a non-profit organization that makes a difference," recalled Aronson. "I've always been one who looks for ways to increase my perspective on issues and see where I can be most helpful.
"The Peace Corps seems like the perfect great challenge and as a soccer player I'm competitive by nature and always looking for ways to challenge myself by going outside of my comfort zone," he said. Growing up in Newton (Mass.) and having had the opportunity to travel in Europe, Israel and the Caribbean, Aronson knows that his time in Africa will be something he has not experienced before.
Playing college soccer, Aronson believes, has prepared him for the challenge of leaving his comfort zone and even encouraged him to leave his comfort zone through the Peace Corps, "College soccer definitely forces you out of your comfort zone because you have to have the motivation in the summer to work on your skills and your fitness so you are ready to play when the season begins even though your friends are off hanging out," said Aronson. "You also have to approach your academics with consistency and organization so they don’t get the better of you, and then you need to play. For me how I played was usually a more tangible way of how things were affecting my life."
Through his four years as a player and his one season as an assistant coach one trait has always stood out with Matt Aronson -- communication. "He has done a terrific job for us this season," said Russo. "Not only on improving our defenders 'skill levels, but improving their communication. He is so genuine and sincere he commands respect."
Standing on the sidelines coaching the Ephs is vastly different from playing for the Ephs. "You see many more things as a coach than you do as a player, because you are not in the middle of the play," said Aronson. "As a player you are always concerned about your own role, but as a coach you see the bigger picture of how all of the players are moving and communicating or how they are not doing those things. The key is to get the right message to the players about what they need to do as a group to be successful."
Aronson has already taken the LSATs in case he decides to pursue a law degree after his time in Africa with the Peace Corps, but if not a law degree another postgraduate degree will be in the offing.
Whatever proportions the mix is for Aronson after his tour in Africa, he knows that coaching some level of soccer, helping others, a graduate degree and continuing to go outside his comfort zone will be the main ingredients.
Khari Stephenson '04 a Stand Out for Jamaican National Team
Click here to see photos of this game by Justin Quinn
 Khari Stephenson '04 surveys the field -- photo by Justin Quinn |
 Khari sends one over the top to a streaking forward -- photo by Justin Quinn |
Thoughts on Men's Soccer at Williams
By Head Coach Mike Russo
The Williams College men's soccer program has as its main objective the same commitment to excellence that exemplifies all aspects of the institution. Through the use of the most modern methods of training and one of the best soccer facilities in the country, as well a formidable New England schedule, the coaching staff strives to assist each player in attaining his maximum physical, technical, and tactical potential and learning to use his individual ability to develop total team harmony.
 Sky Riggs '05 |
 Brett Olsen '07 |
Technical and tactical training at Williams are an integral part of practice. Small-sided games and a heavy emphasis on functional training are employed to assist each player in fulfilling his soccer potential. Most fitness training is done with the ball, emphasizing endurance and speed.
Williams soccer features a quick, interpassing, attacking game. The team uses constructive and creative play in the attacking half of the field to generate goal scoring opportunities. On defense high and delayed pressure are employed.
The game of soccer has become firmly entrenched in this country, and we at Williams are committed to furthering its growth by playing beautiful,attacking soccer while maintaining the high standards of spirit and integrity which are intrinsic to the game.
We have a varsity and a reserve team. Our reserve team is predominantly comprised of First-Years with a few upperclassmen. They play a strong schedule and practice as a group separate from the varsity. I coordinate reserve team training sessions so that we present a progressive curriculum to our players.
Soccer Facilities
Soccer at all levels is best played on grass fields. Williams College possesses one of the best soccer facilities in the country, as the fields are impeccably manicured grass surfaces situated in a beautiful locale surrounded by mountains.
The game field is 120 yards long by 80 yards wide and is used exclusively for matches. Williams has three other regulation soccer fields for practices and games. There are numerous spaces used for grids, pendulum balls, and a kick board.
Training
The beauty of the game of soccer is that during a match it can not be coach-dominated like so many other sports. Because soccer is a player's game, it is most important that players be thoroughly prepared in training. The main goal of our coaching staff is to provide training experiences that will enable a player to attain his potential in every aspect of the game. We want our players to have total mastery of the ball, vision of the entire field, composure, and creativity in decision making. To accomplish these concepts, most of our technical and tactical training is done under pressure of one or more defenders to enable a player to experience the presence of an opponent even though the pressure might be passive at first.
Since mental attitude is so important in soccer we spend time improving a player's leadership ability as well as his ability to relax and concentrate through visualization training. Competitiveness is constantly developed through various competitions. It is our belief that proper training will improve each player's technical, tactical, fitness and psychological level of performance and thus total team performance will be enhanced.
System and Style of Play
We will vary our system of play depending on the strengths and weaknesses of the opponent. We have played 4-3-3 with wingers, with one winger and two strikers; we have used 4-4-2 and 3-4-3 systems as well. We favor an attacking style of play with main emphasis on keeping possession while going forward. In the attacking third we take risks with much positional interchange and player movement. Creativity is encouraged with the priority being to create goal-scoring opportunities. On defense we play both high pressure and delayed pressure depending on circumstances and use a zone defense.
Offseason
In the offseason players are involved in individual strength programs and play four times a week.
Conference
Williams is a member of the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) along with Amherst, Bates, Bowdoin, Colby, Connecticut College, Middlebury, Trinity, Tufts and Wesleyan. Along with our Little Three games versus Amherst and Wesleyan we also play perennial New England powers such as Babson, Keene State, Western New England College and Springfield College.
Click these links for more on the Ephs:
Soccer Highlights 2003
Soccer Highlights 2002
Soccer Highlights 2001
Soccer Highlights 2000