Here’s a few numbers to consider: 432, 487 and 432. These are the attendance figures for the recent men’s home soccer games, and two of those games were against nationally-ranked teams. All I know is that this sickens me. It sickens me for two major reasons. First, our men’s soccer team is very talented, with players who could be in the professional leagues in the next few years. Secondly, our sports teams should provide a source of hope in these dark days.
I know your American sensibilities immediately say, “Soccer? Why, it is so boring.” However, soccer is a beautiful game. It reminds me a lot of hockey. The best thing that I ever heard about soccer was to think about it like hockey on grass. The strategy, triangle offense, the tackle and pushing and shoving — sounds a lot like hockey, right? Also, with soccer, you have better athletes, a higher endurance of athletes and many other strategic factors that make soccer similar to hockey, but a much better game.
Most people probably would not even recognize anyone on our men’s soccer team and that is sad. It is not only a problem for them, but for other athletes on campus who deserve recognition for their contributions to this school.
Our men’s soccer team is loaded with talent from the goalkeeper to the forwards. Robbie Kristo is the leading scorer of the team who will likely go pro. Two division one head coaches have said Kristo should be playing professionally now; he has an attack first mentality, fights off defenders to get the ball and is the guy that the Billikens call on to get goals when they are down. Kristo has seven goals and two assists this season.
David Graydon, the freshman midfielder, reminds me at times of Lionel Messi, the best soccer player in the world. His footwork carves up the defenders, he has a good touch on the ball and he sets up other players very well to get assists and goals, which is needed on a good soccer team.
Finally, Marco Heskamp is left back defender who has the mentality of a left wing. Heskamp is a freshman from Germany who has become very important in recent games. Heskamp attacks up the left side, which is a surprise for many defenders. He is over-aggressive at times, but has contributed in recent games for SLU.
These are just some of the amazing players of SLU’s men’s soccer team. Everyone on the team has the potential to play professionally; you cannot say that about any other team at SLU.
The other major reason I’m sickened about the lack of attendance at the men’s soccer games is the current state of affairs at SLU. I understand that SLU seems to be cracking before our very eyes. There are potential no confidence on our president, students and faculty are angry, and each passing day seems to bring more bad news. I know some might think it is just sports, it is not as important as what is going on academically, and you might be right, but you don’t see the potential that sports have to give us hope.
This is a time where sports can serve as a source of hope and give the university some common thing to unite us in our dark times. The men’s soccer team is having success around the current mess going around SLU and I believe in them.
The team is currently 11-3 and has grown each and every game. Most students only get to see the team at the beginning in the season for the spirit competition and rarely see the development and growth of the team. Goalkeeper Nick Shackelford said that this team and become more of a unit than previous teams. He also believes that the team needs more support for the homestretch of the season. The team is an important part of the SLU community a source of optimism like other sports teams around the nation and it is especially important now given the current state of SLU.
In Kentucky, the Wildcats men’s basketball team provides a source of hope for the people in the state. Even when things are going bad in our state, the basketball team is something that everyone can bank on as a source of hope, no matter how bad someone is doing individually.
This is a time when people need hope. I think this is an opportunity for the men’s soccer team to step in above the fray and politics of the university and be a new hope for the university. I know this goal seems lofty and idealistic, but sports teams have made a major impact in the past, like the Springbox Rugby team who helped to unite a post-Apartheid South Africa. I’m in no way comparing our soccer team to the Springbox team, but I think they could unite the SLU community together and give us a common rallying cry and at least temporarily provide us with hope and a distraction from the dark days that we are facing.
So, Billiken fans, you must show up to the game against Charlotte on Friday night at 7 p.m. This is an important game for the men’s soccer team and they need support against a nationally-ranked opponent. I know most Billiken fans only care about men’s basketball, but this is important to show solidarity in our community and give the team and SLU community hope.
It is just before basketball season and a perfect opportunity to see a potential NCAA tournament team. The team is ranked No. 8 in terms of Rankings Percentage Index (RPI) and is beginning to rack up awards in the Atlantic 10 conference and in the national rankings. Finally, they have potential professionals on the team, how many times to honestly get to say, “I saw that guy before he became a well-known soccer player.”
It might just be sports, and maybe a sport you know nothing about, but the level of professional play and the source of hope is enough to get me out to the game. This game is more than just a game. It is about making a statement to the administration. So, Bills fans, I’ll see you at the game, and show up as a sign of solidarity for the university. If you don’t show up, then you might want to reconsider your priorities because this important and not showing up is another slap in the face to the SLU community.
