MISL: HEART Is Everything
Jarrod Rogol
January 05, 2006
Photo: Ronnie Ekelund
Photo Credit: Fritz Chin Studios
Includes exclusive comments from Cougars Head Coach Troy Dayak and Ronnie Ekelund
Getting a group of athletes together, that can mesh into something special in the 1st year of a teams existence is often very tough.
This season, in the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL), the California Cougars are currently facing this tough road, as of press time they are winless. “PATIENCE, I’m not used to being in this position. Things don’t come as easy when you have an expansion team,” said Head Coach Troy Dayak about what he needs to personally do as the Head Coach of an expansion team. Team leadership is always big in sports, but even more so with an expansion team, “He is a seasoned pro in United States and other continents as well. He works very hard every day and comes to practice as if he were playing for the best team in the world. That is a great situation, which the younger guys can feed off,” said Dayak about the kind of leader that Ekelund is. Another key that Ekelund has is the self knowledge of what personal responsibilities he has, “With my experience, I have to guide and help younger players that are new to the professional game, a new expansion team takes time and I have to make that adjustment time as short as possible for the other players and team,” said Ekelund.
On December 27, Dayak and the Cougars made what has been refereed to as a “Blockbuster” trade, by sending Anthony Maher and the rights to Andy Rosenband to the Chicago Storm, picking up John Ball and the rights to Kevin Sakuda, “John Ball is a talented player had a bad rap on field, in sports flamboyant players can be the best players and it is my job to control that,” said Dayak about the decision to make the deal. The Cougars didn’t stop there though, the next day they traded All-Star Defender Vlatko Andonovski to the Philadelphia Kixx in exchange for Gary Brooks, “When you draft players in an Expansion Draft your not sure what you’ll get because you haven’t been able to see them play. I think he just got home sick and couldn’t fit in California, he also just had a baby and wanted to be with his wife,” said Dayak.
With these trades and things, the Cougars hope that a new level of life and energy will come around very soon, “We all believe in the team. In the indoor game, the score can be deceiving. I have never seen the team throw in the towel, we can build on that, we lost to Philadelphia in overtime after coming back from being down 6-0,” said Ekelund about what’s been the most encouraging part of this season.
Success for an expansion team can really be judge in many different ways when you look at a season, “I knew it wouldn’t be easy, we are so close to getting the win, it’s frustrating. I look forward to year 2 and 3, this is a year to find out what players will fit well together and who will be team players for us as we move on with our franchise,” said Dayak about what needs to happen for him to consider this season a successful one.
In the MISL, four teams make the playoffs which at this point holds good news for every team, and the Cougars are no different, “I believe we can make playoffs, once we get the 1st win, confidence will grow. Which will go into next season, this season is kind of a learning curve,” said Ekelund.
As this season continues, I can honestly say that I believe the Cougars will find that momentum that they need, because HEART is everything.
Side Note
Dayak created the program “Soccer’s A Kick. Drugs are a Drag.”
Dayak was a member of the 1992 US Olympic Team.
Dayak stressed how they are looking forward to more MISL teams in their region, because of the toll it takes on a team to travel cross country.
Ball, with Cougars goaltender Jim Larkin, and defender Rene Rivas pushed the now defunct Cleveland Force into the MISL Championship Series.
Official Site: CALIFORNIA COUGARS
Photo Credit: Fritz Chin Studios
Includes exclusive comments from Cougars Head Coach Troy Dayak and Ronnie Ekelund
Getting a group of athletes together, that can mesh into something special in the 1st year of a teams existence is often very tough.
This season, in the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL), the California Cougars are currently facing this tough road, as of press time they are winless. “PATIENCE, I’m not used to being in this position. Things don’t come as easy when you have an expansion team,” said Head Coach Troy Dayak about what he needs to personally do as the Head Coach of an expansion team. Team leadership is always big in sports, but even more so with an expansion team, “He is a seasoned pro in United States and other continents as well. He works very hard every day and comes to practice as if he were playing for the best team in the world. That is a great situation, which the younger guys can feed off,” said Dayak about the kind of leader that Ekelund is. Another key that Ekelund has is the self knowledge of what personal responsibilities he has, “With my experience, I have to guide and help younger players that are new to the professional game, a new expansion team takes time and I have to make that adjustment time as short as possible for the other players and team,” said Ekelund.
On December 27, Dayak and the Cougars made what has been refereed to as a “Blockbuster” trade, by sending Anthony Maher and the rights to Andy Rosenband to the Chicago Storm, picking up John Ball and the rights to Kevin Sakuda, “John Ball is a talented player had a bad rap on field, in sports flamboyant players can be the best players and it is my job to control that,” said Dayak about the decision to make the deal. The Cougars didn’t stop there though, the next day they traded All-Star Defender Vlatko Andonovski to the Philadelphia Kixx in exchange for Gary Brooks, “When you draft players in an Expansion Draft your not sure what you’ll get because you haven’t been able to see them play. I think he just got home sick and couldn’t fit in California, he also just had a baby and wanted to be with his wife,” said Dayak.
With these trades and things, the Cougars hope that a new level of life and energy will come around very soon, “We all believe in the team. In the indoor game, the score can be deceiving. I have never seen the team throw in the towel, we can build on that, we lost to Philadelphia in overtime after coming back from being down 6-0,” said Ekelund about what’s been the most encouraging part of this season.
Success for an expansion team can really be judge in many different ways when you look at a season, “I knew it wouldn’t be easy, we are so close to getting the win, it’s frustrating. I look forward to year 2 and 3, this is a year to find out what players will fit well together and who will be team players for us as we move on with our franchise,” said Dayak about what needs to happen for him to consider this season a successful one.
In the MISL, four teams make the playoffs which at this point holds good news for every team, and the Cougars are no different, “I believe we can make playoffs, once we get the 1st win, confidence will grow. Which will go into next season, this season is kind of a learning curve,” said Ekelund.
As this season continues, I can honestly say that I believe the Cougars will find that momentum that they need, because HEART is everything.
Side Note
Dayak created the program “Soccer’s A Kick. Drugs are a Drag.”
Dayak was a member of the 1992 US Olympic Team.
Dayak stressed how they are looking forward to more MISL teams in their region, because of the toll it takes on a team to travel cross country.
Ball, with Cougars goaltender Jim Larkin, and defender Rene Rivas pushed the now defunct Cleveland Force into the MISL Championship Series.
Official Site: CALIFORNIA COUGARS