It is Day Two of tryouts for the Wichita Wings. Veteran Wings defender Kevin Ten Eyck squares up to a young player on the sideline and delivers his message succinctly:
“You cannot play. If you do not mark your man, you cannot play. Do you understand?”
The man nods and responds affirmatively. He better. Ten Eyck knows his stuff. Ever since he appeared on the all-rookie team for the Major Indoor Soccer League in 2011, Ten Eyck has been ever-present in the sport of indoor soccer: the Wings of the MISL, the Kansas City Comets, the Wichita B-52s, and, most recently, the Wichita Wings of the Major Arena Soccer League 2 (M2).
“Kevin Ten Eyck was arguably the best player in the M2 last year. We are always excited when he decides to come back another year. The fact is that he plays like he’s still 22 years old. His experience is unmatched at this level of play,” says Johnny Freedom, Wings operations manager and team hype man.
Head coach Roger Downing knows he can rely on experienced players like Ten Eyck, Daniel Sack, and Collin Lawter for savvy play and veteran leadership. But the core of the Wings soccer team is getting a bit long in the tooth.
“I’m looking for some young talent. I think we need more team speed moving forward…anybody who is dynamic in the attack,” says Downing.
This past Saturday and Sunday, Hartman Arena filled up with almost 50 young players vying for a spot on the team. A dozen of the newbies might get the privilege of training with the Wings during the season. Four or five of those have a shot at actual playing time.
“I don’t ever promise anyone anything. I do the opposite and say, ‘You may not even see the field,’” says Downing.
Brayden Mahlum, a lanky, loping defender, and Isaiah Thomas, a short-statured goalkeeper, have journeyed to Park City from Iowa, where they play for Buena Vista University. Each is hoping to catch Downing’s eye. Thomas participated in the MASL’s Combine in Texas last month, but failed to catch on to a team.
“I know their keeper retired recently,” Thomas says, hopefully.
That retired keeper, Steven Hamersky, now answers to the title of “assistant coach.” But Thomas faces plenty of competition to replace him. Backup goalie Aaron Parrott returns this year. And several other keepers are at tryouts. One of them, Mauricio Vargas, a Costa Rican professional and former FC Wichita outdoor player, has already made the team. He is extra-stoked this week, having just watched his brother Juan Pablo score a goal for Costa Rica in a World Cup match against Germany.
“I’m happy to be back and have an opportunity to play for the Wings,” Vargas says.
Colby Swift, the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) goalkeeper of the year, has designs on the job. Brad Obergfell hopes to slip into goal as well. It’s not every day that an airline pilot tries out for the Wings, but Obergfell is here to earn a roster spot, despite being 35 years old.
“Why not give it a shot?” he says.
When he isn’t flying Airbus A320s for Delta Airlines, he flies KC-46s in the Air Force Reserve. The Wings already have one “eagle” in Collin Lawter. Why not a second bird?
Every potential Wing has a different philosophy on trying out. A man with a dyed-blonde mop on top of his head is hunched over, tying his shoes. David Almeida, a charismatic 23-year-old Brazilian midfielder most recently with Allen County Juco, is on a mission to have a good time.
“I have fun playing. If they like the way I play and my style of play, that’s all that matters,” Almeida says.
Futa Kubo, or just Futa, as he prefers, isn’t just the guy with the coolest name on the pitch. He comes with an invite. The Friends University star with an Australian accent and Japanese heritage was invited to tryouts based on his performance in the KCAC this past season.
“I can keep the ball, I run a lot, and I work hard,” Futa says, summarizing his strengths on the pitch.
He came to America from Cairns, Australia to play soccer and get an education. So far, he’s succeeding at both. Futa earned the KCAC Scholar-Athlete award and all-KCAC honorable mention for his performance on the pitch.
In the stands above the assembled players, Abigail Ellerman watches her boyfriend Caleb Ivey prepare to try out.
“I’m very excited for him,” she says.
Ivey, a recent graduate of Goddard High School, hopes to join the Wings as a defender. Ellerman is new to soccer, but thinks it would be cool for her boyfriend to join the team.
Wilber Landaverde, a junior at Southwestern College is hoping to make an impact in the middle of the field. The Emporia native has never seen a Wings game, but has heard that Hartman Arena can get pretty rockin’.
“Being able to try out with the Wings players is a pretty cool experience,” he says.
Even the “green team” decides to get in on the tryout action. M2 referees use the weekend tryouts as an opportunity to give less experienced refs a chance to officiate the scrimmages. Though the relationship between officials and players can often be a challenge, there is a respect there, especially between veteran players and veteran referees.
“We try to keep conflicts from arising too much. It’s an emotional game. Players have emotions. Referees have emotions. The camaraderie between referees and players grows each game. When the veterans get a little rowdy, they usually have a reason for it,” says Brian Bauer, a longtime M2 referee.
******************
Day One of tryouts begin with the men playing games of rondo, a sort of “keep-away” game designed to test ball-handling and passing skills. The Wings veterans lead the way in creating a loose atmosphere. Jokes fly faster than the soccer balls. Before getting into the details of the day, Downing reminds the lads to “not vomit on the pitch. Go to the locker room to do that.” No one wants to clean that up off the turf.
If Ten Eyck is the bad cop, Downing is the Andy Griffith. When he gathers the troops, his tone and demeanor are friendly…almost gentle. He urges the assembled throng to “do what you are good at” on the pitch. That’s how they’ll stand out. He asks the players to divide up. Defenders over there. Midfielders that way. Attackers move to the right. Downing clarifies that one:
“If you think you are an attacker, move to the right.”
The truth is, sometimes we aren’t what we think we are.
That becomes evident during the first intense drill of the day. The 3v2 drill pits three attackers against two defenders. After one shot, the roles reverse and attackers become defenders. The drill continues on, cycling players in and out until the coaches decide to end it. A handful of players stand out: but not in the way they intended.
As one observer puts it, if you play like a chump, the other players will see it and freeze you out. There are just a few players that can’t quite keep up, but it quickly becomes clear that their teammates are not going to let the ball go anywhere near them, if they can help it. Everyone is here to make a good impression and the play of one man can affect the chances of another.
After the 3v2 drills, the players begin a scrimmage. The intensity only rises from here on out. It quickly becomes clear to Downing that many of the new guys are somewhat unfamiliar with the indoor game.
Brady Mahlum, the defender from Buena Vista University is nervous.
“I have never played this before,” he says.
David Almeida, the Brazilian midfielder, echoes Mahlum:
“I haven’t played in a field like this. I played futsal in Brazil a lot. I think this kind of game here is a fast-paced game. You have to adapt to that.”
Even a talented outdoor player can struggle at first when playing indoor soccer.
“They’ve got guts, the skills, the IQ, but it’s a lot to take that and transition to be an indoor player,” says Daniel Sack, Wings veteran.
Getting used to the shifts in indoor soccer can be a challenge. Ideally, a player should go on, attack, defend, get the ball back, and then get off. Initially, the scrimmage is filled with players staying on too long and being screamed at to come off. One player, with limited English, struggles to understand the instructions.
“The biggest thing about indoor soccer is that it’s almost a completely different sport than the outdoor game, so the quicker they can catch onto the little nuances, the better,” says Ten Eyck.
The other adjustment the veterans point out to the newbies is how closely you must mark your man. In the outdoor game, if you mess up, there are a bunch of guys behind you to help fix your mistake. You can give a little space. But indoors, it’s 5-on-5 plus the two goalies. You have to stick to your man like glue. Some guys catch on quick. Some do not.
******************
On Day Two, there are a few missing faces: six players cut, to be precise. One of them is Brian Rodman, a tenacious young man who has tried out for the team multiple times, but never made the cut. Johnny Freedom sees his enthusiasm and his love of the Wings and considers an alternative plan for Rodman: you will be able to find him assisting Johnny in game-day operations this season. Sometimes life brings you a victory in an unexpected way.
New faces appear on Day Two. A handful of new players have been brought in to join the contenders because the staff of Dodge City’s new M2 franchise, the Kansas Bandits, has joined what is now, effectively, a player combine. With two shots to make it, the odds have doubled.
Mahlum and Thomas from Iowa survive the first day’s cuts. Mahlum is very happy to be back. Thomas echoes his sentiments.
“I was a little nervous that maybe I messed up something and wouldn’t be back. But I was relieved to hear I was coming back,” says Thomas.
Futa makes the cut as well. Playing indoors challenges him. The newness is something that has to be adjusted to quickly.
“You have to use the bottom of your foot a lot. That’s something I don’t use much outdoor. Man-marking is all new,” he says.
But it’s an adjustment that many skilled outdoor players are able to make. Johnny Freedom has seen it happen before.
“We had a lot of good rookies last year. Guilherme Oliveira was a great player for us. I’m excited to see Christian Lima and Bransyn Felty and Juan Zamora. All those rookies made a huge impact on our team,” says Johnny.
Wings owner and general manager Blake Shumaker knows that picking the winners is going to be tough.
“The talent pool is amazing this year. There are a lot of players here that we won’t have enough roster space to pick up, that in previous years we would have picked up in the first 30 minutes,” he says.
The atmosphere changes on Day Two. Tensions rise, as does the physicality of the play during scrimmage time. Individual players do their best to stand out. Mahlum makes a nice tackle. Thomas saves several would-be goals. Futa chips in a goal. Players are hustling around the pitch, putting in maximum effort. Most of the newbies are listening to the advice from the Wings veterans. But a select few are applying it more quickly and a little bit more expertly than the others. It doesn’t go without notice.
At the end of the day, most players will go home without an invite to play for the Wings. Mahlum and Thomas will return to Iowa without an offer. For David Almeida and Caleb Ivey, the weekend ends the same way.
But Futa and Wilber Landaverde receive an invite to whip balls into the goal at Wings practices this season. And Brad Obergfell and Colby Swift will have an opportunity to swat those shots. There are no guarantees yet. At least, no guaranteed contracts. But there will be sweat, sore knees, rug burns and bruises galore. That is the only guarantee. But if they work hard and have a little bit of luck, they might just get to come out and play in front of a few thousand screaming Wings fans at Hartman Arena this year.