'Being realistic is the most commonly
traveled road to mediocrity'-W.S.
traveled road to mediocrity'-W.S.
Just returned to good ole Denmark from the US of A. As for those that don't know, I've been out of commission for about a month (bulging disk), now, and looks like I've got a month to go. To say the least, I was quite frustrated in the beginning, but I'm in better spirits now that I can do some stretching and feel some sort of progress with the injury. The staff at AaB granted me an extended international break, so I took the opportunity to go home and rest. You can't imagine the positions I sat in on that plane home, but it was worth it to see the family, girlfriend, friends, and to get some fishing in. 'Twas a great little break and it was a nice way to hit the reset button.
Before this whole injury thing, preseason had gone quite well for me... once all of the running was done. I felt like I was playing well and felt that the gap between Niko and I was small. We were both working hard and pushing each other in practice. We were keeping each other sharp and were able to maintain a healthy competitive relationship. Once he was picked as 1st string, he knew that I would be right on his heels, keeping the pressure on him, and he knew I would be ready if I were to be called upon. BUT, a few games into the season I got a pain in my ass and later found out it was a bulging disk hitting a nerve in my back. So, football had to take a seat; I wasn't allowed to do anything football related for a month- not even stretching. I'm a very active person, so that was quite hard to stomach. Soon after I was sidelined, AaB picked up Jacob, a 24 year old keeper from Gent, Niko was sold to Nordsjaelland (best of luck to him), and then AaB picked up Tamati, a 33 year old keeper from New Zealand. So, now we have 3 GKs; it's new competition, and a battle for the one spot on the field. Life is short though, I'm blessed with this job, and have no reason to pout. Head up. Grind on. Keep movin' forward. Looking forward to being back on the pitch with the guys and helping the squad the best I can. Other Updates: -My dart game has drastically improved- call me Mike van Gerwen Jr. -Saw Annabelle 2- way too scary -NY is a crazy place
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So, summer break was more than I could ask for; I got to see some great people, spend time with family, relax, and just enjoy life. Breaks like these are pretty necessary after five consecutive months of training. All of that work takes a toll on the mind and body, so the break serves as a way to hit the 'reset' button.
The day after I returned to the US, my sleep schedule was still out of whack, so I naturally got up at 5 a.m., and decided I was going fishing. Denmark doesn't have bass fishing, so I was quite eager to get back on the water in the states and catch some of those beauties. Some know me as a soccer player or a good cook, but many know me as the "Bassmaster." I find my peace out on the water, and have my dad to thank for taking me fishing at such a young age. On another note- I got some running and workouts in over the break to stay fit, but don't think it was enough to prepare me for what the new physical coach, Ashley, had in store for us in preseason. The man is extremely knowledgeable about physical fitness and health, but shit, he likes to run us. With Vejle, there wasn't too much extra running involved; at least, the keepers were kept out of it if there was any. Every coach has their own philosophy in regards to how much they want to run their players. Taking this into consideration, I guess I wasn't expecting to run so much with AaB, but 'live and learn,' as I like to say. The guys at AaB have been very welcoming and are all great guys. I've been quite impressed with the professionalism and how everyone takes responsibility. From the guys who have already built distinguished careers, to the guys who are just breaking into the 1st team; everyone is taking care of the details. Many guys are stretching and warming up before the designated time, and most of the team is staying after training to take care of their bodies or put in some extra work. As I said before, I'm impressed. I was sad to leave Vejle, as there were people there that I had become very close with and made my time there enjoyable (they know who they are, and most of them will probably be reading this), but the move to AaB was necessary for me. One of my goals when I first came to Denmark was to move up to the Superliga, so when this opportunity came up, I couldn't turn away from it. For now, we grind on through preseason. Still a couple training matches left and a trip to Germany before the start of our season. Enjoying every day and hyped for what is to come! In all sports, there are great times and there are horrible times. The key is to not over-hype the good times and not get too down during the low times. When I first got the injury, I thought, "Shit. This was my time. Why did this happen? What am I gonna do?" etc. I think it's pretty normal for these kinds of thoughts to run through my head after such a blow. But, once the pain started to subside and my mind became more clear, I got a new outlook on everything, and thought that I could take this time to work on other aspects of my game. I've wanted to hit the gym harder this spring, but with double sessions throughout preseason, there was no time or energy left for an extra gym session. Then came the injury, and I could spend all the time I wanted in the gym. After about a month of a strict rehab regimen, I've been able to train with our physio on the pitch. I couldn't practice kicking with the injured ankle, so I've been able to work a lot more on my weaker foot. I think that the injury has actually brought me a lot of good and I'm glad that I was able to develop a positive view of it. If you're in a negative situation, ask yourself if you can do anything about it. If you can, do it. If you can't, then you have to readjust your thinking to help you refrain from looking at the situation so negatively. We often look at given situations through tainted lenses. Sometimes we just need to take a minute and find a new angle to look at things.
Other updates: Patte has not beaten me in ping pong. I have yet to catch a fish while fly fishing. Life's goood. We recently got back from an awesome training camp in Turkey, and had our first spring season match against Skive this past weekend. I was lucky enough to get the start, but was very disappointed in the 0-2 defeat. The following day, we had a training session, and I just wanted a session to get my mind off of the loss. I didn't think that I had a great game the previous day, so I was trying to get my frustrations out in that session. When we were in a 4v4 drill, I was trying to switch directions on a save; my foot stuck in the ground and all of my weight went right over my ankle. The sound of popping and cracking echoed through my body, and I went down. Probably the worst pain I've felt since fracturing my growth plate and tearing tendons in my knee in high school. I looked down and expected my ankle to just be hanging there, but luckily, it was in tact. A nice amount of ligament damage was done and it's such a disappointment, but as I say to everyone, "That's football." Every day there's a risk of injury playing this game, but that risk is well worth it when you love what you do. The aim now is to stay positive, focus on getting better, and just be thankful for this life that I'm blessed with. If I look at it from a different perspective, this will give me time to work on other aspects of the game. Shit happens; you either grow from it or you give in and let the failures/ mishaps own you.
Lastly, it can always be worse. I have my health, I have my family and friends, etc. It's always a smaller issue when you take time to step back and appreciate what you have. So, chin up and grind on. Appreciate today. Appreciate the people that surround you and care about you. Stop looking to the future. There are so many blessings around you that are overlooked because you're looking in another direction.
->These are some of the things that I must start to remind myself of because I believe that I place too much importance on success and the pursuit of attaining more of it. I got to where I am, today, by working hard towards achieving my next goal, so I'm not saying to cut that out. What I am saying is to really appreciate and continually show appreciation for what you have along that journey. We blur our vision by comparing our lives to others', and what they have and we don't. We place our value on monetary and materialistic things, and J Cole said it best, "These things don't end. You can never have enough. It's like a drug. It's like a hamster wheel. If you place your importance on money, you'll never stop. You'll keep going because you can never have enough of it. If you place your importance on success, no amount of it will make you satisfied. Place your importance on family, love, appreciation, etc. There's enough of that to make you happy and satisfied." This topic really strikes home with me because I feel as if I fit into this category, at times. I think many, if not the majority of us, are guilty of it sometimes. When I was in high school, I was looking forward to playing college soccer. When I was in college, I was looking forward to playing professional soccer. Now, I'm a professional, and I'm realizing that there's no attached or guaranteed happiness that comes along with attaining these things because I'm always striving for the next step in my career. When I first listened to J Cole's interview on happiness, I was like, "Damn. I need to step back and look at my life." With that, I am unbelievably blessed for what I have. Sometimes you need to take a breath, step back, and see what you've been missing out on. Appreciate what you have. Stop comparing your life to others'. Appreciate today. "Because I don't live in either my past or my future. I'm interested only in the present. If you can concentrate always on the present, you'll be a happy man."- The Alchemist J Cole's Interviews https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldcwsmbv5-Y https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msA0J_mRVoI J Cole's Song - Love Yourz https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPCAvzIFY-s Well it has certainly been a stressful couple weeks. I made the very hard decision to leave Vejle in the summer of 2017, and sign a two-year contract with Superliga side, Aalborg. I'm overjoyed with the opportunity, but also saddened by what I will be leaving. In no way was it an easy decision, as there were many factors that played into the ordeal. That being said, for the next four months I will fulfilling my contract with Vejle, and my focus is on the club. I will do my best to help the team on and off the field, as I have always tried to do.
OKAY now that that's out of the way... For this post, I went back and forth on what I wanted to write about and came to the conclusion that it was about time to 1. explain how I got here and 2. thank everyone that has helped me get to this point in my career. Any time I speak to a Dane and they recognize that I'm American, they always ask how I ended up in Denmark. That's a loaded question 'cause I could go all the way down the line to when I had to choose between continuing baseball or soccer in high school, but I just tell them I play for Vejle and came from a university in the US. Short and to the point, but here's the real answer to the loaded question-- In high school, I was lucky to have a few coaches that had a lot of faith in me; I didn't think I was all that great, but they saw potential. Coach Stewart, Drucker, Mousis, and Foran really pushed me, gave me good opportunities, and brought out the best in me. Side note- I remember one incident with Mr. Z (high school varsity baseball coach and guidance counselor). Yes, I'm throwin you under the bus. Mr. Z calls me into his office and tries to get me to play for the varsity baseball team one weekend, but I told him I had a soccer game. He proceeded to tell me I wouldn't go anywhere with soccer because I didn't make varsity soccer as a freshman or sophomore. Obviously, that had no impact on where I would end up taking soccer, so thank you Mr. Z for that little turning point when I decided to play soccer in college and stop pursuing baseball. I think that this also highlights the concept that you shouldn't stop pursuing something because someone tells you that you're not good enough. A year later, I was a day away from committing to Mount St. Mary's to play soccer, when Bucknell came into the picture. I took one visit and I was sold. Anyone who has seen Bucknell's campus would understand. Entering Bucknell, I had my sights set on entering the military and pursuing the FBI, so I took up ROTC my freshman year to help me get started on that journey. Halfway through my freshman soccer season, Coach Nash asked if I ever considered playing soccer professionally after college, to which I kind of laughed at. "You really should," he added. That moment was when I decided to run with soccer as my career. I dropped ROTC at the end of the 1st semester and turned my focus to soccer. I noted in my senior speech that for me to just drop everything I planned on doing in college to chase after a professional career, spoke volumes about the trust and respect I had for Coach Nash. Coach Nash had become good friends with a guy in Denmark, named Michael. Michael was heavily involved in professional soccer within Denmark, so Coach Nash linked me up with him and sent me on a visit to Vejle (Freshman Year-spring break). My first visit was so that I could get a taste of what professional soccer was all about. I loved it. I fit right in. The guys at Velje BK welcomed me with open arms and I felt at home. Michael was an unbelievable host and I ended up visiting Denmark one more time at the end of my freshman year with a fellow teammate, Chris Thorsheim. Vejle wanted to sign me that summer, but my parents would have none of that. They made sure I understood that I would be attending Bucknell for the full four years, which I appreciate tremendously, looking back. So, back to school I went for three more years. After my senior year, Chris and I made the trip back over to Denmark, and we began our trials with teams across the country. My first trial was with Horsens (Vejle's sworn enemy). As much as Vejle fans would hate me for saying this, I loved my time there. I'll dive into that whole experience in another post. My 2nd trial was with Vejle and they scooped me away from Horsens. That's basically how I ended up in Vejle, and I have to thank Michael (my agent) for doing a tremendous amount of work for me. Thank you to all of my coaches, my friends, Beth, and my parents for supporting me and being semi-okay with me being across the globe. They have made it all possible for me to get my foot in the door and now it's up to me to put in the work. AYYY back from winter break, which was phenomenal, but I do love being back on the grind. I get a sense of comfort on the field, so it really is nice being back. That being said, it's never easy saying goodbye to loved ones, especially when I know that I won't see them for five months.
Anywho, I want to touch on the difference between what it was like being a Division 1 college athlete and what it's been like being a professional athlete. College was insane and I had an unreal time there. That being said, I had my mind set on becoming a pro since the end of freshman year, so I was ready to get out of there. To point out the obvious, the first difference would be the level of play. Sometimes you're playing against guys who are 15 years older than you. That is 15 years more experience. The ball moves much quicker than it did in college, and the shots come with more power and precision. (Most) guys are more passionate and dedicated to soccer than guys in college. I had issues with how little focus was put on soccer when I was in college, but I also understood that the guys had many other things that could draw their attention away from it. In the professional world, I wouldn't say that there are so many distractions, so the focus can be saved for soccer. Secondly, the schedule is not as hectic as it was in college. In college, a normal week consisted of 4-5 practices (2 hours each), 1-2 games (up to 6 hours away on a school day), 100-150 pages of reading, 1-2 exams, 1-2 papers, 1 group project, more homework, 1 party (gotta have it), treatment from the training staff for any injuries, and anything else you can probably think of. I also worked on a farm my senior year to earn some extra money, which added another 10 hours to my week (shoutout NCAA- give players a small stipend). I think the NCAA is making small moves with that, but that's a whole nother issue I could talk about. That aside, having to balance an absurd amount of stuff another big difference from college ball to pro ball. At the professional level, there isn't much else to focus on other than things relating to soccer. You have to eat properly, lift, run, train, and if you want to really excel- put in the extra work. That's not so much to worry about compared to the college regimine. If you have a family to go back to, then you can add that to your list, but for me, it's just soccer. There's no homework, there's no exams, no side job, no partying. Literally nothing else to worry about. I plan on making a "Day in The Life" video soon, but for now I'll give a little run-through of a typical day, in-season. Wake up at 8:15am, drive to stadium for breakfast at 9am, stretch and relax 'til 10am, team meeting 'til 10:30am, practice 'til 12:30pm, shower and eat lunch 'til 1:30pm--done with the day. ---Having all that free time can get a lot of people in trouble if they don't know what to do with that time. If you want to go home and hang out with the family, you can. If you want to go lift for 3 hours, you can. As long as you are showing up and performing well, there are no problems. All this being said, if you're not eating right / doing things you shouldn't be doing, etc., you won't perform well. So, it is important to be a professional in everything you do- eating, extra training, lifting, fitness, etc. If these things are checked off, it makes it much easier to compete. Personally, I like to put in an extra run/ workout every day, except for the day before a game. I love going to coffee shops, fishing with my agent, hanging with friends, writing blogs, etc. All in all, although I had a phenomenal time, college life was a little too crazy for me. It's nice to be able to focus on what I love and nothing else. This post is about what it has been like coming to Vejle. We are unlike any other professional team that Denmark has ever seen. It has been a hectic ride, but we have become pretty close over the last 5 months.
What a place. When I came to visit Vejle four years ago, the team was mostly comprised of Danish players. All had similar mentalities, came from similar backgrounds, spoke the same language, etc. Now, four years later, it is safe to say that the team is extremely culturally diverse. We have guys from China, Brazil, Sierre Leone, Colombia, Ivory Coast, Peru, Slovakia, USA, Denmark, Faroe Islands, and Russia. I've never seen a team so diverse, nor have I ever played on one. The new owners that took over had a vision for the club, and they fully committed to it. They brought in talented players from all over the world, and let me tell you, it was tough in the beginning. Even mid-season it was still shaky. The talent was there; we all saw that, but the consistency and chemistry was lacking on and off the pitch. The cohesion wasn't there, mostly due to language barriers, different soccer backgrounds, and cultural differences. We would butt heads on and off the field. A hard (dirty) tackle that may be acceptable in a practice in England, wasn't acceptable here in Vejle. One coach may see a dirty tackle as a reflection of passion or aggression, but another coach may see it as a bone-headed play and increasing the likelihood of one of their own players getting injured. This was an issue because all these players (myself included) were coming from coaches who all had different philosophies, but we all had to adapt to the way things were done in Vejle. The language barrier was difficult, as well. Not only was it hard to get someone to listen to specific directions on the field, but it was hard to communicate off the field. If you had to work on a project with 5 other people and they all spoke different languages, it would take a good amount of time to not only finish the project, but also to do it well. I enjoyed reading comments from the fans after games, just because I found them amusing at times. Most of the fans were very positive and optomistic, but there were a few that would get very frustrated with the team after a tie or a close loss. It is very difficult to put together a team of players from 11 or so different countries, and expect them to look like Barcelona. There's a quote that goes something like, "You can't toss a bunch of random ingredients in a bowl, stir it up, throw it in the oven for a minute, and expect it to be a masterpiece." It was going to take time for us to come together, and I think we defied the odds so far. We finished this half of the season 6 points behind 1st, which is quite amazing with how new the team is. Over the course of the season, we started to play more like a team, rather than individuals. We all adapted to the new system, accepted our differences, and focused on what we're paid to do - play soccer. Issues are more easily resolved, now, and we feel more like a team, on and off the field. All it took was time. For those that don't know who I am, go check out my "About" page to get a little rundown on my background. But, I'm hoppin right into it.
At Bucknell, I was the starting goalkeeper for the first two years, then I was on and off the bench for the next two years. Clarke Fox, my fellow keeper, was an outstanding player and was (still is) a good friend of mine. The first two years were a breeze, psychologically. I was having a great time, playing well, and really enjoying the whole college experience. Then it got hectic. Clarke and I started alternating games throughout the first half of our 3rd season, then he won the spot and helped us win the Patriot League Championship. Throughout the season, I became mentally drained. Clarke and I wouldn't know who would be in net until the day before a game. When I was on the bench, I wished that I was on the field. When I was on the field, I felt bad that Clarke wasn't playing. It was a tough situation, and the fact that we were good friends made it even more difficult. The same situation happened throughout our 4th year at Bucknell. How the fuck am I going pro if I can't even maintain a starting position on a college team. I searched for every excuse for why I wasn't on field, except I didn't think that, maybe, it had something to do with me. That was my biggest mistake. I should have blamed myself, and only myself. Looking back though, I was mentally weak. Coach Nash would attest to that. The mental part of my game was not one of my strong suits. Now, mentally, I'm on another level. It is one of my strongest attributes. Just because my mental game has improved drastically, doesn't mean it is easy to sit on the bench and watch a teammate do well in your position. You work extremely hard to get on the field, but you're not quite there. You're working your ass off, but not getting any immediate reward for that work; maintaining motivation is a difficult thing to do. Right now, Pavol, who previously played on the Serie A team, Parma, is the starter at Vejle BK. He's an unbelievable keeper and a great guy, so it's not really possible to dislike him, hope that he messes up or gets hurt. He has my utmost respect and has always shown me respect, as well. Pavol is older, more experienced, and came from one of the top leagues in the world, so there's no reason I can't learn from him. That being said, it still sucks sitting on the bench. If it didn't suck, I'd know that my passion for the game had run its course and it was time for me to hang up the cleats. But, I want to be on the pitch. The difference in the way I dealt with this situation, from college to pro, is that I turn it into motivation, whereas before I'd blame everyone/ everything other than me. Now, instead of excuses or blaming, I pick my shit up and just grind. The thing is, every day that I'm not the starter, is a day closer to when I will be the starter. This is all time for me to put everything I have into training and prepare for the day when I'm announced as the (consistent) starter. That time may come when I'm at Vejle, or it may not. Either way, when the day comes, I'll be more than prepared, just as I was in my professional debut for Vejle (Pavol was injured). You never know when an opportunity will present itself and demand you to perform. If you're not prepared or you're slacking off, then you can kiss that opportunity goodbye. My goal is to be prepared for every damn opportunity that comes my way, and make sure that my name continues to come up in conversation. |