In Italy Indy Burn Proves It Came To Play

In Italy, Indy Burn proves it came to play
Pike Soccer Club travel squad loses just 1 game and finishes 2nd in tournament, better than any U.S. team has ever done
Friday, April 20, 2007

By Chris Sims
chris.sims@indystar.com

Soccer in Italy can be summed up in a few words -- A.C. Milan, Ronaldo, the Indy Burn Eagles '90.

That was the case April 1-9 when the Pike Soccer Club's Under-17 travel squad spent spring break competing in Italy.

The Burn played two friendly matches and placed second in the four-game Como Lake Cup Tournament in Lake Como, Italy. The team's lone loss was a 1-0 contest against a U19 Switzerland squad.

The Burn became the first U.S. squad to finish runner-up or champion since the tournament's inception.

Burn coach Isang Jacob felt his squad had every chance for a tie or win against the Swiss team. The shots just weren't finding the back of the net. While being unbeaten would have been nice, winning games wasn't the main reason for the Burn's trip to Italy.

"My goal for these kids was the learning experience," Jacob said. "I wanted them to learn the different ways to play different systems and play the games differently, as well. The key is to broaden their experience. It was nice for them to see how they rank among players from other countries that are the same age and older."

Last year, Jacob took his squad to the Liverpool Academy in England where it finished 0-2-1, despite being competitive in every game.

The Burn's play was so good, in fact, that the other coaches suggested Jacob's team make the trip to Italy. The success in Italy has Jacob looking into a visit to Nigeria or South Africa next season.

"The gap is closer than we are given credit for," Jacob said. "Several of the coaches we played against said we are underrated, and the American gap is getting much closer."

Jacob is preparing his kids for the next level. To play in Europe, he feels players need to know how youth players are performing around the world, which allows players to know they can play when they get there.

On April 8, Jacob took his Burn squad to see A.C. Milan prepare for a game. The team hung around to watch A.C. Milan defeat Empoli F.C. 3-1. The players even saw megastar Ronaldo score a goal in the contest.

"That was a huge experience," Jacob said. "I think the whole experience reaffirms what we are doing with the kids and with American soccer. It shows them we are on the right track. They see their coaches are preparing them for the next level. The kids noticed that these are the same things that we do."

The visit to San Siro stadium in Milan was one that marking back Matt Hedges of Carmel will never forget.

Touring the 87,500-capacity stadium and viewing the pitch from the same seats as the families of the players was an experience like none other.

"I knew it was big, but it was so much bigger than I ever imagined. I had no idea," Hedges said. "There are seats everywhere. One of my dreams is to play there one day. Words can't really describe that experience."

As for the play of the Burn, Hedges was impressed. He thought the Italians would be much better than their play really was. The players weren't sure what style of play to expect from the Italian teams.

"The competition was good, and they played very well," Hedges said. "We played very well. We just expected to get blown away by their style of play, but we handled it very well."

Other coaches and Burn teammates weren't the only ones impressed with success of the squad. Winger Sean McGrath of Pike remembers comments of an Italian guide for the Burn.

"He told us that the way our team played that U.S. soccer will surpass Italy in the next couple years," McGrath said. "It was nice to hear from someone over there that has seen Italy play and seen the U.S. develop over the years."

The overall experience has McGrath and his teammates looking at the trip from a different viewpoint.

"This experience definitely makes me want to strive to work harder," McGrath said. "I want to get back to those stadiums, not just as a fan, but as a player. It's nice to know that it is possible and that I could play overseas someday."