Across The Midwest Pitch - #6

by Matt Besler - Kansas City Wizards

Welcome back to the 6th week of “Across the Midwest Pitch.” It’s been a crazy last couple of weeks, with seven games in 20 days (five on the road). As a team, we have traveled over 10,000 miles. Many players, including myself, have logged over 500 minutes in these days. Although we didn’t achieve the points we set out to get, we made it through injury-free and are hungry to make a run during the second-half. Looking at the table, we are only five points out of first place with a game in hand. We have this weekend off, giving us time to recharge. We must take advantage of the next couple of games to put ourselves in position for the playoffs and home-field advantage.


With the first-half of the MLS season complete, here’s a “mini” review of some of the stadiums we have played in. Note: I haven’t played in them all yet, so my opinion might be incomplete. Also, I have left out the Wizards, CommunityAmerica Ballpark, and the Cauldron in order to be unbiased.

Top 3 Stadiums played in:
1. Rio Tinto Stadium - The stadium’s architecture really makes you feel like you’re playing in Europe. Also, the pitch is very big and in amazing shape.
2. Dick’s Sporting Good Park - Another new stadium with a pitch in great shape.
3. Qwest Field - Huge stadium that is a bit intimidating.

Top 3 Crowds played in front of:
1. Seattle - It’s hard to play when over 30,000 fans are screaming and rooting against you.
2. Toronto - Their fans did a good job of being loud and chanting the whole game.
3. Columbus - The stands were full with lots of cheering.

Top 3 Locker Rooms:
1. Home Depot Center
2. Rio Tinto Stadium
3. Qwest Field

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I have a special guest this week to answer a few questions that have been sent my way about being a rookie. I decided to give Graham Zusi a chance for him to share his thoughts.

Q: Now that you’re halfway through your rookie season, what has been your most memorable experience so far?

GZ: My most memorable experience as a rookie has been walking onto our home field in the season opener as a starter against Toronto FC. Although the result was not what we would have liked, the game served as a crucial learning experience to jump-start my career.

Q: What aspect of the MLS game is most different from college? The same?

GZ: Starting with something you may expect, the speed of play at the professional level is a notch or two higher than the collegiate game. In college where a player may be able to take three or four touches on the ball, the speed of play demands that you take only one or two in the MLS. With a faster speed of play, quicker decision making is a must. This is a skill that can take some time to learn, so if you have it, you are on the right track.

However, the biggest difference between the two that I see is the competitive nature within the team. This doesn’t stem from tempers or a disliking of each other but for the simple fact that this game is our job now and we are competing for time on the field and ultimately a higher paycheck.

Q: Is there anything you can tell the fans that a rookie must do that they may not expect?

GZ: I think that this may depend on the organization you land in and also the veterans that are on the team because rookies are at the mercy of both. So, I’ll tell you some of the things that we do and you can judge for yourself if it is what you may have expected. In a normal day, fellow rookie Matt Besler and myself arrive at practice at 8:45 am. We are expected to fill a large fridge with water, Gatorade, and Propel. This counts as our manual labor for the day as we have to carry cases upon cases from our storage facility. We must then clean the dishes from that day's breakfast so there are clean plates and bowls for the following day. Still then, we move the goals on the field into the position that coach needs them for practice. That wraps up a normal day of training.

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Here are some other questions from the fans:

1.) Besides soccer, did you play any other sports when you were growing up? And a follow up, what is your favorite foreign soccer league to watch and do you have a specific team that you follow? - Renee

I also played basketball, baseball, and ran track. I think it’s great for young kids to be involved in many activities and sports when they’re young. This way, they don’t get burned out on one sport and also get to learn different skills. I like watching the English Premier League because I think it has the best players and teams. However, I don’t have a favorite team I follow.

2.) Can you describe the average Wizards training session and what it entails? - Vedran

It depends on whether it’s a light, medium, or hard day, but a medium day consists of the players coming out about 5-10 minutes early and we play 5 vs. 2 on our own. We warm-up for about 20 minutes (jogging for 10, sprinting, plyometrics, and agility). Next, we do a technical drill with lots of passing and touches. For the rest of practice we will play some type of game (11 vs. 11, 6 vs. 6 vs. 6, possession to goals, etc...) After that we cool down and stretch.

3.) Can you talk about the differences between playing on natural grass and synthetic turf? - James

I think synthetic turf is tougher on your body. After a game on turf, I’m a lot more sore than after a game on natural grass. On turf, obviously the ball is going to be bounce a little more, so you have to be prepared for unnatural things to happen. It’s tougher to get under the ball and play longer balls. Also, I think on grass the ball moves a bit faster than on turf. Overall, there’s pros and cons to both, but I personally prefer natural grass.


Kansas City Wizards defender Matt Besler returns with a new installment of 'Across The Midwest Pitch' each Tuesday on MLS Daily. If you have a question that you'd like answered in next week's segment, please send it HERE. Our sincere thanks go out to Matt for taking his time to write each week!