Club soccer gears up

Bright blue skies and brisk temperatures made Sunday a perfect fall afternoon for the UR men’s club soccer team to kick off their season in their first serious match against UR ZQ soccer.Led by senior captain Alex Gustafik, the club aimed to see its members playing on a collegiate level as a means of evaluating what they are doing well and what needs further improvement.After a difficult first half, the game, played at the Graduate Living Center Field, was tied at 1-1 but the UR team regrouped and played more aggressively against their opponent’s unorganized defense in the second half. The ZQ team exploded after halftime, scoring three quick goals and establishing dominance over the club team with a final score of 5-1. “It was a good team effort but it was obvious that we have not had enough practice,” Gustafik said.Interest in Men’s Club Soccer has been tremendous this year. “The quality and quantity of the people in UR club soccer could be a strong force for the next few years,” Gustafik said.So far, club soccer has been training twice a week at fields both on and off campus, but with competitions scheduled almost every week for the fall, including a match next Sunday against the Rochester Institute of Technology and plans to add a few extra matches in the works. The team will step up its commitment and efforts by arranging more practices.Also, the team has joined an indoor league for the fall at the Rochester Sports Garden. This provides them the opportunity to build their abilities as a team in playing against other talented players, as well as to experience indoor play, especially as they plan to compete in the A League during the winter season. As a competitive intercollegiate sport, club soccer aims to develop the skills of its members while encouraging sportsmanship, teamwork and just plain fun. If you are interested in playing club soccer, contact Gustafik at ag003k@mail.rochester.edu. The team does not have regularly scheduled practices, but practices are scheduled from week to week. The team normally practices at either Fauver Stadium, the Alumni Gym Fieldhouse, GLC Field or Genesee Valley Park. Games are normally scheduled for Sundays. The location of home games depends on a number of factors. Most home games are played at Fauver Stadium. Otherwise they are played at the GLC Field. The times vary as well, but are usually played between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.The team usually accepts players of all skill levels. The popularity of the organization this year means that there is going to be some selectivity about who can ultimately join the team. Gustafik assumes that most players will have played varsity soccer in high school prior to joining the team. Troyer can be reached at mtroyer@campustimes.org.