Stingers make an Impact on the soccer pitch

By Barbara Black and John Austen

The score may not have been close — 8-0 — but the Stingers men's soccer team acquitted themselves admirably in a recent exhibition match against the Montreal Impact.

The Impact, champions of the First Division United Soccer League last season, won a rainy morning encounter at the Concordia Stadium on April 20.

Goal scorers

The goal scorers were Masahiro Fukasawa, Patrick Leduc and Darko Kolic with two goals each. Mauro Biello, a former Stinger, and Sita-Taty Matondo had singles.

It was the fourth straight preseason victory for head coach Nick Desantis's professional team. The Impact then trained for a number of days at Concordia before leaving for Puerto Rico and their opening two league games against the Islanders in San Juan. The teams tied the opener 1-1 last Friday night, while the Stingers shut out their opponents 3-0 on Sunday.

Judging from coach Vladimir Pavlicik’s reaction, just being on the pitch with the Impact was a great experience.

Academics

Pavlicik takes his academic role at least as seriously as his athletic career. He teaches part-time in the Graduate Diploma in Sports Administration as well as being Director of Recreation and coach of the Stingers soccer team.

Moreover, he never lets a player put a game ahead of a midterm. “We know why they came to university, and it wasn’t just for sports,” he said in an interview.

Because of its international profile, soccer attracts students from other countries. Some, like Frank Pons from a few seasons back, and marketing scholar Mehdi Mourali, who has just been hired to the faculty of the University of New Hampshire, earn their PhDs while they play for the Stingers.

At Concordia, some players from abroad find themselves playing with the citizens of countries they didn’t realize they could have as friends. They also have to adjust to the sub-zero fan base. Soccer, a game played by people who just run, run, pass and run some more, lacks the glamorous image it has in the rest of the world, Pavlicik admitted.

Competition

However, what used to be an oscillating championship between Concordia and McGill embraces eight teams now. Laval, UQAM and U de M can all give the Stingers a good match.

The Stingers play outdoors from mid-August to about mid-November, depending on their success, and indoors in the Catalonia soccerplex in Lachine during the winter.

Playing the pro Impact, who are developing a real following in Montreal, was an exhilarating but humbling experience, and exciting for Pavlicik’s players, who are not usually faced with this level of play.

“It didn’t help that it was in the pouring rain, but every time we put on our uniforms, we do our utmost.”

The Stingers are breaking for the summer and will open training camp in mid-August for the university season.