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Highlands Today

Soccer At A Faster Pace

Kathy Waters/Highlands Today

Derek Drummond, Nick Peters, Daniel Grimaldo and Austin Brady are going to Disney's Wide World of Sports in Buena Vista for the three versus three soccer competition, which starts July 31.

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By CHRIS HOFFMAN

Highlands Today

Published: July 17, 2008

SEBRING - Speed and precision are at a premium, as the ball and players are constantly in motion in this new version on the old soccer game.

3v3 soccer is claimed to be the fastest growing form of soccer in the world, with its greatest popularity being in the United States.

And Sebring isn't immune to this soccer epidemic.

Daniel Grimaldo, Nick Peters, Austin Brady, Brad Molinaro, Derek Drummond and Pedro Gori - all Sebring alum and playing as the Heartland Soccer Club - have been playing 3v3 for two years and have recently earned a spot in the 3v3 Soccer National Championships being held Aug. 1-3 at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando.

All have shown proficiency on the pitch during the soccer regular season, but all the players agreed that 3v3 soccer is a whole other world when it comes to soccer.

"There is a whole lot more running in 3v3 than in regular soccer," Brady said. "The field is much smaller and you're constantly moving. The good thing is that 3v3 forces you to learn to be a better passer and also helps you learn to keep your composure."

3v3 soccer, which gets it's name from each team only have three players on the field at a time or 3 versus 3, is a much faster paced, and higher scoring game than traditional soccer. The field is typically 30 yards wide by 40 yards long, but can vary depending on the venue.

The speed of the attack, the use of triangulation, and the strategies bring aspects of hockey into the game, while the quick shifts and constant change from offense to defense bring elements of basketball to the game. It requires the blending of individual skills with teamwork.

Grimaldo, who was named the 2008 Highlands Today Boys Soccer Player of the Year, scored 16 goals and had eight assists to lead the Streaks to their first-ever district championship, but understands that those stats don't carry much weight in 3v3.

"Your offensive skills have to be at their highest peak when playing 3v3," Grimaldo said. "In regular soccer, you can kind of let the game come to you depending on where you are on the field, but in 3v3, you have no time to rest."

Hat tricks are as common as the afternoon rains in Florida in 3v3 and Peters says that the up-tempo style of the game is what attracted him to the sport.

"I love the non-stop action and the constant rush you get when you're on the field," Peters said. "When you walk off the field after a shift, your really drained, but you've got to recharge in a hurry to get ready for your next shift."

To earn their spot in the regional championships, the team won the high school/adult division championship in a recent 3v3 Nationals qualifying tournament in Naples and beat the top-seeded and undefeated White Latin Dreds 5-3.

"I like our chances after seeing our results in Naples," Brady said. "We stunned the only team to go undefeated in the pool games and I felt that we have been playing our best soccer lately."

The team must earn a top five finish at Nationals to punch their ticket to the Kick-It World Championships being held in Jan. 2009 in Orlando.

"The goal is to get to the World Championships," Peters said. "We're practicing every day to have the opportunity to play against the best.

"I think we have as good a shot as anyone to not only place in the top five but to win."

To win, the Heartland team will have to face off against adult teams from around the country who have a deeper pool of experience in the sport.

"We're not touting that we're the best," Brady said. "But we do know that we're working hard every day to go out and compete against the best this country has to offer."

To help offset the cost of competing in these tournaments, the boys are asking for sponsorships from the local community in helping them reach their goal.

"It's really expensive to go and compete in a weekend-long tournament," Brady said. "We're out knocking on doors and hoping that some businesses will want to help support us in our quest."

For more information on sponsorship, contact Brady at 381-5320.

Chris Hoffman can be reached at 863-385-5827 or choffman@highlandstoday.com.

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