April 22, 2009
Follow two-time All-Big Ten forward Jason Yeisley as he blogs throughout his senior season, detailing Penn State's pursuit of a Big Ten Championship in his final year in the blue and white. Read along as the All-America candidate takes you on a journey from the Nittany Lions' spring preparations to their May tour of Brazil and from summer training through the 2009 season. The blog will provide fans with insider glimpse into the trials, triumphs, and travails of a collegiate soccer season through the eyes and words of one of the nation's top players.
Have a question, comment, or feedback for Jason? Submit them to John Regenfuss, the men's soccer team's athletic communications contact, at jmr49@psu. edu and Jason will do his best to address them in a future blog entry.
BLOG INDEX
ENTRY #1: April 16, 2009 - The spring season is underway
ENTRY #2: April 28, 2009 - The spring season concludes
ENTRY #3: May 11, 2009 - The Brazil adventure begins
ENTRY #4: May 12, 2009 - Another game and a special visit | PHOTO GALLERY
ENTRY #5: May 14, 2009 - A change of scenery and taking in a pro game
ENTRY #6: May 15, 2009 - Game number three and a visit to the Pele Museum
ENTRY #7: May 19, 2009 - Hello from Rio!
ENTRY #8: May 22, 2009 - Brazil tour wrap-up
ENTRY #9: August 12, 2009 - 2009 training camp is underway
ENTRY #10: August 19, 2009 - A day in the life
ENTRY #11: August 27, 2009 - Exhibition season wrap up
ENTRY #12: September 2, 2009 - First game, first win
ENTRY #13: September 8, 2009 - Ohio State Tournament weekend
ENTRY #14: September 13, 2009 - Penn State Classic
ENTRY #15: September 29, 2009 - Start of the Big Ten season
ENTRY #16: October 1, 2009 - Mid-week game against Penn
ENTRY #17: October 5, 2009 - Michigan State trip
ENTRY #18: November 4, 2009 - One regular season game left
ENTRY #1: April 16, 2009 - The spring season is underway
So, this is the official start to the Penn State men's soccer blog. I am Jason Yeisley, a redshirt senior from Allentown, Pennsylvania. My goal with this blog is to keep everyone updated on issues concerning the team while at the same time provide an insider point of view about life as a college athlete.
Currently, we are in the middle of our spring season. For those who may not be familiar with the college soccer system, the spring is our offseason but we play a schedule of five game days. These games technically do not count, however, they are an important step in creating team dynamics and preparing for the real season in the fall.
The spring season started on March 22 with a game against Bucknell. The game ended a 1-1 draw with Drew Cost scoring the first goal of the spring. Although draws are not usually considered a success, this game marked the end of a successful recovery from knee injuries for both Andy Parr and myself. During the 2007 season, we both suffered season ending knee injuries. Being on the field against Bucknell, after a year and a half of spending almost every day rehabbing, provided a sense of accomplishment and was a personal victory even though the game ended a tie.
I was asked to talk a little about what it is like to be injured for an extended period of time. It was a very frustrating but I suppose rewarding in the end. I started appreciating all the little things in life that most people do not even think about. For example, I now think every single day how great it is just to be able to walk. It was very hard to watch practices and games when everyone else was playing. In a way, this was an invaluable experience for me because it helped me realize that even a bad game or practice is still better than not playing at all. Luckily for Andy and me, Penn State has, in my opinion, the best medical and training staff and they made our recovery possible. The game against Bucknell marked the end of this long recovery and now we can focus on getting back to game form and ready for the upcoming season.
The following weekend, we played three games on Saturday. Although the games were shortened to an hour in length, it was a lot for one day. We recorded victories against Saint Francis and Millersville, 3-0 each game, and we tied Villanova 0-0. We were very pleased to score six goals on the day and not let up any. I was very impressed with the offensive production. The six goals came from at least four or five different players. Our defense and goalkeeping was also outstanding. It is never easy to record three clean sheets in a day.
On April 4th, we played Mount St. Mary's. There were very windy conditions for this game; something like sustained 30 mph winds with gusts of 40-50 mph. I had never played in anything like it. We ended up winning the game 4-0 with, once again, outstanding defense. Our defense keeps us in games and starts the attack. It often does not receive the credit it deserves but without its performance, there would be no way for the offense to score the four goals on the day. The goals came from Corey Hertzog, Drew Cost, Jacobo Vera, and John Gallagher. John Gallagher just joined the team in the spring and he will definitely help us when the fall comes around. It was great to see him get his first goal. Jacobo Vera is also looking very strong after returning from having his meniscus repaired. What impressed me the most with this game was the depth we have as a team. When we make subs, the level does not go down at all. In fact, we scored two goals during the last five minutes of the game.
We had the Easter weekend off and we are presently training for a game against Navy this weekend. The game is at Warwick High School on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. Training in the spring is primarily focused on fitness and the tactical aspects of the game. Since we are only bringing in one recruit next fall, we can begin training now with all of the players who will be available in the fall. When you bring a lot of recruits in, it takes a while to determine who will play where. Hopefully we will have an advantage since we can start this process now instead of having to wait until preseason in August.
In addition to our spring training, to start off the summer, we are taking a team trip to Brazil. In Brazil we will get to train, play games against a few Brazilian teams, and watch some professional games. Speaking on behalf of the entire team, we greatly appreciate all of the donations made by alumni, family, and fans for this trip. Your donations have greatly cut down on our individual costs toward the trip and this trip would not have materialized without you. So, thank you from everyone at the Penn State men's soccer program.
If you would still like to contribute to our trip, there are three ways you can do so. We are selling tickets to the Wise Crackers Comedy Club at the Ramada Inn on South Atherton Street for a show on Friday, April 24, at 9:30pm. This is the second show we are doing and I highly recommend it for anyone who is considering. The first show was very funny and this one will feature different comedians. For more information on this, you can contact myself or anyone else on the team. The second fundraiser we are doing is through our Booster Club and you can purchase Penn State soccer apparel with the proceeds also going towards our trip. For more information on this, you can contact the Booster Club at msbc@pennstatesoccer.com. Finally, any donation no matter how small helps us out. I cannot emphasize enough how thankful we are to everyone who has helped us out already.
We are also very excited for our new assistant coach, Isang Jacob. He will be a great addition to the program and is someone we will be able to learn a lot from. The official announcement can be read here.
As I mentioned in the beginning, this is the first entry of what we hope to continue throughout the season. Check back regularly for updates. Provided there will be access to an internet connection, there will be multiple updates during our trip through Brazil.
ENTRY #2: April 28, 2009 - The spring season concludes
Thanks to everyone who provided feedback on the blog! I was amazed to see how many people found it, even someone as far away as Australia. When John Regenfuss presented me with this idea, I thought it would be a great way for everyone to follow the team on a more personal level and it was John's vision that made this happen. During the season, I will do my best to keep the entries regular and perhaps set a certain day each week in which they are posted. For now, this will be the last entry until our trip to Brazil, which is rapidly approaching. We are now into our last week of classes of the spring semester and everyone is preparing for final exams. Since the last entry, we have completed the spring season with our final two matches coming against Navy and Hamilton Croatia.
Jason Yeisley was honored with the True Grit Award at the SAAB banquet on April 20 |
Last weekend, we traveled to Warwick High School in Lancaster to play against Navy. The game was a doubleheader with the Penn State women's soccer team who won 1-0 against Rutgers. Our game ended in a 0-0 draw. It was a game we let get away from us, as we had the better of the play and a significant number of opportunities, but unfortunately, we could not finish on the attacking end. As usual, our defense was solid at the back and did not allow many opportunities. This game marked the first start and complete game shutout for redshirt freshman goalie Bryan Heffner. Typically, the goalies split time during the spring games, but Warren Gross sustained a knee injury in practice the week before this game. His rehab is going well and he will be fit to play during our trip to Brazil. Matheus Braga injured his ankle early on in the game and we also hope to have him back for the trip. The crowd at the game was outstanding and was by far the largest for a spring game. Many local soccer players and other fans were in attendance at the game and the support we got was outstanding. It was good to see so many young soccer players at the game. Watching college games when I was younger inspired me to continue playing soccer and hopefully some of those young players will be the next generation of college soccer players.
This weekend was our alumni weekend and we would like to thank all of the alumni who came out for the game on Saturday morning, as well as those who came to the comedy show the night before. After the alumni game, we hosted Hamilton Croatia, a team from Canada. It was one of the first nice days in State College with temperatures into the 80s and a good number of fans were able to stop by the game. The final score of the game was 7-0 and, thanks to our defense and goalkeeping, we were able to record another shutout. Our midfielders took over the game and were able to start the attack, which had sharpened up since the previous weekend. Jacobo Vera, Treavor Gelsinger, and Drew Cost each recorded a goal apiece and I was lucky enough to score four goals. The thing about statistics is they are not always an accurate portrayal of what really occurred. Every goal in this game, with the exception of maybe one, was scored on a one-touch opportunity from a service into the box or some sort of through-ball. Soccer is a team sport and it really showed during this game from the way we were able to move and work off of the ball to set up scoring opportunities in front of goal.
Treavor Gelsinger scored a great goal with a volley on one of his first touches in the game during the second half. He missed the entire first half because he was taking an exam for his education degree. I do not think many people realizeeverything that happens off the field in the life of a college athlete unless they have been there themselves. I did not realize how difficult it would be to balance everything until I got to Penn State. The academic demands in college are intense and it often means having to study and do school work on bus rides during away trips as well as any other periods of free time. It is not always an easy task having to focus back and forth between athletics and academics. This is a skill that takes time to learn but there are many resources provided for us. For example, many players on the team, including myself, have tutors for various classes that are arranged through our academic advisor, Jim Weaver. Jim is a great resource for us, who works, in addition to our individual major advisors, to help schedule our classes and ensure the academic portion of being a student athlete is taken care of, so we remain eligible. Jim has spent a lot of time with me to try and work out my classes since I am not taking the traditional academic approach to dental school. There are certain NCAA requirements that must be met, such as having to take a specific number of classes within your major, and Jim has taken care of all these requirements. I am also personally grateful to him for nominating me for the True Grit award.
This week we are continuing to practice to prepare for Brazil. We will practice until Wednesday and then we will have off on Thursday and Friday to concentrate on finals. We leave for Brazil on Sunday, May 10th. Be sure to check back regularly to follow us throughout our tour!
ENTRY #3: May 11, 2009 - The Brazil adventure begins
Oi de Brasil! (Hello from Brazil!)
We embarked on our journey to Brazil on Sun., May 10, 2009. Everyone met at JFK Airport in New York dressed as a team for the standard away trip. It is always interesting when traveling with 20-plus soccer players dressed exactly the same, and it is sure to get a few looks from other travelers. Our flight left at 7:45 p.m. EST and we flew on TAM airlines. This Brazilian airline had fantastic service throughout the flight and I thought it was much different than the various American airlines with which I am used to traveling. We touched down in Sao Paolo around 6 a.m. BRT, which is an hour earlier than back home in State College. In the airport, we were greeted by airport workers wearing masks and handing out brochures concerning the Swine Flu. I guess it is better safe than sorry on their parts, but I still found it pretty funny. We all made sure not to cough or sneeze in the immigration line!
Although it was only 7:30 a.m., by the time everyone got their luggage, went through customs, and exchanged money, it felt as if it was late in the afternoon. We then took a two-hour bus ride to Itu, our first destination. Currently, we are staying at an amazing spa resort in Itu where many professional teams come to relax and train. For example, Corinthians, a professional team in Brazil, had their preseason here, and I was told that Ronaldo came here to rehab. Currently, we are the only group here and it is very nice and relaxing to have the place to ourselves. When we arrived, the pool was almost everyone's first stop after dropping our bags off in our rooms. The temperature was in the mid-80's and it was sunny all day. The resort has a very tropical feeling to it with palm trees all around. There are two beautiful fields at this resort, separated by a weight training facility. Down the hill from the fields are our rooms as well as the pool and the cafeteria. Everything is very close together and it is an amazing facility to be at.
This afternoon, we had a scrimmage against a professional team from the Brazilian third division. They just had a game yesterday so they were resting many of their players but it was a first taste of Brazilian soccer for many of us. The game was shortened since it was just a scrimmage but we were very impressed with their skill and ability to move the ball around. Tomorrow morning will be our first test when we play a full game against Palmeiras F.C. It should be another exciting day and I will try to update tomorrow with the results of the game.
ENTRY #4: May 12, 2009 - Another game and a special visit
As expected, today was a busy day. It started off early at 7 a.m. with a pregame meal. The food here at the resort is exceptional. Every meal has fresh juices like orange and pineapple juices which are grown and made right here at the resort. I cannot get over the resort where we are staying. I know that I talked a little bit about it before, but words and pictures cannot do this place justice. It is like having our own tropical island; it is extremely relaxing.
However, as much as it feels like a vacation, we are down here for a purpose and the soccer has made this trip even better. Today, we played the U-20 Palmeiras team at the fields on our resort. The game began at 10 a.m. and it was hot out already. I felt we played much better today after a good night of rest, as opposed to the scrimmage yesterday after the long day of traveling. We ended up losing the game 1-0 but it was close with opportunities going both ways. The Brazilian game is so much different than the soccer to which we are accustomed. It feels as if they play with 20 players on the field because every player moves off of the ball so well. We cannot give up any shots from within 30 yards. Every single player on the field can strike a solid shot on goal within that distance and we have almost given up a few goals if it were not for great saves from our goalkeepers or lucky bounces off of the posts. It is something you need to see to believe. Unfortunately, we mentally turned off once during today's game and gave up an open shot down the middle of the field.
After the game, we spent the early afternoon at the pool enjoying the weather. I am pretty sure clouds do not exist here, and that is fine with me. It was another beautiful day in the 80s or 90s.
At 3 p.m., we went to an orphanage about 15 minutes away from our resort. It was quite the experience to see and it was our first time off of the resort. The orphanage and the surrounding area made me truly appreciate how well I have had life back home. We were in an extremely poor area and the living conditions were like nothing I have ever witnessed before. In the orphanage, the kids were so excited to see us. The children were of ages 2-18 but many of them were on the younger end of that spectrum. It was difficult not being able to converse with them but at least we have a few players on our team that understand Portuguese and could translate for us. We brought Penn State gear to give to the children as well as some old soccer gear. You could tell it meant a lot to them and they were very happy to have the shirts and other items.
We then went straight to the training complex of Traffic, which is a professional team. We watched part of their training session and then toured their facilities. The complex was set on a hill and as a player moves through the system, they continuously move up until they reach the professional team on the highest field. Many of the youth players live right on the complex and everything they need is there for them. The facility had a cafeteria, rec room, training rooms, weight room, and even a training pool. It is always good to see higher level teams train and it was very neat to see their facilities.
For the rest of the night, we had an opportunity to just relax at the resort. A very important game was being played in the Brazilian league, so some of us watched the game on television. We hung out as a team for the majority of the time and enjoyed our last night here at the spa sports resort. Tomorrow, we head back to the city of Sao Paulo. We passed through Sao Paulo on our way to Itu and it looks like an awesome city. We do not have a game tomorrow, however, we are going to watch a professional game in the evening. I am looking forward to yet another great day!
ENTRY #5: May 14, 2009 - A change of scenery and taking in a pro game
Wednesday was an extremely busy day, which was the reason I was not able to write about it yesterday. We left the Spa Resort in the morning after breakfast and traveled to the Pinheiros Club in Sao Paulo. The club itself is a beautiful facility. It is a huge area surrounded by walls with all types of sporting activities available to its members. This club is essentially a country club that houses professional teams in a wide variety of sports. From what I have gathered, many people pay to use the club and the professional players only use the practice facilities during their respective practice times. Our tour guide, Ricardo Silvera, has a connection with the club which allowed us to stay here.
The club itself has soccer fields of all sizes and types, sand and regular volleyball courts, tennis courts, swimming pools, a track, and courts for many other types of sports. As nice as it is, we were certainly spoiled at the Spa Resort. Here the room is not as nice as our rooms were in Itu. That's right, the room. The whole team is sharing a single room during this portion of the trip. Most of the time has been spent outside of the room but sleeping was very interesting to say the least.
We then went to see Sao Paulo's stadium and we took a tour of it. It was really neat to see their locker rooms and to take the walk up onto the field. After seeing their stadium, we drove to the Corinthian's stadium and took a tour there as well. We did not get to see as much on this tour since they had a game later that night, but we got to see a museum focusing mainly on the history of soccer. It was pretty difficult for us to understand because it was in Portuguese but we had much of it translated and it was neat to see in general.
We then found some food around the stadium at local restaurants before going back to the stadium to watch the Corinthians play Fluminese in the first leg of the quarterfinals in the Brazil Cup. This was one of the best experiences of my life. This was a home game for the Corinthians and they have one of the largest fan bases in Brazilian soccer. It was extremely important for us to wear white or black (the colors the Corinthians wear) and avoid wearing red or green (the colors of Fluminese). Everyone ended up buying jerseys or flags to make sure we fit in at the game because their fans are very passionate (to say the least) about their team. The total attendance at the game was about 40,000 and there were only 1,000 Fluminese fans. These fans had their own fenced in corner of the stadium and were surrounded by police. The Corinthians fans would surround their section and taunt them the entire game. Corinthians ended up winning the game 1-0 but for 90 solid minutes, their fans jumped up and down singing and clapping. This was another one of those things that you have to see for yourself to believe, but it was the craziest atmosphere I have ever witnessed at a soccer game.
On Thursday morning, we had an early game against Pao de Acucar. We played very well and got our first win on Brazilian soil. The final score of the game was 2-1. Drew Cost scored the first goal while Jacobo Vera scored the second. We have learned very much already this trip and, in my opinion, we are playing much better as a team. Tomorrow, we have another game against Santos which should be a much harder game.
After today's game, we went to a Brazilian Steakhouse for lunch. Never have I seen so many different types and cuts of meat at once. The food was incredible and something every tourist to Brazil must do before they leave. The waiters carried around skewers of meat and would cut slices of the meat right onto your plate. It was a great meal and an authentic Brazilian experience.
The rest of the evening we had free to ourselves at the Pinheiros Club. Many of us played sand volleyball. It was a very relaxing evening because we need to get ready to travel to Santos for our early morning game tomorrow. I hope all is well for anyone who stumbles across this and don't forget you can write an email if you would like to hear about anything else we have done!
Drew Cost scored his second goal of the Brazilian tour in a 2-2 tie with Santos |
ENTRY #6: May 15, 2009 - Game number three and a visit to the Pele Museum
Friday began with an early 6 a.m. wakeup at the barracks. We got breakfast to go on the bus and I was told we took about a 2 ½ hour bus ride to Santos. I slept the entire ride and woke up at the field. The game today was against Santos and it was very rainy and wet. The weather was awesome to play in and everyone was very muddy at the conclusion of the game. The field had plenty of puddles which drastically slowed down the game. Normally it would be a disadvantage for us if the game is slowed down, but against the Brazilian teams we have been playing, this weather played greatly to our advantage. The game ended in a 2-2 tie. We were very happy with the result, but we had opportunities to win the game. Drew Cost scored the first goal of the game after a great third effort. His first shot was saved, he shot again on the rebound which was saved and hit the crossbar, and finally headed it home. Santos scored to even up the game, and then Frank Costigliola scored with a shot from about 25 yards out. Santos then tied the game up on a very questionable call. The referee was very one sided during the game and did everything in his power to ensure we did not win. A tie was still a great result for us and afterwards we traded jerseys with their players.
After the game, we went to the Pele Museum at Santos Stadium. It was a great museum, and this time everything was translated into English. We also took a tour of their stadium. It was my favorite stadium so far because although smaller, the fans are seated very close to the field. At the other stadiums, there was always a track around the field. We got to see Pele's locker which he stores "good luck" for the team but nobody except him knows what is in it. We also got to see his seat where he sits for every game.
Then, we drove to Riviera where our hotel for the next two nights is located. It is only ½ mile away from the beach and it has a beautiful pool. Riviera itself is located in the middle of nowhere. The drive to get here was crazy because it was mile upon mile of forests and mountains. Tomorrow, we have the entire day on our own to relax and recover from the past few days. We are at another nice resort so there will be plenty for us to do. Hopefully, the weather is nice so we will be able to spend the day at the beach. On Sunday morning, we leave bright and early for a bus trip back to Sao Paulo and then a flight to Rio. I will talk to you next from Rio!
ENTRY #7: May 19, 2009 - Hello from Rio!
Hello everyone from Rio! This is an amazing place, perhaps the best stop of the trip. I am on the 13th floor sitting with my computer on my hotel room balcony with towering mountains to my left and overlooking the beach on my right. Walking out of the hotel lobby, the beach is no more than a few steps away.
We arrived here on Sunday morning after taking a flight from Sao Paulo. The flight was about an hour long and to drive from Sao Paulo to Rio is approximately a 5 hour drive. On Saturday, we had spent the whole day at the Riviera Beach playing beach volleyball and soccer, and just relaxing. When we first arrived in Rio, we toured the Maracana Stadium where the Brazilian national team plays. The stadium was huge and I could only imagine being in it during a game. I was told that before there were regulations concerning stadium capacity, the stadium could hold 180,000 people.
After the Maracana Stadium tour, we checked in at our hotel and spent the afternoon at the beach. At night, we saw Botafogo play against Corinthians. This time we were Botafogo fans because they were the home team and we needed to once again disguise ourselves. It was great to see Corinthians play twice because we got to see Ronaldo play in both games. The crowd was not as big as it was during the first game we saw because this game is early on in their season and it did not mean as much. For the fans who were there however, this game was extremely important to them and they brought out the flags, flares, and the chants for the entire 90 minutes. The game ended in a 0-0 draw but it was filled with excitement. The greatest part of the game was our VIP parking right next to the stadium. Apparently, the bus company we are traveling with is the same company that the Corinthians use for their games. So in a brilliant Trojan horse-like maneuver, we closed all of the curtains on the bus and claimed we were the third Corinthians bus. With no questions asked, they opened the gates and allowed us right into the stadium.
Monday was another relaxing day. The entire morning we had free time to spend on the beach. For lunch, we had a picnic at the Braga's family house which is on the beach in Rio just down the street from our hotel. After the picnic, we spent the remainder of the afternoon on the beach and then went to the Correa's family house in Niteroi, about a 40 minute drive. For dinner, we had an amazing Brazilian barbeque and we sat outside by their pool.
It is very disappointing that we leave tomorrow already. This trip has gone by extremely fast and has been a memorable experience to say the least. This trip has definitely helped us to bond as a team and the soccer experience we have gotten will certainly help us during the upcoming season. Before we leave tomorrow, we have our last game against CFZ as well as a tour of the Chirst Statue. We will see everyone back in the United States in a little over 24 hours!
ENTRY #8: May 22, 2009 - Brazil tour wrap-up
The last game against CFZ was another good game and a great way to end our trip. The game ended in a 2-2 tie but it was another one we could have won. Corey Hertzog scored an early goal just minutes into the game. Frank Costigliola scored our second goal early in the second half. Unfortunately, we allowed them to pull two goals back and the game ended in a tie. From the game, we went straight to the airport. We had another overnight flight and arrived back in the U.S. around 8 a.m. Overall, the trip was a great experience and invaluable for our team. We learned a lot from the teams we played against and the professional games we watched. We will not be playing as a team this summer but hopefully everything we have learned will carry over until preseason in August. Thanks to everyone who made this trip possible. It was a great experience for us as a team and personally the best trip I have ever been on. Be sure to check back in August to follow us throughout the season!
ENTRY #9: August 12, 2009 - 2009 training camp is underway
The 2009 preseason finally began as everyone arrived in State College on Tuesday. After a brief meeting, we had our first team meal at Olive Garden. The team meal was a chance for everyone to catch up after the summer as well as meet the incoming players. You can tell that everyone is excited for this season coming off of a successful spring and a great trip to Brazil.
On Wednesday, we began the morning with a team breakfast in Rec Hall and meetings in the morning. There is much paperwork that has to be completed before we can actually get out on the fields and play. After the paperwork was completed, we received our equipment for preseason. This included new boots from Nike along with practice gear. Everyone gets the same cleats; this year we have the Tiempo Legends III.
After the morning work that had to be completed, we started testing in the afternoon. This included the bod pod test, which measures your body composition, and a fitness circuit. The testing allows the coaching staff to plan preseason by determining everyone's fitness level and see who has been working out in the off-season.
Later on this evening, we will have a catered team dinner in Rec Hall. Be sure to check back in throughout preseason and into the season, and I will try to keep the blog updated every few days.
ENTRY #10: August 19, 2009 - A day in the life
We are now halfway through preseason and preparing for our first exhibition game. Preseason is very intense since we only have a short time together until the regular season begins. The days become even longer when coming off of an injury because on top of practices, there is plenty of time spent in the training room.
Throughout this preseason, the typical day has started between 7:30 and 8:00 with a team breakfast. This is often times in Rec Hall but occasionally we go to various breakfast restaurants like the Corner Room or the Waffle Shop. After breakfast, I head to the training room to get treatment and stretching before practice at 10. The morning session is usually focused on technical training and small-sided games. Practice runs about two hours on average. Following practice, I head back to the training room to take care of any injuries or post-practice treatments. The morning session wraps up with a team lunch at a local restaurant like Cici's Pizza or College Buffet and then we have a bit of free time until the evening session. I report back to the training room around 3:30 to get ready for the next session that begins at 5 and typically focuses on tactical training. After the two hour evening session, I head back to the training room again before the team dinner at 8:00. Dinner is either catered at Rec Hall or once again at a local restaurant. It makes for some long days especially when you have to wake up to start all over again the next morning.
That's it for now. I will update next after the preseason games. Be sure to email any feedback, questions, or suggestions. Thanks!
Yesterday was the final exhibition game of preseason and the season begins on the first day of September with the opening game against Saint Francis.
Our first exhibition game was against Duquesne. The game ended in a 1-1 draw with both goals coming late in the first half about three minutes apart. Corey Hertzog scored our goal off a beautiful volley about 30 yards away from goal. They responded shortly after when we failed to clear the ball out of the box. The game overall was very promising. We produced chances but we just need to work on our finishing in the box.
In between the two exhibition games, we had two light practices and a day off for the first day of school. I am enjoying this semester already. Since it is my fifth year, I only have one English class that I need to finish my business major and I am taking a yoga class for fun. Classes add an extra challenge in the life of a student athlete. They take away a lot of focus from practices and games because there is almost always a paper due or an exam to study for. Obviously they are part of the job description but a lot of people do not realize just how much they take away from the sport. By no means are we just here to play our sport and only focus on that. I have always viewed it as being a full-time student and having soccer as a part-time job.
ENTRY #11: August 27, 2009 - Exhibition season wrap up
Jason, along with Coach Gorman and Warren Gross, represented the team at Fall Sports Media Day |
Yesterday was also fall sports media day. Warren Gross and I were selected to attend the event with Coach Gorman. It took place in the Bryce Jordan Center media room and was fun to be a part of. It was about 20 minutes of answering questions for the local media. We were honored to sit up in front of the Penn State background and represent our team.
The final game of the preseason ended in a 0-0 tie with Binghamton. I was very impressed with the play of our defensive core as we controlled the ball most of the game. Once again, we created our chances but just need to find our finishing touch. We are now putting these two games behind us and looking forward to starting off the season right with our game on Tuesday against Saint Francis.
Heading into the season, I feel we have a solid core of players who will be able to get the job done. We have more than solid on defense, starting from our goalkeeper and our back four. We are able to move the ball well and have had some great combination play. Once we get used to playing we each other again and start scoring some goals, I have no doubt that everything will fall in place. We would also like to thank all the fans that came out to the first two exhibition games and we look forward to seeing you again throughout the season.
ENTRY #12: September 2, 2009 - First game, first win
The season opened yesterday with our first game, which was against Saint Francis. We started the season started off right with a win I have never before seen out of a Penn State side. We scored five goals in the game, four of which came in the first half. Our offense finally started to put the ball in the back of the net and all the practice we have been putting into finishing finally paid off. The most important part of the game, in my opinion, was keeping the shut out. We played solid defense all around the field and Warren had to come up with a huge save early in the game to keep them off the board.
Today, we had a light practice and a video session to review yesterday's game. Tomorrow, we leave for Ohio State already to play Cal State Fullerton and Gonzaga. We are hoping to continue Friday against Cal State where we left off yesterday against Saint Francis.
For his brilliant play in the season's opening week, Yeisley was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week and to the Soccer America Team of the Week |
ENTRY #13: September 8, 2009 - Ohio State Tournament weekend
This past weekend was the Ohio State Tournament. Normally, this is the start of our season, but this year, we had the home opener against Saint Francis. We have always struggled at the OSU tournament since I have been here, which is one reason I liked having the first game of the season at home, especially when it allowed for us to get the first win of the season under our belt.
The trip started Thursday afternoon and the bus ride was at least six hours. When we arrived, we immediately had a light practice to get our legs back after all the time spent on the bus. We had a meeting later that night to go over the scouting report for our Friday game against Cal State Fullerton. On Friday, we spent the day in the hotel and had the game at 5:00 that evening. We came out very strong in the game and we were moving the ball around well for the majority of the first half. We took the lead in the later part of the half and went into halftime up a goal. Unfortunately, we came out flat in the second half and gave up the equalizer only a few minutes in. For the rest of the half, we got away from keeping the ball and playing our game. Warren Gross had a great showing in the second half and made key saves to keep us in the game. The game ended in a tie and we gave up a counterattack goal in the first overtime to lose 2-1. It was a game that we feel we let get away from us.
The most important part of losing on Friday was how we were going to respond on Sunday after our first loss. Saturday was a day off with only team meals and a meeting in the evening. Away trips include a lot of downtime with not much to do in the hotels especially during the tournaments when we have a full day between games. Sunday's game was an early game, starting at noon. We came out very strong again this game. We learned our lesson from Friday and played well for the majority of the game. We had several chances that should have been finished but we could not get on the board. Our defense kept us in the game and played solid for the full 90 minutes. Late in the second half, our play started to breakdown and we gave them a series of opportunities. Matt Smallwood had the play of the game, in my opinion, when one of their players brought the ball down off a cross and turned in the box. As he shot and probably would have scored, Small dove in front of the shot and kept it out of the back of the net. A few minutes after this and only two minutes left in the game, Corey Hertzog scored one of the nicest goals I have ever seen. With the ball bouncing about 20 yards away from the goal, he flicked the ball from his left foot, over the head of the his defender and took a full volley with his right foot across the goal to the top right corner. Overall, it was a hard fought victory and a great way to rebound after losing on Friday night. After the game, we headed back home to Happy Valley and we are now preparing for our own tournament at Jeffrey this coming weekend.
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ENTRY #14: September 13, 2009 - Penn State Classic
This past weekend, we played Hofstra and Hartford in our own tournament. Friday night's game was against Hofstra after a full day of rain. The field held up amazing with no standing water and we ended up winning the game 5-1. The game on Sunday against Hartford was much tougher and it took a penalty kick in the second overtime to win. We dominated the game but could not find the back of the net. After both wins this past weekend, our record improved to 4-1 and we stayed undefeated at home. It is the best start to a season that I have been a part of. We are looking forward to getting back at it this weekend on the road. We first travel to Old Dominion for a game on Friday, and then to James Madison for a Sunday game.
Follow all of the action of the Penn State-Old Dominion game on Gametracker. Fink a link on www.GoPSUsports.com. Unfortunately, there are no live stats for the James Madison game.
ENTRY #15: September 29, 2009 - Start of the Big Ten Season
The season is flying by with a third of it already gone. We are currently 5-3-1 and 1-0 in the Big Ten. The first Big Ten game was on Sunday against Michigan, which we won 2-0. The field was soft from rain during the game and all day Saturday, but it held up well. We did a great job of controlling the game and allowing them minimal opportunities on goal. The goals came from Corey Hertzog, who was just honored with Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week, and myself. Corey's goal was setup up during a counterattack when Matheus Braga hit the ball across the field to me and I crossed the ball back to Corey who made a great run behind the defenders. The goal was very similar to the goal against Lehigh on Wednesday night. The second goal was scored when Frank Costigliola curled a corner kick into the far post where I was able to head it in. It felt awesome to get off to a good start in the Big Ten season.
The game against Lehigh was last Wednesday night. We played very well and scored the first goal of the game. Unfortunately, we stopped playing after the goal and allowed them to score with two minutes left in the game. Although we had plenty of opportunities in overtime, we were unable to put the ball in the back of the net and the game ended in a 1-1 tie. We learned from this game and applied it during the game against Michigan and did not allow them to get back into the game after we scored.
The previous weekend, we went on a road trip to Virginia where we played Old Dominion and James Madison. We dropped both games on the weekend, and we received straight red cards in both games. Fortunately, we have turned it back around from this weekend and hopefully learned from both games. Tonight, at 7 p.m. we play Penn at Jeffrey Field and then we go on the road to continue the Big Ten season against Michigan State. Thanks to everyone who has been making it out to the home (and away) games to support us throughout the season!
ENTRY #16: October 1, 2009 - Mid-week game against Penn
Yesterday, we came up with a big win against Penn. For the third time this year on Jeffrey field, we scored five goals in a game. Also, we kept the shutout and limited them to only one shot on goal. This game was definitely an improvement over last year where we went to Penn and lost 3-0. It was great to see both Diego Correa and Rafa Faria get their first goals of their career in the game. We leave early on Saturday morning for our second conference game against Michigan State. The game is on Sunday at noon and you can watch it live on the Big Ten Network!
ENTRY #17: October 5, 2009 - Michigan State trip
I was asked to write a little about this weekend's away trip to Michigan State and describe what the traveling for away trips is like. Sometimes it feels as if I am just re-reporting the games; so it is always good to get some topic suggestions. Keep sending in the ideas and feedback.
Michigan State is one of our longest away trips and is about the furthest school we drive to. Many people think that we fly everywhere, but this is certainly not the case. East Lansing, Michigan, is over eight hours away and even more time is spent en route when you factor in rest stops.
The trip began on Saturday. For myself, and probably others who live off-campus, the morning began at six. I had to make breakfast and then pack everything I would need for the weekend. Although the gear is provided and will be ready for us to pick up in the equipment room, it is still necessary to get together items like the computer, chargers, toiletries, etc. A little after seven, I left my house to walk up to Rec Hall and pick up a coffee on the way.
After arriving at Rec by 7:30 a.m., we get our travel and game equipment. Everyone changes into the same travel gear so we look uniform, and checks their bags to make sure everything was packed properly. We also have to pack our practice gear and any cleats we may need. I personally bring either three or four pairs of cleats to every away game. I always bring two pairs of firm-grounds and one pair of soft-grounds, except when rain is forecasted as it is this weekend, then I bring an extra pair of soft-grounds. I prefer to wear firm-grounds, even when it is wet out, but if there is a lot of rain, the longer studs come in handy.
The bus left Rec at 8:00 sharp. We took 24 people on the trip, which includes the three coaches, a trainer, and 20 players. Unfortunately due to budget restraints, we could not take everyone on the trip and had to leave four players behind. Most people took the first leg of the trip to sleep before the breakfast stop a little after ten. The bus we had was very nice and had both satellite television and wireless internet. After the stop, we watched the English Premier League games live. It definitely helped to pass the time. The next stop was at three for lunch and then we finally arrived at the hotel, which was about four miles off-campus, a little after 5:00.
We had some time to settle in and then went to a 6:15 practice at the field complex. The practice was very light and was mostly a stretch and a jog to loosen up our legs after the long bus ride. We also had a chance to walk on the game field and check out its condition. We got back from practice around 7:45 and had a half-hour to shower before dinner at the Olive Garden. When we go to restaurants like this, we pick our meals a few days before the trip and that way our meals are ready for us by the time we get there.
Immediately after dinner, we had a team meeting to go over the scouting report. The coaching staff receives scouting reports from several other schools that have played the upcoming team as well as videos of their games, if they are available. From these, they come up with a scouting report of the opposing team that includes the tendencies of individual players, their set pieces, and how we can be successful against them. Following the meeting, we had the rest of the evening to ourselves and plenty of time to get a good night's rest.
Breakfast is usually the free hotel breakfast as it was this morning. I prefer this because everyone has different eating schedules in terms of how long before a game they like to eat. I like to have plenty of time to digest before the game so I woke up around eight. After breakfast, we have to pack everything for the trip home as well as get our game gear ready. At 10:00, I started stretching and getting ready for the game. We left the hotel at 10:45 and arrived at the locker room by 11. We start the team warm-up 40 minutes before the game starts.
The game was played live on the Big Ten Network and it did not feel too much different than a regular game except for the TV timeouts midway in each half. Matheus Braga scored on a great free kick early in the game to give us the lead. Less than ten minutes into the second half, Mark Fetrow got his second yellow of the game and we had to play down a man for the remainder of the game. For the rest of the game, we packed it in the back and let our defense do its thing. It was a battle but in the end, a true team effort to keep them off the scoreboard and the game ended 1-0. Warren Gross got his sixth shutout of the season and had an incredible game saving shots in front of goal and picking off any cross that came into the box.
After the game, we went back to the locker room and showered quickly so we could get back on the bus and start our eight-hour ride home. We had subs from a local sandwich shop ordered and delivered to the field so we could have them on the bus. The win made the ride back much more enjoyable but it was still a long trip home. We made a stop but still did not arrive home until almost midnight. Then we had to unpack our bags and turn in all of our gear. By the time that was all done, I did not make it home until 12:30 and still had to wake up for classes this morning. Fortunately, we have a full week to recover from this weekend and prepare for next Sunday's game against Northwestern at home. Thanks for reading!
ENTRY #18: November 4, 2009 - One regular season game left
With one game left in the regular season, we are currently 10-5-2 and ranked in all four national polls. With a big win this past weekend against Wisconsin, we are in first place in the Big Ten at 3-1-1, and we have the opportunity to win the regular season if we win our last game. Since I was last able to update, we have had games against Northwestern, Lafayette, Ohio State, Bucknell, Akron, and Wisconsin. We had wins against Lafayette, Bucknell, and Wisconsin, a tie with Northwestern, and losses to Ohio State and Akron.
The game against Wisconsin was our senior game and our last game at home on Jeffrey Field. We did a lot of promotion for this game and had a great fan turnout even with the rain. We made an appearance at the women's volleyball game and played volleyball during intermission. We also promoted the game on a few local radio stations. Before the game, the five seniors, Diego Correa, Frank Costigliola, Vincent Salvatico, Jacobo Vera, and myself, were honored with a small ceremony. The game was aired on the Big Ten Network and we won with a final score of 2-1. This was the first time during my career we have been undefeated at home which is a goal that we set at the beginning of every season.
This week in practice we have been preparing for Indiana on Friday. This game is important in many aspects. If we win the game, we will win the Big Ten regular season and get the crucial first round bye in the Big Ten Tournament. We leave from State College airport tomorrow afternoon and will return on Saturday morning, hopefully with the regular season title.