Game Review: Washington Freedom SC vs. Hampton Roads Mariners :: July 19, 2006 Maryland SoccerPlex, Germantown, MD
- By Joseph Schoenbauer Thu., July, 2006
Algonkian Park, VA – The Dulles National Soccer Tourney kicked off and concluded on the weekend of August 26-27 with close to 300 boys and girls youth teams participating in Under-9 through Under-19 age groups. One of these 300 teams was the HFA 93 Heroes team, which competed in the Boys Premier U13 Division.
The HFA 93 Heroes team was formed just over a year ago when a group of parents, who all had kids competing on different club teams throughout the DC area, decided to take the measures to give their kids what they wanted: the opportunity to play with each other on one team.
With a group of players in place, the next step was to find a qualified and ambitious coach to lead them. Former US National Team member and DC-area native Desmond Armstrong was a name on all of the parents’ tongues and they contacted him soon after. Armstrong happily agreed, with the deciding factor being that his son, Cheo Armstrong, who was a ’93, also wanted to join.
The team would be known as The Heroes, falling under Desmond Armstrong’s Heroes Futbol Association, an association personally created in North Carolina in 1995 with the purpose of “providing urban youth with a quality athletic alternative to the streets that will further develop their sense of family, competence, diligence and character” (HFA pamphlet). Armstrong went on to explain how he came to name his team, “From each community, local town, city and country, [there is someone] who represents the best of each individual community. A hero.”
As a coach, Desmond Armstrong has been influenced greatly by two references that share a common background. One is the national team of Brazil, especially the 1982 World Cup team, made up of stars Falcao, Socrates and the illustrious Zico, considered by many to be one of the best teams ever assembled. The other is John Kerr, Sr., the coach that led Armstrong’s first team out of college, the Fairfax Spartans, to the US National Amateur Cup in 1987, before Armstrong went on to star in the Olympics and for the US National team in World Cup 1990. Armstrong credits John Kerr, Sr. with “increasing my ability 10-fold in a year.” John Kerr, Sr. was born in Scotland, but spent his playing career in Mexico for Club America and in the NASL, playing for the New York Cosmos and the Washington Diplomats, among other sides. Following his playing career, he went on to get his coaching certification in Brazil, before returning to the US to begin his coaching career. Kerr, Sr. too, is infatuated with Brazilian “futebol”, an infatuation that has rubbed off on Armstrong.
One look at The 93 Heroes teams’ style of play throughout the Dulles National Soccer Tourney and you can see Armstrong has them playing with a Brazilian style. They began their tournament with commanding 6-0 and 6-1 victories on Saturday, but it wasn’t just the score lines, or the fact that 6 different players has scored, that caught the eye. The goals were coming from carefully weighted defense splitting passes, tight give-and-go’s and accurate crosses from the byline. One also couldn’t help but notice wingbacks playing as far forward as their midfielders, as well as an attacking center midfielder, Sachem Wilson, working skillfully to keep everyone involved.
The 93 Heroes succumbed to a 1-1 draw in their third game of the tournament, meaning they did not advance to the finals on a goals conceded rule (The Heroes conceded 2 goals, while the team that advanced to the final only conceded 1). However, with a penchant for skilful attacking play and a thirst for goals, this team is sure to excite parents and fans alike for the rest of the fall tournament season and into the spring. “These kids eat, drink and sleep soccer,” said proud soccer parent Andrea Shoates. “They are passionate.” Another thing they are, as evidenced by the fact that they come over to the sidelines to cheer their parents and fans after games, is grateful for their opportunity to be “The Heroes”.