GO Indoor

wns Success, Not Just Future that limited his availability during parts of the season, Schmidt distinguished himself as an excellent man-marker who rarely made a mistake. This season, following his second campaign with the Thunder, Schmidt has already scored eight points in ten games, three more points than he had in 27 games last season. Like Howes, his future with the Wave looks extremely bright. Said Wave Coa c h Kei t h Toz e r about his two rising young stars, "We are very excited about Greg and Matt's development in the last two years. Their confidence continues to grow with each game they play. Greg has the ability to post up and can shoot with both feet. Matt, on the other hand, has become one of the best man markers in the league and continues to improve his attacking game." Milwaukee Wave's Greg Howes "[Coaching the kids] has opened up my mind when it comes to the game. It has allowed me to think more, make better decisions and be more technical about the game. You break it down for the kids, but at the same time, you're breaking it down for yourself. It has given me a lot." As the Sidekicks face the second half of the MISL season, Patrick says that the most important thing for the team to do is focus on each game and just play one game at a time. "You can't think about being here or being there, you just have to take care of business. We need to sharpen the game plan and we'll start winning games." His hope for the season and for his career is to win Championships. (The recognition that comes along with the Championships isn't that bad, either.) But something needs to happen for this Sidekicks team to turn around. Losing has shown Patrick the importance of team leadership, and he seems to be learning what it takes to lead this Sidekicks team. His philosophy is leading by example – putting his best foot forward. "I want to be a leader on the field, and for me, that's just doing my best." And that's exactly what he's doing. Lydia Zedler is a freelance writer for the Dallas Sidekicks. Tom Wynn is the Director of Public and Media Relations of the Milwaukee Wave. Philadelphia KiXX' Pat Morris Morris Makes His Move in the Pa t efender M or r i s joined the Phi l a del phi a K i X X as a rookie in 1998 with little indoor soccer experience. But as part of a veteran team with one of the strongest defenses in the league, he had a chance to learn from the best. Four years later, Morris has built a resume for himself. Last season, he was named to the A l l - M I S L F i r s t Tea m and was second in voting as the Defender of the Year. Most importantly, he helped lead the KiXX to their first championship last season. "When I first came in, we had a veteran team and maybe one or two rookies," said the Philadelphia native. "I sat back and watched. I learned from the veterans. Indoor soccer is different from anything I ever played." At first, it took a little patience and guidance to learn the indoor game. Morris spent time on the bench watching his teammates. Former KiXX coach and all-star defender Omi d Na ma z i spent extra time with the rookie after practice. Eventually it would be Morris' turn to make an impact on the field. "He's somebody that for the first couple of years progressively learned the game," says KiXX coach and forward Don D'A mbr a . "He learned the game very fast. It takes some people a long time to learn. He's a learner and picks things up. Once you tell him something once or twice, he gets it." D Morris had a chance to learn from the best. Veterans like former KiXX defenders Namazi and Sc ott He nder s on, along with new acquisitions Gl enn Ca r bona r a and M a t t K nowl e s have been a key to Morris' development. "Omid particularly helped him the most, and he's had other great defenders around him," said D'Ambra. "Other forwards have also taught him different things. When you're the youngest player coming in and have 15 older guys telling you what to do, it can be tough. He did a good job listening to the right things. It's part of the learning process." D'Ambra said that Morris' accolades from last season show that he has begun to be respected around the league as a top defender. As a Philadelphia native, Morris hoped to join the KiXX out of college to remain close to home. He was chosen in the territorial round of the 1998 NPSL draft and has served as a role model for young soccer players in the area since. "I still live in Port Richmond where I grew up," said Morris, who graduated from Northeast Catholic High School and Philadelphia University. "I may not be a big-time athlete, but little kids look up to you and try to emulate you. It feels nice, especially growing up in Philly." Laura Borden is a freelance writer for the Philadelphia KiXX. G O A L I n d o o r • Dec.-Jan. 2002 • 17

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