United rookies haven’t melted in glare of spotlight
By: Craig Stouffer
Examiner Staff Writer
April 2, 2009
If Chris Pontius is going to succeed in professional soccer, his biggest challenge may be getting over that little craving that he can satisfy any time he wants in D.C. United’s locker room.
“I eat so much candy, and I still do,” said Pontius. “It’s horrible that they have a little candy box in there. I’m just picking at it all day.”
Pontius and fellow rookie and roommate Rodney Wallace both admit to having a sweet tooth. But neither is stopping to savor their early performances after two starts apiece in United’s first two matches.
“They both have adjusted real well,” said United head coach Tom Soehn. “I think now you’re starting to see consistency in the way they’ve come in, and we don’t just judge by games. We judge by how they train during the week.”
Pontius and Wallace have earned trust from the coaches and built their own confidence through working hard and avoiding mistakes. But both have shown individual flair beyond their years.
“As a player, you have to be free,” said Wallace. “You have to play, go with your gut instinct, but you also have to make sure that at the same time you’re playing connected with the team.”
In a league where even first-round college draft picks often can only break into starting lineups in hustle positions on the wing, Soehn said he feels Pontius’ best spot is forward.
“You still have to do the things that got you here,” said Pontius, who scored 14 goals as a senior at UC Santa Barbara. “I’m not here because I played simple all through college. I took people on, took risks.”
The trick is managing the sugar.
“[In college] I was never allowed to get dessert after a meal,” said Wallace, who played for Sasho Cirovski at Maryland. “Now when I go out, I definitely get something.”
