P.J. Wakefield?s message is simple: Every year, the goal is to win the championship.
The Blast captain, in his sixth season in the Major Indoor Soccer League, knows what?s he talking about, as he?s won three titles.
“Coming in as a rookie, you?re just trying to get playing time. You don?t know what to expect,” Wakefield said. “Our first year was kind of up and down, I think we started 5-12, and we went on a run, got to 18-18 and we ended up winning the thing. Winning the championship my first year was incredible.”
Early success has only driven the former UMBC standout, who is tied for third on the Blast with 21 points and leads the team with three 3-point goals ? not bad for a defender.
“Just watch him and you see what he does. He comes to practice and he does everything,” veteran forward/assistant coach David Bascome said. “He?s our captain and there?s a reason why he?s our captain. That says a lot.”
During the team?s five-game losing streak in December, Blast coach Danny Kelly said the three-year captain needed to do more ? so he did.
“This past game he had two [three-point] goals and an assist,” Kelly said. “Now he?s being more vocal and he?s not afraid to let his teammates know what?s going on. And his teammates are responding.”
The Blast (9-7) has won three straight entering tonight?s 8 p.m. kickoff against Chicago (11-6) at 1st Mariner Arena before welcoming Orlando (3-16) on Saturday night at 7:35. The Blast?s run is starting to resemble the one that pushed it to the championship in Wakefield?s rookie year in 2002-03.
“We?re playing with a lot of confidence,” Wakefield said. “We?re at three in arow right now. We?ve got some home games, so win the home games and take care of the away games, and we?ll be in the playoffs.”
Wakefield, who is one of four UMBC alumnae on the Blast, lives in Baltimore year-round with his wife, Jessica, and young son, Mason, and works full-time as a project administrator for the Johns Hopkins? Center for Law and Public Health.
“I don?t think he?s the smartest guy on the team,” forward Machel Millwood, a Towson graduate, joked. “Come on, he went to UMBC.”
Wakefield, who has a degree in health administration and policy, disagrees.
“Of course I?m the smartest guy on the team,” Wakefield said with a smile. “As a local guy, I have the opportunity to work a second job. I went to Hopkins doing internships, so it?s been good to be able to work there and they work with my schedule. I try to use the brain a little bit.”
BLAST NOTES
» Tonight?s game will not be seen live on Fox Soccer Channel as originally scheduled. The game will be aired on the channel Feb. 8 at 8 p.m.
» The Blast selected Towson midfielder Pat Healey in the territorial round of the MISL College Draft Tuesday. They went local with their second pick, too, selecting UMBC product Brian Moffa in the first round.
Moffa, who played at Eastern Tech, was second-team All-America East as a senior. The team selected midfielder Chris Cox (Hofstra), forward Omar Alfonso (St. John?s) and defender Matt Davis (George Washington) in the second, third and fourth rounds.
» Forward David Bascome needs three points to reach 1,051 for his career, and move him into 11th on the league?s all-time scoring list.
Double the pleasure
BLAST (9-7) VS. CHICAGO STORM (11-6)
» Kickoff: Tonight, 8
» Where: 1st Mariner Arena
» Radio: 680 AM
» Tickets: Available
BLAST VS. ORLANDO SHARKS
» Kickoff: Saturday, 7:35 p.m.
» Where: 1st Mariner Arena
»TV/Radio: MPT Digital/680 AM
» Tickets: Available
