Courtesy: Press Box


'Oldtimer' Tirschman Back In Battle Mode

By Kyle Knopp

He may not have been on the official roster, but Matt Tirschman has been a part of the Baltimore Blast since he stopped playing professional soccer with the Milwaukee Wave in 2002.

"Well, I've been back in Baltimore for awhile and I've been training with [the Blast] for awhile," Tirschman said. "It's more about signing a contract and playing in games. The training aspect has always been there, but if I had an injury, a small thing that nicked me, I didn't have to come in the next day. I know all the guys and I know the routine; it was just the consistency of it."

Tirschman started his professional soccer career with the then-Baltimore Spirit during the 1997-98 season, earning second-team All-Rookie honors after scoring 25 points. The following season, Tirschman was traded to Milwaukee, where he won back-to-back National Professional Soccer League Championships with the Wave in 2000 and 2001.

Recently, he was inducted into Salisbury University's Hall of Fame after a career that included two team MVPs, three Capital Athletic Conference Player of the Year awards, three first-team All-CAC and two first-team All-Region selections while playing for the Seagulls. He also represented the United States on the national futsal team for the 2000 CONCACAF Futsal Championship in Costa Rica. Tirsch helped the U.S. to a 4-1 record and a third-place finish in the tournament.

"People always ask me, 'What do you like better? Indoor, outdoor, futsal?' I'm always like, 'It doesn't matter.' Throw a ball out, soccer is the same to me," Tirschman said. "No matter what, two-on-two, one-on-one, just throw out a ball and play.

"That's kind of how I look at futsal. … Futsal can help outdoor, it can help indoor, it can help everybody's game because you get so many more touches on the ball. With outdoor, 11-on-11, you can kind of hide out on the field, but with futsal you are getting the ball a lot, and you can be exposed if you don't know what you are doing."

While he hasn't been on a professional roster in years, Tirschman has been training with the Blast and participating in tournaments -- all of which makes him feel like a seasoned veteran.

"The main thing is the chemistry on the field," he said. "The way a player plays in a game is a lot different than the way they play in practice, and these guys have been playing with each other and know where they are going to be on the field. Part of getting back to the consistency of everything is learning how all the guys play and being able to join into that system.

"When a young guy comes into a team like this and has a bad day, he goes home and doesn't talk to anyone. I've been playing with these guys for the past couple seasons, so if I have a bad day I can just laugh it off with them and tomorrow will be normal again."

Not that Tirschman needs to worry about not connecting with the team. Watch him in practice and it is clear that he is one of the guys that everyone loves to talk to and be around.

As the season kicks off, Tirschman has one goal in mind for his return to the professional game with the Blast.

"I hope to be the one not to make them lose the championship," he said with a laugh.





Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com