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designated players
brothers in arms
There is an argument over the ethics of publishing pictures from war.
Honesty versus brutality. Need versus no point at all. I’m not sure where exactly I fall on that argument; I can see the good in both. The irrevocable, if but unfair, comparison of sport and war was on my mind Sunday, wading through the bodies strewn across the field. Wherever they were at that moment, they fell. Men, boys really, in tears, some for more than just a few moments, shedding more than just a tear. I witnessed boys wailing.
Walking in silent awe, I didn’t know whether to take the photographs or not. I raised my camera and shot a few frames before pushing it back into my pocket. I tried, but it didn’t feel right. I was a voyeur in an intimate situation. Let coach and star-player be. Let boys be boys.
The streak is over. Martin Luther King, Jr. High School lost on Sunday in the New York City PSAL championship game… at least on the scoreboard. Early rounds, quarter finals, semis, 80 minutes and a ten minute overtime period in the final game: King was winning. The ball was at their feet for nearly 90 percent of the finals, the other team an overzealous puppy chasing the rolling ball. No astute soccer fan left thinking that puppy, the 2005 New York City Champion, was the better team. But this is soccer. This is sports, and it is cruel. The better team doesn’t always win. They don’t often get beaten, but they can lose.
On one of the most beautiful days of the fall, in the 98th minute, a defender fell, a goalie was forced from his line, and the ball trickled in. The golden goal was not King’s. For the first time in six years, the trophy, just another piece of plastic, will sit in another school.
But the crown remains intact.
The streak is over. But is the dynasty? I, for one, am not so sure. While several all-stars, including Diego Mayanga and the nation’s 10th best recruit, Christian Camacho, will be lost, others remain. There is the unprecedented smoothness and ball-handling of Steven Amaya to lead the team through traffic and the stellar goal-keeping of Luis Balbuena to hold down the house in what very well may be closer contests next year. And of course, there is Jake. He will be back for at least one more year – “I owe it to the juniors” – but he’s not sure after that.
Muted melancholy was the feeling of the day. You hated the loss, but you had to love the relationships that won no matter what the scoreboard read, and I’m not sure sport is fair; rule books be damned. As a writer, I’ve gotten to spend a lot of time with the people whose stories I’ve told, lives I’ve shared. At some point, I finish the story. I leave them and return to my life. There have been Native Americans in Alaska, a famous soul singer, and others. Leaving left me with nothing but the feeling that I had a great story, but King has been different. Maybe it’s because I’ve been through what they have. I’ve been the teenager wanting to win, wanting to impress, and not wanting to let your coach, that father figure down. I’ve lived the wins, the losses, the agony of defeat. I can relate (we all can, can’t we), but I don’t think that’s it. I think it has something to do with what Jake said: “King soccer is about getting a better life.”
Sunday was a down day for the MLK Family, into which I’ve been adopted these last few months. I didn’t think I would take it so hard, but those tears in the eyes of Christian, Muhammad, and Stephen broke me down. What I realized after the game, besides the fact that I didn’t want to shoot photographs, was that I got much more from my time with the team than just a good story. King soccer IS about getting a better life - and I found it doesn’t just happen for the players. It’s everyone who the program touches.
So, here’s to Jake and all the guys who ever laced ‘em up for King. May your futures shine as bright as the legacy you have built with King Soccer. And may you remain brothers in arms.
Dr Gordon Anderson
on Nov 18th, 2005 - 9:38am
Dear Adam:
Jake sends me updates on the team but your articles made their season come to life. Thanks
James T. Stewart
on Nov 18th, 2005 - 12:55pm
I have just completed reading Adam’s comments, I have never met Coach Jacobson or the players on this year’s team, but I can truly identify with and support all of what he has written.
I have had the priviledge of having two of his players at Bethel College, Bouna Coundel and Tourey, both of them were perfect gentlemen and reprsented King soccer and their former Coach very well.
These young men and their families, are much better off for having been members of the King soccer experience.
I think King’s soccer Dynasty will survie as long as those in control realize what they have in Martin and his work with the young men that are a part of his soccer program.
Jim
Brian
on Nov 19th, 2005 - 11:21pm
With all do respect Mr. Spangler, while your article may be moving and touching, you fail to recognize the achievements of Beacon. My name is Brian Handell, a 2005 graduate of Beacon and two-year captain of Beacon’s varsity Soccer team. Dethroning a champion like king is a significant accomplishment, regardless of how it was done. King was not the better team on that day, the hardware speaks for itself. They had chances to put the ball in the back of the net and failed to do so. Beacon on the other hand had but one chance and buried it went it mattered most. So I don’t want to hear about King’s dynasty anymore, it has come to an end. I have the utmost repsect for Martin Luther King and what they have done, but this year belongs to Beacon.
samuel
on Nov 20th, 2005 - 2:45am
Well this past week an amazing game was played by both King and Beacon. I was present and so were 50 other beacon fans. How can this man say King had 90% ball control, in 24 years of high school soccer this was one of the fairest, evenest games i have ever seen. With the game endign in double overtime it is just great, a perfect end to a most amazing season. To a most amazing beacon team. They have wanted this for four years and it is theirs.
Beacon CHAMPIONS
BEACON CHAMPIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
wow!!!!!!!!!!!
Freeman
on Nov 20th, 2005 - 1:20pm
I am not upset about all those comments him made. But, there is one thing that this guy really need to know again. we are the champions and there is nothing they can do about it. My big goal was to score agaisnt MLK and i did in front of the big stage of all.What else they want? a reply? i dont think so.
MLK FO LIFE
on Nov 20th, 2005 - 2:35pm
King is the best in the city and will always be champions…Next year king will come back and win another city title. Let Beacon have their one and only soccer year of joy but know, that MLK are and will always be the the champions….
After all,
were the KINGS of NY.
Luis Balbuena
on Nov 21st, 2005 - 3:32pm
We have five players from the national pool,
WHAT BEACON GOT
we got eight championships
WHAT BEACON GOT
we got the best players in the city
WHAT BEACON GOT
we got the best soccer in New York and it’s never gonna change
To Beacon:
Congratulations to Beacon and their coach
but we will be back even stronger next year
A Real HS. Champ: Max Medina
on Nov 21st, 2005 - 5:39pm
I don’t understand why the people from beacon are criticizing Adam’s article, everything said there is nothing but the truth.
Something I noticed is that some people can’t spell, or write properly.
King: All time champs will come back next year and take it again, and again the years to come after that, because Coach Jacobson is staying.
I want to let some people know that the soccer field for them next year, is going to be hell. That is for you…16 year old freshman, lol.
Adam I want to say sorry for the people that kind of started a fight in your guestbook, they admire us so much that they keep in touch with everything that has to do with us.
Adam: the article was great, people from every HS, parents and whoever read it, admitted that the article was great and that King deserved it more, the stats show it. When I read the article I thought “he couldnt have said it in a better way”
MLK FO LIFE
on Nov 22nd, 2005 - 7:35pm
Thats right MLK will always be the Champs
beacon………
Just retire
as
on Nov 23rd, 2005 - 12:21pm
well we still king thats what matters we still the boys who win 17-0 or 3-0 same difference bEAcon aint nothing compared to mLk it was Our “fathers” choice but we Still king Untill we came along u guys didnt even know what soccer was!!!
CAmacho keep doing ur thing
ma bad i couldnt be there
BC
on Nov 24th, 2005 - 11:33am
I have to admit, i don’t know who these schools are and who these people are. I am from VA. I do know about the disapointments and pleasures of soccer. I have been on a team of dynasty for the past few years. I have seen a state championship and a loss in a final for state championship, and many other great titles. And i have also seen many disapointments in soccer. But after each win and each loss, you become a better man. That is, if you are man enough to try to. And yes I know what it is like to loose a BIG game to a rival. And on the contrary, to win a BIG game to a rival, that we were suppost to loose. So all these comments left before mine, and to those players on both teams, look for the best of eachother, and become better MEN through it. Not angry or proud because of it. After all……its a dumb sport. Life still goes on! (although i do admit, soccer is the best sport in the world and i will always LOVE soccer)
Ed Jennings
on Nov 28th, 2005 - 6:19pm
Remember
Win or lose …through sport we have the chance to think, hope and dream to be great. The kids on both teams used their skills and their minds and learned what it takes to be successful in life. Their coaches instilled in them and may they always remember it was - Hard work, dreams and dedication that led to their success.
amaya
on Nov 28th, 2005 - 8:08pm
Adam:I really enjoyed all of your articles on king and i really appreciate you following us throughout our season. Eventhough we lost i believe we won something even more valuable than a trophy. We learned a lesson that will strengthen us as individuals,as a team, and will last forever. We learned that nothing is a guarantee and that on any given day even a team like beacon can beat the best team in the city (KING). We learned that overconfidence can cost us in the end and we had to learn that the hard way. However, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger and this definetely didn’t kill us. We will come back stronger than ever and win yet another city championship because WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS!
Again thanks a lot for your support and amazing stories.
P.S. Congrats to Beacon and enjoy your title for only one year!
Steven L. Johnson
on Jan 5th, 2006 - 9:36am
To Freeman:
Please remember when you are leaving a blog entry that it is an international stage. You are representing your school and owe it to the teachers and educators that have worked over the years to try to sound reasonably intelligent.
You said “I am not upset about all those comments him made”. At the very least it should have been “I am not upset about all those comments he made”. But it would have been best to say “I am not upset about all those comments Adam made”. Then the reader would have no doubt who you were referring to.
“But, there is one thing that this guy really need to know again” should have been “needs to know.” The “again” doesn’t really make any sense unless you are saying he used to know it but has forgotten. Again, we are left to guess whom “this guy” is, we assume Adam, but who knows? You stated “My big goal was to score against MLK and i did in front of the big stage of all”. “The biggest stage” of all would have been correct grammar. Of course calling the New York City championship game the “big stage of all” is laughable to the rest of us. How does it compare to an NCAA Division One game, a MLS game, or gosh, a World Cup game?
“What else they want?”, I wish you could have spared the time to type a “do” here.
And lastly we have the issue of all those lower case “i”s to represent the “I” pronoun.
Your response certainly left me hoping they are teaching more than soccer at Beacon.
Most importantly you failed to realize that this article was not about a single game. It was about, a team, a brotherhood, a coach who is changing lives through soccer and helping to raise men. Your petty attempt to make the article about you only diminishes you and the school you represent.
Jose Belalacazar
on Jan 21st, 2007 - 8:30pm
STEVEN AMAYA IDK IF YOU REMEMBER ME BUT I WAS IN THE MILLENIUM SOCCER KIDS AND I JUST WATED TO SAY GOOD LUCK IV’E READ LOTS OF THINGS ABOUT YOU AND I HOPE YOUR CAREER IN THE RED BULLS BECOMES VERY GOOD FOR YOU
BULLS from SOCCER-TOWN-FRANKFURT/GERMANY
on Feb 27th, 2009 - 3:44am
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