THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, August 11, 1994 TAG: 9408090181
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 26 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Sports
SOURCE: BY DENISE MICHAUX, COMPASS SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Medium: 85 lines
Imagine a soccer field with grass so green and immaculately trimmed it resembles a pool table.
Imagine a stadium filled to capacity with fans.
Imagine a city so excited about soccer the domed roof of its city hall was overlayed with a soccer ball banner.
Sound like soccer heaven?
Well, not exactly. But for a few glorious days that is what Orlando, Fla., felt like to former Granby boys soccer coach Mike McStay.
McStay, who left Granby after being named the Eastern District coach of the year to focus on his son and Norfolk's travel league, was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to work as a field producer for the first round of games held at the Citrus Bowl.
``It was an unbelievable experience,'' McStay said. ``I was sitting in on FIFA (the governing body of world soccer) meetings, dope control meetings. . . it was tense at times and very serious, but it was great being able to see everything from the background.''
McStay's on-field responsibilities included receiving instructions from the booth to help get the games started on time and coordinating everything with ESPN's television coverage.
While the World Cup left everyone wondering if U.S. soccer will ever reach the level Italy or Brazil have achieved, McStay takes a different approach.
``I'm not sure that it really has to reach that level to thrive,'' McStay said. ``It's a game of tradition and really when you think about it no pro league has ever made it here.''
Until the Cup, soccer has never had much success as a spectator sport in this country. Even after the Cup had been captured by Brazil, you couldn't open a newspaper or magazine without reading some criticism of the shootout.
``FIFA is planning on doing something to change that,'' McStay said. ``I think a sudden death period would be better so they would have had to play until they scored.
``For the average American person that was a dissappointing game. They would rather see a 4-3 score or something. To me, watching as a coach, it was a very tactical game. But I do think the shootout was a terrible way to end it.''
McStay's family joined him in Orlando, including 12-year-old son, Patrick.
``I think he was inspired by it all,'' McStay said. ``After every game the kids would grab a ball and run outside and play. I think it gave them a real shot in the arm.''
It's so easy to do just that at any time - grab a ball and go play - that may be the reason soccer suffers as a spectator sport.
``Any real players want to be out behind the bleachers playing,'' McStay said. ``You go to any game and after a while all of the kids are off somewhere kicking a ball around, which is exactly what they need to be doing.''
After 18 years of coaching high school, including eight years at Granby, a 1 1/2-year stint as an assistant at Old Dominion, as well as several years of working the Tampa Bay Rowdies' national soccer camps, the chance to be a part of a World Cup would seem to cap a fruitful career.
Don't tighten the lid just yet.
``It renewed my spirit a little bit,'' McStay said. ``I left there so proud of how the U.S. put on the World Cup. It really renewed my spirits for the game.''
McStay is taking those renewed spirits and focusing them on Norfolk's age-group play and all-star travel teams.
In three years as the director of coaching for Norfolk soccer, McStay has watched interest in age-group play in the area blossom from 300 to 2,000 players.
Norfolk soccer has lagged behind Virginia Beach and Richmond, but McStay expects that to change.
``The interest and support are there,'' McStay said. ``It has grown by leaps and bounds.''
And spending more time watching his son play soccer played no small role in McStay's decision to leave Granby.
``I really feel like I had taken Granby as far as I could,'' McStay said. `` My son is getting older and I want to see him play more. I was just ready to sit back and enjoy soccer.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by JIM WALKER
Mike McStay, here issuing a Norfolk Youth Soccer Camp T-shirt to
Justin Lindarich, is focusing on age-group and all-star travel
teams.
by CNB