The Cape is Heating Up Thanks to UCSB's Tom Myers

By Mike Takeuchi

(*Note a truncated version appeared in another publication)

Thanks to a local, “the Cape” starts heating up today. The Santa Barbara Foresters aren’t the only collegiate team area residents are following this week as Tom Myers, the associate head coach for the UCSB baseball team, will lead the Brewster Whitecaps into the first round of the Cape Cod League playoffs today against the Orleans Firebirds.

Myers manages a team that plays in the venerable summer wood bat league that was established in 1885. In addition to its longevity is its prestige-the Cape Cod League has produced over 70 Big League all-stars over the past 30 years, as well as Hall of Famers like Pie Traynor.

“It is special to be part of such a rich tradition in baseball,” Myers said. “It’s even greater to be able manage in their playoffs.”

Established in 1988, the team plays at Stony Brook Field in Brewster, Massachusetts, a town of about 10,000 that is located 85 miles southeast of Boston. Team alumni include Major League players Troy Tulowitzki, Billy Wagner, and Ryan Braun. Under Myers, the Whitecaps have reached the league playoffs for the first time since 2006 and hope to win another championship they last won in 2000. After a steady season attendance of over 1,000 per game, General Manager Ned Monthie said that playoff fever is hitting their area.

“After missing out on the playoffs by (one win) last year, we are very excited to be back in the playoffs,” Monthie said. “And it’s not just the players and the organization, but the entire town.”

And Monthie thinks he has the right guy to lead the team.

“He relates well with the players and is just a solid individual,” Monthie said.

After being ranked No. 1 in the country by PG Crosschecker for most of the summer, an eight-game winless streak at the end of July dropped them down to fifth. By winning four of their last five, the Whitecaps finished second in the east division at 26-17-1, one half game behind regular season champion the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox.

In games scheduled today, Saturday, and if necessary, Sunday, Brewster will host the first and final contest of the three-game series, with the winner advancing to face the winner of the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox (a team that UCSB’s Mario Hollands and Jesse Meaux pitched for ) vs. the Harwich Mariners in another best-of-three set. The survivor of that series will go on to face the western division winner.

“Hopefully we will have some momentum going into the playoffs,” Myers said. “But it’s going to be a challenge because from top to bottom, the league has a lot of talent, especially the arms.”

Initially blessed with high quality pitchers like LSU ace and 39^th overall Red Sox draft pick Anthony Ranaudo, as well as Georgia’s Mike Pallazzone and Cal State Fullerton’s Daniel Rencken, his staff has whittled a bit due to players leaving for school or the pros.

“That’s the nature of summer ball,” Myers said.

But he added that he still liked his chances with Matt Larkins from UC Riverside throwing tonight, and then Long Beach State’s Andrew Gagnon on Saturday. The Whitecaps are led at the plate by Memphis University’s Drew Martinez who has a .359 average, 52 hits, 22 stolen bases, and 18 RBI. Other run producers include Andy Burns (University of Arizona, 18 RBI and 25 stolen bases), and Danny Oh (Cal, 15 RBI). Taylor Ard is swinging the bat well in a rivalry that is not as fierce as one would suspect a top league would have.

As Myers was going over his team, his Friday opponent’s manager Kelly Nicholson briefly took over the conversation.

“Ask him how he plans to pitch to the Firebirds,” Nicholson shouted into the phone. “Ask him how those (expletive) will try to get us out!”

“We all get along pretty well here, especially Kelly and (Yarmouth-Dennis manager) Scott Pickler,” Myers laughed. “Because Kelly coaches at Loyola Marymount and Scott coaches at Cypress College, we have a nice California connection. Those guys really took me under their wings at first. But that’s the way it is out here. Beat each other up on the field, but go out to dinner afterward.”

Friends in the Summer, Rivals During the School Year, Potential Major Leaguers in the Future(?)

(From Left: Rice University's Matthew Reckling, Jeremy Rathjen, and Michael
Ratterree "seriously" face off against Santa Barbara Foresters teammates
and University of Texas Rivals Hoby Milner and Sam Stafford)

Reprinted Article by Mike Takeuchi

Original Photo by Eric Isaacs of EMI Photography (emiphotography.com)


Over the last year, Sam Stafford and Jeremy Rathjen have gone from being mere acquaintances to rivals, to training partners, and roommates during their second stint with the Foresters. They hope to one day be colleagues in the major leagues.

And if Rathjen, an outfielder from Rice University, and University of Texas left-handed pitcher Stafford do make it, they may have each other to thank — much as they would hate to admit it publicly.

"We push each other pretty hard," Rathjen said. "Even though he lifts weights like a pitcher."

"I admit he can lift much more in the upper body, but he makes what, two, maybe three throws in a game?" Stafford said. "I accept that I have to do lighter weights. He's the one with the ego. I just check mine at the door."

The 20 year olds are part of a contingent of Foresters from the Houston area — including Rice teammates Matthew Reckling and Michael Ratterree, Keifer Nuncio, a teammate of Stafford's at Texas, and Texas State outfielder Jeff McVaney.

Stafford and Rathjen hit it off immediately after meeting in 2009. Their love of baseball and desire to get to the game's highest level have produced a strong bond — but one often filled with good-natured trash talk.

This summer Stafford and Rathjen have been counted on by the Foresters to being major cogs in the team's efforts to win the National Baseball Congress World Series. Dos Pueblos alumnus Chris Joyce takes the mound today against the Casa Grande (Arizona) Cotton Kings in the teams' tournament opener, and Stafford is expected to start game on Thursday. Rathjen will start in center field.

"Sam and Jeremy are two of our key guys to help us win this thing," Foresters manager and Angels scout Bill Pintard said. "Because of their talent, positive attitude, and the willingness to work hard, they are also two guys who have a legitimate chance to play at the next level."

In starting all 63 games for the Conference USA regular-season champions Rice, Rathjen hit .317 with 13 home runs and 69 RBI. He has followed that by hitting .320 with 26 RBI for the Foresters despite starting the season late due to his team's NCAA Regionals appearance.

"Jeremy has improved by leaps and bounds as a player, and is becoming a star-classed player," Rice coach Wayne Graham said in a phone interview. "We need to get to (the College World Series in) Omaha, and I think he is one lead us there."

Foresters hitting coach Gary Woods raves about Rathjen's skills on the field and in life.

"He is a legitimate five-tool player," Woods said. "But he is also a superstar person, someone you'd want for a son or the type of guy you'd want your daughter to marry. The same with Sam."

Stafford started seven games for the Longhorns and went 1-0 with a 2.61 ERA and 29 strikeouts in 20 innings pitched. He has ramped up his potential this summer by using a 94 mph fastball and wicked curve to go 3-0 in five starts with an eye-popping 0.33 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 28 innings.

"Sam has the drive, the arm, and the potential to go a long way with us," Texas coach Augie Garrido said earlier this month.

Foresters pitching coach Dan Yokubaitis has seen how that motivation has helped Stafford improve between his two stints with the team.

"Last year, Sam would be pretty good, but he always seemed to have that one bad inning each game," Yokubaitis said. "But this year, he hasn't had one bad inning total. His velocity has jumped up, as has his fire."

While roommates at the home of their host parents, Rick and Cindy Jackson, Rathjen and Stafford make daily workouts where their competitive juices flow.

"Don't let his quiet demeanor fool you. Jeremy is probably the most competitive person I know," Stafford said. "Cards, video games, weightlifting, anything. The guy bench presses 295 pounds... . He is over-the-top."

"I am competitive, especially in the gym because I feel I have to push Samuel," Rathjen replied.

Stafford does have one thing he can boast about to Rathjen — head-to-head match-ups. As Stafford chest pumped up in jest, he recalls the time when he got the best of his roommate. Rathjen's grounder up the middle was picked by current Texas and former Foresters shortstop Brandon Loy to rob him of a hit in a game the Longhorns won, 5-1.

"One at-bat, and it took one of the best shortstops in the country to help him" Rathjen said, rolling his eyes.

While the two joked like those old cartoon crows Heckle and Jeckle and consumed large amounts of food at Petrini's restaurant, their tone changed when talking about playing together.

"On the field he plays as hard as anyone," Stafford said. "In one game I had a guy on first and gave up a single. With the runner going to third, Jeremy charged it and just hosed the guy at third for the out to get me out of a jam. He is as good as they come in center.

"Plus, he has a calm demeanor that helps the dugout. While some guys might get down or mad, he keeps it light."

Rathjen, however, credits Stafford for making defense easy.

"I don't really move in center field when Sam pitches," Rathjen said. "One time I told him I wanted to go an entire game without moving, and sure enough, the only time I ran was from the dugout out into the field and back when the inning was over. That's it.

"I have enjoyed watching him, especially from this side of the field. His other pitches are good, but his fastball is just unfair."

While they don't talk about Rice's elimination at the hands of Texas in the NCAA Regionals in June, they do discuss playing against and with each other.

Wherever they end up, competition will trump friendship ever so briefly.

"The only time I really root against him is we play them," Stafford said. "If he hits the ball hard and it's on the warning track as long as it's an out, that's fine."

"Sam's going to be a weekend pitcher (where teams line up their top pitchers) at Texas this year, I'm sure of it," Rathjen said. "And we will probably only play them in a mid-week game. But if we do meet up in a regional or even the College World Series, I think I may have to take him deep a couple of times."

"We will have to wait and see about that," Stafford said. "Indeed."

With Marcus Elliott, the Seattle Mariners are Ahead of the Game

By Mike Takeuchi
Reprinted Article

Despite currently residing at the bottom of the American League West standings, the Seattle Mariners may just be ahead of the game.

Just like sabermetrics has revolutionized the sport in terms of analyzing baseball statistics and turning them into plausible outcomes, modern physiological science is replacing long-held and often incorrect tenets in how ballplayers are trained. And Mariners General Manager Jack Zduriencik is counting on local resident Dr. Marcus Elliott to be at the forefront of this movement in the sport.

After years of research and practical training while working with elite athletes individually as well as the NFL's New England Patriots and the NBA's Utah Jazz, the Harvard trained-Elliott is now the Director of Sport Science and Performance for MLB's Seattle franchise. Hired at the start of spring training this year, the owner of Santa Barbara's Peak Performance Project or P3 is currently working with the organization's entire minor league roster while making plans to work with the Big League club next year.

"We are just trying to do things that work for us, things that are necessary as you look at ways to improve players' performance by embracing sabermetrics and helping them achieve their maximum physical potential," Zduriencik said. "And Marcus' cutting-edge approach is what we were looking for."

In addition to his long resume', that included doing research with South African running guru Tim Noakes (his "The Lore of Running" is the definitive book on the sport), the 44-year-old has worked extensively with baseball players for several years-including local Major Leaguers Ryan Spillborghs and Virgil Vasquez, as well as the White Sox Carlos Quentin, Twins outfielder Delmon Young, and Detroit Tigers and American League Rookie of the Year candidate Brennan Boesch.

While working in other sports, the amiable sports scientist has long held a fascination with baseball players. While watching their moments, he believed that the first key was recognizing the need for different training programs for athletes of different sports, knowing the tools the athlete possesses, and then bringing to them a sophisticated, higher level of training.

"Some trainers insist there are no differences in training athletes in different sports," Elliott said on Wednesday. "That couldn't be farther from the truth. In basketball, players like (Jazz guard) Deron Williams work on their athleticism. In baseball, the main thing is hip rotation-something that trainers who have been around for 20 years still haven't grasped."

The Santa Barbaran cringes when discussing other training techniques such as "three sets of ten reps" weight training and flush runs", three to five-mile training runs pitchers are bound to do the day after they throw to "flush out" lactic acid supposedly incurred while on the mound [In several online publications, such as the Harvard Medical Review and Scientific American, lactic acid buildup is caused by anaerobic glycolisis, or the breaking down of energy that is caused by anaerobic activity (such as sprinting) for a period of around one to three minutes without rest or recovery. It takes a pitcher about three seconds to throw a pitch that is followed by a 30 second recovery].

"A pitcher would have to sprint down from the top of the stadium to the mound, throw the pitch, and do it again without complete recovery to build lactic acid," Elliott said. "When I was up in Seattle, I asked (former Seattle and current Rangers pitcher) Cliff Lee if he still ran after starts, and he admitted that he hadn't in years."

Elliott added that players in the same sports who even play the same position can have completely different needs and points to left fielders Young and Boesch as the perfect examples. While Boesch is in his first year in the Majors, the fifth-year veteran Young is coming off a sub-par year by his standards.

"I saw a strong kid, who hadn't been exposed to the intricacies of how his body worked," Elliot said on April 5. "In addition to flexibility and core strengthening, we worked on his right ankle mobility. Being a right-handed batter, Delmon generates all his power from that leg. Also, it would definitely help in his speed on the bases and in the outfield."

"Coming in, my body was naturally tight," Young said on. "Once I started getting into the routine, it began to open up and I was able to increase my strength and improve my speed while having better form. I haven't felt this good since 2005."

It seems to be working-the 24-year-old is currently batting .308, 24 points higher than in 2009, has already exceeded his RBI totals, and is one home run shy of the previous year.

Elliot said that Boesch's situation was much different in that he only needed a refinement in his training.

"Brennan had all the intangibles that make up a decent ball player, good eye-hand coordination, heart, and the ability to deal with failure over and over-plus he was just a beast," Elliott said. "But the one thing he was lacking was the rotational power from his hips that prevented him from hitting home runs."

Boesch, who began coming to Santa Barbara three winters ago and now makes his off-season home here, began to notice the difference in 2008 while in the minor leagues.

"After my first off-season with Marcus, I felt like I had some more power, but I also noticed that I was able to increase my speed and become more flexible," Boesch said on May 23. "I was pretty greedy in wanting myself to become a better baseball player, and he's helped me satisfy my thirst."

The numbers don't lie, his personal hitting coach Craig Wallenbrock said. While pointing out his Boesch's first season in the Majors (.329 average with 12 home runs, and 50 RBI), the longtime coach, who tutors or has worked with Ryan Braun, Chase Utley, and Travis Ishikawa as well, said that Elliott was the type of specialist he had been looking for in a long while.

"I was skeptical of most of the trainers I've met, because they were into the cookie cutting mode of building strength," Wallenbrock said. "And it wasn't functional for a baseball player. Marcus was the first guy I came across that really understood the movements of the sport. And after working together for a few years, he is someone I could trust anyone with and because of his positive attitude, someone I enjoy working with."

While flattered by the praise, Elliott took great pains in saying that contemporaries Glenn Fleisig and Alan Jaeger as well as a few others were doing equally important work in the evolving science. However, the Harvard Medical School graduate was the first to be hired by the team. After several talks with general managers as well as the Angels Mike Scioscia, someone Elliott greatly admires, after meetings with Zduriencik and Carmen Fusco, the Mariners were the first team to commit to him.

"The Mariners were committed from top to bottom to commit to a program by hiring two full time staffers and agreeing to add one more a year until all levels are staffed," Elliot said. "They recognized that you can't pay a young kid fresh out of college with limited experience $10,000 a year to handle multi-million dollar ballplayers."

Although he has yet to work with the Big League team, Elliott already recognized he is taking on a larger challenge than he was used to. On his first day on the job in February, he met the entire minor league program, a group that more than covered the infield of the team's main spring training practice field in Peoria, Arizona. Since then, he has traveled several times to Seattle to meet with team officials and players on their Triple-A affiliate in Tacoma.

He is high on several players including pitcher Michael Pineda, a right-hander whose velocity jumped from the low 90's to 97 on the gun and infielder Dustin Ackley. While Pineda was in single A, Ackley was drafter out of the University of North Carolina last year. After performing "off the charts" in their first exposure to the program in spring training, both are currently in Triple A-one step from the Major Leagues.

"We are still early in the process, the timing was not ideal, right before spring training," Elliott said. "It will be better in the off season so the players will have time to get a full winter of training and instruction and gives us the opportunity to for us to monitor everyone's progress. It's heartening to hear these kids getting excited about this even though their current season isn't over yet."

At a bumping P3 on Saturday, while his wife Nadine played coach to their very energetic son Keean (31/2), and fed strawberries to the fruit-stained mouth of daughter Kira (10 months), Elliott went over progress graphs on the big screen with Mariners scout Dennis Gonsalves. Gonsalves thought so much of the program, he and his wife Rose drove up from Torrance to have their son Gabriel assessed. With youth, high school, college, and professional athletes working out around them, the message was clear. They knew what Seattle may soon know-that the future is now.

What's next U.S. Soccer and South Africa?

Mike Takeuchi
Reprinted Article.

Now what?

While Spain's victory over the Netherlands in the final brought a mostly satisfying conclusion to the World Cup, questions within these borders and beyond won't be answered until 2014 and possibly even further in the future.

The bleating of vuvuzelas, questionable officiating, and some dastardly deeds (Luis Suarez comes to mind) aside, this was an exciting Cup to watch. It was punctuated by a final that was not exactly one for the ages, but was exciting enough and at the very least provided a winner that was decided before the dreaded penalty kicks.

The Final between Spain and the Netherlands reminded this writer of the battles between the Lakers and the Pistons in the late1980's, not an epic one of historic proportions like Lakers/Celtics, but serviceable and exciting enough to provide good drama. While La Furia Roja provided the flowing passing and stars like Iniesta and David Villa akin to the Magic/Kareem Lakers, Le Oranje had the wonderful talents of Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben that paralleled the Isaiah Thomas/Bill Laimbeer teams that were often overshadowed by claims of the team's rough play and thespian acumen that pulled the Lakers then, and to a degree Spain on Sunday, down with them.

And while it gave this writer the excitement of watching his favorite player, Andres Iniesta, score the winning goal in the Final after 32 years of enviously watching others enjoy the same thing, the final goal had me wondering if that hero would ever be wearing the red, white and blue.

While Landon Donovan and company provided American fans with thrills, their round of 16 exit was probably a couple of games too early to make any lasting impact to carry over to Brazil in 2014, and here in 2018, or more likely 2022.

A USA Today poll shortly after the US was eliminated said that 44 per cent of American fans would stop watching the World Cup-turning their attention to the LeBron reality show, the Major League All Star Game, and even Lance Armstrong in the Tour de France until he fell out of contention on Sunday. This has followed a well-worn pattern of no Americans, no interest. It will be interesting to see in the near future how the governing body will move ahead despite not getting the momentum they were hoping for.

But the above concerns are nitpicky compared to wonder about the future of the host country, South Africa. With the 25 per cent unemployment rate only slightly and temporarily abated by the jobs created by the arrival of the Cup. The $5 billion spent to construct and operate may put the country deep in the red like post 2004 Athens. While Greece's economic downturn wasn't directly attributed to the Olympics, it did have a significant impact while also leaving many former sporting arenas abandoned and neglected, which was later repeated in Beijing following the 2008 Games.

During the matches, there were a lot of things viewers weren't exposed to, including the story about a stadium in the city of Mbombela (formerly Nelspruit) that hosted five matches. Here, they relocated several thousands of residents out of what was considered a shanty or slum to an area a few kilometers away outside of ABC or ESPN camera eyes. Of course, stories like these have been relegated to asides on television or to the inner pages of other publications.

But that aside, there were no major problems of crime or other major issues reported and the host country showed its graciousness and exposed South Africa's true beauty to the rest of the world. One day after celebrating a unifying event, residents were hopeful that they could sustain the good will and raise the status of their country and people that merely 16 years ago, was under apartheid rule. Here's hoping they will.

All Whites All Right

By Mike Takeuchi

Reprinted Article.

For Tony Lochhead, home may be where the heart is, but South Africa is where his passion still lies.

Following the most successful World Cup run in New Zealand National Team history, the former UCSB soccer player returned to his home in Wellington, New Zealand, on Monday filled with mixed emotions. After making the World Cup group for the first time since their inaugural trip in 1982, the All Whites exceeded their country's expectations and world media predictions by earning three points in Group F and staying unbeaten. Despite this, the team's third-place finish in the group eliminated them from reaching the knockout round.

"Its a great feeling of pride to go there and be undefeated," the 28-year-old said. "We read a lot of stuff written about our team some saying that we shouldn't even be there. So we were quietly looking to prove all those people wrong"

And they did.

On June 15, the team opened the tournament with a 1-1 draw against Slovakia. On June 20, a Shane Smeltz goal early in the match helped the world's 78th-ranked team finish even with No. 5 and defending Cup champion Italy, to put them in position to get into the 16-team knockout round with a win against Paraguay on June 24.

But Paraguay, which merely needed a tie to advance to the next round, played possession soccer and didn't give New Zealand's offense a chance to score in a 0-0 tie.

"It was a funny game," Lochhead said. "We went into it with the same mind set as the previous two. But I guess with Paraguay really only needing a draw, they weren't really coming as forward as much which made it harder for us to create anything. I felt in the second half we had a few more opportunities but not as many as the previous games."

As the team walked off the pitch, Lochhead felt sadness first, but also satisfaction.

"It was a disappointing feeling," he said. "You get a taste of being close to that next round and you really wanted to be there. But on the other hand, if someone had said that you would be undefeated in the tournament before we started, we would have been happy with that as well."

New Zealand was the fifth team in World Cup history to make it through the group stage without dropping a match, a fact that gives New Zealand coach Ricki Herbert - who has led the team since 2005 and was a member of the only other New Zealand team to qualify for the quadrennial tournament - great satisfaction.

"It's quite emotional for us," Herbert told the Associated Press. "It was our second time at the World Cup and to completely reverse what we've done before is quite amazing. The future looks bright for the team."

Lochhead said he will look back at this World Cup with great joy.

"It was an amazing time away," he said. "It was just overall an awesome experience that I will probably look back on many years from now and still be proud of what our team has done."

During the Cup, all of New Zealand was reveling in the team's success according to UCSB student Nishika Kumble. Kumble, who went to high school in Auckland where her parents Sarita and Anand, and her sister Leyla still reside, was in New Zealand during the team's run.

"The country was going crazy for the team," Kumble said. "You can't even get an All Whites jersey anywhere. (This popularity is good) because I think it gives New Zealand more athletic credibility and recognition on the world stage."

Lochhead hopes that will in turn grow the program even more.

"I just hope that the people in charge of Football NZ are going to build on this and make sure we are in a position to do even better the next time round," he said.

Lochhead on Drawing with Italy

By Mike Takeuchi

New Zealand's Tie with Paraguay, didn't allow UCSB's Tony Lochhead and the All Whites to Advance. But it did give them three points in the World Cup Final, which is unprecedented for the country of merely four-million people. They also tied defending champion Italy. Tony talks about that big upset.

When the final whistle sounded Sunday confirming New Zealand's shocking 1-1 tie with defending champion Italy on Sunday, along with several local fans, most of the four million people in defender Tony Lochhead's country celebrated like there was no tomorrow.
The win, prompted the normally understated New Zealand coach Ricki Herbert to say that the result “stopped the nation.” Lochhead concurred with Herbert, who not only coaches the former UCSB standout on the national team, but also on the Wellington Phoenix of the Australian League, the only professional soccer team based in New Zealand. Shortly after the match, the 28-year-old took the time to express his thoughts to the News-Press.
“People are buzzing right now about football,” Lochhead said. “That is all everyone is talking about (at home) right now.”
He then went on to describe key moments in the match.
The All Whites stunned the Azzuri seven minutes into the game when a long free kick from Simon Elliot glanced off a falling Fabio Cannavaro to Shane Smelts, who pushed the ball into the net for the match's first score. It would be New Zealand's only shot on goal all day, but it gave his countrymen hope for an upset. But Lochhead said his teammates didn't share that thought.
“It was still so early into the game and Italy is such a good side that I don’t think you could ever get too far ahead (of ourselves into thinking about winning),” he said. “It was an amazing feeling when that ball went into the back of the net, though.”
Italy, took advantage of a slight tug from Tommy Smith on Daniele De Rossi inside the penalty area to gain a disputed penalty shot. Vincenzo Iaquinta converted to tie the score in the 27th minute and left the two teams knotted at halftime.
“Obviously we were disappointed to let them get a goal even thought it was a little suspect,” Lochhead said. “But if you had said to us we would be 1-1 at half time with the World Champs in the World Cup, we would have taken it. So it was more about focusing on the next 45 minutes.”
While the All Whites could not organize a run at Italy's goal, the Azzuri threw everything they had in a desperate attempt to get the three points for the win. The All Whites proved game as the defense turned away several chances, while New Zealand goalkeeper, who is Lochhead's teammate on Wellington, stopped three shots-including a diving right handed deflection in the 70th minute off the foot of Riccardo Montolivo that seemed destined for a goal.
“It was a busy day in the office for us tonight but I felt like we did well to contain them,” Lochhead said.” They have some pretty talented players who play in the top leagues in the world. I thought Pasty had a great game and he came up with some great saves especially in the second half.”
With time winding down and a tie a possibility, New Zealand closed ranks tighter.
“At this point of the game we were just trying to come away with the draw,” Lochhead said. “(They) were pushing to get that winning goal. We were just making sure our shape was solid and trying to make it as difficult as possible for them to play through us.”
The plan worked and as the whistle blew, the 78th ranked team in the world stunned the defending champions.
(This is) Such an amazing feeling- a huge result for our country!” Lochhead said. “People were going crazy after the first result that we got. They are now going absolutely nuts now. Hopefully we can capitalize on all of this and lift football onto another level.”

UCSB's Tony Lochhead before he makes his WC Debut

As he walks through the darkened tunnel into the bright lights, the question will soon become known and the wonderment will cease-only to be replaced by a level of play he and many others have never seen before.

Just as Landon Donovan, Wayne Rooney, Lionel Messi, and a few dozen others did in the days before him, former UCSB men's soccer player Tony Lochhead will find out the answer if he and his team are as good as the worlds best soccer teams in the World Cup.

The 28-year-old and his teammates will represent New Zealand in the Cup for the first time since 1982 when they play Slovakia early this morning in their opening match at Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg. A few days before the first day of the tournament, he said he was very excited.

"I want to do well on the field, but I also want to enjoy the moment of being apart of the worlds biggest sporting event because it's not everyday you get to go to the World Cup," Lochhead said.

"Overall the team is feeling pretty good fitness wise because we have had a good training camp (in Austria). We have worked hard to make sure we are all on the same page."

The former Gaucho, who played from 2001 through 2004's College Cup finals reaching season, is back at full strength, after having surgery to repair an injured groin muscle following his Wellington Phoenix (Australian League) season. He said that he was good to go.

"My fitness is pretty good since I have played the last two (exhibition) games which has been a good test," Lochhead said. I feel like I (got) better with every game in terms of fitness. Right now, I'm just trying to focus on the job at hand we have three tough games against three quality teams"

In a group that includes defending champion Italy, as well as tough teams Paraguay and Slovakia, the 83rd ranked team (only host South Africa and North Korea are lower) is not considered a contender to make it to the knock-out round.

"It is always going to be tough for us but we have the belief," Lochhead said. "Playing against quality teams means you have to be switched on that much more or you can get punished. Which also means you have to work that much harder. But the team is quietly confident. We have three guys up front that are dangerous and can score for us."

The team will be particularly be relying on defender Lochhead and his defensive mates to hold the line to help give strikers Chris Killen, Tim Brown, and Shane Smeltz a chance to score. His team had mixed reviews of the four exhibition matches against Cup qualified teams, the All Whites won one, a 1-0 victory over Serbia near their training grounds in Austria. The three games were losses- a 2-0 decision against Mexico on March 3, a 2-1 game to rival Australia on May 24 in Melbourne, and a 3-1 loss to Slovenia, a team that is in Group C along with the United States.

The team's first opponent resembles the last of these and it is all on him and his defensive teammates, he said.

"They are a very similar team," Lochhead said." They play with a 4-4-2(formation) and are good on the ball, and the outside fullbacks like to bomb, so they can be dangerous if they are given too much time and space. So we will make sure we are solid defensively and we feel like we are creating enough chances in the games to score."

Lochhead said that his country has shifted their attention away from their popular rugby counterparts, the All Blacks, and onto them.

"The interest in football has definitely increased and we are the top story at the moment-which is great," he said. "With a good showing, hopefully we can build on this even after the World Cup."

The team's foundation begins to build today.