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Velan gets shot at pro soccer
Mary Velan just showed up one day.
The rest is history.
Former Oneonta State and Stamford Central soccer standout Velan, 22, made the preseason roster for Sky Blue FC of Women's Professional Soccer after taking part in an open tryout last month in Wall Township, N.J.
"She definitely caught our eye," said Sky Blue FC assistant coach Kelly Lindsey, a former U.S. Women's National Team member who played for the San Jose CyberRays of the defunct Women's United Soccer Association from 2001-03. "She sprinted the entire session and never stopped moving. Her face was beet-red the whole time. ... We decided she was that player who deserved a chance."
Velan certainly took a chance when she arrived at Goodsports USA, a 10-acre sports complex that hosted the open tryout Feb. 25. The facility is about an hour's drive from Stevens Institute of Technology, where Velan embarked upon a coaching career as a full-time women's soccer assistant this past July.
Lindsey said roughly 50 hopefuls came out for the open tryout and about 20 _ Velan included _ were invited back for an afternoon session and a follow-up the next morning.
When it was over, Velan joined former Syracuse goalie Shannon Myers and former Division II midfielder Courtney Nash (Saginaw Valley State) as the only tryout candidates to receive invitations to Sky Blue FC's first training camp. The bulk of the 30-player preseason roster, which features mostly women with Division I and international soccer experience, has been training together in Greensboro, N.C., since last Sunday.
Four roster members _ Christie Rampone, Heather O'Reilly, Natasha Kai and Kacey White _ are in Portugal with the U.S. Women's National Team. They are expected to arrive at Sky Blue FC's training camp in mid-March, along with Cyprus Cup participants Anita Asante of England and Kelly Parker of Canada.
The team will have two cuts before it returns to Sky Blue FC's home base in Somerset, N.J., at the end of this month. Sky Blue FC's season opener is April 5 against the visiting Los Angeles Sol.
"Everyone who's in camp has an equal opportunity to make the team," said Lindsey, who added the roster will be trimmed to 24 players March 13. The final cut is set for March 25, when 18 women will make the team and four others will be designated as developmental players for the inaugural season of the seven-team WPS.
"For her to go into open tryouts then to invitational camp and then to making the roster, you'd have to consider her a longshot," said Patric Santo Pietro, Sky Blue FC's manager of new media and communications. "But she's got about a 60 percent chance at making it. Spots are definitely open, but it's hard to say who will get them."
Lindsey said anyone who doesn't make the team this year will have a better shot at turning pro in 2010, when the WPS expands to 10 teams.
"She's right on that edge and she can get in," Lindsey said of Velan, the 2002 Daily Star Player of the Year as a Stamford junior who earned four straight Division III All-American honors at O-State and graduated in 2008 as the program's all-time leader in points (169), goals (71) and assists (27). "But she could find herself in the W-League for a season and, within a year or so, you'll see her in the WPS. The league will expand next year, so these players who don't quite make it this year should play in the W-League because they'll have a great chance (at making a WPS team in 2010)."
The W-League is part of the United Soccer Leagues and, Lindsey said, requires players to compete on an unpaid basis for most of the summer.
"It's definitely a commitment they have to make," she said. "They don't get paid, but that's the kind of commitment and sacrifice they have to make."
Red Dragons athletic director Tracey Ranieri said Velan has the tools to compete at the highest level of the sport.
"She was scouted by so many Division I programs, but there's not a lot of difference here between a lot of D-I athletes and what we were doing with our program," said Ranieri, who coached Oneonta's women to an NCAA Division III title in 2003, the year before Velan joined the program. "It's the value of the person, regardless of the school they come from. It's the individual who makes the mark.
"She was just such a determined, courageous player and her fitness was far superior," Ranieri continued. "She could go in and play every position. She was more committed than you could ask for. Those are the role models we want to create. ... A lot of athletes really plan for the game, but Mary always planned for practice. That just made games that much easier. Practice was her time to shine because if they don't do it in practice, you can't expect them to do it in a game. She made everybody around her better."
Apparently, that's something else that Lindsey noticed during the open tryout and training camp.
"She's been great at camp," Lindsey said of Velan, who has honed her skills with the Queensbury-based Adirondack Lynx of the Women's Premier Soccer League since 2006. "She fits right in. What we saw at the tryout is what we're seeing at camp. We're looking for team chemistry and top-notch players who are all supportive of one another, and she's fitting right in."
While Velan is known locally as a scoring machine _ she amassed 163 goals at Stamford before her record-breaking four-year stint at O-State _ Sky Blue FC is trying her out as a defender.
"We challenged her a little bit and put her as a wing back to see how she could handle it," Lindsey said. "I asked her if she ever played defense and she said, Nope, but I will.' She was very responsive and receptive to the idea, and she said, If that's what you want me to play, I'll do it.' She has the right attitude."
O-State coach Liz McGrail, who took over for Ranieri in 2007, said Velan has the potential to excel on defense.
"She can do it with her instincts and her speed back there," said McGrail, also a former Stamford and O-State standout whose first season coaching the Red Dragons was Velan's last. McGrail graduated from Stamford as the Section Four record-holder for all-time goals (173) and from O-State in 2001 as the college's then-all-time leading scorer (137 points). "She reads the game well, and at that level, defenders need to start the attack."
___
Dean Russin can be reached at drussin@thedailystar.com or 607-432-1000, ext. 215.
- Local Sports
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Hot or not, football starts tonight
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL ... Don't let Mother Nature fool you. Despite recent 90-degree weather in the area, high school football season is set to begin with four games involving area teams at 7 tonight.
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Sidney tennis opens with win
HIGH SCHOOL ROUNDUP ... Jileen Livingston's 6-4, 6-4 victory over Lindsay Avolio at first singles helped host Sidney to a 4-1 Midstate Athletic Conference girls tennis victory over Unadilla Valley in its season opener Thursday.
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Franklin girls top Edmeston
HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER ROUNDUP ... Jordan Beers scored twice and Haley Downin stopped 15 shots as visiting Franklin earned a 3-0 Tri-Valley League girls soccer victory over Edmeston on Thursday. Beers started the scoring a little less than four minutes into the second half and made it 2-0 about 11 minutes later. Jessica Terrano set up Beers' second goal with a cross.
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You shouldn't get too close to snapping turtles
OUTDOORS COLUMN BY RICK BROCKWAY ... As I drove along the county road outside of Hartwick the other day, I saw a large, dark object ahead of me.
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Area College Roundup
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Wednesday's High School Roundup
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Today's Datebook
- Thursday, September 2, 2010
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Jackets thump Seton girls, 8-0
HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS SOCCER _ ONEONTA _ Seton Catholic Central goalie Bridget Miranda curled up on the sideline, facedown in the grass and gasping for air while waiting for an ambulance to arrive.
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Hartwick men flop in opener
AREA COLLEGES ... Host Iona College scored three times in a span of 16 minutes, 28 seconds in the opening half en route to a 5-1 non-conference men's soccer victory over Hartwick College on Wednesday.
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Oneonta boys cruise; CV-S edges Milford
HIGH SCHOOL BOYS SOCCER ... Defending Section Four Class B boys soccer champion Oneonta High received two goals from junior Dan Joseph and defeated visiting Seton Catholic Central, 3-0, Wednesday in its season opener.
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Laurens knocks off champs
HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS SOCCER ... Natalie Trujillo had a goal and an assist as host Laurens defeated defending Tri-Valley League and Section Four Class D champion Schenevus, 2-0, Wednesday in girls soccer.
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Today's Datebook
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OHS looking to take the next step
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL ... ONEONTA HIGH PREVIEW ... Fifth-year coach Adam Hoover guided Oneonta High to its first Section Four Class B playoff appearance since 2002 last season and said the 2010 version of the Yellowjackets could be even better. "It's a matter of how quickly they come together," Hoover said. "If we play to our potential, we have the best overall team since I've been here. I don't think we'll have the one or two dominant guys like we've had, but we have a lot of athletes all over the field."
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Cooperstown should be tough to stop
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL ... COOPERSTOWN PREVIEW ... It would appear Cooperstown's football team has two solid options this season. The first is obvious _ returning Daily Star Player of the Year Alec Silvera, who rushed for more than 1,200 yards last season and scored 18 touchdowns. The speedy senior won a Division II 110-meter hurdles state championship in June at Vestal High.
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Veteran quarterback could be key to Sidney's chances in Division V
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL ... SIDNEY PREVIEW ... Success for Sidney's football program in 2010 will start with senior quarterback Dylan Umbra. "I don't know if you can put a value on him because it's so high," Sidney coach Jeff Matthews said of Umbra, heading into his fourth season as the Warriors' starter behind center. "He's been through it so many times. He's able to make decisions on the fly. ... Things are second nature. He knows what he has to do and now he can help out with some other players."
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New-look Spartans face difficult schedule
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL ... UNATEGO PREVIEW ... There's a new coach, a new quarterback and that same old demanding schedule. Unatego's football program, three years removed from a Section Four Class C title, will look to improve on its 2-7 record from a year ago. It may take some time, though. After all, first-year head coach Frank Microni wasn't announced as the successor to Art Rigas until the first day of practice for fall sports. Rigas left Unatego after three seasons to become an assistant coach at Hartwick College.
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Delhi looking to stay atop Division VII
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL ... DELHI PREVIEW ... The good news for Delhi is it returns Jack Fletcher from last year's Section Four Class D finalist. The bad news? The bulk of his backfield supporting cast graduated and Fletcher could have a bigger target on his back.
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Walton's return adds depth to Class D
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL ... WALTON PREVIEW ... Welcome back, Walton. Pardon the other teams in Division VII of the Section Four Football Conference if don't throw a party in celebration of the Warriors dropping back down to Class D. Walton's return should make for an interesting division. This group of Walton, Delhi, Bainbridge-Guilford, Oxford, Harpursville and Seton Catholic Central sent three teams to the playoffs last season, including two sectional finalists.
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B-G trying to reach playoffs for third straight season
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL ... BAINBRIDGE-GUILFORD PREVIEW ... Last season, Bainbridge-Guilford proved it could lose a star player and still return to the playoffs. Heading into this season the Bobcats will have to replace another standout, but to make it three straight postseason trips B-G likely will have to do something even more daunting _ get at least one victory over perennial powers Walton and Delhi.
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Is Unadilla Valley/Edmeston equipped to end 18-game skid?
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL ... UNADILLA VALLEY/EDMESTON PREVIEW ... When first-year head coach Stan Foulds checked Unadilla Valley/Edmeston's football equipment Aug. 15, he ran into a problem. He probably didn't mind that the Storm didn't have enough uniforms for the 2010 season, though. UV/E will have to use some junior varsity jerseys until another varsity shipment arrives as its roster has ballooned to 35 players _ up 15 from one season ago.
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Hot or not, football starts tonight
