I don't think there was a Duke alum who I had the chance to interact with during my time working there who 'bled blue' more than Jay Heaps. Jay had it all as an athlete - he was the National Player of the Year in some of the strongest college soccer teams in the 90's, and was a member of the Duke basketball team as well.
As great as an athlete as Heaps was, what separated him from his peers was his competitiveness and his commitment -the ideal attributes to have in a leader for a team. Anyone who has played with him at the collegiate and professional level talks about his drive and about how hard he plays - he consistently ranks among the league leaders in minutes played in MLS, and still plays with the passion and enthusiasm that garnished him Rookie of the Year in his inaugural season. Anyone who plays against him talks about how terrible it is to play against this tough and combative defender.
His commitment to the colors of his team is also unquestioned - I never had the honor of coaching Jay at Duke (he graduated prior to my arrival as an assistant), but I don't believe there was an alum who came back to visit or emailed as often as he did. He was always connected to the program, well after his former teammates had graduated - he embodied what you looked for in a student-athlete, and has carried that on as a professional in New England.
Kyle McCarthy wrote an outstanding piece on Jay on MLSnet.com, and catches the essence of what makes Jay Heaps unique.
"You can ask him to do anything," Revolution coach Steve Nicol said.
Being asked to fill a role and filling the role well are two different tasks. Heaps is able to play anywhere across the back because he can adjust to each position and its demands, according to Nicol.
"When you have someone like Jay, he adapts to the situation," Nicol said. "He can play anywhere along the back. It's fantastic for me. He can just plug right in."
http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20090312&content_id=224876&vkey=news_mls&fext=.jsp
As tough and combative as Heaps is, I don't think I've ever been around a player who is as cool and relaxed under pressure as Darrius Barnes. 'D' was an unheralded youth player who came on the scene nationally after strong performances with the Triangle Futbol Club and at the Adidas Elite Soccer Program (ESP), and was a hidden jewel in one of the nation's top recruiting classes in college soccer in 2005.
I had always likened him to Eddie Pope for all of the natural similarities - the physical prowess, similar position, similar uniform number (#23). Where Barnes wasn't flashy, his unique weapons on set pieces made him stand out - great leaping ability on attacking and defending free kicks, as well as being able to throw the ball in farther than anyone else in the country made him a significant threat on set pieces.
I was not surprised to see him get selected by the New England Revolution in this past MLS SuperDraft, nor was I shocked to see him getting an opportunity to slot into his natural central defense role with the Revs.
Kyle McCarthy wrote a great piece on MLSnet.com on Barnes recently as well.
"Darrius has settled in well because he's got a great attitude," Revs defender Jay Heaps said. "He's a great talent. He's athletic. He understands the game."
http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20090311&content_id=224460&vkey=news_mls&fext=.jsp
Barnes and Heaps have everything you look for in a central defensive pairing - the fiery Heaps dictating things as the leader, demanding and barking out orders; Barnes as the ball-winner in the air and calming presence.
The combination of 'Fire and Ice' might be what the Revs are looking for this season.
No comments:
Post a Comment