Ten Questions with Columbus Crew Goalie William Hesmer
3/19/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
March 19, 2007
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -
Click Here to Purchase Tickets
In anticipation of his return to Wake Forest, former Deacon All-American William Hesmer recently took time out of his busy preseason schedule to answer a few questions about soccer, Wake Forest and life as a professional. Hesmer and the rest of his Columbus Crew team will be in Winston-Salem at the end of March for matches against Wake Forest and the Kansas City Wizards.
The Crew will play the Deacons on Wednesday, March 28, at 7 p.m. at Spry Stadium. Columbus will then take on Kansas City on Saturday, March 31, at 7 p.m. to cap the week off, also at Spry.
Tickets for the Crew-Wizards game are going fast. The cost will be $10, with all seats general admission. Tickets can be purchased online at the Wake Forest ticket website or by calling the Wake Forest ticket office at (336) 758-DEAC (3322).
Tickets for the Wake Forest-Columbus match will cost normal gameday prices. General admission will be $6, while students, faculty and staff will be admitted free of charge with a valid Wake Forest ID card.
A 2002 and 2003 All-American, Hesmer broke into the league with the Wizards as the 17th overall pick in the 2004 draft but was selected by Toronto FC in the team's recent expansion draft. The Wilson, N.C., native was then traded to the Crew. Hesmer saw his first MLS action last season, starting three games for Kansas City. He owns the best career goals-against-average for the Deacs with an 0.82 mark.
1. How do you feel about being able to come back to Wake Forest for another game?
It's really special for me every time I come back to Wake, but to come back and get the chance to play against not only Wake but also my former MLS team, Kansas City, it makes it even sweeter. It was something I had been looking forward to all offseason. Unfortunately, I tore my hamstring pretty badly early on in preseason, and I am not sure if I will be healthy enough to play, making the injury that much more painful to deal with.
2. What do you miss most about Wake?
There was just something very special about our teams that's tough to explain to people. We truly were like a family. We did everything together. So I'd say I miss being around my former teammates the most, both on and off the field.
3. What have been the main differences between the college game and the pro game?
Obviously the guys you are playing against are much more talented, thus making the speed of the game that much greater. However, while I was at Wake all of our top 12-14 players at that time are now pros, so training against each other every day definitely helped us with the adjustment. Also, the length of the season is three times as long as a college season (9 months vs. 3 months), so after 10 games at the professional level most rookies are used to winding down. Having to play 20 more games plus potential playoff games is tough that first year.
4. Who do you feel is the best forward in the league and why?
Jaime Moreno is probably considered the best. He just never seems to lose the ball, is always dangerous, even with his back to goal and he's been doing it consistently for years. But Andy Herron, a guy also acquired this offseason by Columbus, gave us fits while I was in Kansas City. Like Moreno, he always seemed to be in a dangerous position and is very capable of pulling off that special play to bring home a win.
5. You had the opportunity a few months back to go to England with the Generation Adidas team to play some teams over there. What was that experience like?
It was pretty incredible, not only with the games we were able to play but the games we were able to watch. We trained at Chelsea's training facility outside of London, which alone was an unreal experience having the best players in the world training right beside you. We also played against a couple of Champions League Reserve teams (England's 2nd Division) and one Premier League reserve team. We went 2-1, and beat the Premier League team, which showed, at least for me, that we aren't far off in catching the rest of the world. No disrespect to the English players, because they are very, very good, but I didn't feel like I was in over my head in the games. I actually felt very comfortable and confident against them. With each one of these successful American/MLS trips we are slowly gaining respect from other countries and leagues around the world. But the highlight of the trip was a Chelsea Champions League game we were able to attend.
6. How does a packed house at Spry Stadium compare to some of the other venues you've been able to play in?
In MLS we play in a lot of big stadiums, some too big. I think it's almost impossible to create a good soccer environment in NFL stadiums, and the league is doing a good job of addressing that problem with the construction of soccer-specific stadiums in most cities. There's just something special about playing in a small, compact stadium with the fans right on top of you. That's what made Spry so special for me. The Home Depot Center in Los Angeles is a great place for a soccer game, and I think it's probably the best soccer environment I've been a part of in this country.
7. How do you feel the league's current rookies from Wake (Wells Thompson, Ryan Solle, Steven Curfman) will fare in the league? If you could give them any advice regarding the transition year from college to professional, what would it be?
I think that they will all do very well. Obviously, they are very talented soccer players, but mostly, all three are hard-working, unassuming kids that will give you an honest effort everyday. That's what will bring them the most success. My advice would be that it's a long season filled with ups and downs, so don't let yourself get too high or too low during any point. Also, this is now your job and people are playing to pay bills. Nobody is going to hold your hand anymore to make sure you are getting the proper nutrition, extra lifting, etc. You and you alone are going to have to make sure that you are taking care of those little things that will keep you progressing.
8. If you could have one of your old Wake Forest teammates play with you in Columbus, who would it be (and why?)?
There's no way I can answer that question without getting a bunch of grief from every angle, so I'll leave that one alone.
9. Coming through Jay Vidovich's Wake Forest system, do you feel you were well-prepared for the rigors of the professional game?
I don't think it's the water in Winston-Salem that has brought so many players out of Wake and into MLS over the past few years. Coach Vidovich is an incredible teacher of the game. Of course, his job is to win games, but he teaches his players how to play the game the way it should be played, which at the collegiate level isn't always the case. That makes for an easy transition for us WFU alums. I also have to give a lot of credit to Bobby Muuss, who was my goalie oach there, for all of the extra hours he put in with me.
10. How has the preseason goalkeeping battle been thus far?
Well, so far I have been injured for the majority of preseason, which has been incredibly frustrating considering the timing when you're expecting to be a starter. Right now, all I can do is rehab, cheer the guys on through the demands of preseason, and get to know my teammates, on and off the field. Frustrating to say the least, but I'm doing my best to keep a positive attitude and working hard on getting this thing healed.
- WakeForestSports.com -
