FORT EUSTIS, Va. –
The All-Army Soccer Team is finalized and geared up for the Armed Forces Soccer Tournament following a month-long stay at Fort Eustis.
Led by Coach Roye Locklear, the team was narrowed down from 30 players to the required 18 players and two alternates. The team is set to defend the gold it earned in last year's tournament against the Navy, Marines and Air Force at a week-long tournament in Fort Walton Beach, Fla. The team left Sunday for the tournament, which began Tuesday and will end Sunday.
The process of deduction was tedious for Locklear, who took over as coach from Augustin Mendez, who recently retired from the Army and was a 20-year member of the All-Army soccer program as a player or coach. Starting with about 130 players who applied online between May and August, he was able to invite 30 to Eustis, including six Soldiers stationed at Eustis, although none made the final cut.
Aside from the locals, players were at Eustis since the middle of September, arriving from various installations in the United States as well as overseas, some of which were currently involved with deployments, including Locklear, who left his Florida National Guard unit in Afghanistan to coach the team. Players had until the final Monday of September to make their case to Locklear and Assistant Coach Michael Artis for being part of the final team. Locklear also said there are about seven or eight returning players, including Jose Alfaro who plays defender and is a seven-year veteran and two-year team captain of the team.
"We're a very fast, strong team," Alfaro said. "We have quality players at every position."
Alfaro has been part of three gold medal teams and three silver medal teams. He and his teammates looked to notch a fourth gold medal this week. The speedy defender said he has been playing soccer ever since he could remember and said he gave his all during duty hours so he could be permitted to play.
"I didn't even ask for leave; I told my commander to let me play soccer and that will be my leave time," Alfaro said. He said the team, including him, has a lot of passion for soccer. "I get lost in the game. It makes me forget about stress and everything away from the field. It makes me feel healthy and alive."
With the passion down pat, Alfaro said the team was brushing up on crossing the ball and defending toward the end of its time at Eustis.
"We usually had the forwards and defenders play against each other so we could attack and defend strategically," Alfaro said.
Teammate Tyler Stratford, a left midfielder and third-year player on the team, added that the team was solid with its fitness, but needed to work on touches and maintaining their on-the-ball and off-the-ball skill level as well as some tactical work, while continuing to gel as a team.
Locklear, last year's assistant All-Army soccer coach and former three-year player with the team, said when forming the team he looks at on-field ability, work ethic, attitude and how well players got along with teammates during the final selection process. He added that an overload of players at a position did play a factor in selection during the trial camp, which was heavy in midfielders.
"A couple of Soldiers didn't make the squad because we were heavy at that position," Locklear said.
However, once the decisions were made, the focus turned toward getting the remaining players ready for competition. Locklear said the support at Eustis was tremendous and the environment was condusive to training, making it easier for the team to focus on the field.
"The field drained well and the guys really liked the surface," Locklear said. "It had a nice little crown to it and was well-maintained."
Although the players spent the majority of their time at Eustis practicing against each other, they did get to participate in the United Day for Peace Tournament in Virginia Beach, taking first place -- a feat it looked to repeat against its fellow services.
"The guys were really excited about that," said Locklear.
In addition to that tournament and the armed forces tournament is an opportunity for selected players to compete internationally in the Conseil International du Sport Militaire tournament against foreign military teams from countries such as Brazil, Barbados, Suriname, Canada, Trinidad and Tobago, and possibly Jamaica, which will be played Nov. 4 to 15 in Suriname. Alfaro and Stratford have been to CISM in the past and look to be a part of the armed forces team again.
Locklear, the team's first-year coach, said the process has been enjoyable so far as the team looked to repeat as champions under his leadership.
"I'm very excited and nervous, but the guys have responded well to everything we have asked them to do," Locklear said of the team before the tournament. "We're excited about our prospects for the tournament in Florida."
Locklear will lean on his prior experience as a player, while trying to continue Army's recent success in the armed forces tournament.
"I kind of know the battle rhythm of camp and the ins and outs of how it's supposed to run," Locklear said. "It's certainly helped me transition from being a player to a coach."
Stratford added with a new coach came a new style, but everything was just as organized and professional this year as in the past.
"We still have fun and he always takes care of his players," Stratford said of Locklear. "This year's team is just as strong, if not stronger than last year, and I anticipate us winning gold again."
Locklear also said he thinks the team will do well in Florida.
"We're very strong in the midfield," Locklear said. "We have a lot of technically-gifted players that read the game very well -- very skillful.
He added the team was strong offensively and defensively and has a lot of seniority with players who have played together a few years. He said the team was coming along well toward the end of their stay at Eustis as the team prepared for the different services, which Locklear said, all present different challenges for the Army. He added it was important that the team stay focused for the entire 90 minutes of a game.
"I told the guys the first day they got here, as the defending champions, you come out of the gate with a target on your back," Locklear said. "We have to make sure we don't have any mental lapses. We're going to get each team's best effort every single game."