Hudson Soccer Players Stay Sharp by Playing in Indoor Winter League

In the midst of negotiating a long, snowy winter, the last thing most Hudson residents are thinking about is summer soccer. But soccer is much on the minds of Hudson coaches Ed Quinn and Larry Johnson. It almost always is, and because of their diligent coaching efforts, the game goes on for a group of Hudson teens.

Under the guidance of Quinn and Johnson, both volunteer coaches for the Hudson Soccer Association, this group of U15 boys have taken their game indoors to the Bielenberg Sports Center in Woodbury, MN.

Adjacent to the perennially busy indoor hockey rinks, the white dome at Bielenberg protects an equally busy indoor field house. Located at the junction of Radio Drive and Bailey Road, the indoor pitch is a very popular winter venue for athletes in a variety of field sports, but it is especially popular for soccer players. The facility is so popular that it was difficult for Quinn to find an available league.

After two years of trying, Quinn and Johnson finally found an opening this year in the combined U15/U16 league. On Jan. 8, the Hudson team began an eight-week indoor season, competing with teams from Woodbury, MN, Eagan, MN, and River Falls.

The indoor field at Bielenberg is roughly half the size of an outdoor soccer pitch, and is covered with synthetic turf. Given this down-sized, smooth surface, the pace of the game is fast—faster than it is on natural grass. In these conditions field players are forced to improve their technique and agility—just the type of improvement Quinn and Johnson hope to see as they prepare for the summer season. Likewise, goalies are guarding full-sized goal frames, giving them experience which translates exactly to the outdoor game. 

The core of this Hudson team began five years ago as a typical group of 10-year-olds. Some had played soccer and some hadn’t when Quinn started working with them. They have steadily improved to the point that they were the Minnesota Youth Soccer Association’s East District league winner last summer and went on to the semifinals of the State Tournament last July, where they lost by one goal to eventual state champion, Waconia, MN. With the returning core group of boys, and the addition of a few new players, this team looks to be another strong one.

The team's opening game, against a Woodbury-based team, the Sabibans, ended with a 3-0 Hudson victory. All three of Hudson’s goals came from Caleb Ondrusik, who completed his hat trick late in the second half. 

Typical of this group, Ondrusik benefitted from selfless team play, which is exactly what Quinn and Johnson are looking for. Ondrusik’s second and third goals, in particular, resulted from solid defensive play which transitioned through the mid-field, and culminated in well-timed crossing passes by Ben Wirth and Brendan Hanke. In each case those passes efficiently dissected the Sabiban defense, leaving Ondrusik open lanes to the goal. Ondrusik's precise, one-touch shots left the Sabiban goalie helpless.

Teamwork like that brings a smile to Quinn's face. It has been his focus since he began coaching the boys as U10 players.

"I'm a huge advocate of being a team," says Quinn. "I love Mia Hamm's quote, 'I am a member of a team, and I rely on the team, I defer to it and sacrifice for it, because the team, not the individual is the ultimate champion.'"

Coaches Quinn and Johnson have specific goals in mind for this indoor season, and winning is just a small part of the plan. Quinn explained to parents and players before the season that he considers this league an eight-week indoor training session. The mission is to keep up with fitness and foot skills, while increasing the players' situational and tactical awareness.

The coaches are also using this league to do some shuffling of player positions. As Quinn made clear in a preseason memo sent to players and parents, "We will experiment with players in different positions, and do other things that will help us during the MYSA [summer] season even if they do not result in winning a particular indoor game."

With their sights set on another trip to the state tournament, this indoor season is a chance for the players to get some much-needed touches on a soccer ball, while the coaches take a look at their new players and reassess the returning ones, unconcerned with the win-loss record.

But don’t try to tell the players that they aren’t in it to win. They are teenage boys, after all, and they play hard. They also play with a cohesiveness that comes from years of familiarity and friendship with each other—and years of steady leadership by the coaches.

The time and effort spent organizing and coaching this team are substantial for Quinn and Johnson, but as Johnson replied when asked why he coaches, “Watching these boys go from kids who could barely kick a ball, to a team playing in the state tournament is the reason we do it.”

In the end, the reward of building a team more than justifies the hard work it takes—for coaches and players alike.