Men's College Cup Preview with Steven Curfman

When Wake Forest kicks off the 2006 Men's College Cup on Friday night (delayed broadcast 2am Sat on ESPNU, 2pm Sat on ESPN2) against UC-Santa Barbara, 4 players with Triangle area ties will be looking to help the Demon Deacons secure a national championship. Joining Cary's Zach Schilawski, Durham's Will Clayton, and Raleigh's Evan Brown on the matchday roster will be senior Steven Curfman.

A native of Raleigh, Curfman will be looking to add a national title to an already impressive resume of accomplishments in his soccer career. Steven, who leads the 2006 Deacons squad with 5 goals and 8 assists, starred for the CASL Elite and Athens Drive High School before he packed his bags for U17 Residency Camp. As a member of John Hackworth's youth side, Curfman joined fellow Bradenton campers such as Freddy Adu, Jonathan Spector, Michael Bradley, Eddie Gaven, and Danny Szetela in several opportunities to represent his country on the world stage. Steven was a member of the U17 squad that won a CONCACAF championship in Guatemala, he scored his first international goal against Poland with a 40-yard blast in the Busan International Youth Tournament , and perhaps most memorably, he hit an amazing volley that chipped the South Korean keeper and earned no less than five golazos from the Galavision commentators during the 2003 World Youth Championships in Finland. (see the video here...and yes, this is the same match that Freddy Adu undressed about 5 South Korean defenders en route to a hat trick)

As the team prepares for their trip to St. Louis, Triangle Soccer Fanatics had a chance to ask Steven about his career, Wake Forest's excellent season, the team's preparation for the finals, and his future plans as a footballer.

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Triangle Soccer Fanatics: Considering that most pre-season polls had the Deacons figured to finish 6th in the ACC, I think it's safe to say that Wake Forest has surprised a few folks with their success this season. What do you think have been the key factors to the team's success this season?

Steven Curfman: The main reason that our team has been so successful is that every individual on our team has an important job and knows what their role is. We also have a number of younger players on our team who contribute something every game (I believe we have had 10 different freshman or sophomores start at some point.) At the beginning of the season that was one of the big things we talked about with Coach Vidovich. Coach Vidovich knew that in order for our team to be successful we had to get our young players to buy into our team goals and to buy into the program, and without doubt, every one of them has.

TSF: I have to imagine that UC-Santa Barbara is a rather unknown opponent. What does the team do to prepare strategically for a side that you aren't as familiar with? (As opposed perhaps to the ACC schools you're accustomed to playing on a regular basis).

SC: One of the things that coach preaches in training before every game is that we are not going into a game to try and match what an opponent brings to the table or adjust the way we play. We go into the game to play Wake Forest soccer. I'm sure coach will have some scout on their formation, tendencies they have, how they attack set pieces and other various aspects of the game, but for the most part we try to approach every game the same.

TSF: You've played in some pretty big matches in your soccer career for club, country, and school. Can you put playing for an NCAA National title in perspective with some of those other competitions, such as the U17 World Championships?

SC: In a way I look at most of the "big" matches pretty much the same way. For each of the matches, whether it is playing for your country at the World Championships, playing for club at States/Regionals/Nationals or playing for Wake Forest in the NCAA tournament, you are playing to win something, playing for your teammates and playing for something you belong to and believe in -- so they all have their importance.

As a soccer player, however, I don't think there is any greater honor than being able to step out onto the field and play for your country in a World Championship. Having the opportunity to do this and fight for American soccer (even in a losing effort in the quarterfinals against Brazil) is something that I will carry with me forever.

That being said, I don't believe that the U17 World Championships and the NCAA tournament are really things that can be compared to each other. This Wake Forest team has been my life and family for the last 4 years, and we have been fighting towards the goal of a national championship from day one. When you consider that for 3 years we entered the tournament and came up empty in heartbreaking fashion, it certainly adds to the importance of the remaining games. I think I speak for everyone on the team when I say that the next game will be the biggest game of our lives.

TSF: You've earned a reputation as being a bit of a free kick specialist. Is that a talent that has always been an asset in your arsenal or is it something that you have made a conscious effort to develop and to excel at in your career?

SC: It is definitely something that I have made a conscious effort to develop and to excel at. I started practicing set pieces when I was around 10 which, as those who grew up playing soccer know, is about the age where the person who can kick the ball the hardest and highest normally took all the free kicks. Hitting free kicks was something I always loved doing, and something that if I ever had any free time and a bag of balls I wouldn't mind spending hours practicing. Even today, if you ask anyone on our team how I like to warm up for practices or what I like to do after practice they'll tell you I take some balls and just hit free kicks.

TSF: I know you had to contend with a pretty serious injury at the end of last season that caused you to miss Wake Forest's 2005 NCAA tournament campaign. Based on your 2006 performance, it appears you've been able to put that behind you this year. Are you 100% recovered and do you find the hard work to get back to match fitness extra rewarding based on the success of the team, and your contribution to the tournament campaign this season?

SC: In terms of my injury, I am definitely 100% recovered. Some mornings I still wake up feeling a bit like an old man getting out of bed, but I think that can be said for most college athletes by the end of a long season. Having to sit out both the NCAA tournament last year and this past spring season definitely inspired me to work as hard as I could to get fit and ready to play. As with many injuries, it was just a matter of my body getting over the proverbial hump and to the point that I was comfortable that I would be ready for soccer's running, cutting and tackling movements. I can't say enough about our trainers and doctors here who helped me recover, and I definitely think that all the rehabbing and extra work that I had to put in to get back into shape definitely made the season feel a little more rewarding.

TSF: Triangle area soccer fans have been keeping track of all our local players at Wake Forest throughout the season. In particular, we've been really impressed with how quickly Zach Schilawski has become a major contributor to the Deacon's offense. Has it surprised you that a freshman has been able to integrate into the team so quickly and have such a large impact?

SC: I think in most cases people would be surprised that a freshman has fit in so well with a team and contributed so much, but in Zach's case I am not at all surprised. I have played with Zach for probably 8-9 years now and I knew that Zach was an exceptional player and that his game and work ethic fit our program perfectly. I couldn't be happier for him and the success that he is having, and I know he will only get better over the next 3 years.

TSF: You were recently quoted in the Old Gold & Black as saying that you want to continue your playing career beyond the collegiate level, even mentioning the fact that your hometown Carolina RailHawks might be a viable option. How important to your future as a professional footballer do you think that the national spotlight of the College Cup will be to your future plans?

SC: Frankly, I can't see myself doing anything other than playing soccer. It has been my life for so many years and I have such a strong love for the game that it is definitely my first choice for a career out of college. With the attention and spotlight that comes with the College Cup, it is obviously important that you play well. There will be a lot of coaches and scouts in attendance, but I don't believe that this next game or two has to be what makes or breaks a career. The most important thing to me at this point is for the team to have success. If I play well in the process and show well for scouts and coaches, then that is just an added bonus.

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Article reprinted from Triangle Soccer Fanatics.