CLEVELAND, Ohio - Becoming a professional is a big step in an athlete's career, but it isn't complete until there is a bobblehead doll bearing your likeness.
CLEVELAND, Ohio â Becoming a professional is a big step in an athleteâs career, but it isnât complete until there is a bobblehead doll bearing your likeness.
John Ball, formerly of Newtown, will see his first bobblehead doll offered to fans who stop by to watch the Cleveland Force and the Dallas Sidekicks battle in Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) action on Sunday, March 14.
The game will be held at the Convocation Center at Cleveland State University. The first 2,500 fans under the age of 14 will receive the bobblehead.
Ball, a 1991 graduate of Newtown High School, went on to have an exceptional career at Southern Connecticut State University before joining the Cleveland Crunch of the National Professional Indoor Soccer League (NPSL). After a brief stint with the Chicago Fire of Major League Soccer (MLS), Ball returned to the Crunch before NPSL became MISL II and the Crunch changed its name.
In 2003-04, Ball â one of the top defenders in MISL â has played in all 28 games and has scored nine goals while dishing off 11 assists. He has one power-play goal and one game-winning goal to his credit while taking 85 shots.
The Force is 9-19 in the Eastern Division of MISL. Baltimore (22-8) and Philadelphia (17-11) are ahead of them in the division standings. The league also features teams in Milwaukee, Kansas City, St. Louis, Dallas, San Diego and Monterrey, Mexico.
John Ball
2002-03: Represented the team as team captain last season ... Appeared in 33 games and recorded 15 goals and added a career-high 20 assists for a total of 54 points ... Tied for the team lead in three-point goals with four ... Successfully defended his Speed Dribble Title at the 2003 MISL Spalding Skills Competition during All-Star Weekend ... Scored the first Eastern Conference goal during the All-Star Game on 3/9/03 ... Recorded a Force season and career-high four assists on 2/21/03 ... Selected as Tops Sensational Player of the Game on three occasions ... Had a season-high four blocks on two occasions ... Scored game-winning goal on two occasions. 2001:02: In 37 games last season, scored 36 goals and added 14 assists ... Recorded his fifth hat trick of the season when he scored seven points at Harrisburg on 2/22/02 ... was named the Fastest Dribbler in the Skills Competition during All-Star Weekend ... Named MISL Offensive Player of the Month for November ... Named Honorable Mention MISL Offensive Player of the Week on two occasions ... Tallied first hat trick of the season on 10/27/01 versus Baltimore Blast. 2000-01: Selected to Third Team All-NPSL ... Awarded clubâs Continental Airlines Fly Right Work Hard Defensive Player of the Year ... Named 2001 NPSL All-Star Game MVP ... Tallied five-points in All-Star Game including game-winning goal ... Scored game-winning goal on 2/9/01 versus Baltimore Blast ... Collected his 200th NPSL Career Block on 1/27/01 versus Baltimore Blast ... Scored his 200th Career NPSL Point on 1/14/01 versus Philadelphia Kixx ... Named NPSL Offensive Player of the Week for the week of 1/14/01 ... Scored a career-high 10 points on 1/14/01 versus Philadelphia Kixx ... 1999-00: Played in all nine playoff games tallying 12 points ... Scored two game winning goals in the playoffs. 1998-99: Scored 65 points and 40 blocks in 40 games ... Played in all ten playoff games tallying 24 points and 21 blocks. 1997-98: Scored 31 points and a career high 59 blocks in 39 games in the regular season. 1996-97: Scored his first professional goal on 11/11/96 against Baltimore ... Recorded first professional hat trick for six points versus Cincinnati on 316/97. 1995-96: Made his Crunch debut on March 15, 1996 against Harrisburg.