Date: Fri 13-Oct-1995

Publication: Bee

Author: TOMW

Illustration: I

Quick Words:

John-Ball-Feature

Full Text:

Feature -- John Ball

B Y T.W YATT

Though John Ball was one of the finest Newtown High School soccer players who

ever laced 'em up, not many would have considered him a favorite to make it

through four years of college.

But, as he had done in the past, when critics thought him too skinny and small

to play high school soccer, Mr Ball has proved them all wrong.

Not only will Ball graduate Southern Connecticut State University in December

with a degree in Communications, but he is currently the co-captain of the

men's soccer team and is shooting for a second Division II National

Championship ring.

" There are people in Newtown who thought I would never make it, " Ball said

with his devilish smile. " But I've changed a lot since I've come here. I'm

not that cocky little kid anymore. "

No, indeed. SCSU soccer coach Ray Reid was so impressed with Ball's mental and

physical development that he, himself, selected Johnny to be one of this

year's team captains.

" John has matured as both a person and a player, " said Reid. " He's really

grown up in four years here, and that's not just lip service. He's a kid who's

come from the bottom. By that, I mean he didn't even dress as a freshman and

now, as a senior, he's the best defender on our team. "

Ball's transformation began in his first year at Southern when he went from a

high school superstar, playing forward, scoring goals, and grabbing headlines,

to a freshman defender sitting on the bench in relative obscurity as Southern

won the NCAA Division II National Championship.

But John got his chance to play in his sophomore year when a starting defender

went down with an injury. Coach Reid remembers the incident.

" We though, Oh Jesus, we have to put John in, " the coach recalled. " Really.

He had good speed, but at that time John was a knucklehead. We put him in

there and he hasn't missed a game since. He's exceeded our wildest

expectations. "

Ball's actual position is right back, but you won't find him stationary in the

back of the field. Instead, with his exceptional speed and endurance, he plays

more like a roving right halfback with the green light to go forward on the

attack and then get back on defense.

Unlike in high school, when as an All-State forward for the state champion NHS

team Ball's name led off nearly every article written, in college he was just

another great player on a great team.

" I don't get my name in the headlines, but I don't need that anymore, " Ball

admitted. " I think I've grown out of looking for the spotlight. I get just as

much satisfaction knowing that the team played well and won, and that I was a

part of it. Getting the credit isn't important. "

But Mr Ball gets plenty of credit. Playing at Southern, Ball has found himself

marking star forwards from the Jamaican National team and from the US Olympic

team as well. " I used to play forward so I know how they think and what

they're going to do, " he says.

According to coach Reid, it didn't take much doing to convert John from a

forward into a defensive player. " We didn't shape John into a great player, "

he said. " He was a great player when he came here. "

SCSU assistant coach Chris Payne played on the team for two years with John

before helping to coach him this season. " John has shown a vast improvement,

especially in his maturity level, " he said. " He's dedicated now and knows

what he wants to get done. How good is he? He's the starting marking back on

one of the top teams in the country. "

Team Leader

Having gotten himself into off-season trouble in down-town New Haven, Ball was

surprised when coach Reid selected him as a captain. Despite a lifetime of

soccer accolades, team captain was something that he had never before been.

" I wasn't expecting it, " Ball admitted, " but it was a nice surprise. The

soccer team is like my family and it feels good that, in being named captain,

I'm getting the recognition that I think I've earned. "

Soccer is the number one sport at Southern, its gate at home games outearning

the football team's by a significant margin. For home soccer games, in fact,

the stands at Jess Dow Field are normally packed to capacity.

The SCSU soccer team has conducted youth camps where, as captain, Ball has

stayed after hours to sign autographs for young admirers.

" That's kind of neat, " he said. " It's fun talking to the young kids and

signing autographs for them. I remember when I used to be one of them. "

The team at Southern was undefeated and ranked number one in Division II

before losing 3-2 to rival Franklin Pierce on Saturday, October 7. It was the

first conference game that Southern had lost since Ball was a member of the

team. " We blew it the other night, " coach Reid said. " We played very well

for about 70 minutes and then let up two goals in the final few minutes. We

have to rebound from that, but we have talent. This team's going to be there

in the end. "

In his years at SCSU, Ball has been to one National Championship, two

semifinals, and three final fours. Winning the national title this fall has

become his obsession.

" I just want to go out with another ring, " he said. " It would mean a lot

more to me than the last one, especially since I'm a captain. Hopefully I'll

be able to look back at my fingers when I'm all done and see two national

championship rings. That will be enough for me. "

Looking back on his career at Southern as both a soccer star and as a student,

Ball seems almost surprised himself, that he made it through.

" I had a lot of growing up to do here, " he said. " I owe everything to

[counselor] Elaine Salinger, who helped me through it. She got me to go to

classes, and pointed me in the right direction. I'll be done with classes in

December, and I'm graduating in May. All I have left is my intern which will

hopefully be at Channel 8 and ESPN. "

Though he has plans for a successful future in the work force, Ball doesn't

think he's ready to give up on soccer just yet.

If he's selected to play in this year's Senior Bowl, Ball would have a strong

chance of being drafted into the newly-forming MLS (Major League Soccer)

organization and playing the game professionally with and against players from

the US World Cup team.

" It's something I'm definitely interested in, " he said. " I'm only 22, and

would like to play soccer for another six years or so. I would also like to

coach soccer someday. It would be an absolute dream to take over the program

at Newtown High School. "

Professional soccer player, high school soccer coach, or ESPN soccer analyst,

it would be difficult to doubt the chances of one John Ball. He's proven so

many people wrong already.