Lone Tree Voice > Sports
Coach returns to soccer field
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| Danny Main, a native of Highlands Ranch and head coach of the high school boys soccer team, recently signed on to play professional indoor soccer with the Denver Dynamite. Photo by Louis Zoldy |
By Louis Zoldy
Not many coaches get a chance to return to the playing field for one last hurrah in the sport they love.
Danny Main is one of the exceptions, and he plans to make the most of it.
Main, a native of Highlands Ranch and head coach of the Falcons boys soccer team, was signed in late October to play for the Denver Dynamite, a new professional indoor soccer team in the newly created Professional Arena Soccer League.
At 34 years of age, Main is the elder statesman of the Dynamite and will compete for time at goalkeeper.
“It’s a great opportunity, and I look forward to it,” said Main, who played collegiately at Utah State and professionally for the Utah Freezz of the now-defunct World Indoor Soccer League from 1999-2000. “Being away from soccer as a player for so long a time has really made this even more exciting. I don’t take it for granted anymore. I know I don’t have a lot of time left to be a part of something like this.”
Making the leap
Having not played soccer since leaving Utah in 2000, Main was not expecting a call to join a professional organization. But toward the end of the summer, Main received a call from Dynamite GM and president Peter Randell, asking him if he was interested in returning to the game. His interest piqued, Main agreed to attend a combine at the end of September.
“It was more like a glorified tryout,” he said. “A lot of scrimmaging took place so they could see us react in a game situation.”
Coaches obviously liked what they saw because Main was offered a contract shortly thereafter. After a couple of days mulling it over with his family, Main signed on the dotted line.
“It was just a matter of being in the right place at the right time,” Main said. “It was certainly an adjustment. I had always been able to play around and practice with the boys, but it’s a different dynamic when you get into a more competitive situation. Luckily my body has been healthy and my instincts and reactions haven’t left me yet.”
Main is competing with Justin Dzuba, a member of the U.S. National Arena Soccer Team, for playing time in goal, but whether he’s the starter or the back-up, he plans to make the most of the opportunity.
“I just enjoy being around the team atmosphere,” he said. “I’ll play as long as I stay healthy and as long as it’s not a burden on my family.”
How it works
Indoor soccer is nothing like its outdoor predecessor. While traditional soccer is played on a large surface where offense is much harder to come by and the pace of the game is deliberate, the indoor game is played on a turf-covered hockey rink and guys like Main are kept awfully busy because the close quarters and fast pace can yield double digits in terms of goals scored.
In the Professional Arena Soccer League, teams play six-on-six with four 15-minute quarters and goals are half the size of those for traditional soccer. Balls can and often are played off the boards, making for an interesting dynamic.
“As an indoor keeper, the No. 1 thing is reading those balls coming off the boards,” Main said. “Outdoors, you worry about crosses. But here, the ball is constantly in play and as a keeper you have to keep your head moving. You are easily going to be making 25-30 saves per game.”
Goalkeepers also are more integral to the attack with the indoor game.
“When you make a save, you now have to start the attack right away through your distribution,” Main said. “You are like a quarterback. There is no punting allowed; everything is done primarily with your hands. You will see a lot of fast-break plays with goalkeepers getting the ball up to their forwards.”
Also making the game a bit more akin to hockey, penalty minutes can be assessed in the league, resulting in power plays. While regular infractions will result in a traditional free kick, more deliberate fouls can warrant a two-minute penalty. Further, a two-minute penalty will be assessed to the individual who commits the sixth team foul.
The league is an offshoot of the Premier Arena Soccer League, the nation’s largest amateur league, and is affiliated with the Canadian Major Indoor Soccer League and Liga Mexicana.
The league has eight teams in the United States, three in Canada and three in Mexico. Expansion franchises in San Diego and Utah will begin play next year.
Home games for the Dynamite are played at the Denver Sports Center.
Single game tickets range from $10-$20 and can be purchased online at denverdynamitesoccer.com.
The team will play eight games in Denver during a regular season that ends in March.
“It’s a great opportunity to continue to follow a pro team and see high level soccer in the winter months,” Main said. “We have five players on the U.S. National Team, so you will see a good skill level and some of the best players in the country.”
Danny Main is one of the exceptions, and he plans to make the most of it.
Main, a native of Highlands Ranch and head coach of the Falcons boys soccer team, was signed in late October to play for the Denver Dynamite, a new professional indoor soccer team in the newly created Professional Arena Soccer League.
At 34 years of age, Main is the elder statesman of the Dynamite and will compete for time at goalkeeper.
“It’s a great opportunity, and I look forward to it,” said Main, who played collegiately at Utah State and professionally for the Utah Freezz of the now-defunct World Indoor Soccer League from 1999-2000. “Being away from soccer as a player for so long a time has really made this even more exciting. I don’t take it for granted anymore. I know I don’t have a lot of time left to be a part of something like this.”
Making the leap
Having not played soccer since leaving Utah in 2000, Main was not expecting a call to join a professional organization. But toward the end of the summer, Main received a call from Dynamite GM and president Peter Randell, asking him if he was interested in returning to the game. His interest piqued, Main agreed to attend a combine at the end of September.
“It was more like a glorified tryout,” he said. “A lot of scrimmaging took place so they could see us react in a game situation.”
Coaches obviously liked what they saw because Main was offered a contract shortly thereafter. After a couple of days mulling it over with his family, Main signed on the dotted line.
“It was just a matter of being in the right place at the right time,” Main said. “It was certainly an adjustment. I had always been able to play around and practice with the boys, but it’s a different dynamic when you get into a more competitive situation. Luckily my body has been healthy and my instincts and reactions haven’t left me yet.”
Main is competing with Justin Dzuba, a member of the U.S. National Arena Soccer Team, for playing time in goal, but whether he’s the starter or the back-up, he plans to make the most of the opportunity.
“I just enjoy being around the team atmosphere,” he said. “I’ll play as long as I stay healthy and as long as it’s not a burden on my family.”
How it works
Indoor soccer is nothing like its outdoor predecessor. While traditional soccer is played on a large surface where offense is much harder to come by and the pace of the game is deliberate, the indoor game is played on a turf-covered hockey rink and guys like Main are kept awfully busy because the close quarters and fast pace can yield double digits in terms of goals scored.
In the Professional Arena Soccer League, teams play six-on-six with four 15-minute quarters and goals are half the size of those for traditional soccer. Balls can and often are played off the boards, making for an interesting dynamic.
“As an indoor keeper, the No. 1 thing is reading those balls coming off the boards,” Main said. “Outdoors, you worry about crosses. But here, the ball is constantly in play and as a keeper you have to keep your head moving. You are easily going to be making 25-30 saves per game.”
Goalkeepers also are more integral to the attack with the indoor game.
“When you make a save, you now have to start the attack right away through your distribution,” Main said. “You are like a quarterback. There is no punting allowed; everything is done primarily with your hands. You will see a lot of fast-break plays with goalkeepers getting the ball up to their forwards.”
Also making the game a bit more akin to hockey, penalty minutes can be assessed in the league, resulting in power plays. While regular infractions will result in a traditional free kick, more deliberate fouls can warrant a two-minute penalty. Further, a two-minute penalty will be assessed to the individual who commits the sixth team foul.
The league is an offshoot of the Premier Arena Soccer League, the nation’s largest amateur league, and is affiliated with the Canadian Major Indoor Soccer League and Liga Mexicana.
The league has eight teams in the United States, three in Canada and three in Mexico. Expansion franchises in San Diego and Utah will begin play next year.
Home games for the Dynamite are played at the Denver Sports Center.
Single game tickets range from $10-$20 and can be purchased online at denverdynamitesoccer.com.
The team will play eight games in Denver during a regular season that ends in March.
“It’s a great opportunity to continue to follow a pro team and see high level soccer in the winter months,” Main said. “We have five players on the U.S. National Team, so you will see a good skill level and some of the best players in the country.”
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