For Jon Gruenewald and Daniel Stevens, learning to play at a high level in the Major Indoor Soccer League has been quite the learning curve.
Gruenewald, a 2004 graduate of Fayetteville-Manlius High School, and Stevens, who blazed a trail at Liverpool High School up though his 2004 graduation, are both members of the Syracuse Silver Knights, the MISL expansion club plays that its home games at the War Memorial and is about to complete its first season.
It hasn’t been all roses so far — the Knights have showed a lot of poise and promise at times, but their 9-14 record is keeping them out of the league playoffs. Coached by seasoned soccer veteran and local guy Tommy Tanner, the team has grown a lot so far. Gruenewald and Stevens had never played professional indoor soccer prior, but each have experience in top-level outdoor soccer. That’s basically how the entire roster was formed, with experienced players who Knights management thinks can blossom into stars with the right guidance.
Gruenewald said he has learned so much from his coach in a short period of time.
“Tommy has so much experience,” he said. “He is so good at explaining the game and preparing us day in and day out.”
Tanner’s job, however, was made easier by an important factor.
“This team is the closest group of players of any team I’ve ever been on,” Gruenewald said. “Most of us are new to the indoor game. We’re mostly outdoor guys trying to get adjusted. I think the fact we were all learning together helped keep us so close.”
It’s funny at first to think about a F-M kid and a Liverpool guy, whose schools were rivals in soccer, getting along. But digging a little deeper shows the two were actually friendly, as they both played together in club leagues growing up.
That’s not to say neither has jawed with the other about old times.
“We were big rivals,” Stevens said. “You still have to have your bragging rights. We’re teammates now, but you still have to represent where you came from.”
Gruenewald said he enjoyed his competition with Stevens in their younger days.
“I even looked up to him,” he said. “He was a year older than me and we were in a league where the whole goal was to get better.”
Both had injury troubles this year, and much of it can be attributed to leaping from playing on grass fields in outdoor leagues to the indoor turf. Gruenewald has missed nine games due to groin and MCL injuries, while Stevens has missed games because of ankle and feet issues.
Tanner said he has seen both begin to blossom, which bodes well for their future place on the team. He said both will be there next year, and that he’s excited to see what they, and the entire team, can produce with a year under the belt.
In his first 21 games, Stevens has 24 points on eight 2-point goals and eight 1-pointers. The field is set up kind of like a basketball court, with 1-, 2- and 3-point goals. It’s insanely fast-paced, kind of like hockey-soccer, but “you can see the ball in indoor soccer,” Tanner said.
Gruenewald has 17 points in his first 16 games, with one 3-pointer and seven 2s.
“Jon started on fire, then he got hurt,” Tanner said. “I started using him in different ways when he came back and he was a big asset for us.
“Danny struggled the first few games. But since then, his production has increased a ton. He has been involved. I bet his stats in the last 10 games would be up with the league leaders.”
Both players have the luxury of playing in front of a very supportive local crowd. They were both stars on their high school clubs, and a lot of people in the area know them.
They both said it is a boost having friends and family in attendance.
“I think I had like 50 people there who were either friends or family my first home game,” Stevens said. “It’s a great feeling to look out into the crowd and see familiar faces. But there is a little added pressure because you want to perform at the highest level for them.”
“I think I usually have like 40 to 75 people there a game,” Gruenewald said. “My dad is so excited to have me back home playing here that he doesn’t miss a home game. I love the support.”
Tanner said he thinks next year will be much better in terms of on-field success.
“We have the players and now they have the experience,” he said. “I think we’re going to get there.”
Neil Benjamin Jr. can be reached at [email protected].
