The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, June 16, 1997, Page 11, Image 11
Tart set t
SHANNON E. MOTLEY Staff Writer
David Tart believes m the power
of teamwork and thinks it might hold
the magic it will take to bring the
Gamecocks' men's soccer team out of
last season's slump.
The 22-year-old senior captain said
the team worked through its
disappointment last season ? when
they finished 8-9-2 under head coach
Mark Berson?with a spring full of
position and attitude changes.
"Coach [Berson] was concerned
with players' team concept, but he did
a good job explaining it to [the captains],
and we relayed that to the team," said
Tart, a biology major who hopes to go
to medical school after graduation.
Through us, the younger guys
understood how things needed to be
done as a team," he said, emphasizing
"team."
Tart will be playing defense for the
Gamecocks this season as a right
fullback. He had been a midfielder,
but because of the style of play and
Berson's decision to move players
around, Tart will be in a new spot.
"We didn't have the season we
wanted last fall," the Garner, N.C.,
native said "But, spring was productive
and things look better."
USC was one of the top tour teams
in the country two years ago, but they
lost in the first round of the NCAA
Tournament after a bad game, Tart
said. The team garnered preseason
ranking in 1996, but finished unranked
and, for the first time in five years,
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"We were confident we would win
the national championship," Thrt said.
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attitude were not where they should
have been.
"It was like we were on a roller
coaster. We beat big teams and then
would lose to small teams we shouldn't
have."
Thrt said USC has a great recruiting
class for the 1997 season, which includes
some players who have previous NCAA
soccer experience.
"It's a hard transition from high
school to college, and ifs easier because
they have played college ban," he said.
Tart said he visited and was
recruited by North Carolina State,
North Carolina-Chapel Hill and
Greensboro, Furman and South
Carolina out of high school, when he
was on the Under-17 National Soccer
Tfeam.
"I had ties to N.C. State, and I
visited the other schools, but Coach
Berson impressed me and my parents,
and I was impressed by the program,"
Tart said of why he chose Carolina.
Tart was redshirted his first year
after breaking his leg. Despite the
injury, he made a great recovery and
has earned his place as a 1997 team
captain, as well as four varsity letters.
He was also a scholar-athlete AilAmerican
in 1996.
Tart has a positive attitude about
the season ahead. He said the spring
games, workouts and attitude changes
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Tart said position and attitude changes will
were necessary to boost the team spirit have son
and get them ready for the 1997 "Win one
schedule. on the n<
"What I hope is we're not ranked, Tournan
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"The men are young and it really
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re said.
Tbnique Williams was ninth in the
) meters. Erin Narzinski finished
enth in the women's heptathlon at .
first NCAA meet.
"I missed sixth place by three points * '
I that's painfiil," Narzinski said. "I
nted to be Ail-American and I did
it."
Ten Gamecocks received Alllerican
honors. They Ellerbe
mmer, shot put), Misipeka (hammer,
t put), Mannon (hammer, shot put),
viicptatiiiuu/, vijotai
)wnlee (shot put) and Charmaine
well (800 meters), and the men's
.00 relay, which consisted of Corey
dges, Shah Mays, Jamaal Williams
1 Jamie Price.
Misispeka's eighth All-American ^
iction set a school record.
Ellerbe finished her collegiate career
h four NCAA titles, five SEC titles,
r USATF titles and six All-American
tors. She also holds the American
ird in the hammer.
Although the team will miss
jrbe's contributions, it does return
amber of top performers, including
other nine All-Americans. The team
I also have the services of Brad
pder, Ryan Harrison and Riaan
npers, key performers who were
shirted due to injuries.
Fiye said the success of this season
[ the talented newcomers will bring
ssitive outlook for next season.
"We should be in the position to ^
sh in the top five next year with
b programs," he said.
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