By Siddique Farooqi

Two words of advice to those included in the first “4” of a “4-4-2” formation.

Think fast.

Such simple advice, however, could not be administered in time to the back four of the Cornell women’s soccer team, who spent the majority of an otherwise beautiful Friday evening on Aug. 31 playing the role of butter to the hot knife embroidered in a home-white uniform with Hofstra emblazoned across the front and the number 11 on the back. The hot knife, played by Hofstra Pride center forward Brooke DeRosa, would compile a debut to remember-two goals and two assists, including a laser-accurate free-kick assist on junior Edel Malone’s goal almost 3 and a half minutes into the 2007 campaign.

“Unbelievable talent,” gushed the second year head coach of the Hofstra Pride women’s soccer team, Simon Riddiough. “She’s going to be huge for us,” he remarked, with some extra English on the “huge.”

Malone, returning to the field after missing the 2006 season due to injury, weighs in with an optimistic outlook on the newcomer’s contributions to the team.

“This could be the beginning of something great,” said the 2005 CAA Rookie of the Year, attributing DeRosa’s strong play to her technical awareness in game situations.

“She’s strong in the field, can control the ball well, and knows how to get to the ball,” Malone said.

DeRosa’s foray in the blue, white and gold of Hofstra marks her return to collegiate soccer after a two-year hiatus. The reprieve from the college game follows a three-year career at Syracuse University (red-shirted her senior year), where she would garner All-Big East Rookie Team honors in 2002.

Despite staying active on the field by playing on club teams (most recently as a member of the Long Island Rough Riders of the W-League), DeRosa’s quest for another shot at the college game beckoned-and she would oblige.

“I missed the sheer competition of college soccer,” said DeRosa. “I have so much love for the game and it was really difficult for me to just walk away from it.”

It is that passion that directed DeRosa’s attention to the Hofstra women’s soccer program, which she aptly describes as the “most competitive program” on Long Island.

Another key deciding factor stems from DeRosa’s family-oriented nature. The Connetquot High School alum, speaking glowingly about her parents and siblings for their support in her pursuit of further collegiate soccer as well as a master’s degree at Hofstra, thinks highly of the coaching staff, which, to her, has done a great job in fostering a “family-like” atmosphere among the team, on and off the field. Furthermore, she expresses a significant level of comfort in playing for a “laid-back” head coach in Riddiough, who “shares similar philosophies” when it comes to soccer.

The relationship between DeRosa and Coach Riddiough, laden with mutual admiration, dates back approximately 10 years, when Brooke’s older brother, Cory, was a teammate of Riddiough during his days as a hard-nosed defender for the Hofstra Flying Dutchmen men’s soccer team. However, Cory would not be the only mutual acquaintance, as the head coach of DeRosa’s Huntington Boys Club Magic club team, Gary Book, a good friend of the Hofstra head coach, helped shape an early insight into the blossoming young lady.

“I always knew what a great kid she was, well, now she’s a great young adult-she has this quiet confidence about her-she demand respect, but never in a condescending manner,” Riddiough said. “She brings a certain sense of maturity on and off the field which others can’t help but feed off.”

Coach Riddiough has always been in awe of the Ronkonkoma native.

“She’s a very gifted forward, has the rare combination of speed and strength for a back-to-the-goal forward,” adding, “we were very fortunate that she ended up right on our doorstep.”

DeRosa, who feels her current team is actually “more talented” than the Syracuse teams she played on from 2002-2005, can’t wait to see what will transpire this season.

“I like what I see so far,” she said. “I really want to see how far we can go.”

So what, if any, conceivable drawbacks exist in the mind of the second-year head coach while salivating over the prospect of the talented center-forward spearheading a formidable attack to promising heights? Simple – the fact that DeRosa will be limited to the status of a “one-hit wonder,” as this is her last year of NCAA eligibility.

“It’s tough when you think about it,” Riddiough said. “I don’t think I’ll ever find another Brooke DeRosa again.”