By Abdrew Scharff
Imagine you’re a goalie for the Hofstra men’s soccer team. You have been riding the bench for two straight seasons. After two seasons on the bench, you’re suddenly handed the keys to a Division I soccer team. For Pride goalie Tom Johansen, this is reality.
Johansen, a junior, takes over a team who has won consecutive CAA Championships with someone else in goal. While the Pride was winning championships, Johansen was preparing for this season, his season.
“I always kept working hard in practice, I never gave up and never got discouraged,” Johansen said. “It’s my time to play.”
Johansen has credited his success this year to Matthias Gumbrecht, the goalkeeper he replaced. Johansen had a great relationship with his predecessor and after Gumbrecht graduated, he told Johansen something that would key his success as starter.
“He told me, ‘Just be yourself. Be confident in goal. It is your team now. Just do your thing,'” Johansen said.”He is doing very well stepping into a tough position following a four-year starter,” Pride assistant coach Brian Suskiewicz said. “The goalie position is a critical position and you need a guy to rely on to win you a championship. He continues to be our guy to rely on.”
Johansen might be considered to have better overall skills than Gumbrecht. Although Gumbrecht is quicker on his feet, Johansen is the better shot stopper and is a little bit better on crossings. He proved this during the Pride’s 1-0 win against New Hampshire on Sept. 17, as he made a game-saving stop with Hofstra hanging on by a thread.
It has taken some time for Johansen and the defense to work as cohesive unit, but the more Johansen plays, the more confidence he and his defense earn in each other.
“We know Tommy’s going to make the big saves,” senior defender Gary Flood said. “We were a little nervous, but now we’re now starting to get comfortable.”
Johansen also credits goalkeeper coach Ed Schieferstein with making him comfortable and confident. Schieferstein, who was Johansen’s coach in high school, was able to fine tune him and got Johansen where he needs to be effective for the Pride.