Billy Gazonas Story (eBook)

A Soccer Journey from Tears and Humiliation to National Champions and Hermann Trophy Winner

Billy J Gazonas (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2020
295 Seiten
Distributed By Ingram Spark (Verlag)
9781734222838 (ISBN)

Infos

This is an incredibly inspiring soccer story that shows us that if you're really motivated and ignore those that say you are not good enough, you can make your dreams a reality. Billy Gazonas -5-foot-3, 132 pounds - yearned to play for perennial Division 1 soccer powerhouse Hartwick College in upstate New York. But head coach Timo Liekoski, considered by many to be the brightest mind in college soccer then, told Billy he was not good enough to play at Hartwick and should go elsewhere. But Timo could not measure Billy's indomitable will to succeed. He enrolled at Hartwick and barely managed to survive two brutal weeks of preseason practice. That was followed by the first regular season game against Montclair State, with Billy's parents in attendance. He was the only player not to get into the game. He was humiliated and in tears as he sat in the back of the bus for the ride back to Oneonta. But he refused to be defeated. Instead, he devoted himself to endless hours of secret training to master the ball and try to earn playing time with the varsity. This remarkable story culminated with Billy's last game his senior year, when he captained Hartwick to the NCAA Division 1 National Championship. He also was named winner of the Hermann Trophy, given to the nation's best college soccer player. If ever there was a story to motivate you to reach for the stars, this is it.

Inhalt

1 Cold Feet....................................................1

2 Time to Prove Tim Wrong................ ........14

3 The Opportunity Presents Itself...............45

4 Tension Mounts................................ .........58

Photo Section 1........................................... ...77

5 It's a Derby Match..................................... ..83

6 St. Louis in Sight.........................................90

7 We Could Have Been.................................100

8 I Have to Become a Much Better Player...107

9 I Love the Summer......................................124

10 Here We Go Again......................................128

11 Something is Missing.................................137

Photo Section 2................................................155

12 The Change..................................................161

13 Holiday Surprises........................................171

14 Mr. Pibb Win, Win and Win.........................183

15 Coaching and Educational Decisions.......191

16 Bicentennial Cup and Amateur Cup..........195

17 June Finals...................................................204

18 Training With Ping Pong.............................213

19 The Lennox Era Begins...............................216

20 The Path is Set.............................................232

21 The Light Bulb Went Off..............................238

22 The Final Four...............................................240

Photo Section 3.................................................248

23 Dodging Death..............................................255

24 High Spring Hopes Lost...............................259

25 Olympic Invite Declined................................264

26 My Last Summer to Train with Ping Pong.. 266

27 Senior Year Preseason..................................270

28 It Officially Counts Now.................................275

29 Finally, the Right Lineup................................283

30 The Real Season Starts Now..........................296

31 I Have Been Waiting 4 Years For This Game 315

32 The Icing on the Cake......................................324

After College..........................................................327

Acknowledgments................................................329

About the Author..................................................331

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 11.5.2020
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Sport ► Ballsport ► Fußball
• Schlagworte: Hermann Trophy • Inspirational • Memoir • Motivational • secret training • Soccer • Sports • will to succeed • will to win
• ISBN-13: 9781734222838 / 9781734222838