Spring Break
The Daily OrangeMSOC | Hall brings Olympic qualifying experience back to SU
By Michael Bonner
Posted: 8/29/08, 12:09 AM EST Section: Sports
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Last March, Hall played on Canada's national soccer team, which was attempting to qualify for a trip to the Olympics.
Canada finished third in the Olympic qualifying tournament, just missing a trip to Beijing. He didn't return to Syracuse with gold or even Chinese mementos, but he didn't return entirely empty handed.
"I think it really opened my eyes how I really need to change my game," Hall said. "After that I started playing a lot quicker and a lot simpler, because I realized playing at that level where I'm facing a lot of pros, everyone plays really quick and simple."
Hall will take what he learned from the qualifying tournament and use it when the Orange kicks off its season against Canisius tonight at 7 p.m. at SU Soccer Stadium.
After squaring off against some of North America's elite, quicker play should come easily for Hall. The experience also made the senior a more mature player, having dealt with the pressure of qualifying for the Olympics.
At SU, Hall represents 19,084 students. In March, he was representing the 33,390,141 citizens of Canada. When Hall trots onto the field at the Syracuse Soccer Stadium, about 1,500 eyes are watching him. In Carson, Calif., at the Olympic qualifiers, 18,000 eyes watched his every move, and he felt every one of them.
Not to mention, he entered the game during the 80th minute against Mexico with the score tied at one.
"As I went in I was like damn," Hall said. "I was like this is it. We're against Mexico. This is our chance to tie them (in the standings). I was like, 'Don't mess up.'"
The butterflies soon flew away. They were diverted by the head coach of Team Canada, Nick Dasovic. After signaling Hall to get in the game, Dasovic saw Hall had a little too much energy off the bench.
"I just stressed, like I do with most of the players, even if we are playing a great team, you have to just take it as a normal game," Dasovic said. "Listen, you're playing for Syracuse right now, just take it for an NCAA game, whatever you want it to be."
Whatever Hall visualized, it worked. He played significant minutes after finding his way onto the field and capped the tournament off scoring a goal against Guatemala that advanced Canada to the next round of play against Guatemala.
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