Ben Speas Q&A

The Columbus Crew’s Ben Speas has had a fantastic start to the 2013 season.  He’s a big reason why the team is in the upper half of the Eastern Conference.  After an injury to Eddie Gaven opened the door for him to move into the starting lineup in the team’s third match of the season, he has not left it, heading into Saturday’s match at home with DC United.  I interviewed Speas back in March, after the Crew’s home-opening 1-1 draw with San Jose.  In an unplanned coincidence, you can find a story on thecrew.com about what Speas and Head Coach Robert Warzycha think about his work to this point in the season.  Here are Speas’ comments  from that day back in March about his soccer background, what helped him become the player he is today and a certain bald Crew goalscorer from the early 2000s:

Q – Talk about your progression as a pro here at the beginning of your second year.

Ben Speas – First year was unfortunate with the injury (sports hernia).  I worked to come back all year and just tried to learn things.  Now I’m happy to be out there helping, trying to contribute.  It’s nice to be out there to help the team out.  I’m just trying to stay ready, to be dangerous when I get the ball.

Q – When you talk about being ready, today’s a perfect example when Eddie (Gaven) goes down (he injured his ankle earlier that week in training), you step right in and the team doesn’t miss a beat.

BS – Yeah, you’re right.  It’s different.  You’ve got to be ready mentally at all times.  I mean, if Eddie had been ready today and I would have been on the bench.  There’s a lot of mental preparation that goes on at this level.  You’ve got to be ready at all times.  Anything can happen.

Q – Talk about where you played your youth ball growing up before you went to CVCA.

BS – Everest Soccer Club is where I played, for like six or seven years.  My coaches were Dan Zemanski – Ben Zemanski’s dad, Carl Capellas, Jason Hopkins.  I learned a lot from the club and felt like I really started to take soccer seriously while I was there.  Then I got the chance to come to the Crew Academy, which took me to the next level.  I’m really grateful for Everest and all they did for me.

Q – Talk about high school.  What was it about Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy that got you ready for the next level, moving on to Akron and North Carolina?

BS – CVCA was great.  Same thing.  I learned so much and grew so much as a player.  (CVCA Head Coach) Jason Spodnik is one of my best friends and the program is, I’d say, the best program in Ohio – I would say in the country, but I don’t know all that much about the other top programs.  It was great.  I played with a lot of great players.  I mean, we had five players who went on to become professional players.  It’s a great organization and school.  It’s playing for more than just soccer.

Q – And now you’re playing with some other guys who are from your home area.  That has to add to your comfort level on the field.

BS – It was nice to play against Justin (Morrow) tonight.  Good for him that he got the goal – unfortunate for us that he got a goal, though.  It’s good to play against the guys and to follow them.  I mean, Benny (Zemanski) and Nano (Michael Nanchoff) and all of them, it’s cool to be a part of it and to have guys from the same area doing well in the league.

Q – You’ve been a Crew fan all of your life.  Who’s your favorite Crew player of all-time and why?  

BS – My favorite growing up was probably Dante Washington.  I had FIFA 2000 and he always scored all the goals, so that’s why I like him so much.

Washington played for the Crew in three different stints (1996-97, 2000-03, 2004-05) and bagged 30 goals in 78 matches.  Given the fact that Speas doesn’t play up top like Washington did, it’s safe to say that all Crew fans would be ecstatic if the talented youngster from Stow could rack up similar numbers before his time in Ohio’s capital is through.

* PHOTO CREDIT: Columbus Crew