Any time there is a coaching change, it opens up a Pandora’s Box of possibilities. When the departing coach was as successful and credentialed as former mens soccer Head Coach Jim Launder, there’s a slight pause for concern. New Head Coach Dave Schureck has taken over the reigns and kept the program kicking however, and has the Flyers on the verge of one of their best seasons ever in his first year on the job. While he likes to share the credit, it is Schureck — a former goalkeeper at Xavier — who is primarily responsible for the seamless transition.

The Flyers enter tonight’s match with an overall record of 8-3 (3-1). A seven game winning streak, second-longest in school history, was snapped just days ago by Duquesne on their Astroturf playing surface in Pittsburgh. Just a game behind the league leaders however, Dayton is within striking distance and remains one of the favorites to dethrone Rhode Island and take the A-10 title. Coach Schureck and UDPride exchanged thoughts on the season recently and felt it was time for a mid-year progress report to gauge the past, examine the present, and look ahead at the future of Flyer soccer. UDPride is currently the only print or online media enterprise covering all mens soccer home games other than the official University of Dayton web site, and we’re the only enterprise supplying photos from every home game. We’re excited to have Schureck and his coaching staff as part of our Flyer coverage.

UDP: At the beginning of the season you felt you had the talent to vie for Top-25 consideration. Before the Duquesne loss, the Flyers were ranked 4th in the Great Lakes region. Have your players progressed as well as you had hoped so far this season? Any surprise performances?

DS: I had pretty good expectations for the guys before we even began preseason. As the season has progressed so have our [coaching staff] expectations. We were counting on RJ [R.J. Kaszuba] to be dangerous and so far he has been that. We were also expecting Sunday [Sunday Isename] to be a go-to striker and he’s just beginning to take on that role. As a team we are progressing as I hoped, but in all honesty it has come about a little differently than I expected individually. Some freshmen like Jeff Suzuki and Denny Clanton were able to adjust to the speed of play much quicker than I expected. All the newcomers are terrific players and could be playing at any given time.

UDP: Briefly summarize the contributions that the Flyer newcomers have made to the team this year.

DS: Well, obviously Denny Clanton has done a wonderful job as a defender. It is a very difficult position to step into as a freshman. Suzuki is getting more dangerous every game. Joe Hall’s injury just prior to preseason was a real downer and as a result he is just now beginning to do activities. Christian [Christian Porto] is learning the physical aspects of college soccer and you should see more of him as the season moves on. Jim [Jim Graham] and Dan Thomas are both excellent defenders and will play a big role in the future for our defense.

UDP: The Dayton defense has been impressive over the last few weeks as players like Michael Nsien, Chris Harder, and Denny Clanton have squeezed the life out of opposing forwards. How important have these three individuals been to the team’s success?

DS: They are playing very hard at the present. Harder’s experience and leadership are vital to our success. Often missed in the back is Cerwinske [Dan Cerwinske] who does such a good job going forward and intercepting passes. Honestly, we have other outstanding players waiting for their time. We are confident in our defenders about eight deep.

UDP: Has it been difficult to replace the leadership and experience of all-conference performers Mark Schulte and Emmanuel Ayim?

DS: Those guys did a tremendous amount for UD and this program and are terrific people. But as every coach hopes (and kind of plans for), someone will take over the leadership roles on and off the field. Patrick Wirtz and Chris Harder are both class individuals who have been in the program and have taken over very well. RJ’s goals and Nelson’s organization surely help on the field.

UDP: A lot your players today are hailing from places outside of UD’s traditional recruiting territories, making the men’s soccer team, arguably, the most “national” team at Dayton. What brought your staff to places like Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Puerto Rico?

DS: Well, Dayton’s reputation for academics is extremely strong throughout the US and especially in Puerto Rico. Being a catholic institution, we are looked at automatically by many players. My assistant coach, Tama Aondofar, is from Tulsa. Even before he became my assistant, he coached club [club soccer] in Oklahoma and made me aware of many players. But he has been instrumental in recruiting Oklahoma, Texas, and the West. Another major boost is from the university. Having a better budget allows us to go and see more players. And finally, Oliver Purnell doing a great job with basketball gets the Dayton name out more than anything does.

UDP: Attendance has been climbing for soccer games at UD thanks to the recent success of both teams as well as renovations to Baujan Field. What feedback have the players given you about the new additions and larger crowds? How has it impacted your recruiting efforts?

DS: The players are really grateful to the administration. These guys never asked for anything except to play D-I soccer and to get “rewards” always make you feel good. For recruiting, it has been huge. We are able to attract top players. Before when we recruited against the IU’s [Indiana University, two-time defending National Champions] and the ACC schools, there was no chance. We are actually going head-to-head on many players now. We win some and lose some, but we do win some.

UDP: After testing the waters of D-I soccer as a head coach, what are some of your impressions so far? What have been some unexpected highs and lows of the job?

DS: So far, the best high has been winning. The team is always a high. They are truly great people and I enjoy spending all the time I do with them. One major low is the number of phone calls, but it goes with the territory.

UDP: How did your predecessor at Dayton, Coach Jim Launder (1995 NCAA Coach of the Year), prepare you for the transition?

DS: Jim was great! He knew I wanted to be a head coach at the D-I level and helped in every aspect. He introduced me to the right people, and helped me get involved in the Olympic Development Program. But the best thing he did was giving me the opportunity to coach and recruit. I wasn’t just a paper shuffler with him. He allowed me to run training and work with the guys on an individual basis.

UDP: What’s the biggest hurdle, as you see it, for the Flyers to end up Atlantic-10 Champions?

DS: We talk about it all the time. We must eliminate mental lapses. This game can be changed in a five-second span. Forget your role, lose your concentration, and you [team] can be down a goal. We’ve given up too many goals this year because of that. If we stay focused, we are a tough team to beat. That is definitely our challenge.

UDP: Where do you see the A-10 in the next couple years? Does this conference have the commitment to become a top soccer league, or at least Top-10?

DS: There is talk about the conference stepping forward with soccer, but for now that is all there is. Adding a team like Richmond is terrific. But the other schools are going to have to step up their support or we will always be a mediocre conference at best. If schools do step up then I believe this conference can make a huge jump in power ratings in a short time.