 |
Ross Myers played three seasons for the Yeomen, and then, after transferring for the 3-2 engineering program, made the squad at Division I Columbia this fall |
Photos courtesy of the Columbia University and Oberlin College athletics departments |
by Erik Kojola '09
-- Not many college athletes make the transition from Division III to Division I in their senior year, but that is exactly what Ross Myers did this fall when he transferred to Columbia University. Myers had a stellar three-year career with the Oberlin men’s soccer team, but switched to Columbia as part of the 3-2 engineering program and earned a spot on the men’s soccer team.
In 2006, Myers started all 18 games for the Yeomen at defense and received honorable mention All-NCAC accolades and team defensive MVP honors for his performance. Myers was able to parlay this success into earning a spot on Columbia’s roster and he has seen action in a handful of games this season for the Lions, who finish their 2007 campaign on November 17 against Brown University.
Playing at the Division I level has been an adjustment, but Myers says that he is able to get into the flow of the game and keep up with the faster pace. In Division I, the overall pace of the game is faster, the skills are better, and there is less room for error. However, Myers has found that he can get into the rhythm of the game and develop faster reactions. The main aspects of the game are still the same and teams face similar problems; however, the penalties for mistakes are higher. The style and system of play at Columbia is similar to Oberlin, which has made the transition much simpler for Myers.
Myers is using the experience he gained from Oberlin to take his collegiate career to the next level. He started training rigorously this summer in preparation for tryouts for Columbia. The hard work and experience paid off as he made the squad and was in excellent shape. Myers attributes much of his success to his work ethic and discipline.
In Myers’s first season with the Yeomen he played sparingly and in his sophomore year he played more but not consistently. In his first year he saw action in 10 games then as a sophomore he played in 18, starting four. According to Oberlin Head Coach Blake New, Myers worked extremely hard and became a starter and key player by his junior season. As a junior, he was the leader of a defense that allowed only 18 goals the entire season.
“He (Myers) is one of the strongest players I have ever coached and that is why I think he has a chance to be successful at the Division 1 level," New said. "No one worked harder than Ross and I think his work rate was outstanding."
Myers attributes his disciplined play and defensive technique to the lessons he learned from New who helped him develop a sense of how to play the game. Myers says that New taught him how to play with good positioning and avoid bad tendencies, such as ball watching. Myers feels that because of the instruction he received at Oberlin he has a better understanding of the game, even more than some of the other players at Columbia.
On the pitch, Myers is performing well and has gotten some playing time at defense. He hoped to see more action as the season went on, but was partially hampered by a broken hand he suffered midway through the season. He was able to adjust and quickly got back to playing at full strength. According to Myers, playing time is based solely upon your performance and output.
Coming into college, Myers had not seriously considered Division I programs, besides for a few conversation with the coach at the Naval Academy. In high school Myers was not involved in the competitive club circuit like most of the top high school prospects. When he chose Oberlin and the 3-2 engineering program, he knew that he wanted to continue playing and use his fourth year of eligibility. When Myers decided to attend Columbia, he began looking into the prospects of playing soccer. He asked New to talk with Columbia Head Coach Leo Chappel and explore the possibility of playing for the Lions. Chappel was himself an alumnus of North Coast Athletic Conference rival Ohio Wesleyan. Myers then tried out this fall and made the squad.
Myers misses his teammates at Oberlin and the unique character of the team, but is enjoying his new experience at Columbia. Myers says the Oberlin team was a very special group, but the players at Columbia have been welcoming and helped to make the adjustment smooth. Academically, he is focusing on engineering, which he finds very interesting. The coursework is challenging and Myers feels that Oberlin prepared him well, even better than some of the other students in his classes. Balancing soccer and academics has not been too challenging, although soccer takes up more time due to workouts and extensive travel time.
Myers is enjoying the opportunity to continue playing soccer at a highly competitive NCAA Division I level. Playing at Columbia has been a rewarding and enjoyable experience, but he will always remember his time with the Yeomen.
« More Feature Stories | Columbia Men's Soccer |
