Reading United Feature -- www.readingunitedac.com
Monday, January 2, 2012
READING, Pa. – Kicking off the new year with a series of exclusive interviews with Reading United alumni, Sporting Kansas City’s C.J. Sapong was a clear choice to begin the series. After scoring in the second minute of his professional career, he never looked back en route to winning the 2011 Major League Soccer Rookie of the Year Award.
We caught up with C.J. around the holiday season to discuss his accomplishments, future in the league, and of course, Hope Solo.
Q: Back when we interviewed you in April, your goal for the season was to "impose your will on defenders in this league". Did you have any idea that would possibly lead to an accolade like MLS Rookie of the Year after leading all rookies in scoring (5 goals, 5 assists)?
Sapong: I didn't expect it to bring me the ROY award but i knew that if I could establish a presence amongst defenders, then I could be that much more effective on the field.
Q: Winning that award, you've now put yourself in some pretty select company, including US National Team regulars Maurice Edu and Clint Dempsey. Any hopes of following in their footsteps to the Premiership, or sticking to the MLS path that previous winners like Omar Gonzalez and Sean Franklin have stayed on?
Sapong: I am truly honored to be a member of that list. It shows me what I can accomplish if I continue to put the work in and keep the same attitude. I want to be the best player that I can be and I think an eventual move to Europe would ensure that.
Q: Speaking of the US National Team, you just narrowly missed the cutoff for the U23 team that is looking to qualify for the upcoming Olympics in London. What do you think your chances are of getting called up to the National Team in the near future, namely after getting called up to the USMNT camp in January?
Sapong: It would have been a great honor to represent my country in the Olympics but I am grateful for my call-up to the senior team and now have an opportunity to take my game to the next level.
Q: In addition to your individual honors, Sporting KC overcame some tremendous odds this season to win the Eastern Conference regular season crown. KC struggled tremendously on the 10 game road trip to start the season, winning only one of those games. How daunting was it to fall behind that early in the season?
Sapong: It was a very rough road trip to start the season. Big credit goes out to our organization as a whole. Front office, coaches and players all believed in our abilities and worked harder to find a solution and we did.
Q: Obviously after the rough patch, Sporting KC turned things around over their final stretch, losing only three games after that road trip. What led to such a drastic change of fortune? Was it simply returning home to a brand new LIVESTRONG Sporting Park and an energized fanbase, or was it something tactical that changed?
Sapong: I think coming home and getting a taste of our fanbase helped us out a lot. To see how loyal and supportive our fans still were after our dismal performances gave us new life, and we began playing harder for them.
Q: Which goal do you rank higher on your career list? Your first career goal that found netting two minutes into your career, the first goal scored at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park, or your header that helped put away Colorado in the playoffs?
Sapong: For now, my first goal as a professional within two minutes of the start of my debut is at the top of my list. Hopefully, throughout my career I can make it harder of a decision to pick one.
Q: You got a taste of the postseason with the Reading United back in 2010, when the team made it to the PDL semifinals. You essentially put the team on your back during the run in Ottawa, when we were shorthanded, then again in Portland. What did you take away from that experience that you carried into the MLS Playoffs this past year?
Sapong: I gained a lot of 'big game' experience with Reading United. Having to go the PDL semifinals shorthanded distributed an extra work load amongst us and we still did very well. We all had to work even harder to put teams under pressure and that is something that I took with me to MLS.
Q: You were the only player on the Sporting KC roster to play in all 34 games. Did playing the PDL season with the United during the summer, then transitioning to your senior year at James Madison help you prepare for the rigors of a season that lasted from March to October?
Sapong: It definitely did. I think that is a main reason that I didn't hit a wall and was able to push through the season with no problems.
Q: What changes can we expect to see with Omar Bravo now out of the fold in Kansas City? Do you feel any more added pressure to carry the scoring load with the squad losing an MLS All-Star from this past year?
Sapong: I don't think there will be too many changes. We went a couple games with him out due to injury and our attacking style is going to be the same. The only challenge will be for the remaining forwards to keep the level of competition up in training because that Omar always raised the level.
Q: Many of your Reading United teammates from last year (Billy Schuler, Matt Hedges, Andrew Wenger) will certainly be in serious consideration as possible first round picks in the MLS SuperDraft. What are your feelings as they prepare for the same path you took just one year ago?
Sapong: I couldn't be prouder of my former Reading United teammates. I'm not surprised about their collegiate successes and am positive that they will continue their successes in the MLS.
Q: If you had to bet on one of those teammates to win the next MLS Rookie of the Year award, who do you think would have the inside shot at winning?
Sapong: That's a tough one. All my teammates have the ability to do it. I think it will come down to who gets acclimated to the league faster and approaches it the right way.
Q: What is it about your time with the Reading United that helped you the most during this past season?
Sapong: The professional environment is what prepared me the most. Also, a huge factor was the high level of competition day in and day out.
Q: Did the United's unique player development connection with the Philadelphia Union play any role in deciding to play here last year?
Sapong: Yes, it did. The partnership that Reading United and the Union share is a great opportunity for collegiate players to get exposure.
Q: Final question - You became an overnight internet sensation with your ode to US Women's National Team goalie Hope Solo this past summer. How did all of this come about? Do you have any other secret poems you're waiting to unleash on the world?
Sapong: (laughs) I just like to have a good time and thought that it would be a funny and cool way to get a hug out of her. As of now, my poetic side is dormant again but you never know!