Forward to left back. It’s a switch that is rare in soccer. But for the Syracuse men’s soccer team, one sophomore has been able to make the transition almost seamlessly – Justin Arena.

During the offseason Arena transitioned to left defender for Syracuse. So far, he’s started seven out of 11 games this season. Arena said there is one obvious reason for the success he has had at the left-back position: ‘athleticism.’

Arena and the SU men’s soccer team hosts Rutgers Saturday at 7 p.m. at SU Soccer Stadium to kick off a three-game homestand.

That athleticism has enabled Arena to be a vital part of not only Syracuse’s wall in the back, but its attack as well. Arena is tied for the team lead in assists (three), odd for a defender.

‘When you put an athletic forward type player on defense and once they figure out their defensive role, it gives them the opportunity to get forward and be an offensive threat for our team,’ said junior defender Brien Chamney. ‘So it definitely gives us a little edge or advantage over certain teams.’

A little edge may be an understatement. Arena’s speed has helped him change the momentum of games thus far.

‘Justin has great attacking instincts, he is a very good athlete and the combination of the two is what we look for in our outside backs,’ said SU head coach Dean Foti. ‘He can give us a dimension as an outside back, not just as a guy who can defend, but as someone who can get forward and create problems for the other team attacking-wise.’

That doesn’t mean the transition was easy for Arena.

‘It was a big change obviously,’ Arena said. ‘Hopefully as the season goes on I’ll get better.’

When asked about what he missed most from the forward position Arena said, ‘Scoring goals, yet at the same time, I like hitting people on defense and getting up on headers, I didn’t get to do that up top.’

Arena hopes his athleticism seals him a starting spot, and eventually vaults him to the professional ranks, either in the MLS or overseas.

The roots of Arena’s transition reach much further just his time last year at SU. While in high school, Arena and Winston Churchill (Md.) High School head coach Dave Kelley recognized the possibilities.

‘I always felt Justin was suited to play as an outside fullback in large part because of his raw athletic abilities,’ Kelley said. ‘Along with his athleticism Justin is very much a left-sided player with a very good left foot, and he’s most comfortable playing on the outside of the field where he can attack and defend on the left flank.’

Kelly, who Arena recognized as, ‘the first person who told me when I was a forward that I could be a good left back,’ also added that Arena showed signs in high school that pointed toward future promise as a defender.

Colin Haggerty, a freshman defender for the Orange and teammate of Arena at Winston Churchill, concurred with Kelly’s observation.

‘For the most part, he played forward in high school,’ Haggerty said. ‘Eventually, in certain games, he would come back on defense to hold the lead.’

And Arena has plenty of time ahead of him to continue to progress at left back. Foti’s looking forward to it.

‘Justin is an all-around good kid and student,’ Foti said. ‘He is a good player and epitomizes the type of kids we look for and try to get in our program. He is young and his best playing is ahead of him.’

aolivero@syr.edu

Published on October 9, 2008 at 12:00 pm