HOOVER, Ala. — Freshmen don’t often get to play key roles on the biggest stages.
But Robby Thomas’ experience playing soccer at high levels is helping him change that.
The freshman forward from Columbus was in the starting lineup Friday night and played a key role in helping the Charlotte men’s soccer team beat Creighton University in penalty kicks in the NCAA College Cup at Regions Park.
The win pushed Charlotte (16-4-4) into the national title game at 3 p.m. today (ESPN) against the top-seeded University of North Carolina (20-2-3). This is the first time Charlotte, which plays in the Atlantic 10 Conference, has advanced to the national championship.
For Thomas, a former student-athlete at Heritage Academy, it is a dream come true to get to play in front of family in friends a few hours from Columbus.
“Coach (Jeremy Gunn) just wanted me to be solid in there and win the ball and help the team as much as I can,” Thomas said. “He wanted me to move the ball around and, luckily, we got the win.”
The 6-foot-1, 170-pound midfielder helped Charlotte keep its defensive shape and limit the scoring chances of the Blue Jays. Thomas has played a similar role throughout the season, starting five of the nine games he has appeared in.
Despite playing in front of family and friends, Thomas tried to treat the national semifinal as just another game. He said the season has been a learning experience in which he has been a part of a team that has relied on a stingy, defensive mentality to hold opponents to 20 goals this season. Charlotte has won its last two matches in penalty kick shootouts after playing 90 minutes of regulation and two 10-minute overtime periods.
But Thomas’ background prepared him for the sport’s biggest stage. He was a member of the state of Mississippi’s Olympic Development Program for six years. He trained with Germany’s Karlsruhe Soccer Club, Denmark’s B.93 Fodbold Club, Brazil’s Esporte Cube Bahia, and played on the Super Club Under-15 National Team that played in England in 2007. Thomas also helped the Jackson Futbol Club win two State Cup titles and two Region III Premier League Championships. He then was part of the Birmingham United Soccer Academy team that finished second in the Southeast Division Southern Conference in 2010 and third in 2009.
Thomas attended Heritage Academy from sixth through 12th grade. He played soccer at the school in seventh and eighth grade before focusing solely on club soccer. He hasn’t scored this season and has four shots on goal.
“I have had a great season,” Thomas said. “I have been progressing and getting better and better. My teammates have really helped me. It has been a lot of fun.”
Thomas feels he has improved the most on understanding the game and tactics he needs to control the midfield. He also praised the upperclassmen for helping him fit in and bringing the team closer together.
Thomas said the team expected at the beginning of the season to go far. His teammates said after beating Creighton that they are enjoying shedding the “Cinderella” label and proving people wrong. He hopes they can take one more step today.
“The season has been great,” Thomas said. “The guys have been amazing. It is a really tight group. We are just going great. Everybody is so together on this, and it is great to be a part of.”
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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