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Goal.commentary: Ben Olsen On the Comeback Trail – Again
D.C. United’s beloved midfielder tries to recover from a second bout of major ankle problems in his career.
Mar 19, 2009 9:21:07 PM
By Randy Davis
As a fan of the sport of soccer in America it’s hard to find a player easier to root for than Ben Olsen. Not just because of his on-field abilities, his U.S. men’s national team experience, his Major League Soccer Cup championships, or the fact that by all accounts he’s just a great guy. Not for those Dick’s Sporting Goods commercials featuring him chasing his son wearing a Beckham jersey. And not for the fact that as an ordained minister he presided over the nuptials at former teammate Nick Rimando’s wedding.
For me – it’s mostly because he has a compelling story of hard-work, success, triumph, disappointment and perseverance. The ups and downs of Olsen’s career are likely something that all of us can relate to in some manner. They make him seem more like one of us, so as you hear his story, put yourself in his shoes.
“All Going According to Plan”
Olsen came out of the fabled Project 40, a Nike sponsored precursor to the current Generation adidas program for promising young American soccer prospects. He was drafted by D.C. United and quickly became a key factor for the club, earning rookie of the year honors in 1998. In just his second season, he became a regular starter, scoring 6 goals and dishing out 11 assists, earned an All-Star Game appearance, and helping his team to win the MLS Cup. He himself nabbed the MLS Cup MVP award. He had clearly emerged as one of the top right midfielders in the league and put his speed and energy to use out on the flank.
In his third season he suffered a minor setback when he suffered an ankle injury that kept him out for a good portion of the year. However, he recovered enough toward season’s end that he was able to go on loan with Nottingham Forrest in the English First Division. He would later describe it as “the most memorable experience in soccer I’ve had. I lived soccer, and I saw soccer the way it’s supposed to be experienced.”
He appeared on his way to a more permanent move to the English side as there were negotiations ongoing with the league for a transfer fee reportedly in the $2 million range. Olsen was clearly on top of the world as far as his soccer career was concerned. As Olsen recently told Goal.com, “It was all going according to plan.”
Put yourself in his shoes.
First Set of Ankle Problems
Unfortunately Olsen would experience the first of two major injury hurdles before a transfer could be completed. In a match against Barnsley in March 2001, Olsen suffered a fracture to his right ankle, killing any hopes of further play in Europe and derailing his soccer career in general. As it turns out it would take 18 months for him to return to the field in limited form, and several years to regain his form.
Olsen would have four separate surgeries as a result of that injury: pinning bone, re-breaking, re-pinning, fixing ligament damage, and dealing with scar tissue. Those are the sordid details that kept him from making a quicker return.
Most people would have had a hard time emotionally dealing with the lost opportunity, the rehab, and the frustration of surgery after surgery. Olsen explained that he really didn’t get too down about the situation.
“I never got too dramatic about the whole situation. I feel like I’m a pretty happy guy overall whether I’m playing or not. “
Put yourself in his shoes.
Returning to Form
The long and winding road to recovery finally allowed Olsen to step back onto the pitch in July 2002, but he admittedly was not even close to top form.
“I just kind of hobbled through it.”
His role had changed through this process. His physical limitations no longer allowed him to be the player firing up and down the field, and he moved into a holding role.
“I was a guy that tried to organize and fill up holes. More of a role player in there.”
That change of roles paid off for Olsen, and for United. In 2004, the team went on to win the MLS Cup with Olsen playing a key role despite still not being at top form. It wasn’t until the following year that Olsen felt like he had fully regained his form, nearly 3 ½ years after the initial injury. Surprisingly, Olsen managed to view all of this as a positive.
“I’m fortunate in a lot of ways to have had that injury because it made me a more complete soccer player -- a different player -- I think a wiser player, more of a thinker than a runner. “
Olsen appears to be right about that, as in 2007 he finally moved back to his natural wide position on the right and had by all accounts his best season since entering the league. He managed to score seven goals and had seven assists. Everything appeared to be back on track.
Put yourself in his shoes.
Second Set of Ankle Problems
In the offseason before the 2008 campaign Olsen had surgery to “take off” bone spurs in both his right and left ankle. The surgery was intended to be more maintenance than anything as the bone spurs had caused quite a bit of pain during the prior season. Unfortunately the left ankle became a problem, and Olsen underwent a total of four surgeries. Déjà vu.
Put yourself in his shoes.
The Present
So this brings us to the present. Olsen played in all three games of the recent Carolina Cup Challenge tournament in Charleston. When asked what this season had in store for him, Olsen responded, “I don’t know. I wish I knew. I’m playing, let’s put it that way.”
Olsen is important to D.C. United’s success on the field. He is also important in the locker-room and on the practice field. As one MLS executive told us recently, “Ben is a very special player. The kid is also a natural born leader.”
Coach Tom Soehn will be relying on Olsen in many ways this year. He knows very well the intangibles that the veteran midfielder brings to the table.
“He always has an energy about him. He injects life into whatever we have and demands more. He leads by example.”
Coach Soehn and United will look for “Benny” to inject his life into a team that will try to rebound from their disappointing season a year ago. I’m sure those of you who have put yourself in his shoes will be out there pulling for him to succeed.
Randy Davis is a regular contributor to Goal.com
As a fan of the sport of soccer in America it’s hard to find a player easier to root for than Ben Olsen. Not just because of his on-field abilities, his U.S. men’s national team experience, his Major League Soccer Cup championships, or the fact that by all accounts he’s just a great guy. Not for those Dick’s Sporting Goods commercials featuring him chasing his son wearing a Beckham jersey. And not for the fact that as an ordained minister he presided over the nuptials at former teammate Nick Rimando’s wedding.
For me – it’s mostly because he has a compelling story of hard-work, success, triumph, disappointment and perseverance. The ups and downs of Olsen’s career are likely something that all of us can relate to in some manner. They make him seem more like one of us, so as you hear his story, put yourself in his shoes.
“All Going According to Plan”
Olsen came out of the fabled Project 40, a Nike sponsored precursor to the current Generation adidas program for promising young American soccer prospects. He was drafted by D.C. United and quickly became a key factor for the club, earning rookie of the year honors in 1998. In just his second season, he became a regular starter, scoring 6 goals and dishing out 11 assists, earned an All-Star Game appearance, and helping his team to win the MLS Cup. He himself nabbed the MLS Cup MVP award. He had clearly emerged as one of the top right midfielders in the league and put his speed and energy to use out on the flank.
In his third season he suffered a minor setback when he suffered an ankle injury that kept him out for a good portion of the year. However, he recovered enough toward season’s end that he was able to go on loan with Nottingham Forrest in the English First Division. He would later describe it as “the most memorable experience in soccer I’ve had. I lived soccer, and I saw soccer the way it’s supposed to be experienced.”
He appeared on his way to a more permanent move to the English side as there were negotiations ongoing with the league for a transfer fee reportedly in the $2 million range. Olsen was clearly on top of the world as far as his soccer career was concerned. As Olsen recently told Goal.com, “It was all going according to plan.”
Put yourself in his shoes.
First Set of Ankle Problems
Unfortunately Olsen would experience the first of two major injury hurdles before a transfer could be completed. In a match against Barnsley in March 2001, Olsen suffered a fracture to his right ankle, killing any hopes of further play in Europe and derailing his soccer career in general. As it turns out it would take 18 months for him to return to the field in limited form, and several years to regain his form.
Olsen would have four separate surgeries as a result of that injury: pinning bone, re-breaking, re-pinning, fixing ligament damage, and dealing with scar tissue. Those are the sordid details that kept him from making a quicker return.
Most people would have had a hard time emotionally dealing with the lost opportunity, the rehab, and the frustration of surgery after surgery. Olsen explained that he really didn’t get too down about the situation.
“I never got too dramatic about the whole situation. I feel like I’m a pretty happy guy overall whether I’m playing or not. “
Put yourself in his shoes.
Returning to Form
The long and winding road to recovery finally allowed Olsen to step back onto the pitch in July 2002, but he admittedly was not even close to top form.
“I just kind of hobbled through it.”
His role had changed through this process. His physical limitations no longer allowed him to be the player firing up and down the field, and he moved into a holding role.
“I was a guy that tried to organize and fill up holes. More of a role player in there.”
That change of roles paid off for Olsen, and for United. In 2004, the team went on to win the MLS Cup with Olsen playing a key role despite still not being at top form. It wasn’t until the following year that Olsen felt like he had fully regained his form, nearly 3 ½ years after the initial injury. Surprisingly, Olsen managed to view all of this as a positive.
“I’m fortunate in a lot of ways to have had that injury because it made me a more complete soccer player -- a different player -- I think a wiser player, more of a thinker than a runner. “
Olsen appears to be right about that, as in 2007 he finally moved back to his natural wide position on the right and had by all accounts his best season since entering the league. He managed to score seven goals and had seven assists. Everything appeared to be back on track.
Put yourself in his shoes.
Second Set of Ankle Problems
In the offseason before the 2008 campaign Olsen had surgery to “take off” bone spurs in both his right and left ankle. The surgery was intended to be more maintenance than anything as the bone spurs had caused quite a bit of pain during the prior season. Unfortunately the left ankle became a problem, and Olsen underwent a total of four surgeries. Déjà vu.
Put yourself in his shoes.
The Present
So this brings us to the present. Olsen played in all three games of the recent Carolina Cup Challenge tournament in Charleston. When asked what this season had in store for him, Olsen responded, “I don’t know. I wish I knew. I’m playing, let’s put it that way.”
Olsen is important to D.C. United’s success on the field. He is also important in the locker-room and on the practice field. As one MLS executive told us recently, “Ben is a very special player. The kid is also a natural born leader.”
Coach Tom Soehn will be relying on Olsen in many ways this year. He knows very well the intangibles that the veteran midfielder brings to the table.
“He always has an energy about him. He injects life into whatever we have and demands more. He leads by example.”
Coach Soehn and United will look for “Benny” to inject his life into a team that will try to rebound from their disappointing season a year ago. I’m sure those of you who have put yourself in his shoes will be out there pulling for him to succeed.
Randy Davis is a regular contributor to Goal.com
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