Atlanta Soccer News: Art, Music and Culture: An incredible run by an Atlanta Veteran team competing in Division 1 Cobb Adult Soccer League

 This last week capped of an incredible run by Rover White in Marietta Georgia as it defeated the perennial division 1 champions of Cobb Adult Soccer League (CASL), Los Gringos by a score of 3-2. Rover White is a veterans team competing in the CASL first division. The Rover Soccer Club is the premier veterans soccer club in the Atlanta area having several national champions including the Rover65 teams that won the 2010 National Veterans Cup in 2010.

The run began in 2005 when Rovers White was created by Mike Kinion Rovers as an overflow for the Rover Red over 40 team that competes in CASL. At the last minute before the 2005-2006 season, Mike Kinion was given seven “cast offs” and instructed to form a team. The task was near impossible but he was able to field a team. That first year saw many ups and downs but ended in a remarkable third place. Kinion focused in creating an environment where he could instill a philosophy of excellence and camaraderie. This meant having to recruit players who were willing to sacrifice for the greater good of the team. Many times it meant weeding out many talented players in preference of players who understood his philosophy and were willing to work hard to practice it. He also wanted a culturally diverse team that brought out the best qualities of the many cultures in Atlanta. “Over the years, I have recruited a variety of high level American players including former college players from UNC Chapel Hill, UNC Ashville, Eastern Illinois, Lafayette, Lee, Buffalo, DeSales, Mohawk,  St.Andrews, Georgia Southern and Augusta State among others.  I also recruited players from diverse countries including Nigeria, Colombia, Jamaica, China, Brazil, Chile, England, Haiti, Russia, Denmark, and Mexico.” The vision was to have a cosmopolitan team that could call upon individual cultural assets to rescue a tough situation of finish off a stubborn team.

The second year (2007-2008), the team reached the finals of the over 40 division but came short of winning. The next year (2008-2009) the team competed in the over 35 division and won the league in an undefeated season. The following year (2009-2010) the team competed in the over 30 division in another undefeated season but this time in such an overwhelming manner that in most games the game was over in the first 20 minutes. The 2010-2011 season began in the O-30 Division with 8 wins and 0 losses (scoring 48 goals to 6). This began to create a sense of apathy on the team. The team was in jeopardy because most players needed to have better competition to stay around and Kinion reasoned that we needed a drastic change.
At the winter break the team petitioned the league to be moved up to the Open Division.  The team played the spring season in the Open Division (D3) finishing 7 wins and 0 losses (23 goals to 2).   To win the Championship, Rovers White won 4 playoff games beating 3 of the top 4 teams for the second time in a few weeks. In winning the tournament, the team was promoted to D2.
For the 2011-2012 season the league combined Division 1 and Division 2 to created a larger Division1. This meant that Rovers White made the jump from O-30 to D1 in less than 12 months.

With an average age of 43 the team and a 54 year old anchoring the defense, Rovers White is now 4-0 and has beaten both last years’ Division 1 finalists on consecutive weeks with an overall goal count of 15 goals for and 4 against. This amazing feat features a 3 year long winning streak with a group of veterans.

Team captain Franklin Young gives most of the credit to Kinion, “Without Mike’s leadership and tactical decisions, we would not have reached this level of excellence. Many times he has been able to change the complexity of a game by making critical, midgame adjustments that identify the other teams’ weaknesses while eliminating ours. All this could not have been done without a great attention to detail and having the keen ability to make each individual play and sacrifice for the team. I have never seen someone motive a team with such a low key demeanor. He really does speak softly and carry a big stick…his intellect.”
Rich Groeneveld and head coach of Pope High School explains “ Mike has a great ability to get the most out his players. His players are always willing to go the extra mile for him even in times of uncertainty because they all trust his ability to dissect a game and adjust his approach based on the particulars of the moment.”

When asked how he feels the season will unravel, Kinion conservatively answers,” Im very concerned about the upcoming games. Teams no longer look at us and judge us as a bunch of old guys. I expect these teams to be gunning for us. Whether we continue our streak or not we will give everybody a good run for their money and most of all we will continue to play our brand of unselfish, tactical football.”

How will the team end the season? Nobody knows for sure but an old bunch of geezers called Rovers White will at least be there proving that you’re never too old to compete with younger teams.