Sept. 7, 2004
By Mike Sheridan, VU Media Relations
It was a scene that played out often in the Clifton, N.J., neighborhood where Villanova senior midfielder Jonathan Lopuski spent his formative years.
Each day, "Josh" (pronounced "yosh") as he is known to family and friends, would head out after school with one aim: to play soccer. It mattered not whether the game was organized or just a few kids knocking a ball around a patch of grass. Lopuski, who was introduced to the sport by his father, Frank, a former college player at the College of New Jersey, was fascinated by the sport.
"I played every day," says Lopuski. "I would play for hours, until it was dark out. I would pretty much pass out on the sidewalks at the end of the day and my mom would come find me."
To this day, that is a style that defines Lopuski. At 5-9, he is not blessed with an imposing frame yet does not shy away from the physical play that often characterizes Big East Conference soccer. Following a season-opening 0-0 tie against Fairleigh Dickinson at the Villanova Soccer Complex last week, a spent Lopuski could be found on the trainer's table behind the team benches. After playing all 110 minutes of the 2004 season opener, the senior's body would require every ounce of rest it could get prior to the next game, also at home, against the University of Pennsylvania.
His on-field energy is usually well-spent.
Lopuski is an on-field leader and has played a significant role for the Wildcats in the early going, helping them tie No. 17 FDU and defeat Penn 3-1. After assuming a pivotal role in the defensive midfield as a junior on a squad that finished 10-8-1, he is now spending most of his minutes at forward and is thriving there.
"Lopuski has demonstrated a great commitment this year," notes head coach Larry Sullivan. "He's a captain and someone we really depend on."
In truth, the `Cats have been reliant upon Lopuski almost from the day he arrived from New Jersey in 2001. He became a part of the starting lineup early in his freshman season and has never left it.
But then Lopuski's affection for the game has always been accompanied by an affinity for it. All those hours spent chasing a ball from the time he was in the third grade helped him hone his skill. It wasn't long before youth and traveling team coaches took note of his deft ball skills and quickness in traffic.
"I didn't really have anyone pushing me," recalls Lopuski, whose family now makes its home in Montville, N.J. "It was more encouragement from my parents than anything else. If I had to go somewhere for a game, I always had someone who would take me there. I was fortunate that way."
Indeed, Lopuski was a fixture on the youth soccer circuit, gaining experience with squads that traveled around the northeast. Before he reached middle school he found himself on traveling teams. Soon his ability attracted the attention of coaches in the Olympic Development program and he took full advantage. It wasn't exactly soccer 24-7, but it was close.
"You learn to juggle the time commitment with school," explains Lopuski. "During those months that it was most intense with soccer, I did the best in school. You are forced to manage your time. When I had too much time, it seemed like I didn't have the same type of focus."
Of all his soccer playing experiences en route to Villanova, one stands out.
In 1997, Lopuski found himself aligned with a club named Pasco. It was based in Wayne, N.J., and was populated by residents of Paterson, Wayne and Clifton.
"It was a diverse bunch of kids," he says. "A lot of the kids didn't have too much. But it was a great experience. We always did well on the field and played good soccer. We also became friends. I still keep in touch with a lot of those kids today."
As he moved through high school, Lopuski was hopeful of playing high-level Division I soccer. However, in some respects he was a victim of his birth certificate.
"I'm young for my grade," he says. "I could have stayed another year in high school and I think some colleges expected me to do that. I feel like I kind of was overlooked."
Sullivan took notice of Lopuski while he played for Pasco at a club event in Delaware. Seton Hall and St. John's were also interested. In the end, though, Lopuski liked the combination of academics and athletics offered on the Main Line and elected to make the drive down the New Jersey Turnpike for college.
When Lopuski arrived, he found a program in transition. The Wildcats were in the midst of replacing standout back Jim Curtin, who is now a Major League Soccer all-star with the Chicago Fire. Villanova was young and would win only five games in Lopuski's freshman season.
"It was frustrating, to be honest," he says. "Coming in, I knew the program hadn't been great but I liked the coaches. They were honest with me and I liked that. But there were times it was tough.
"As I look back on it now, though, I think it probably made me a better player. You grow as an individual when you don't have success all the time. You learn to adjust."
After contributing three goals and three assists as a rookie, Lopuski was shifted into the midfield. The idea was to utilize his dribbling and distribution skills to control the flow of play. There were fewer scoring opportunities but Lopuski's impact was just as significant. By the time his junior season arrived, he was part of a dynamic 1-2 punch in that part of the field along with teammate Brett Stassfurth.
Villanova's dramatic improvement in 2003 was owed to a variety of factors. But if you are searching for a single moment that perhaps transformed a struggling unit into a confident one, it could well be Lopuski's goal against Princeton on Sept. 12 at the University of Pennsylvania. The Wildcats had begun the season with one win in four tries and were coming off a pair of heartbreaking 1-0 Big East defeats to West Virginia (double overtime) and Virginia Tech. Villanova was riding a scoreless streak of more than 200 minutes and, to most observers, it appeared little was different about this squad than its predecessors.
When Lopuski scored a first half goal that afternoon, though, the tide began to turn. Villanova held off the Tigers for a 1-0 win and was on its way. From that goal forward, VU finished 9-5-1 and nearly made the school's first NCAA Tournament appearance.
"For all the failure to win in the past, we still knew we had the talent last year," he explains. "It was just a matter of having the confidence to know we could do it. To start off season with confidence is so important. It's not easy to win in the Big East. To have the success we had last year just added to our confidence level. Now we are just trying to continue it."
The early returns have been promising. Villanova played FDU even for 110 minutes and then posted an impressive 3-1 win over Penn in which all three goals were scored by freshmen. Lopuski's corner kick set the play in motion on the first goal scored by Dan DeMasters and he was in the center of the action during the final goal which was credited to Mike DelGuercio.
As for his return to forward, Lopuski has a simple philosophy: "It's not a big deal unless you make it a big deal."
Lopuski, of course, isn't alone in helping to generate scoring opportunities. DeMasters has demonstrated an early offensive flair and last year's top scorer, sophomore Marcelo Rodriguez, is rounding into form after a preseason ankle injury. And the coaching staff liked Lopuski's chemistry with Stassfurth so much that they moved him forward too.
"We a great relationship, both off the field and on the field," says Lopuski of the bond with Stassfurth. "We like to play the same kind of soccer on the field. We like to bang and hit a little bit. We've practiced and played together for three years now and we know each other pretty well."
One thing that should remain a constant throughout the balance of his college career is Lopuski's relentlessly energetic approach. Caution will be thrown to the wind and his body will be willingly sacrificed to make a play. It's the only way he knows.
"You definitely wear down during the season," he says. "But I think that just shows the importance of taking care of yourself in the preseason so you can last the whole season. It's the lifting and running you do in the summer that help you hold up in the season. It's also important to take care of your body after the games and before the games. I try to do that to the best of my ability."
Beyond his final Villanova campaign, Lopuski entertains aspirations of playing at the professional level. Although uncertain about what form that opportunity might take, he doesn't sound like someone ready to put his cleats away at season's end.
For now, there is one primary soccer goal.
"We'd like to make history," he says of the men's soccer program, "and take Villanova to its first NCAA Tournament."
Whatever the outcome of that quest, this much is clear: Mrs. Lopuski best be standing by. By the time the last horn has sounded, it's safe to assume her son will have expended every last ounce of energy to help make that vision a reality.
