Pitch Madness: RSL goalkeeper coach has hoops in his blood


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SANDY — Real Salt Lake's bye week in the third week of the MLS season may seem a bit early for some fans and players.

But for RSL goalkeeper coach Daryl Shore, it couldn't come at a better time.

Shore, who grew up the son of a basketball coach in New York, is a die-hard Wichita State fan, and the NCAA Tournament has ranked as one of his favorite times of the year since his dad's days coaching the Shockers from 1978-86.

"I follow it a little bit," Shore said after RSL's practice Saturday, adding a cheeky grin. "It's been fun. We've had a little bit of practice, and a little bit of basketball. Not too many of the guys like basketball, but it's been good for us American guys."

The Shore family's time in Wichita, Kansas, was highlighted by three NCAA Tournament appearances, an Elite Eight run in 1981 and the emergence of NBA talents Xavier McDaniel, Antoine Carr and Cliff Levingston.

Shore and RSL backup goalkeeper Jeff Attinella are the biggest basketball blue bloods on the team, but British midfielder Luke Mulholland has also found himself caught up in the whirldwind of March Madness. Nick Rimando and Tony Beltran, both former UCLA soccer players, have followed the Bruins' run to the Sweet 16, and defenders coach Tyrone Marshall has followed Kentucky since coaching a Premier Development League team in Louisville after retiring from MLS play.

In other words, RSL could make a decent pick-up hoops team at the local youth courts, if anyone were to ask.

Wichita State forward Shaquille Morris (24) celebrates on the bench with teammates during the second half of an NCAA tournament college basketball game against Indiana in the Round of 64, Friday, March 20, 2015, in Omaha, Neb. RSL goalkeeper coach Daryl Shore grew up a die-hard Shockers fan after his father coached in Wichita from 1978-86. (AP file photo)
Wichita State forward Shaquille Morris (24) celebrates on the bench with teammates during the second half of an NCAA tournament college basketball game against Indiana in the Round of 64, Friday, March 20, 2015, in Omaha, Neb. RSL goalkeeper coach Daryl Shore grew up a die-hard Shockers fan after his father coached in Wichita from 1978-86. (AP file photo)

"We might have to think about that," Shore said. "We could make quite the game; we don't have a court around here, though."

The absence of competitive soccer matches hasn't led to Shore spending all day in front of a TV screen, though — as much as he'd like to be.

"It's business as usual," he said. "We don't get days off as coaches; we're always doing something."

With a two-week layoff before RSL's home match with Toronto FC next Sunday, Shore said the team spent plenty of time breaking down film — and last weekend's 3-3 draw with the Philadelphia Union wasn't nearly as bad as the players originally thought. The learning opportunities for the defensive side of the team, in particular, made the bye-week worthwhile.

"The mood this week has been good," Shore said. "I think the guys put a lot of work in Tuesday and Wednesday, and then we gave them Thursday off."

The squad can now move forward to Toronto, who comes to Salt Lake City next week and will likely miss several key players to international duty — the same as RSL expects with FIFA windows on the horizon.

"We're just trying to get better as a goalkeeper group, to do our best to keep the ball out of the goal," Shore said. "We know if we get shutouts, our guys are going to score goals."

After following college hoops all season, Shore didn't pick any major upsets from the national championship. He thinks it will be tough for anyone to stop the undefeated Wildcats (35-0).

"Iowa State really let me down," he added, referring to one of the bigger upsets of Thursday's opening day. "I thought they could get to the Final Four. But I think it's going to be Duke and Kentucky in the final."

Villanova could be another pick of this tournament, Shore said. But when filling out his personal bracket, the 45-year-old native of Peekskill, New York, stuck with his Midwestern roots.

"I have Wichita State going to the Elite Eight and losing to Kentucky in a rematch of last year," Shore said. "I've got Northern Iowa going pretty far; I'm a Missouri Valley guy since I have heritage there. But I think UNI could surprise some people."

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