Thursday, November 14, 1996
M. SOCCER:
Switch from midfield transforms striker into a dangerous
opponent By Mark Shapiro
Daily Bruin Staff
It’s hard to equate the word ‘dangerous’ with someone who stands
at 5-foot, 8-inches and weighs in at 155 pounds. But in the case of
Nick Theslof, there is simply no better description.
Theslof, a former midfielder, has assumed the role of striker
for the UCLA men’s soccer team this season, and has exploded into
perhaps the most menacing player on the field.
"(UCLA head coach Sigi Schmid) came to me and said ‘We need you
to be dangerous,’" Theslof said. "All the time, that’s what I
think; how can I get goals, how can I be dangerous?"
This season is one that has gone unmatched in this junior’s
career. The last two seasons as a midfielder, Theslof had totaled
15 points. This year, he has exploded for 19 points on nine assists
and five goals.
Since his move to the front in early October, Theslof has been
instrumental in bringing his philosophy to the team, sparking a
10-game winning streak.
In an animated display, Theslof explained: "Everytime I step on
the field, I say ‘Come on, guys! It’s time to be dangerous! We’re
going to be dangerous!’"
Theslof was especially potent during the league campaign, in
which he posted nine of his 17 points and opened up countless
opportunities for the rest of the offense.
His performance this season, albeit a significant shock, is no
greater surprise than the sport that he has selected. That he is
even a soccer player is something in itself. Coming from a long
line of world-class figure skaters and spending much of his youth
in skates, his future seemed spelled out.
Even with this ice-bound pedigree, there was a passion for
soccer that couldn’t be dulled.
"I just love it, it’s my favorite thing to do," Theslof said.
"In season or out of season, I have to be able to do it. That’s
what I wake up for in the morning. The motivator for me is that it
was always so much fun."
The next welcome surprise for Theslof this season is not just
the quality of his play, but that he can do it on a consistent
basis.
After two injury-plagued years, Theslof has maintained his
health this season, and has had much more time to inflict damage.
After undergoing a pair of operations as a senior at Dublin High
School in Columbus, Ohio, and an injury-plagued freshman campaign,
the tide began to turn coming into his sophomore year.
"I started enjoying it again, and I felt like I was back to
normal," Theslof said. "It was a lot of fun again because for two
years, it was kind of a drag."
Along with his increasing comfort level on the field, his
playing time also went on the rise. Toward the end of the season,
he stepped into the starting lineup for the first time and hasn’t
left it since.
Even with his late shift to the front, there was little need for
Theslof to catch up. Having spent so much time as an attacking
midfielder, he had a deeply rooted offensive feel for the game.
As a midfielder, Theslof pushed toward the front and had the
ball played into his feet. Now as a forward, he is well-versed in
how to distribute the ball in a satisfactory fashion.
"I’ve always had such an attacking mentality, it didn’t take
long," Theslof said. "I try and give the ball to players the way
that I would want it. I know how they think too, which definitely
helps."
It’s easy to pair this offensive philosophy and simply say
"let’s be dangerous" over and over again like a mantra, but Nick’s
style up front truly can inspire fear.
Not only is Theslof one of the team’s best finishers with his
equally potent feet and pinpoint accuracy on free kicks, but he is
exceptionally adept in tight spaces in front of the goal.
His ability to maneuver in traffic and play balls off to
teammates has not only allowed him to pile up the assists, but also
to open up running room for his teammates.
"He is best in small spaces," Schmid said. "(Being a forward)
better utilizes his abilities and it puts him in front of the
goal."
This move to better utilize his abilities took some time, but
when the Bruins were struggling in the early part of the season
with an anemic offense and a 3-2 record, it was a move that was an
obvious choice.
"Nick was one of the first choices," Schmid said. "He’s a
willing worker, he chases defenders, and he is active and opens
space for other people."
After the move, Theslof and linemate Tom Poltl have erupted,
accounting for 25 percent of the team’s goals between them, and
rank second and fourth respectively, in team scoring.
Not only that, but the two have developed into one of the most
dangerous duos in the Pacific Region, communicating and playing off
of one another as if they’d been together for years.
"They’re the forwards that combine the best," Schmid said. "Nick
has a good tactical knowledge of the game, and Tom is active, so
Nick reads his activity."
The danger reaches a fever pitch when, during a lull in a game,
the duo explodes into action. It is in this situation that someone
who is 5-foot, 8-inches and 155 pounds can become truly a lethal
force.
"That’s the time I think that we’re really dangerous because
there are times when we’re not as active as we always are," Theslof
said. "At those times, boom, you’re in front of the goal, every
chance, boom."
It is when he gets into this mode  when he gets dangerous
 that the injuries, the waiting, and the hours of work for
the love of the game that everything comes to a head.
"It’s chilling," Theslof said through a three-foot smile. "I get
chills just thinking about it. You score, you run back, and you
just know that everything is clicking; everyone’s on the same page.
It feels so pure to me."
With a passion for the game that is as great as Theslof’s, what
better feeling is there?
PATRICK LAM/Daily Bruin
Nick Theslof (#14) has turned into a dangerous weapon with his
switch to the striker position.