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World Cup Nation
Local pro standouts DeLaGarza and Droze come back for big soccer game
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
 Click here to enlarge this photo Staff photo by DALLAS COGLE
Daughters Caitlyn, left, and Jackie Blake-Hedges of Port Tobacco surround mother Lynne as they sit in the outfield at Regency Furniture Stadium to watch Saturday's World Cup game between USA and England.
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Millions of fans across the country tuned in to ABC to witness Saturday's most anticipated match of the 2010 FIFA World Cup between the United States and England.
Halfway around the world from where the game was played in Rustenburg, South Africa, Southern Maryland was holding a party of its own and Regency Furniture Stadium in Waldorf, the home of the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, was the site as it hosted a 2010 World Cup Soccer Fan Fest.
The event had two special guest appearances in current MLS pro A.J. DeLaGarza, of the Los Angeles Galaxy, and former pro in Derk Droze, both of Southern Maryland.
The World Cup game — a 1-1 draw — was shown on the big screen in the stadium where many fans came out on a hot spring day to enjoy one of the biggest events in the world.
"They loved it, just having someone that plays professional and to look up to was special for all of the fans," said DeLaGarza, a 2005 Lackey High School graduate who won two national titles with University of Maryland in his four-year span from 2005 to 2008. "I think there was a lot of enjoyment the whole day. Both teams were great and one of the best teams in the World Cup. The United States kept fighting and had chances to win, but England is a very tough squad."
When asked on having aspirations of playing in the World Cup, DeLaGarza said that for the next World Cup — set to take place in Brazil —he feels that he has a pretty good shot.
"Everyone has dreams of playing in the World Cup, which is the biggest tournament in the world," DeLaGarza said. "Hopefully I will get a shot at playing at the next World Cup or the one after that."
The children on hand were elated when they saw DeLaGarza, along with Droze, who played at the pro level for nine years, retiring in 2003.
"It was great to see ex-coaches, teammates from high school and come back to where I grew up," said DeLaGarza, who is in his second season with the Galaxy and is a native of Bryans Road. "It was my first time coming home to speak publicly for the first time, so it was exciting."
Droze, a 1990 St. Mary's Ryken High School graduate, had stints in the MLS in 1996 with the New England Revolution and in 2003 with the New York Red Bulls. During his nine-year career, Droze also had stops internationally in Chile, South America, Denmark and Spain.
"First of all it's great coming back to Southern Maryland to be a part of this event," said Droze, who played soccer at George Washington University from 1990 to 1993. "For the Blue Crabs to host the Fan Fest at their venue was special and it was a great fundraiser for the Civista Medical Center and the foundation. And that's why we are all here today. The World Cup is the biggest sporting event of its kind and it only happens every four years."
Droze mentioned that he still knows a lot of the players on the United States team from being on the pro level for some years and facing them during his days on the field.
"The U.S. has a really good team," Droze said. "I'm hoping that they will surprise some people in 2010, but we definitely have our work cut out for us."
Droze and DeLaGarza, along with the College of Southern Maryland men's soccer team, held mini-clinics and skill challenges on the Blue Crabs' field. It gave the children a chance to hone their skills and have fun with the game that they love.
"It was good to see a local pro player from this neighborhood," said Mulu Asiheo, a member of the CSM men's soccer team. "We talked to the kids about staying in school and becoming the best player that they can be."
Susan Vogel, executive director of Civista Health Foundation, helped organize the event, along with the Blue Crabs staff and many other sponsors.
"We were a charitable partner to the Blue Crabs this year and we learned that we could have the event on this day, since the baseball team was on the road this weekend," Vogel said. "We were really happy with the outcome. The kids were thrilled at getting autographs from A.J. and Derk and got to engage with them up close. When they were finished with the autographs, they actually went down to the field and played soccer with the kids."
