Igor Popovich thrills the crowd for Rocket City United
Igor Popovich is a bit of an NPSL vagabond. A hardworking young Brazilian midfielder with a touch of class, Popovich is a guy who is not afraid of a change of scenery. As you’ll see in this interview, he is looking to fulfill his dream of playing professional soccer by developing his skills in the NPSL. His NPSL career started in Huntsville, Alabama with the 2008 Rocket City United side and the following season was spent with Buffalo City FC. He’s now trying to catch on with another NPSL team the upcoming 2010 season and has been identified by Chattanooga FC.
NPSL Insider:
Could you tell me a bit about your life before coming to the USA?
Popovich: My life in Brazil was always dedicated to soccer where during high school I played many youth tournaments and I always would go to the soccer stadium to watch the professional teams. I was not different from most Brazilian young soccer players and I always wanted to be a professional and play for a big team in Brazil. My mother always wanted me to go to college and try something else besides soccer but she never stopped supporting me even though I chose to play soccer. My Father always supported me and wanted me to play. After high school I left home and played for some teams.
NPSL Insider: Who did you play with prior to coming to the USA?
Popvich: After graduating from high school I was 16 years old and I spent some time playing for the youth team of Sport Club Corinthians Paulista. After that I left home in Sao Paulo and went to Minas Gerais where I played for the youth teams and I was part of the professional team rosters of URT. The coach in the two years that I stayed on the roster never gave opportunities to the young players and I decided to leave and go to Rio de Janeiro where I played for the youth team of Artsul FC.
NPSL Insider: What led you to the USA?
Popovich: I have a friend that came to USA to play tennis for Lee University in TN and he told me about how things worked here with sports and scholarships. I was very interested because in Brazil it was getting really hard to get a professional contract and there is not the opportunity to go to college and play on a good level at the same time. Therefore I ended up at Faulkner University because the assistant coach is from Brazil and he watched my highlight DVD and offered a scholarship.
NPSL Insider: Tell me a little about your experiences with Rocket City United?
Popovich: I will always be thankful for Rock City United and Andy Zorovich because I had a sports hernia injury in 2006 and surgery in 2007 where I did not play for the most part of the year. In 2008 I had the opportunity to be part of the Rocket City United team and started to get my confidence back. I had a very good experience there, met a lot good people, and made lot of friends. Rocket City United is a very organized soccer team and I would easily play there again if they called back.
NPSL Insider: How did you come to play with RCU?
Popovich: The assistant coach at Faulkner University told me about the try-out that Rocket City United would have and he took me and another friend. After the first tryout I had to go back to another one but I hurt my ankle before that, and could not go. One week before the season started I practiced with the team and got my spot on the roster.
Popvich in action for Buffalo City FC
NPSL Insider: What lead you to upstate New York and Buffalo City FC?
Popovich: I went to New York to play for Buffalo City FC after Mike Share, Buffalo City’s head coach watched my highlights and called to speak with me. I got really interested after Mike told me about the connections that he has and how he wants to send players to Europe and professionals teams. I still keep in touch with Mike, I like him a lot as a person and soccer coach, he is my friend.
NPSL Insider: How was it playing for BCFC?
I liked playing for BCFC, there I made a lot good friends as well. The weather was very nice during the summer, it was not too hot which was great for playing games and practicing. The team was very good, had a very good chemistry, and Mike made us work hard every practice to get in good shape. It was a disappointing to be out of the national tournament.
NPSL Insider: Was there a difference in playing styles between the two regions of the NPSL?
Popovich: I did not see any difference. It was pretty much the American soccer style, which consists of a lot of running and strength.
NPSL Insider: And now, why Chattanooga FC?
Popovich: I am just looking for my options for next NPSL season and Chattanooga FC is one of them. I always look for the options in the PDL and NPSL, but PDL has many rules about internationals and that makes it harder to get on a team without a good connection.
NPSL Insider: How has your experience with CFC gone so far?
Popovich: So far I am just talking with the head coach through email. I could not go to the tryout that just happened. He watched my highlights and he wanted me to go to the next one, I am looking forward to going.
NSPL Insider: How has playing in the NPSL helped you develop as a player?
Popovich: Playing in the NPSL had definitely helped me a lot, especially in my first season with Rocket City United, because I was coming back from a long injury. At the NPSL, I have played against good college players and older players that have played professional here in USA and other places, and this always helps you to gain experience and get confidence in your game.
