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America's Remarkable Rookie
AdaptingBob Spotswood, Robert's father, said Hofmann was very supportive of Robert’s interest in the team and really made it happen for him. Robert worked hard for weeks preparing for a game he had never played before. He worked on upper body strength and on simple drills like maneuvering a soccer ball while on crutches and with one leg."Even an accomplished two-legged layer, when he becomes a one-legged player, has to all of a sudden adapt to using both sides of one foot alone and he has to get used to playing the whole game essentially on the upper body," Hofmann said. Competitors play the game using forearm crutches. Prosthetics aren't allowed on the playing field. Hofmann said Amputee players may at first appear less mobile than two-legged players, but there's still a great deal of agility and speed in the game. "We were particularly interested to see how Robert adapted," Hofmann said. "All his life he'd been a right-legged shot. He perfected his skills and his self-image as a player as a right-legged shot. To play with us on the international level he had to adapt his entire game to controlling the ball and to shooting, with power, with his left foot. It was quite an accomplishment." Invited to CompeteHofmann invited Spotswood to travel with the team to Kiev, Ukraine, to compete in the 1st Open European Amputee Soccer championships against Brazil, Russia, England, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Republic of Georgia, and Moldova.More |
