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Canton

South Ellwood Avenue

September 15, 2012

13. Blast Off

Moshe Hochman is getting precious few touches during a Saturday scrimmage on the indoor turf at DuBurns Arena. The Baltimore Blast, 5-time Major Arena Soccer League champions, are holding their first open tryouts in two decades this morning and 53 would-be pros—ranging from 18-45—take their best shot at their boyhood dream. Most are local, but an assistant coach at Evergreen State College has traveled here from Washington State; another hopeful is schedule to fly in from Brazil.

Normally a forward, but recognizing he’s stuck on an inferior squad, the 29-year-old Hochman, an Israel-native and locksmith by trade, switches to defense in an attempt to flash some skills and catch head coach Danny Kelly’s attention. Aggressive and quick, he manages to distribute a couple of sharp, no-look passes upfield to teammates, who nonetheless fail to convert the plays into scoring chances.

Meanwhile, opposing goalkeeper Jeff Estep, who plays in the Sunday night men’s league here with the Dundalk Soccer Club, keeps up a steady chatter on the field, directing his teammates, some of whom have limited indoor experience.

After their match, Hochman and Estep, 33, sit near one another in the metal bleachers, catching their breath and eyeing the competition in the second scrimmage. Estep, whose had a good day in the net, recognizes Hochman from their Sunday night league, and informs him a couple of former Blast players he knows encouraged him to tryout. Then he reminds Hochman that their respective rec clubs play against each other on his same field tomorrow night.

“You better be ready,” Estep says, smiling. “We haven’t lost to anybody this season.”

Hochman, coming to grips with the fact that a professional soccer career isn’t likely in his future, grasps a sore foot. He suggests that the match against Estep’s team should be postponed.

“I’m going to be too tired after two days of tryouts.”

(Postscript: Neither Hochman or Estep were signed by the Blast, but Estep later caught on with the Harrisburg Heat where he played professionally for five years.)