Forward Alex Shinsky goes up for a header against a UMBC opponent when the Terps went into extra time and drew with UMBC 0-0 at Ludwig Field on Sep, 5 2014.
When the Terrapins men’s soccer team huddles during games, a few players stick out. Defender Alex Crognale, who stands 6 feet, 5 inches and weighs close to 200 pounds, is hard to miss. So is 6-foot-4 forward Jeroen Meefout.
But deep inside the huddle, two of the more dynamic Terps can get lost amid the larger athletes. Alex Shinsky, a 5-foot-9 midfielder, and 5-foot-8 forward George Campbell, have drawn coach Sasho Cirovski’s praise for their wild, frenzied styles of play.
But their recklessness has led to injuries. Much of Shinsky’s career has been blemished by physical setbacks, while Campbell has hardly practiced since the season began a few weeks ago.
Neither player had a significant impact in the Terps’ 1-1 draw at Michigan on Friday. Nevertheless, Cirovski insists he doesn’t want Shinsky or Campbell to tone down their play.
“I want Shinsky to be Shinsky, I want Campbell to be Campbell,” Cirovski said. “I want all our guys to play with the freedom and reckless abandon that’s made them the kind of player they are.”
Shinsky started against Michigan but left the game in the 18th minute due to an unspecified injury. In his absence, Cirovski rotated between midfielders Michael Sauers, Jake Areman and Daniel Johnson.
Nagging hamstring problems forced Shinsky out of 10 games in 2013, and he played in 30 total games his first two seasons.
“He’s an inspirational player for us,” Cirovski said. “Unfortunately, he plays so hard, he takes a lot of knocks. He gets injured. We need him to hopefully get some good fortune one of these days and get some rhythm and some fitness in his play.”
Campbell, a freshman, hopes to avoid Shinsky’s history with injuries.
Before he joined the Terps, Campbell had an impressive senior year at McDonogh. After racking up 23 goals and 15 assists, the forward was named the NSCAA Boys High School National Player of the Year.
“He’s as dynamic a player as I’ve ever coached,” McDonogh coach Brandon Quaranta said in August.
Despite lofty high school achievements, Campbell — who recorded two shots Friday — hasn’t netted a goal with the Terps.
Campbell sustained a minor injury at Louisville on Aug. 29, and he’s attempted just five shots on a frontline that has frustrated Cirovski.
“It’s getting better, and we are improving every game,” Cirovski said of the offense. “But I’m not happy with it at the moment.”
While Campbell has started all five games this season, Cirovski has employed several options opposite Campbell on the frontline. Forwards Emmanuel Korvah, David Kabelik and Jeroen Meefout have all started contests. But Cirovski appears confident in Campbell.
Shinsky’s tenure with the Terps hasn’t been completely diminished by injury; he’s a captain and began the season as a starter. But after scoring 17 goals as a senior at West York Area High School in York, Pennsylvania, Shinsky didn’t score his first college goal until his junior season.
Campbell’s early career trajectory is similarly to Shinsky’s. But Cirovski doesn’t want Campbell to hold back, even if it impacts his health.
“They’ve got to play their game,” Cirovski said. “You hope that they don’t get hurt. But you start telling them to not take chances, then they’re not who they are.”
