ϳԹ

Conor Casey, Robbie Findley, Heath Pearce, Jonathan Bornstein, Brian Ching, and Troy Perkins
Conor Casey, Robbie Findley, Heath Pearce, Jonathan Bornstein, Brian Ching, and Troy Perkins

Six Shooters

This year, U.S. Soccer finally fields a team worthy of competing—and making a serious run—at the world's greatest tournament. Heard that one before? Presenting a few reasons June in South Africa could be a whole different story.

Published:  Updated: 
Conor Casey, Robbie Findley, Heath Pearce, Jonathan Bornstein, Brian Ching, and Troy Perkins

New perk: Easily find new routes and hidden gems, upcoming running events, and more near you. Your weekly Local Running Newsletter has everything you need to lace up! .

CONOR CASEY

Club Shirt ($125), Silk Tie ($115), and Preston Pant ($125) by Polo Ralph Lauren; Cotton Braided Belt ($29.50) by J.Crew

ROBBIE FINDLEY

Shortsleeve Eyelet Henley ($65) from Converse by John Varvatos; Navy Wool Blazer ($1,095) and Linen Stripe Pant ($198) by Polo Ralph Lauren

HEATH PEARCE

Club Shirt ($125), Silk Bowtie ($85), and Wimbledon Short ($89.50) by Polo Ralph Lauren; Woven Fabric Stripe Belt ($29.50) by J.Crew

JONATHAN BORNSTEIN

Fine Jersey Tank ($15) by American Apparel; Jaspe Jersey Long Sleeve Henley ($45) by J.Crew; Linen Khaki Pant ($98) by Polo Ralph Lauren; Silk Tie used as belt ($35) by Nautica

BRIAN CHING

Regent Dress Shirt ($125) and Cream and Navy Cardigan ($595) by Polo Ralph Lauren; Wide Stripe Old School Tie ($49.50) and Regular-Fit Lightweight Essex Pants ($69.50) by J.Crew

TROY PERKINS

Classic Fit Mesh Shirt ($98) by Polo Ralph Lauren; Soft Khaki pants ($52) by Dockers

Kick Started

A sneak peek at six standouts from the U.S. Men's National Team.

On Casey: Long neck
On Casey: Long neck (6 for $5.99) by Budweiser (Photograph by Susanna Howe)

On Casey: Navy Wool Blazer

On Casey: Navy Wool Blazer On Casey: Navy Wool Blazer $1,095), Club Shirt ($125), and Silk Tie ($115) by Polo Ralph Lauren

On Pearce: Chuck Taylor All-Star Ox shoes

On Pearce: Chuck Taylor All-Star Ox shoes On Pearce: Chuck Taylor All-Star Ox shoes ($45) by Converse. On Findley: Suede Jamesport Bucks ($140) by J. Crew

CONOR CASEY

Forward, Colorado Rapids

During the off-season, Casey, a 28-year-old Denver resident, hikes fourteeners with his dad and practices yoga to relax. But nothing could have prepared him for what happened last October when the U.S. National Team traveled to San Pedro Sula, Honduras, in search of a World Cup bid. Though the country was still reeling from June’s military coup, the city’s 9 p.m. curfew had been relaxed for the night, and the over-capacity crowd was deafening—until Casey nailed two goals to win the game. “It was so loud until we scored,” he said. “Then it went eerily silent. The game had an atmosphere I’d never experienced.”

HEATH PEARCE

Defender, FC Dallas

You may find other players here with their nose stuck in a book, but this 25-year-old Modesto, California, native is the squad’s most voracious reader, gleaning inspiration for the soccer field from books he can apply to his life, like NFL coach Tony Dungy’s bestsellers. He’s probably also the only player on the squad who knows anything about being a vintner. “My brother owns a wine label in Napa Valley,” says Pearce. “When he comes home, I have to try his wine.”

ROBBIE FINDLEY

Forward, Real Salt Lake

For 24-year-old Findley, professional sports is a family thing: Two of his cousins play for the NBA—guards Mike Bibby, of the Atlanta Hawks, and Eddie House, of the New York Knicks—while another, Shaun McDonald, is a wide receiver for the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers. In high school in Phoenix, Findley worked out a lot with Bibby. “I got a close-up view of how he took on his job, how to be professional,” he says. But he learned his foot-eye coordination from his dad, a skilled amateur player who grew up on the island of Trinidad.

Kick Started (cont.)

Brian Ching's Preseason Interval Routine


1. Crank the StairMaster up to its highest setting and “sprint” for one minute.


2. Bring it down to a really slow level for two minutes.


3. Repeat seven more times, for a total of 24 minutes or eight sprints.

Glendplaid Linen Jacket

Glendplaid Linen Jacket Glendplaid Linen Jacket (sold with pants, $1,595), Regent Dress Shirt ($125), and Cream and Navy Cardigan ($595) by Polo Ralph Lauren; Wide Stripe Old School Tie ($49.50) by J. Crew

BRIAN CHING

Forward, Houston Dynamo

If you live anywhere near Houston, you’re probably familiar with the Dynamo’s leading scorer. The 31-year-old has his own sports segment on a local TV station, Kickin’ It with Brian Ching, on which he offers up advice on everything from becoming a professional soccer player to why you should befriend the StairMaster. While Ching enjoys the fame soccer has brought him, it wasn’t exactly what he expected. “I would rather have been a professional surfer,” says Ching, who grew up on the North Shore of Oahu, “but I needed a scholarship to go to college.”

JONATHAN BORNSTEIN

Defender, Chivas USA

Every serious athlete has pregame rituals, but this speedy left back is downright superstitious. He never ties his cleats before he gets on the playing field, always puts on his left shoe first, and always—always—eats the same thing before a home game in L.A.: a footlong turkey sandwich from Subway on Italian herb-and-cheese bread. So far it’s worked out well for the 25-year-old Los Alamitos, California, native—especially in Honduras. Unlike Conor Casey, he’s a bona fide hero there: His game-winning goal against Costa Rica last October didn’t give the USA a World Cup berth (they’d already qualified), but it clinched one for Honduras—for the first time since 1982. “I’ve got a lot of fans in Honduras now,” he deadpans.

TROY PERKINS

Goalie, D.C. United

Perkins isn’t your average soccer player. For starters, because he’s a goalie, he needs to focus more on anaerobic strength and less on endurance. He’s also a trained mortgage-loan processor, making him the only guy on the U.S. team who knows the difference between an option ARM mortgage and a swing loan. “Goalies can usually play until they’re around 40, so you have to think about a job after retirement,” says the 28-year-old from Springfield, Ohio. And then there’s his austere pregame routine, which entails shutting off all electronics and not talking to anyone for 24 hours. “I’m a miserable person to be around,” he says, laughing. “My wife hates it.”

Popular on ϳԹ Online