From Warren to the World

Brian Maisonneuve never dreamt soccer would take him around the world, much less out of the Midwest.

When the Warren native returned home recently for the holidays and to co-host a two-day soccer camp, I couldn’t pass up the short trip to speak with one of the community’s best-traveled athletes.

Maisonneuve, who was named Mr. Soccer after his senior season at Warren De La Salle, said that when he left his home to attend Indiana University, he didn’t expect a career in soccer.

“I remember when I picked Indiana – it was one of those where 'this could be the end,' because Major League Soccer wasn’t in existence,” Maisonneuve said. “The U.S. National Team was about the only thing — but everybody dreams about playing for the national team. You dream of it, but you’re never quite sure.”

The MLS was formed during Maisonneuve’s junior year at Indiana — and he would later join the Columbus Crew once he closed out his illustrious career as a Hoosier. Maisonneuve won many accolades at Indiana, capped off by the Herman Trophy (awarded to the top college soccer player) his senior year after leading the Hoosiers to the national championship game.

His dreams of playing for his country came to fruition as well, as Maisonneuve represented the United States during the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta and the 1998 World Cup in France.

He talked about some of his favorite highlights – winning the Class A 1990 state crown with De La Salle and consecutive trips to NCAA soccer’s final four — the College Cup.

More memories came from his national and international experiences, including playing against Argentina — arguably the best team in the world then — at Legion Field following the opening ceremonies during the first game of the 1994 Olympics.

“To walk out and to have 85,000 people chanting ‘USA’ was pretty special,” he said.

A highlight from the World Cup, in which he played in all three of the United State’s games, also includes a pre-game memory.

Warming up before a match against Germany, Maisonneuve looked up and spotted legendary players Jurgen Klinnsman and Lothar Mattheus getting ready across the way.

“Those were guys that I grew up watching play, it’s just like, you had to pinch yourself,” he said. “Once the whistle blows, I mean it’s a game. But warming up, I remember I was in awe.”

Maisonneuve, who describes himself as “athletically average,” said one message he wanted to relay to the kids at his camp was that if he can do it, anyone can — with the right attitude.

“It’s just a lot of hard work and dedication to the sport,” he said.

Looking back on his career, Maisonneuve said he was lucky to play for coaches like Thaier Mukhtar (the De La Salle coach he was co-hosting the camp with), Indiana’s Jerry Yeagley and national team coaches Bruce Arena and Steve Sampson.

“To have it work out the way it did, I was pretty fortunate,” he said. “And a lot of the coaches that I’ve had – I was pretty fortunate to achieve some of the stuff that brought me all over the world.”

He said all of his coaches inspired him to coach — as he does now as an assistant with the University of Louisville’s men’s team while also helping out the national youth teams.

“I was very fortunate to have great coaches,” Maisonneuve said. “I mean, you look at coach Mukhtar – the best coach ever in the state of Michigan — and you look at coach Yeagley, who’s arguably the best college coach ever in the country ... to have those guys as mentors is pretty amazing.”

Maisonneuve said he began seeing himself as a coach during his playing career, when mounting injuries started to make him think about retiring.

“I always wanted to stick with the game,” he said. “Once I got coaching, it really took over my passion for playing, now it becomes a passion for coaching – and it’s a pretty even substitute.

“I loved playing, but now I love coaching just as much – and sometimes I get more out of it,” Maisonneuve continued. “It’s amazing when you’re teaching kids how to play, and they actually pull it off on the field. To see their excitement, it translates into your excitement. It’s pretty special, and I really enjoy coaching. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.”