There are certain intangibles a coach expects of their team’s captain on the field.
For Wisconsin head coach John Trask, his captain – senior midfielder Drew Conner – has all the necessary characteristics that make up a great leader on the pitch.
“Quality, heart, work-rate,” Trask said. “[Conner]’s got a great engine, a special engine in comparison to most college players.”
Conner, a Cary, Illinois native, has had a difficult start to the season, Trask said, but that doesn’t negate Conner’s influence in the UW program during his four seasons in Madison.
“[Conner] came in and had an immediate impact as a freshman,” Trask said. “He was a part of a very good team in 2013, and an integral part. It wasn’t like he was a young member of the team. He was a big key.”
Conner admits that his career has been up and down, especially in the beginning of this season, but he has his sights set on what the team can make happen during the second half of the season.
The role Conner played during his freshman season earned him the honor of a spot on the 2012 Big Ten All-Freshman team due to his two goals, one assist and domineering work ethic in the midfield.
The Wisconsin captain has picked up other accolades during his time at UW. Following a one goal, seven assist sophomore season, Conner was selected to the Second-Team All-Big Ten. Conner was also ranked the 73rd best player in the nation by TopDrawerSoccer for his junior year.
Coming into the 2015 campaign, and Conner’s senior season, TopDrawerSoccer rated him the 17th best player in the Big Ten.
Perhaps the most impressive feat of Conner’s Wisconsin career is that he has started every game of every season. That’s rare for mosts collegiate soccer players, but not for one with professional aspirations like Conner, Trask said.
“We feel good about [Conner]’s opportunities to move on in the game to the next level, whether it’s Major League Soccer or potentially overseas,” he said. “There are parts of his game we’d like to continue to see him move forward, but he’s still got over half a season left with us.”
Conner has continued maturing during his time at Wisconsin, and Trask said the coaches are still figuring out the best way to utilize his talents while also allowing Conner to continue his development as a player.
Something that really helped Conner in his progression as a player was training with professional players during the summer.
“I think it did more for my confidence than anything else,” Conner said. “The pro game is definitely just as demanding on the mental side of the game as it is the physical.”
While Conner continues his development, he’s also had to provide guidance to the younger guys on the team. Trask says Conner’s dedication to prepare, especially by being the most fit player on the team, sets an example for the rest of the players, both young and old, of how to take care of their business on the pitch.
Leadership one of Conner’s strongest traits for men’s soccer team
“[Conner] sets the standard on things like the beep test, our fitness test,” Trask said. “He has a hunger to be a good player and what that takes and how he goes about it.”
Conner said he’s been trying to get the younger players to be more involved and instill confidence in them, which former UW standouts A.J. Cochran and Tomislav Zadro did with him during his freshman and sophomore years.
“I think recently it’s just been trying to get certain guys to feel out the game and sense when they need to take over and get on the ball,” Conner said. “Sometimes as a younger player, you hesitate to get involved when things don’t go perfectly from the start.”
The senior midfielder is grateful to have had the opportunity to wear the captain’s armband for the Cardinal and White, but Conner acknowledged that he couldn’t have gotten to be where he is today without some help.
“I could never find it alone,” Conner said. “Adam [Lauko] and Carl [Schneider] have done awesome, not to mention many of the other upperclassmen who have stepped up.”
Conner was a key piece in the 2013 team that made a magical run into the NCAA tournament. But even though he said it was a great ride during his second year, there’s been one game that has been imprinted into the captain’s memory.
“The Rutgers overtime win this season,” Conner said. “That was just ridiculous.”
With a little over half of the season left, there’s still time for Conner to leave a significant impact on the Wisconsin soccer program, and Trask has been pleased with what one of his first high-end recruits has done on the pitch for the Badgers.
“[Conner’s] had a great career for us,” Trask said. “Now we’re hoping for a lot more this next half-year.”
