American midfielder Bobby Convey destroyed Syracuse men’s soccer goalie Alim Karim’s chance of ever going to the Olympics.

Karim and the rest of the Canadian U-23 team played three games within five days in the Olympic qualifying round of the CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football) tournament.

Unfortunately for Karim, Canada was eliminated from the tournament after USA’s Convey scored two goals to lead the Americans to a 2-0 victory over Canada on Feb. 5 in Guadalajara, Mexico.

‘It’s something you work really hard for your whole life,’ Karim said, ‘and it’s tough when you don’t get it at the last minute.’

The outcome of the game was disappointing for Karim, who was looking forward to playing in Athens, Greece next summer. Now, he won’t get the chance.

‘It was a once in a lifetime shot,’ Karim said. ‘To make it past all the qualifying rounds to the last round and then not make it is really heartbreaking.’

Karim, 20, was one of the youngest players on the Canadian U-23 team and found it to be a challenge to play in international tournaments.

‘Mentally it’s also a lot tougher (than college) because you’re playing three hard games in five days, and everyone is in a professional environment,’ Karim said. ‘It’s only the cream of the crop that are playing there.’

Karim can consider himself the ‘cream of the crop,’ since he is one of a few in his age group to be on the Canadian team. Though he didn’t start in the Olympic qualifying tournament, he said that playing for his country was an amazing experience.

‘Anytime you get called up for your country, it’s an honor,’ Karim said. ‘It’s a very hard thing to do, and you never know when you’re going to get called up again’

Karim was invited by Canada Soccer to France in 2001 to play in the Tournoi de Cadets de Reze. While there, Karim beat out keepers from around the world to earn Goalkeeper of the Tournament honors.

Throughout his first two years at Syracuse, assistant men’s soccer coach Jaro Zawislan kept close contact with Canada’s U-20 head coach Dale Mitchell, who called Zawislan often to check on Karim’s progress.

Luckily for Karim, Mitchell was an assistant coach for the U-23 Olympic team, too, and he informed Karim that he would have a chance to go to Athens for the 2004 Olympics.

Though Mitchell considered Karim a talented keeper, the Ontario native had to prove himself to Canada head coach Bob Twamley and to some of his older teammates.

‘It was different at the start because you sort of have to earn your stripes,’ Karim said. ‘I had a lot of fun getting to know some of the older guys. Through the training sessions and the games, I got to know them really well.’

Other players Karim got to know through Canadian Soccer are current SU teammates Frank Bruno and Richard Asante. Both Bruno and Asante have a rsum of Canadian soccer experience, and Karim talked to Bruno about coming to Syracuse prior to his enrollment.

‘Figuring how (Karim) is one Canadian already, I knew that I would not be the only Canadian on the team.’ Asante said after his first day of classes at SU. ‘Knowing there would be someone to accompany me, show me around, really helped making my decision to come here easy.’

Last season – Bruno and Asante’s freshman season – didn’t turn out the way Karim had hoped. After being ranked in the Top 25 to start the year, the Orangemen (4-8-5, 1-5-4 Big East) failed to make the Big East tournament.

‘Last season was really disappointing,’ Karim said. ‘We lost the first couple games and we tied some games that we should’ve won. I think that the fact that we didn’t win some of the big games that we should’ve really took a toll on our confidence.

‘I felt like last year the leadership was more just being dictators and yelling. I didn’t feel like there was that much community.’

As a junior, Karim hopes to revive the proper leadership that didn’t exist on SU in the last few years.

‘I’m gonna try to get the team to come together,’ Karim said. ‘When you get to know people better off the field, it helps play on the field.’

Karim is already looking forward to changing the ways of the past by taking control of a new team that can make an impact in the Big East. Though it’s still spring, the Orangemen have already started with some local competition.

The Orangemen played the Syracuse Salty Dogs, the local professional team, last week and tied them, 1-1.

‘It was a really positive result for us,’ Karim said, ‘and we’re hoping to change the results we’ve had in the last two years.’

Karim’s leadership will be necessary for the Orangemen to make the Big East tournament next year. He looks to draw from his international experience with Canada to lead Syracuse back to soccer glory.

‘Anytime you get called up for your country, it’s an honor,’ Karim said. ‘I’ve taken more of a leadership role right now, getting the guys together and trying to let some of the players on the field dictate the leadership role. We’re going to have some good recruits coming in, and we have a positive outlook on next season.’

Published on April 14, 2004 at 12:00 pm