ALWAYS INTO THE GAME COSTA ADDS TO VALENCIA IN ANY ROLE.Byline: Matthew Kredell Staff Writer For some players, an injury renders them worthless. But Dan Costa is the sort of competitor who can contribute even if he can't play. Costa, a fourth-year varsity boys' soccer player at Valencia, has changed his game to help the team this year. Now, a high ankle sprain ankle sprain Orthopedics A stretching of the ankle ligaments and/or muscles with swelling forced him to change his role again for a key matchup against rival Hart on Friday. ``Even if he's not going to play, he'll still be into the game,'' teammate Ryan Dean said before the key Foothill League match. ``That's the type of player he is. He'll probably be helping coach (Vince) Ferry out or doing whatever he can to help the team. Even if he's not out there, he can be valuable helping the team from the sidelines Sidelines Hypothetical position referring to noninvolvement in a stock; merely watching. .'' Costa is used to adjusting for the benefit of the team. His strength from the center midfield mid·field n. Sports 1. The section of a playing field midway between goals. 2. Players whose usual positions are in the midfield. mid is as a playmaker play·mak·er n. A player in a sport with goals, such as a guard in basketball, who initiates offensive plays. play setting up the offense. That worked well last year, when Brian Wright For the convicted drug smuggler, see . Brian Wright (born in Sydney, New South Wales) was an Australian rugby league player for the South Sydney Rabbitohs and the Eastern Suburbs Roosters in the New South Wales Rugby League premiership competition. and Huey Park could score. With their graduation, Costa was left with dual roles as playmaker and scorer. He has answered by leading the team in assists and scoring 13 goals, second on the team. ``It has been a little different for me because I'm usually the one setting up the goals rather than scoring them,'' Costa said. ``But I figured someone had to score, and it might as well be me.'' Ferry gushes about Costa, to whom he gave control of the offense when Costa was a sophomore. ``He's such an intelligent player,'' Ferry said. ``He really has a good feeling for where guys are at. And he has a pretty good knowledge of when he has to be more offensive-minded.'' Valencia isn't doing as well as last season, when the team finished second in the Foothill League behind Hart. Valencia was 8-7-2 overall and 1-3-1 entering the second half of league play. The Vikings will need to win most of the remaining games in order to make the playoffs. But, even without some of the elite players from last season, this year has been more fun, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Dean. Costa is the perfect leader for the younger team. ``Sometimes the whole team didn't mesh last year,'' Dean said. ``Dan does a good job keeping everyone together. He is friends with everyone on the team. It doesn't matter if you are a freshman, sophomore or senior, you can still talk with him.'' Costa hurt his ankle last week against Canyon. Ferry said that while having Costa on the sideline sideline See on the sidelines. this week, he has noticed what a good coach Costa could make. ``It's going to be pretty tough watching the game, especially against Hart,'' Costa said. ``But I'll be talking with Coach Ferry, giving him ideas on how we can improve the team. You can tell some things on the sidelines On the sidelines An investor who decides not to invest due to market uncertainty. on the sidelines Of or relating to investors who, having assessed the market, have decided to avoid committing their funds. that you can't tell in the game, like seeing the other players, their options and giving them advice.'' CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Injured in·jure tr.v. in·jured, in·jur·ing, in·jures 1. To cause physical harm to; hurt. 2. To cause damage to; impair. 3. midfielder Dan Costa didn't play in Valencia's game against Hart on Friday, but that didn't mean he didn't contribute. John Lazar/Staff Photographer |
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