Box Score By Rudy Jones, FurmanPaladins.com
GREENVILLE S.C. – Successful people often notice little things about other successful people.
That was the case for Furman men's soccer coach Doug Allison a few years back when he was an assistant coach for an American youth team playing in a tournament in Argentina. One of the players on the squad was Walker Zimmerman, now a sophomore defender for the Paladins.
"I remember in the lobby of the hotel in Buenos Aires," Allison recalled recent. "It was a typical Buenos Aires time. The bus hadn't arrived for about 45 minutes. The lobby was a very cosmopolitan area; people in suits. A couple of players were lounging around on sofas; water bottles everywhere.
"There was Walker on the other side with a few guys," Allison said "A lady walks in and Walker offers her a seat. I notice stuff like that. Kids a lot of the time don't think of doing that kind of thing. But he did. He was definitely brought up the right way. Everything he ever did seemed to be done at the right time."
Allison also noticed Zimmerman's leadership ability and influence on his teammates.
"Walker was playing right back and right midfield. He had a prototypical build for a center back. We ended up moving him in there. At that point he hadn't grown into his body yet. He was about 15; tall, but kind of clumsy a little bit," Allison said. "But he had the attitude of wanting to get better.
"Also, off the field he was just such a great human being. You can tell. The players were like moths to a light. They kind of followed him around a little bit."
That's the type of person – and player – Allison likes to bring to Furman, and it has served him well as he nears the midway point of his 18th season with the Paladins.
When Zimmerman made the trip up I-85 from Lawrenceville, Ga., to visit Furman as a high school sophomore, he liked what he saw and heard.
"I visited five schools: Furman, South Carolina, UNC, Duke and Wake Forest," Zimmerman said earlier this season. "I fell in love with Furman's campus. Coach Allison really wanted me to be a catalyst for our recruiting class. I was obviously honored at that. The relationship with the coach was very important to me, so I decided to commit to Furman in the spring of my sophomore year."
"When he came here I think we were just very honest with him," Allison said. "We've had a lot of very good players in the past. We've had one of the best players ever in this country in Clint Dempsey and Ricardo Clark starting in the World Cup. … He wasn't going to be the first (outstanding player to attend Furman) and he wasn't going to be the only one.
"He's got a great team around him and he's got great leaders around him. I think when he came here he saw it was a smaller environment for him; the classroom sizes were smaller, so there was a lot of attention," Allison said. "It's a beautiful campus and it's close enough to home for his parents."
And the soccer program's pretty good, too.
"Obviously you want to go to a place where you think you can be developed by a coach and eventually make that jump to the next level," Zimmerman said. "In Furman's case you have the guys like Clint Dempsey, Ricardo Clark, Jon Leathers and Shea Salinas. You have those guys produced by a program, so you know you are capable of making that jump from Furman. It's a place where you can grow and develop as a player.
"The kids we had, he just fit in," Allison said. "He fit in very, very well. He wanted a challenge academically; he wanted a challenge soccer-wise and we provide that kind of challenge here. Obviously, he wants to be a pro. We've got a list of guys who've been in the pros from our program; If they haven't become pros, they're leaders in their communities or arenas wherever they are; going to medical school; going to teach; whatever their chosen vocation is these kids are going to places and taking leadership roles in those places.
"The stuff that was going in within our program was very important for him to; it wasn't just surface value playing soccer. I think we clicked very well. I was just very honest with him," Allison said "Obviously, he hadn't done a lot – yet. The potential was in abundance, but he hadn't proved anything yet. That was one thing, being honest with him and telling him you CAN reach your goals through Furman."
Zimmerman had a quick impact. He scored five goals and two assists as a freshman to earn Freshman All-American and third-team All-American honors.
He had four goals and three assists as the Paladins went 7-1-2 in their first 10 games this season.
"Coach Allison has always been an advocate of it's not about the best players; it's about the right players," Zimmerman said. "It's about getting good kids who fit well together and have good chemistry. I think that's what we're forming here: Talented kids who get along really well."
A shining example of that was the Paladins' 1-1 tie against East Tennessee State earlier this season.
Tyler Peoples, Zimmerman's roommate and "friend since we were eight-years old, got a goal with 15 seconds left," Zimmerman said. "It was his second one in a week in the last minute of a game. It was huge. It was a great thing for the fans, especially. A lot of my friends who hadn't been to a game before came out; it was a great environment for all those fans to experience something like that."
Zimmerman said that performance reinforced the fact soccer is a 90-minute game.
"I was talking to my friend Kevin Pahl (another soccer player) about this the other day," Zimmerman said. "We were playing video games. He said he was in study hall and he put his stuff up with two minutes left in the study hall. A guy asked him 'Are you going to quit with five seconds left in a soccer game?'
"So, we were all joking about it the day before (the East Tennessee State game). After the game we were like 'Hey, Kev, that's what happens when you don't quit in the last minute.' It's examples like that that allow you to focus on finishing out the game."
Zimmerman is a member of the Under-20 U.S. National Team and started all three matches in an international tournament.
Media reports sometimes leave the impression that Americans are not greeted warmly in foreign countries. Zimmerman said that's not true – at least off the pitch.
"Wherever we stay as a team, the hotels … everyone has been so nice, very hospitable people," Zimmerman said.
"One thing I think, soccer-wise, that we're learning is (Americans are) a little bit too naive sometimes," Zimmerman said. "For example, we were playing Germany and when the ref's not looking you may get a cleat mark on your leg. … or silly fouls that the other team is doing to you when they ref's not looking," Zimmerman said.
"We take it as 'hey, that's not fair.' But I think we're a little naive as a country. It's something we're going to have to learn, how to get tougher, not be so naïve," Zimmerman said. "The countries we've visited outside of soccer, it's been a great experience. They're very hospitable. They take care of us; they love us."
Even with the prestige of representing his country on an international stage, Zimmerman has his sights set higher still.
"As great as it is, it's not where I want to be yet," Zimmerman said. "I'm not to where the ultimate goal is, which is to play on the full National Team and succeed at playing on a professional club. It is great that you're starting to see your work pay off in getting selected and identified for these types of national events. Ultimately, in the long run, it's nothing special. It's not there yet."
Allison said the National Team is on the back burner for Zimmerman during Furman's season.
"The thing about Walker is you'll never see him walk around in his U.S. National Team stuff," Allison said. "He's a Furman guy when he's here. I think it speaks volumes for him, because there are too many other kids that could do that; come back and wear their U.S. National Team 'look at me' kind of thing.
"Walker's a Furman player through and through." Allison said. "Yes, he wants to be on the national team; yes he wants to play pro, but that will come at the right time. When he's here he's unpacked his bags. You wouldn't know if he's a walk-on, a top player or where he was with the way he carries himself. That's why he's so special.
"He's good enough to be on (the National Team)," Allison said. "Tab Ramos, who's the coach of that team, is a good friend of mine. We actually played against each other at South Carolina and N.C. State (respectively)," Allison said. "I talked to him recently about Walker. Walker has still got a way to go to reach that next level.
"Hopefully, he's learning stuff here. But also, to be prepared for the national team is very important for his life, his future and his development," Allison said. "I think we can do that here. I don't think we leave too many stones unturned for him.
"It's the speed of play when you get to that level. Everyone is good, and he has to be that good. He's getting better and better and better, but he hasn't reached that ceiling, which is amazing when you see what he's done already. He's a freshman all-American, which is pretty rare. To be one of the leading scorers on the team from his position is pretty rare."
NCAA soccer doesn't have the restrictions on players turning professional that baseball, basketball and football do, so Zimmerman could elected to do so after this season if he desired.
"I've had multiple conversations with Coach Allison over the past year, and also with (former Paladin and current pro) Jon Leathers," Zimmerman said. "He's come back every now and then. He's played at Sporting KC and also in Vancouver. It's good to get insight from a player and also from a coach, determining when you're ready, what you work on and just kind of figure out that whole process of what decision's going to be best for you in the future.
"I've definitely gotten a lot of input from them and feel good all the advice they've been giving me," Zimmerman said. "I'm just focusing on the season, having a good season as a team and personally. I think everything else will take care of itself. If the opportunity comes, it's something we will look at very seriously and, depending on the situation, decide if it's the right time to make the jump.
"I'm definitely open to it. I'm looking forward to, hopefully, having a career like that in the future," Zimmerman said. "It'll be something I'll have my eye on, especially after the season."
Allison said there's no one-size-fits-all answer to the timing for a player to turn professional.
"It depends on the kids. From minute one when Ricardo walked on campus the MLS wanted him. They were in my office the next day 'We want to sign this kid,'" Allison said. "Well, it's a family decision. It's not my decision. It's not just Walker's decision. His parents are pretty astute parents."
"If the parents (of a player) weren't prepared to make it, then I'd have to step in," Allison said; "I can give them all the angles from the college standpoint, the benefits; from the pro standpoint, the benefits; the downfalls if you get injured and then you're done.
"(Walker) is a well-enough educated kid," Allison said. "They all have ambitions, But, is the salary worth it?; is this worth it? Is it worth forfeiting this for that? All the cards are on the table. Then, it's up to them. Then it's a family decision. I wouldn't let them go if they're not ready
"I'm experienced enough to know," Allison said. "Ricardo was ready his sophomore year. Clint wasn't ready until his junior year. Clint would have stayed more. Clint has turned out to be quite a worldwide player and Clint's development was later."
Zimmerman comes from a family of doers. Older brother Dawson was a punter at Clemson and middle brother Carter is a bit of a legend on the intramural athletic level at Georgia College and State University.
"Both my brothers and I are extremely close, extremely competitive in everything we do, whether it's ping pong in the garage or games we make up at our house," Zimmerman said. "It's been super competitive and both of my brothers have been great role models for me, both athletically and in normal daily life."
Their father is a minister and both father and mother are involved in training missionaries.
What about the challenges of being a preacher's kid?
"I wouldn't say it was tough," Zimmerman said. "I would say there were a lot of expectations, a lot of recognition throughout the community like 'Oh, he's a preacher's kid.' They'd know my dad. That kind of gave a greater sense of responsibility of making the right decisions. It wasn't a struggle with dealing with how to make the right decisions. It was something that was ingrained in our minds: how to walk the good walk. I don't think it was a burden. I enjoyed the role of being a preacher's kid."
With parents who are communicators, perhaps it should be no surprise that Zimmerman is a communications major.
"I'd obviously love to have a great career in professional soccer and, while in that career, hope to get the opportunity to do some public speaking at different events; mainly, church youth groups, kind of more the religious side of speaking and motivational speaking as well for athletes," Zimmerman said. "I love to talk about the mental side of the game, how to push yourself and succeed in life."
So far, Zimmerman's actions are speaking as loudly as his words.
Rudy Jones wrote about hundreds of Furman University sporting events during his almost 40-year-career with The Greenville News and Greenville Piedmont. His coverage of the Paladins' 1988 football national championship earned him a first place writing award from the South Carolina Press Association. The Travelers Rest native has a blog about college baseball in South Carolina:palmettostatebaseball.blogspot.com. Contact Rudy at rudyscribe@yahoo.com
