“It’s kind of surreal”
That’s what MLS veteran Jeff Larentowicz says with a grin as he tries to describe the phenomenon that is Major League Soccer in Atlanta. Shattering record after record for attendance, ATL UTD isn’t just the hot ticket in town, it’s a flame igniting a culture. It’s a culture with a passion unlike anything Jeff has ever been a part of.
“It’s really fun. I think that you feel a part of the city. I’ve played on teams in the past where you exist in the city but you’re not really a part of the city. It just feels like everything is intertwined, everything is meshed together, which makes the games more meaningful and I think makes the club more meaningful.”
While he’s more experienced than most, appearing in 360 MLS matches (9th all-time) and playing at four different clubs, the ATL has managed to capture his heart in just one year. And after re-signing for the Five Stripes this offseason, knowing he has at least one more season with Atlanta United, he says he couldn’t be happier.
“I wish I could turn back the clock and be 25 again, so I could be here 10 more years.”
Disproving the myth of the sophomore slump, the Atlanta fan base has showed out once again, kicking off chapter two with an emphatic 72,000+ crowd in their 2018 home opener on March 11th. And Jeff is quick to point out that there’s no settling, for the fans or the players. A successful year one left all members of the club hungry for more.
“We said it at the beginning of the year, it just means expectations. Last year, anything that happened was going to be good because just being here was enough it seemed. Second year, everybody is going to expect more and I think that the bar has been raised.”
“During preseason I think that you wondered if guys were feeling a bit complacent or content and feel like we had made it as a club and things were going to be less difficult. But obviously once the season starts, you understand the feeling that it’s going be tough and you can see the hunger in the guys.”
As a club in its first year, Larentowicz and company can be proud of what they accomplished. But the impressive inaugural season came to a disappointing end when they fell in penalties in front of their home crowd in their first-ever playoff match. To give the fans what they deserve, Larentowicz says this season will only be a success if they can top their performance and impact in 2017.
“I think 2018 will be a success if we outdo ourselves last year, if we outdo what we did as a group, continue to build the club, continue to build the club’s reputation both within the league but also within the city. I think it’s possible and I think we have what it takes but like I said, the second year is always going to be more difficult. I think if we can have the same focus and get to the point where were close to the playoffs, reaching the playoffs and then pushing in the playoffs, it’s going to be a real success.”
On the field, Jeff has fit right in from the start, as he and his teammates create the illusion that they’ve been together for years. He admits it’s the efforts off the field that has fueled that cohesiveness.
“It’s been really nice and I think that the team being successful has helped but I think that the club is a good one and they’ve done a good job of making everybody feel at home.”
More than just the club and the fans, Atlanta as a city has welcomed Jeff and his family with open arms, and the kindness truly pulsates throughout the population.
“When I’m out with my family in public everyone is always extremely nice. If they recognize you they’re always saying something positive, ‘thank you’ ‘thank you for being here’ ‘thank you for what you’re doing for the city’ ‘really loved the last game you guys played’. The Southern hospitality is there, and everybody is enjoying this time.”
When asked to describe his experience in Atlanta again, this time in three words, he doesn’t hesitate.
“Nothing but love.”
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