Tks to CanuckFan at BS for headsup
Achtung! Cook heads to Cottbus
Callies youngster has secured spot in U-19 Bundesliga
Kristen Odland Calgary Herald
Saturday, June 30, 2007
http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/...1-3353bd1db14a
Cody Cook, of the Calgary Callies, will spend six months with Energie Cottbus' under-19 side. CREDIT: Grant Black, Calgary Herald
Somewhere between tossing his graduation cap and booking a flight to Berlin, Cody Cook forgot one thing before committing to play for Energie Cottbus in the German under-19 Bundesliga.
But it's not entirely his fault.
If learning German was an option at St. Mary's High School, the Calgary Callies striker would have worked it into his schedule.
"The language barrier will be his biggest challenge, I think," points out Callies head coach Dave Randall.
"Although, a lot of the Germans are more educated than we are and they can speak English as well so it might not be too bad for him, especially at a club like Cottbus which is used to having English-speaking players there.
"The game . . . it'll be faster and it'll be tougher but it's still the game, right?"
The 17-year old will take off on July 19 to spend six months with Eastern Germany's Cottbus to play in the same club system as Calgarian Kevin McKenna -- who played for them in 1998 through '01, and 2005, until moving to FC Koln in the German Second Division this year.
Cook has spent the past few months toiling for the Alberta Major Soccer League's Callies, but took a very worthwhile trip to Vancouver at the end of April and trained for five days with the Whitecaps of the United Soccer League.
Whitecaps head coach Thomas Niendorf first saw Cook when he had a Calgary-based development program with Nick Koev. And after Niendorf put the striker through the paces with the team in April, he chatted with Cook about playing in the German under-19 Bundesliga.
"It gave me a chance to see where I stand, playing against those guys," said the Cranbrook, B.C.-born and Calgary-raised soccer product. "It was really exciting; just their practices are so intense."
"I've always just wanted to go and play overseas; just the environment of playing on a soccer team realized it's what I really want."
Until he takes off, Cook will stay with the Callies, who sit at 7-0-1 in the AMSL after a 5-1 thumping of the Calgary Villains on Wednesday.
Cook first got a taste of the AMSL when he was 16 and moved up to the Callies from under-18 Northwest United Alba. He notched a goal during round-robin play at the the 2006 national men's club championship in Surrey, B.C. -- where the Callies eventually claimed silver after bowing 1-0 to Ottawa.
"The Callies play a lot smarter. They knock the ball around really well and it's a faster pace," pointed out Cook.
"I think it's prepped me (for Germany) really well.
"Playing with them I've learned lots. Dave always gives me little pointers and tells me what I can do better.
"Just playing at a higher pace with the men's team has helped me a lot."
The Callies play their next AMSL league game against the Calgary Dinos at Broadview Field on Wednesday at 8:15 p.m.
Tam Nsaliwa to AEK Athens
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