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Age: 25 (turns 26 on Jan. 1, 2008). Hometown: Sheboygan. Now lives in Madison. Occupation: Accountant at Suby, Von Haden & Associates. Current team: Blackshirts (indoor), but we caught him after his first game in four months. He's been busy studying for the CPA exam (he's passed two parts and two remaining). Also plays coed outdoors. How long have you been playing? Started playing in third grade. Played at Sheboygan North High School and UW-Green Bay (2000-03). Favorite rec soccer moment: "I play goalie — I played defense in college and forward and defense when I played in high school — so I just like when I'm playing goalie that every once in a while I just put it down at my feet and go with it it and try to score." Why are you playing goalkeeper? "I played indoor goalie when I was younger, and when I first got onto this team, they needed a goalie, so I just started playing. And with me being in tax season (at work) and not being able to really work out much, I don't really have the wind to be running around. So it just kind of fits to sit in the goal and dive around and run when I need to. It keeps me active." Boots: Nike Air Zoom Total 90s. "I think I got them last year sometime. I blew out about four pairs of cleats in the last year or so, so it was time for an upgrade." Who's the best player you've played with or against? "When I played against UW-Milwaukee, they had a couple of All-Americans there, Antou Jallow and (Tighe) Dombrowski were pretty amazing. My goalie my freshman year for Green Bay was the most amazing goalie I've seen, Josh Lynk. ... He just made some saves that I've never seen anybody else make. So you just try to play like him in goal? "Yeah, right. My sister (Stephanie) actually played goalie for St. Cloud State (from 2002-05). ... I worked with her a lot when she was younger, so I picked up a little bit on how to (play keeper). If you put me outdoor, I'm kind of a short guy, I can't really cover or get over to the far bar, but indoor, it's a little more my height." Why do you play? "For something to do. Especially during tax season, when it starts getting busy, it's a good release. It gets me out of the cubicle." Do you have an on-field pet peeve? "Just when people try to do too much. It's realistically a simple game. I know people don't always connect to the passes, and that's fine, but people are trying to take on the entire team, it's like 'Make the ball work.' " Are you a soccer fan? If so, any specific teams or leagues? "I don't really have a lot of time to watch, but I keep up on the Champions League games. Nothing where I would say that I am an avid follower." Does your team have a rival? "Not really. I hate playing against Carl (Refsell), though. Being on his team (in the past), I know what he can do. He actually played in the game just now — I have a nice mark on my arm from him. (A partial imprint of a ball is visible in red on Brendel's left forearm). He ripped one from about five feet away and straight into my arm. ... I hate it when he starts dancing with the ball. I'm like 'Just mark him, just make him go backwards.' And then he does the spin move and puts it into the side netting." What aspect of your game needs work? "Right now, everything, because I haven't touched a ball in four months. My touch was terrible today, I think I connected about three passes total. It was a debacle. Once tax season gets over, then I'll start going out to the field by myself and dribble around and take some shots and try to get the touch back a little bit for outdoor."
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