After Shawn McLaws was officially announced as Captain for the 2014 season we caught up with Coach Oswald and Giancarlo 'El Presidente' Granese to talk about what qualities made him stand out for the role and how they feel the team can replicate last season's success.

Coach Oswald

What do you look for in a captain and why does Shawn McLaws fit that description?

“We felt Shawn would be the ideal candidate as captain as a result of his cool, calm and collected demeanor on and off the field. Shawn is a big believer in team chemistry and that is a major element to any team that wants to be successful. He is well liked by his peers and the level of respect he has earned from the organization can be seen in naming him our leader for the 2014 season.”

How pleased are you to have a player like Shawn?

“Shawn works incredibly hard in training and his incredible work ethic is unmatched. We are very excited that he returned for a 2^nd season after being named an NSCAA Regional All-American and Big South Defensive Player of the Year. He will certainly be an asset to a seasoned returning group and he will really work behind the scenes with the coaching staff to show those new players what has helped us to be so successful as a team over the past few years.”

Do you believe Shawn will make the new guys coming in comfortable?

 “Shawn knows the lay of the land in Ocean City. Regardless of where the new guys are coming from, he will be able to ease that transition of new guys into camp, but also welcome back the returners. He will be able to make those players feel at home on the field in our training and match situations, whilst also showing them where the best places are around at the beach to relax when we are not playing.”

What’s your expectations for the season?

“Our expectations are the same as last year, win as many games as possible, make a US Open Cup run, and advance to the PDL playoffs. Outside of that, we have a chance to win our first National Championship in our 2^nd Final 4 appearance in the US Amateur National Championship in a few weeks. Our goal is certainly to come home with some more hardware and to add a star over our logo.”

President Granese

What do you look for in a captain and why does Shawn McLaws fit that description?

‘You want other players to look up to you in situations where you have to step up as a leader. You have to show them how to act on the field and off the field. We were very happy with Shawn last year to those regards.”

How pleased are you to have a player like Shawn?

"We are very pleased to have a player like Shawn, he works very hard for his side and is a real team player. We were able to really see what he is all about last season.”

Do you believe Shawn will make the new guys coming in comfortable?

“Yes, Shawn is a very reliable player we feel comfortable with him helping the new guys out since they have little time to get organized. “

What’s your expectations for the season?

“Expectations are high since our team has always done well. The bar is set high from last year, we’ve now won the Mid-Atlantic 2 years in a row and finished well in the Eastern Conference. We always want to do better than the year before.”