Minutes tick by on the scoreboard at Klöckner Stadium. Grunting and booming sounds resonate through the arena as the members of the varsity men's soccer team furiously attack the ball in an effort to defeat Marshall.
Fans cheer. The whistle sounds and substitutions are made.
Players are met by their coach at the steps leading to the bench, given a handshake and a pat on the back, and then take their seats.
Coach George Gelnovatch also returns to the bench, rests his hands on his knees, touches his toes together and continues to do what he does best coach.
Gelnovatch isn't on the sidelines pacing and shouting to players. Instead, he remains seated, hidden to most people, throughout the entire game. Sixteen years after graduating from the University, Gelnovatch has served as Virginia's head soccer coach, assistant coach to the Men's United States National Team and head coach of the Men's Under-18 National Team.
Sixteen years ago today however, Gelnovatch never dreamed he would be living the life he now lives.
Gelnovatch's office is located on the upper level of the McCue Center. It is fully equipped with a waiting room, heavy wooden office doors, and even the window that all professional businessmen dream of having.
However, once inside you realize the office is centered on a different type of business -- the business of sports. Soccer balls clutter the floor, sports pictures and posters decorate the wall, and Gelnovatch himself sits behind his huge desk decked out in a black sweatshirt and matching sweat pants.
It's as if he's the same man who was on grounds 16 years ago, but with more experience under his belt (or sweatpants elastic in this case).
Gelnovatch played for the Cavaliers from 1983 to 1986, earning a fifth-place rank on Virginia's career scoring list.
In 1989, Gelnovatch returned to the University with plans to attend graduate school and possibly become a lawyer, however, being that it was September, he realized he was too late.
This is when his coaching began. Gelnovatch decided to contact Coach Bruce Arena, head coach of the Cavaliers and the man he had played for just a few years prior, to see if there was anything he could do to help out with the team.
"I figured it was worth it to work with the team while I was in town," Gelnovatch said. Arena agreed to the requests, and Gelnovatch assisted the Cavaliers in becoming co-national champions that year. The trend continued with Gelnovatch returning as a team assistant each year, working up the ladder, until, finally, he was name assistant coach under Arena in 1992.
At that point, "grad school was a distant memory," Gelnovatch said.
In 1996 Gelnovatch was named head coach at the University. Since then, he has recruited some of the best players, coached the 2001 team to an undefeated regular season, and been named both the 2001 ACC Coach of the Year and VaSID Coach of the Year.
While coaching the Cavaliers through continuous successful seasons, Gelnovatch tends to follow a fairly typical coaching style. However, all the years he spent playing did leave him with a certain approach toward coaching.
"I think his coaching style is an indication of how he was as a player himself," sophomore forward Chris Megaloudis said. "He expects a lot of us."
Although Gelnovatch has high expectations of his players, he also tends to be fairly laid back toward the game. "He lets us do our own thing for the most part," freshman mid-fielder Hunter Freeman said. "He acts as the typical coach motivator, but we basically get each other pumped."
Gelnovatch follows the same approach for both practices and games, allowing the players to dictate the plays for themselves, but not hesitating to put in his two cents when necessary.
"What best sums up George is this ... he tries to get the most out of all his players in their four years of playing," Megaloudis said.
Gelnovatch has not limited himself to the successful Cavalier team. This past summer Gelnovatch coached under Bruce Arena once again, this time for the World Cup team. "I've known Bruce for 20 years. Anytime you work with him, you can always pick something up. He is a winner, and outstanding coach. Working with him is a unique experience," Gelnovatch said.
The United States placed in the top eight in the quarterfinals, something that hasn't happened in 50 years.
Coaching the Under-18 Men's National Team has been a third soccer coaching endeavor for Gelnovatch.
Although training both a college team and a U-18 team may seem like a conflict to outsiders, Gelnovatch feels that it is, and has been, nothing but a positive experience. "It is a real bonus for me to coach the U-18 team," Gelnovatch said. "I get to know the boys not only as soccer players, but as people. I find that it is a great way to recruit players to play for U.Va."
Gelnovatch is able to become close with the players over time, learn about their lives outside of soccer and meet their families.
He receives a full perspective when trying to recruit players for the University and isn't forced to simply choose his team based on one game he may watch.
Many players from the U-18 team do end up playing here at the University, the latest being Freeman.
"The coaching techniques are pretty much the same for both the U-18 team and Virginia," said Freeman. Gelnovatch "is just as laid back here as he was there, but also serious when he needs to be."Freeman played on the U-18 team last year and will be playing again next year as well, due to the fact that he graduated early and is still eligible, age wise, to play.
Being on both of Gelnovatch's teams is a benefit for the players as well as Gelnovatch.
"It was definitely easier to adjust to the new team here at U.Va. because I had played for Gelnovatch in the past," Freeman said. Gelnovatch agrees on the positive aspects of the situation as well. "It works out well for the players because they know what to expect from me as a coach. They know in the beginning what they are going to get for the next four years."
Being involved in many aspects of soccer also has helped Gelnovatch pick up coaching strategies. "There isn't one thing [that I have gotten out of coaching the national teams] that I could nail on the head
it's a lot of things," Gelnovatch said.
Traveling around to countries including Europe and South America has allowed Gelnovatch to see what others are doing for player's development.
"It makes it interesting to come back to my college team
I see we have a lot of catching up to do," Gelnovatch said.
Gelnovatch's time is now consumed by coaching.
From August to the Christmas holiday Gelnovatch is completely absorbed with the Cavaliers, committing no time to the national teams. January through July, however, solely is devoted to practices for the national teams as well as squeezing in recruiting for the University.
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