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The standout senior midfielder is on the brink of scoring a position on a college soccer team.
By BRANT JAMES, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times, published December 27, 2001
BROOKSVILLE -- The first cursory glance would come because of the Black Watch jersey he wears. The second because of his last name.
Sean O'Sullivan's talent keeps the eyes trained where they are.
Midway through his senior season, the gifted midfielder is meticulously plotting his future like so many of the upfield rushes he's created the past four years at Central. And like the 15 goals, 10 assists and countless bamboozled markers he's amassed this season, the future seems to be falling right into place.
"He's a good one, very skilled," Bears coach John Andruss said. "He's the best we've ever had here."
The first step in propelling O'Sullivan from being one of the area's top prep players to having a college career was earning a spot in the Tampa-based Black Watch soccer program, therefore playing against national competition.
"There's a lot more intensity in club; tackles are much tougher," O'Sullivan said. "It's a hard transition from high school to club because they let you get away with a lot more in club, to be honest with you. It's real intense."
Like the scrutiny.
Because so much talent congregates in club tournaments -- such as the Tampa Bay Sun Bowl, which is being played today-Sunday -- that's where scouts mass.
"You get a lot more scouts at club games -- definitely," O'Sullivan said. "You can contact a coach and have him come watch you in a high school game if he's in the area and if you have the credentials, but -- by far -- you get more at club."
The second factor in O'Sullivan's favor was his older sister, Jennifer, a Springstead alum who captained her Stanford Cardinal teams and plays defense for the New York Power in the professional Women's United Soccer Association.
"Between Black Watch and his sister, he has a lot of connections," Andruss said. "That will get him knocks on the door, but he is a skillful player and has a heck of a work ethic, and that's why he's going to go far."
So far, Notre Dame, the University of Chicago, Emory (Ga.), George Mason (Va.) and the University of the South (Ga.) have shown serious interest. None have offered scholarships, but that's not a concern, O'Sullivan said, as he expects to attend school on an ROTC scholarship.
Notre Dame -- where he attended a camp this summer "just so (coach Bobby Clark) could get a good look at me," O'Sullivan said -- would be his top option. O'Sullivan learned of Clark through his sister.
"Notre Dame would be my choice (because) the coach is unbelievable," O'Sullivan said. "We know the coach because he was the men's coach at Stanford when my sister was there."
Whoever offers O'Sullivan a spot will have a lot of material with which to work.
His deft ball-handling produced a school-record 23 assists last year, and he's augmented his speed and quickness with weight lifting to improve his angular frame and scoring touch. "My finishing, I'm really working on that," O'Sullivan said. "I don't want to be thrown around by the big guys."
O'Sullivan demonstrated his finishing on Dec. 18 in a 4-1 win over Ridegwood, when he started a scoring sequence by heading a pass to Andrew Medeiros in the right corner.
O'Sullivan called for the ball as the defense collapsed on Medeiros, took the pass back and blasted a 20-yard shot by keeper Sean Sendra for the eventual winning goal.
Another successful finish.
-- Staff writer Brant James can be reached at (800) 333-7505, ext. 1407. Send e-mail to