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Meet the USASA: RWB Adria
Region II club from Chicago adds veterans Howes, Steenkamp
 Looking back on his team’s 4-1 loss to the Carolina RailHawks of the USL First Division in the first round of the U.S. Open Cup last year, RWB Adria coach Minos Vlamakis realized one big thing.
"It kind of showed me that it’s good to gave some guys that have a little more experience," Vlamakis said.
With his Chicago-based amateur team back in the tournament this year, Vlamakis has made sure he’ll have experience on his roster for Tuesday’s first-round match at USL First Division side Rochester. And two of them are names USL and Rhinos fans certainly will recognize: midfielders Greg Howes and Lenin Steenkamp.
"We’ve added a few players with some USL experience who are really champing at the bit to make an impact and maybe show some people that they can still get it done," Vlamakis said.
Howes, 31, isn’t under contract with an outdoor team, but has played in the USL/A-League for the past eight years with the Seattle Sounders (2000, 2007), Portland Timbers (2001-02), now-defunct Milwaukee Wave United (2003-04) and the Rhinos (2005-06).
Last year, he was the MVP of the Sounders’ 4-0 win over Atlanta in the USL First Division championship game after scoring two goals. Howes also has been the Major Indoor Soccer League MVP three times, including the 2007-08 season.
"I think it definitely will help solidify our attack," said Vlamakis, who plans to play Howes in a central attacking role behind strikers Awad Morad and Semir Mesanovic in a 3-5-2 formation.
"I think adding a guy like Howesy (is) massive, even though he hasn’t played much with us. Just his experience, and the truth is he’s played with a lot of our guys."
Steenkamp, meanwhile, is a Rhinos legend.
He played 11 years in Rochester, helping lead the team to three league championships and the 1999 U.S. Open Cup title. Steenkamp recorded 35 goals and 30 assists in 219 matches — he’s the club record-holder in assists and games and tied for second in goals.
Now 38, Steenkamp has lived and continued playing in Las Vegas since retiring from the Rhinos in 2005, and the team held a testimonial match to honor the popular South African in 2006. Vlamakis said he’ll look for Steenkamp to play as a defensive midfielder.
Other new faces on the RWB Adria roster ahead of the club’s fourth U.S. Open Cup appearance are midfielders Marcio Leite and David Guzman and defender Chico.
Leite, 23, and Chico, 21, are Brazilians who played with Howes indoors with the Milwaukee Wave — last year, Leite was on loan to the RailHawks and scored against RWB Adria in the U.S. Open Cup.
Guzman, who played at Louisville and with several Canadian youth national teams, appeared in several matches for the reserve team for Major League Soccer’s Toronto FC last year. Vlamakis said Guzman, 23, recently returned to Chicago, where he played with Chicago Fire Premier in the PDL.
But like last year’s match at Carolina, when neither Morad nor Mesanovic were able to make the trip, Adria will be without some of its regulars against Rochester, which is 1-4-4 and 10th in the 11-team USL First Division.
Midfielder Jamar Beasley, brother of national team midfielder DaMarcus Beasley, and goalkeeper Jeff Richey are with the U.S. national futsal team in Guatemala on a trip set to end Sunday. Vlamakis said Richey likely will be with RWB Adria in Rochester, but probably will serve as the backup to Brian Visser in goal. Beasley has other obligations and isn’t available.
Still, with a bolstered attack and a solid, veteran backline of Mario Iveljic, Justin Dugena and former Chicago Fire forward Joey Carver, Vlamakis is optimistic heading into PAETEC Park.
"I’m definitely going into this game with a lot more confidence than last year against Carolina, and it’s not because of Rochester’s standing in the USL as much as, you know, I’ve been through once before, got a much more experienced squad, a much more talented squad than last year," Vlamakis said. "It’s confidence that’s grown on our end, not because of our opponents. Whether they’re in last place or first place, a USL First Division team’s always going to be tough for us.
"And ... the last thing they want is to lose to an amateur team. That would be salt in the wound. You could argue they’ll take it even more seriously than someone like Carolina last year. So we have to be aware of that."
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