Loving the moment: John Pulskamp & Jansen Miller creating presence for Sporting Kansas City

Motivation to be successful in the moment. Excitement to be the one in a big moment. Each mode is essential for most professionals. The crux is they only get you so far.

Loving the moment and sustaining the self in extended moments are the marks of a consummate professional.

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Here I am

Goalkeeper John Pulskamp, who has seemingly been “the future” for Sporting Kansas City forever, is still only 24 years old in his sixth season with the club. Center back Jansen Miller is just one year his junior, in his first season with Sporting Kansas City. Yet, both are becoming a presence for a Sporting side that is seeking to renew their presence in an MLS that is the most complex ever.

For the previous four seasons in which he saw time between the posts there were outstanding saves for Pulskamp – known as The Big Bear with his 6’4”, 209 lbs frame. But there were not enough bear-like moments to establish himself as a foreboding presence who can consistently impact matches, let alone stabilize a side in helter skelter moments.

Even in 2022 when Pulskamp gained his most minutes, there were too many shoulda, coulda moments. Last season, in fact, was Pulskamp’s weakest statistically in successful distribution and save percentage.

Yet, Sunday night’s 1-0 shutout of the LA Galaxy was the latest in a continual series of strong performances that could signal a coronation for Pulskamp. The LA Galaxy Academy product faced 11 shots on the night, officially making only one save (a doozy), but covering bolts off the crossbar, short-circuiting rushes into his box, and clearing or claiming dangerous crosses.

“His concentration for 90 minutes was tremendous,” said Interim Head Coach Kerry Zavagnin after the match, “especially given this is his first real year as a starting goalkeeper. He has handled these moments.”

In a position where the difference in a finger point meaning ‘You’re the man’ and one meaning ‘You’re to blame’ can be subtle, it takes numerous learning experiences to plant yourself firmly on the good side.

“And [John] is growing and trending in the direction of being the guy the defense can look back and rely upon,” continued Zavagnin. “This only improves his stature within the group. And deservedly so because he has worked exceptionally hard at that.”

Improved stature means becoming a presence. With two blocked shots, one interception, and 13 clearances per fbref.com Sunday night, Miller, too, made his presence felt.

Three weeks previous versus Portland Timbers, Miller’s presence was all-together different. A lackadaisical play in the 49^th minute led to PTFC’s match-winner. Then, a Miller own goal six minutes later sealed Sporting Kansas City’s fate in a 4-2 loss. Only two weeks ago at San Jose Earthquakes, Miller let his mark (forward Josef Martinez) get behind and subsequently kept him onside for the ‘Quakes second goal (the sixth of seven allowed in two matches) in an eyebrow raising 5-3 win for Sporting.

“The [performance at Portland] stinks. But my best three games have been on the other side of it. I’ve learned,” Miller said in the locker room after Sunday’s win. “I’m so aware of not being nonchalant; now, I am focused every roll of the ball. I can’t explain how big it is.”

“From day one, we knew we had a good person, a good player, and a competitor,” Zavagnin explained. “He has a great personality both within the group and on the field, he has a presence.”

Loving the micro moments

Miller confessed something all rookies experience, but may not admit:

“Two months ago at DC (a 2-1 loss in Miller’s MLS debut) everything [was seen as] 100 miles per hour,” he said.

“It’s starting to slow down for me. Now, I’m reading things better. I have really good guys on the team who are open to teaching me. Robbie (Center back Robert Voloder), Joaquin (Fernandez), and Dany (Rosero), I don’t know how many career appearances they have – more than [my] eight – so they are teaching me.”

Being able to see the details and the needs of the small moments is a learned adjustment as a center back grows accustomed to his sometimes frantic world.

That adjustment can be magnified for a goalkeeper. Helping orchestrate up to 10 guys in front of you while tracking sometimes 10 attackers hell bent on bending and blasting a 28-inch round ball towards the 192 square feet you are expected to defend ain’t a walk in the park.

Thus, for Pulskamp the key is detail but also pushing a moment out for the next one.

“[Sporting Kansas City Goalkeeper Coach] Alec Dufty has been instrumental in my career and who I am as a player,” Pulskamp explained. “Something we focus on is taking it action-by-action, ball-by-ball, play-by-play. Good play happens, bad play happens, it’s next actions. Always focused in the moment. His constant reminders help me so much. He is the reason for a lot of this.”

Sustaining the MOMENTum

Both Pulskamp and Miller’s growing presence have helped Sporting not only hold a formidable FC Cincinnati to two goals (one being a golazo) but gain two shutouts in the last five matches. What will sustain winning in moments and the presence gained? The full answer is different for a six-year veteran than a rookie, although both are based on the same principle.

Through a winless start to the season, struggles in goal, and the change in head coach from the venerable Peter Vermes to Zavagnin, Pulskamp states he has been emotionally and mentally steady, which has added to his already considerable confidence. Yet, he has now added a stabilizing element.

“Added confidence. Added calmness now,” said Pulskamp when asked what he has learned about himself. “When I was a bit younger that confidence led to motivation and excitement, which maybe came out sometimes in the not most productive way. I’m in a place now where I am so steady and calm, and I am using that confidence in a more controlled, deliberate manner. And it’s really helping me out.”

It has been a long and winding road to becoming a presence for Pulskamp. For Miller, it has been a crash course.

“For first -year players that are playing the professional game, it is hard to sustain the mental capacity needed to sustain yourself over the year. [Jansen] is not used to going week-in and week-out with that kind of pressure,” said Zavagnin.

The mental toughness and confidence needed was born into Pulskamp. Nurturing that confidence is the way with Miller.

“Kerry has been a big help one-on-one with me. We have a good relationship. And he has shown a lot of confidence in me. I’m a player that plays with confidence. I need the confidence, and he has given it to me,” Miller revealed.

Show via film and tell via affirmation have been the tools.

“It’s just those little things: he always praises me before he gives me something. He brought me to his office yesterday. Before, I was struggling to run and open up for John. He showed me a clip of me sprinting, getting the ball, and playing a diagonal pass to Rado [midfielder Nemanja Radoja]. He plays Daniel [Salloi]; he plays Deke [Dejan Joveljic]; he scores.

“Kerry says after, ‘Jansen, you are growing before our eyes. You would not have done that six weeks ago.’ Him just showing me that says, ‘We believe in you.’ He has let me go through some growing pains. That is helping me come out on the right side.”

Five of the next six matches that finish up May and end with half the season in the books are on the road. How Sporting Kansas City emerges from May will go far in determining if they are playoff contenders or pretenders. Those six matches will present a myriad of opportunities for Pulskamp and Miller to cement their presence in moments small and big.