COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo (KOAA) — Talen Maples is known for keeping teammates loose with jokes and cookouts, but the center back says good chemistry is key to climbing the Western Conference standings.
Teammates say Maples has a presence that is impossible to miss.
"He has a big personality. He lets you know when he has entered the room,” said Jonas Fjeldberg.
"He's a guy in the locker room that definitely lightens up the mood when it needs to happen,” Brennan Creek added.
"He can be a silly guy. He cracks jokes around the stadium, around games, training. He lightens the mood, and you always know when he's here,” Aidan Rocha said.
Maples said the lighthearted approach is intentional and rooted in his love of the game.
"I love having fun, man. We got to kick a ball around for a living. We're trying to put it into a rectangle. It's all a game, so why not be a kid about it and have fun? I'm a firm believer that you can't be serious for ten and a half months straight; you're going to burn out. So why not be able to crack some jokes and have a good time with it?"
Maples said he also takes pride in bringing the group together away from the training ground, including hosting cookouts for his teammates.
"I've had one cookout for the guys and about to have another one here in a little bit, but I love cooking. I love making sure people feel good around me. I always say for the fans if they need anything, let me know. Hopefully, they don't take that as a joke. That's serious."
But the good times only go so far. The Switchbacks currently sit 10th in the Western Conference with 2 wins, 4 draws, and 3 losses — a position Maples said does not reflect the team's true ability.
"I think we know we have good players and we are much more talented and much more skilled, more of a better team than where we are in the table so that makes us feel uneasy. Uneasy in a way that we can go out every game, trying to grab points that we can because we know we need them. I think there's not a person in that group that's looking around and being like we may have a bad team."
The Switchbacks hope that confidence and chemistry can fuel a climb up the standings. Their next match is Saturday on the road against the Oakland Roots, before returning to Weidner Field for back-to-back home matches.
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