(Courtesy of U Va.)
The people closest to Ari Dimas burst with excitement at the mention of his name. Their voices brim with energy and enthusiasm at the prospect of reliving Dimas' storybook journey.
Hard to blame them.
A 5-foot-5 midfielder from Indian River High, once deemed too small to survive the rigors of Division I soccer, establishing himself as a star at defending national champion Virginia. Who could resist a story like that?
"There's not one person who knows him who isn't rooting for him, who doesn't feel something when they think about what he has done," U.Va. women's soccer coach Steve Swanson said.
Dimas graduated from high school in 2008 as class valedictorian and hoped to play for an Ivy League school. Many coaches dismissed him without seeing him play.
Undeterred and full of persistence, Dimas walked on at Virginia last season. He now starts at midfield for the No. 4-ranked Cavaliers and already has a pair of goals this season - both game-winners - and three assists.
"I recruited myself to U.Va.," Dimas said. "I just called and bothered the coaches so much that eventually, they just said, 'Who is this kid who keeps trying to talk to me?' "
Like many college athletes, even future stars, Dimas spent his freshman year on the scout team. But in Dimas' case, that meant the women's scout team.
After enrolling at U.Va., he joined the men's club squad to stay in playing shape, hoping to ultimately move onto the varsity. A few of his teammates suggested he help the women's team, too.
Dimas' job consisted of simulating the opposition in practice for the "real" players. Not exactly glamorous, but Dimas viewed it as an opportunity to be around the program.
"Not too long after he started practicing with us, I said, 'Ari, I really think you have some great talent here. Have you talked to George?' " Swanson said, referring to men's coach George Gelnovatch.
Dimas hoped to hear that kind of praise from coaches coming out of high school, but rarely did. Several Division III schools offered a chance to play, but he refused to sacrifice academics strictly for soccer. He said a few D-I schools expressed interest, but none with the educational reputation of Virginia.
This from the kid Indian River coach Keith Freeman called "the best player I ever had." He started his club career with Chesapeake Select but knew little of the recruiting process until he joined the Virginia Beach-based Virginia Rush for his junior season.
Dimas chose U.Va. for the academics but also vowed to find his way onto the team. His senior year at Indian River, he started looking for reasons to contact the Virginia staff, asking the coaches to come to his matches whenever they could.
"I told him to start watching the movie 'Rudy' for inspiration," Freeman said. "The difference between Ari and Rudy, though, is that Rudy just played at Notre Dame. Ari is a star at Virginia."
Gelnovatch never came out specifically to watch Dimas but caught a few of his matches at tournaments while scouting others. But Dimas impressed him with his initiative, including twice paying his own way to the U.Va. summer soccer camp where coaches could see him.
From those encounters, Gelnovatch recognized Dimas' drive, work ethic and technique. He also appreciated his demeanor and attitude. Freeman likes to tell people how after every high school practice, Dimas shook his coach's hand and thanked him for taking time away from his family to coach the team.
And yet, Gelnovatch came to the same conclusion as just about everyone else at the time: Dimas possessed the natural skill to compete, but his stature and physical limitations frightened him.
"Every time we saw him, in the back of your head, you can't help but say, 'Wow, no matter how good he is, he's 5-5,' " Gelnovatch said.
Nevertheless, after Dimas' strong performances on the club and scout teams, Gelnovatch invited him to a walk-on tryout for the varsity team in the spring of 2009. Dimas instantly commanded attention at the tryout by finishing in the top three in all the fitness tests. And not just among the walk-ons; he performed that well against the established varsity players, too.
That dedication and commitment prompted Gelnovatch to monitor Dimas' progress all spring, and he eventually agreed to take him on the team last fall. Swanson said other women's scout team players had made the men's team before, but none enjoyed much playing time.
Dimas, however, earned a spot in the starting lineup by the midpoint of the 2009 season.
He leaped into the spotlight by scoring a game-winning goal in the third round of the NCAA tournament against Portland last November. It was a shot that broke the hearts of a few dozen coaches who passed on him in high school.
The Cavaliers eventually won the national title. Soon after, an Ivy League coach called Jay Hoffman, who worked with Dimas as a coaching director for the Rush.
"He says to me, 'Wait a minute; isn't that the kid you were trying to get me to look at?' " said Hoffman, who declined to identify the coach. "I say back to him, 'You think? Didn't I tell you so?' "
In recognition of Dimas' success, Gelnovatch rewarded him with a scholarship for this year. But regardless of what happens, Dimas already has secured a special place in the annals of Virginia soccer.
A perfect ending to a story fit for the screen.
Said Freeman: "I remember seeing that (NCAA tournament) goal and saying, 'This is a Disney movie in the making.' "
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