Star Tribune Metro Boy's Soccer Player of the Year: Matt Lindberg, Edina

A strong, dependable kicking leg and a football background made Edina soccer standout Matt Lindberg a target for football coach Derrin Lamker.

"There were lots of phone calls," Lindberg said of Lamker's offers to moonlight as a placekicker. "But I didn't want anyone to question my loyalty or my leadership."

Soccer already had won out when Lindberg made varsity as a freshman and there was no looking back. Hornets soccer coach Dave Jenson understood Lamker's efforts, though.

"Matt just gets sports," Jenson said. "He's always the first or second chosen whenever he and his friends are playing."

Sticking with soccer provided the best showcase for Lindberg's great foot speed and touch on the ball. He tallied 14 goals and 10 assists as a forward this fall and earned Star Tribune Metro Player of the Year honors.

"Even as an eighth-grader, you just knew," Jenson said. "He always involves people when he plays. I have not seen a day where he's off or a competitive moment where he was off."

Well, there was that one time early last season when Lindberg's attempts at tying the game at Prior Lake kept ending up in the goalkeeper's chest. That evening Lindberg put in some extra work at Pamela Park near his home. Never mind that the Hornets still won the game, which started at 8 p.m. Lindberg shouldered a ball of soccer balls, drove to the park and went to work. No lights. No teammates. Just 45 minutes in the dark, perfecting a shot to curl around the goalkeeper.