The expression "playing with his heart on his sleeve" could have been invented for Jay Heaps. The New England Revolution defender is a constant whirlwind of activity, be it on the training field or in game action, in the locker room or the hotel lobby. The guy never stops.
Watching Heaps in action, it does not take long to establish that the Massachusetts native wants to -- no, has to win, whatever the competition. He channels his abundant energy and enthusiasm into whatever he does and fits perfectly into the team ethic on which Steve Nicol places so much value in New England.
Perhaps the only time that Heaps was not his usual ebullient, opinionated self, was immediately following last November's MLS Cup Final. Pat Onstad's save from his penalty gave Houston the championship the Revolution thought they had won just minutes earlier. Inconsolable, Heaps had exited the locker room before the press entered, which in itself, was unusual for one of the most media-friendly members of the team.
The next day, as he boarded the plane home, Heaps' head was down and his expression remained downbeat. Later that week, the Revs packed up their locker room for the final time in 2006 and still Heaps looked like the weight of the world was on his shoulders. At that point, the heart on his sleeve seemed irreparably broken.
Fast forward three months and Heaps is back in form and excited about helping his side get back to where he feels it belongs. Far from putting what happened at Pizza Hut Park out of his mind, the 30-year-old is using his most painful memories - for this was not the first time he had lost out in a final - to spur him on. Indeed, were the situation to arise, he would even volunteer again for a shootout.
"I think everyone deals with it differently, but as a team, we know we can get back there," said Heaps. "For me personally, I have played in three finals and we haven't given up a goal in regulation so there are positives, but obviously, being the last guy to shoot, I want to get the chance to step up and take that again."
Approaching his ninth year in MLS, Heaps has developed into one of the most consistent defenders in the league. With Michael Parkhurst and Avery John, he is set to form the backbone of the Revs' side once again this year and firmly believes that New England can reach their fourth final in six years. Of course, this time, he would like a different outcome to bury those memories once and for all.
"(Last year) obviously leaves a bitter taste but it was only one game and you have to look at it from the perspective of what we did during the year," he said. "We had two great years in a row so there is no reason why we shouldn't go out there and win the Supporter's Shield and get back to where we were and really get it behind us."
Heaps and the rest of the Revolution squad left New England on Thursday for an eight-day training camp in Cancun, Mexico, which will feature two games against teams from Mexico's Segunda División. On Tuesday, the Revs will face Inter Playa del Carmen, before taking on Pioneros de Cancun two days later.
Heaps admits that he is looking forward to training in the sunshine, following a month of indoor preparation in Foxborough. That said, he is enjoying preseason and believes that his coaches deserve a lot of credit for keeping the interest levels of the players high.
"That is what is great about having coaches that played," said Heaps of Steve Nicol and Paul Mariner. "Stevie and Paul do a great job of progression and it doesn't get too monotonous. I have been in preseasons before where they try to kill you and it is just running, which doesn't do any good."
A feature of Nicol's Revolution sides has been their ability to gather strength at the end of the regular season and enter the playoffs in top form. Heaps believes the secret to that habit lies in the work done over the winter months.
"Stevie and Paul make sure we hit our stride. We are in shape but are not burned out come the first game and we also have another gear which I think is important for our team," Heaps said.
The feeling in the Revolution camp is that this year's team will be the strongest squad in club history, from a depth point of view. Heaps has been impressed by what he has seen from this year's draft class.
"I think the young guys have done incredibly well. I am looking for contributions immediately and those are guys that can come in and change a game if we need to get them in early in a half or even from the start," he said. "These guys are proven at all levels and now they just have to prove themselves at this one."
An articulate interviewee and a cerebral man, do not think that Heaps is not well aware of the message Nicol is sending to his players by bringing in so many young players. The Duke alumnus is well aware that, in every sense, what happened in the past means nothing.
"As a guy that has played a lot of minutes over a lot of years, that is something that motivates you," he said. "You don't want someone coming up behind you so you have to produce every day and every week."
The need to prove oneself is ongoing and Heaps is determined to do whatever it takes to not only make sure his side finally hoists a trophy in November, but also to be an integral part of the team that does it -- even if it means stepping up to the penalty spot again.
Andrew Hush is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
