“I haven’t actually practiced but one time with the team,” confesses Sockers newest star midfielder Brian Farber. “I still haven’t found my role exactly.” Farber had one goal and four assists over his former team the California Cougars as the Sockers won 9-5 last Saturday night at the Del Mar Arena. The performance was Farber’s second five-point game in only four games with the Sockers and earned him his first Sockers Player of the Week honors. “It was big for me personally,” says Farber. “Coming (to San Diego) I had high expectations for myself.”

Farber, 28, played the last five seasons with the Cougars including the first two seasons of the PASL-Pro league. In 2008-2009, the inaugural year for PASL, he was named league MVP after scoring 49 goals in 21 games while leading the Cougars to the championship. Last year, Farber had 24 goals and 18 assists in 15 games as the Cougars went 12-4 and were the wild-card representative in the playoffs.

Despite all of his past success, Farber did not return to play for California this season he left the Cougars as the franchise’s all-time leader in goals, points and games played. “I took this season off because I got married and bought a house,” says Farber. Another substantial factor for the sabbatical was that he had suffered a major hamstring injury. “I was trying to get my body back to healthy again.”

Come early January, with the season half over, Farber felt that he had recuperated and was getting the itch to play. At about the same time several Sockers players were struggling through their own injuries including star midfielder Miguel “Chiky” Luna (ankle) and the team had allowed defender John Krause to participate in a Turkish Professional Soccer combine in Istanbul for a 10-day period. The Sockers had also lost two road games in a row, the only losses of the season, against the Eastern Division leading Cincinnati Kings and the Cougars. Next on the schedule was a critical rematch game at home against the Kings.

Sockers forward Aaron Susi knew the team was in need of help and that his good friend Farber could be the answer. Susi put the team’s management and Farber in contact with each other. “I figured, why not give it a shot,” says Farber. “If you are going to join a team, the San Diego Sockers is the team that you want to join. It’s jumping on a first place team and having the opportunity to win in the postseason.”

Although at the time, Farber was not sure that the Sockers had long-term plans for him. “I thought it was going to be for just one game,” says Farber who ended up scoring a goal and had two assists for a total of three points against the Kings in the Sockers 10-4 victory. “If I had played poorly, it would have been just that one game.”

Playing well against the Kings was one thing but going against his former team was another thing entirely. “Maybe they have a little bit of an advantage,” says Farber. “At least I was starting to think that. Then when the game came, all the nerves went away. It just became a game and about business.”

Farber now has 13 points (6 goals, 7 assists) and could be a key player when the Sockers head to Cincinnati for the PASL-Pro Championship Series (March 10-11). “That’s huge,” admits Farber. “Looking back on it. I literally thought this season was just going to be some time off. Everything has turned out (well). Hopefully we can keep this going.”

The Western Division Champion Sockers will conclude their regular season schedule this Saturday by hosting the Edmonton Drillers at 6:15 p.m. A win will secure the Sockers the first seed in this year’s playoffs and the right to host the championship series next season.

The game will also feature a ceremony honoring legendary Sockers goalie Zoltan Toth (Zollie the Goalie). Toth’s jersey will be retired and raised to the rafters of the Del Mar Arena at halftime.

Tickets are available at www.sdsockers.com or by calling (866) 799-GOAL.

PASL-Pro Western Division Standings

Team W/L Goals GA

San Diego Sockers* 13-2 / 136 / 79

Tacoma Stars 10-6 / 110 / 104

Revolucion Tijuana 7-8 /154 /125

California Cougars 4-10 / 88 / 118

*--clinched Western Division