Have you ever watched a sporting event and thought: “I could do that”? Yeah, we have too. So now we’re taking matters into our hands.

Members of The Seahawk Sports staff are challenging UNCW athletes and coaches at their own game. That’s right; no longer will we shout words of animosity from the bleachers. Let’s see how well we really do. It’s a new feature called “The Seahawk Versus.”

In our first installment of the series, we challenged men’s soccer coach Aidan Heaney to a penalty-kick shootout. Heaney didn’t back down and accepted the challenge. As captain of his Division I squad, he will choose four players to match up against representatives of The Seahawk Sports.

Here is a brief scouting report of The Seahawk’s players:

Captain and Goalkeeper: Tyler Heffernan

I have been sports editor of The Seahawk for two years. My favorite sports include basketball, football (thanks UNCW), baseball, soccer and golf, but I’m willing to give any sport a try. Even curling. My soccer experience isn’t as extensive as say, Aidan Heaney’s, but I spent my fair share of weekends playing recreational soccer as a kid. A couple of memorable moments during my playing career are: playing on a Chuck E Cheese-sponsored team and taping a couple fingers up before a game to avoid having to play goalkeeper. That was a secret. Until now. Whoops. I guess it’s an extended version of karma that I’m having to stand in goal against four Division I soccer players and a former MLS goalkeeper. Keep me in your prayers.

McLeod Brown

McLeod joined the sports staff this year and has quickly become a valuable asset to The Seahawk. His aggressive nature of tracking down sources will hopefully translate to the field. McLeod, a freshman, played soccer in high school. It is also worth noting that McLeod led the charge for The Seahawk team to all wear headbands. He says his performance in this challenge will prove why he didn’t receive a soccer scholarship to join the Seahawks.

James Edmonds

James added sports and opinion writing for The Seahawk to his resume this past year. As a junior, I’m not sure where he was the past two years, but we’ll just assume he was honing his soccer skills. James says his proudest soccer moment came when he kicked a ball into an upright trash can from 30 yards away. He looks forward to “the phone call I’ll get from Coach Klinsmann after he sees the video of my penalty kick asking me to join the US squad.” James is a member of the UNCW club water polo team, which has absolutely nothing to do with this challenge.

Jackie Gorman

Jackie is also new to The Seahawk this year as a sports staff writer and the assistant layout editor. Jackie enjoyed a successful high school futbol career as a four-year varsity player. She has 14 years of total soccer experience and says her proudest moment on the field came when she headed in the winning goal against a rival high school team. During a shoot-around practice Tuesday, she headed the ball in the goal on a cross from James as UNCW women’s soccer coach Paul Cairney watched. Cairney was impressed, shouting, “Do you have any years of eligibility left?” Jackie adds a little trash talk to the cause: “It’ll suck losing to a girl.”

Tyler Franceschini

Tyler became involved with The Seahawk this year, as well. Like Jackie, Tyler had a solid high school career on the field, including winning the New Jersey Group 2 semifinal game in penalty-kick fashion. He’s played since he was six years old, but admits to being a little rusty. “Show me what you got!” Tyler says emphatically of the Division I team.

The challenge will be held Friday at 2 p.m. Heaney has not officially released his group of participating players. Stop by the UNCW Soccer Stadium to cheer on your favorite team. If you can’t make it, don’t worry. We will videotape the entire thing and post it on our new YouTube channel.