HOUSTON -- At first glance it would appear the biggest adjustment for the Houston Dynamo's recently acquired Kei Kamara would be the new weather conditions he'd have to get used to in southeast Texas.
In northern California, where he played while a member of the San Jose Earthquakes, August can be rather pleasant, relatively speaking. Monday's weather, for example, featured partly cloudy skies and a high temperature somewhere in the mid-70s.
Meanwhile, the weather in Houston was hot, muggy and downright miserable. But Kamara walked off the practice field with his new team just one point out of first place in the Western Conference.
Before his trade to Houston, Kamara spent most of the 2008 season at the bottom of the West standings. Considering where he was versus where he is now, the biggest difference has nothing to do with Mother Nature.
It's all about winning and the attitude that every one of his new teammates brings with them to work.
"It has definitely lifted me and every player looks to play on a good team," Kamara said Monday, after the team's first practice since losing the SuperLiga 2008 final last Tuesday at New England. "I played on a team in Columbus that had been at the bottom most of the team and then I moved over to San Jose where it was more of the same.
"Now I am getting a chance to play for a winning team and playing with a great group of guys that have won two championships. I just need to watch as much as I can and learn what it is like to approach every game with a championship mentality."
Kamara has been used primarily as a late substitute, coming on at forward, since joining the team after playing in 12 games for the Earthquakes. He has played in one league game and his goal gave the Dynamo a 2-1 lead in the 98th minute against the Revolution in the SuperLiga final.
Houston gave up the lead four minutes later, and lost in penalty kicks even though Kamara scored again in the shootout's seventh round.
Getting that first goal, Kamara said, came at a good time even if the final result was bitterly disappointing.
"Getting that goal, that was really nice," Kamara said. "It is always good to get that first one out of the way, especially when you come to a new team and you are expected to do well. Now I just have to keep progressing and just build from that."
Kamara knows the time is coming that he will get his first start with the team. The schedule is going to get tougher in September and the Dynamo will certainly lose more players to international competition. Head coach Dominic Kinnear said Kamara will be relied upon when the league games start to pile up for the two-time defending champions, as well as play in the inaugural CONCACAF Champions League.
"(Change) has been kind of a theme for us this year and now we have some guys that could miss some time with some national games coming up," Kinnear said. "And I'm sure he could get some starts. And we are going to have a real crowded schedule in September and I am sure we will have to use different guys in different games and in completely different situations than they are used to."
Kamara said the transition from San Jose to the Dynamo has been made much easier because he knows the team is focused on one goal, and that goal goes far above just making the playoffs.
He has been welcomed with opened arms, Kinnear said, because he showed up with a hard-working attitude and a desire to fit in with his new mates.
Oh and he does a few other things the team needs.
"He has good pace, he's tall, he's got good movement and he is really strong in the box," Kinnear said with a smile. "He really gives other teams problems and so far I think he has really fit in with the guys."
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