The Details: Soccer Program's Success Leads To MLS Prospects
January 14, 2016 | General, Men's Soccer
By Mason Kelley
GoHuskies.com
For Jamie Clark, developing talent capable of playing in the MLS starts with finding success as a program at the Division I level.
The Washington men's soccer coach isn't looking for the next young star who will use the Huskies' program as a stepping-stone to a professional career.
“With our team, it has been guys who have truly developed and grown as players through the course of their careers and have earned being pros,” Clark said. “That's more rewarding as a coach, when you watch these guys who had aspirations of being pros, but weren't a sure thing as 18-year-olds.”
When Clark goes into the recruiting process, he is looking for more than talent. He is trying to find a player that best fits Washington's program.
“It becomes a tricky thing, because you want the pride and passion to be about the Huskies and have this program win its first national championship, but when the expectation is to become a professional player, then that can all of a sudden become the end goal,” Clark said.
Since taking over the program in 2011, Clark has built his roster with, “guys who want to make this place great and are willing to make this place great,” the coach said.
So far, so good. In the process of bringing in athletes who “truly bleed purple and gold,” Clark has taken a mix of talent and passion and developed a growing list of professional prospects.
Take the last two seasons. The Huskies sent four players – Cristian Roldan, Andy Thoma, Darwin Jones and Spencer Richey – to the MLS in 2015. And, this year, the program could end up with four more players competing at the next level.
When the 2016 MLS SuperDraft starts on Thursday, the Huskies should be well represented with midfielder James Moberg and goalkeeper Ryan Herman pegged as draft-caliber prospects. Josh Heard and Michael Gallagher are also prospects with MLS potential.
“We've really tried to stay away from guys who, in the basketball terminology, are one-and-done guys,” Clark said. “They're out there, but that hasn't been our M.O., because that starts to lead to a culture of this strictly being a vehicle to become a pro.
“We want to make this place great and the byproduct of that is you become a pro.”
With former standouts like Thoma playing for Portland, and Roldan and Jones continuing their careers in Seattle with Sounders FC, Washington is developing a cycle where players come in, build the program, move on to the next level and then come back to mentor young Huskies.
When Roldan has free time during the Sounders' season, he is often in Washington's lockerroom playing Mario Kart with his former teammates.
“In some sense, he's still part of our team on a lot of days, just because he hangs out,” Clark said.
As Washington sends players to the next level, the expectations change within the program. But the goals remain the same. Team success comes first. MLS careers are a byproduct of winning at an elite level.
“If guys really do want to be pros, the best way to get recognized and find success is to make sure we're a top-25 team, even better to make sure we're a top-10 team,” Clark said.
“If we can keep our focus right ahead and right on the present team and the present moment, then I think guys find the most success. We've continued to do that pretty well, so it's not guys with one foot out the door, looking to be pros straight away.”
Washington has created a culture where it means something to break into the team's starting lineup. Becoming a starter, and developing over the course of a career, positions players for potential professional careers.
There is a development process that starts with finding players who fit Washington's program. The formula is working.
“It's a big statement to guys on how good they have to be if we're going to keep our level of excellence high. It lends itself to the growth of all the other guys.”
It produces wins during the collegiate season, while developing athletes capable of successful professional careers.
