ISSUE 11 | APRIL 2018
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IN THIS ISSUE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ROBERT CASNER
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CREATIVE DIRECTOR TY KREFT ASSISTANT EDITORS ALEX CAULFIELD DANNY CIACCIO RYAN KRASNOO KELLY SCHUTZ KYLE SHELDON MATT WINTER COVER ILLUSTRATOR DAN LEYDON CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS MIKE FIECHTNER JANE GERSHOVICH JONATHAN GRIFFITH ROBERT MORA CORKY TREWIN LINDSEY WASSON QUINN WIDTH CHARIS WILSON GETTY IMAGES USA TODAY SPORTS IMAGES
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CLOSER LOOK
Sound Wave marches through Pike Place Market, Zach Scott paints and Tony Alfaro plays ping pong at SPiN
2018 SCHEDULE
One month down, eight to go in the MLS regular season
11 MEET THE TEAM
Get to know a little bit about your 2018 Sounders FC First Team
12 ALL ABOARD
A look at Nouhou's journey from Cameroon to Seattle
WORDS BY RYAN KRASNOO
22 HOME GROWN
Local product Henry Wingo is primed for a strong sophomore season
WORDS BY RYAN KRASNOO
30 THE FUTURE © 2018 BY MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER, LLC AND SEATTLE SOCCER, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART WITHOUT WRITTEN CONSENT OF SEATTLE SOCCER, LLC IS PROHIBITED. SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC 159 SOUTH JACKSON, SUITE 200 SEATTLE, WA 98104 887-MLS-GOAL SOUNDERSFC.COM
15-year-old Ray Serrano is ready for the pros
WORDS BY JOSEPH MONDELLO
38 10 QUESTIONS: STEFAN FREI
Goalkeeper Stefan Frei answers the important questions
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CLOSER LOOK
MARCH 3, 2018
Ahead of the season opener vs. LAFC, Sound Wave celebrates by marching through the iconic Pike Place Market.
MARCH 2, 2018
Mr. Sounder Zach Scott paints at the newly renovated Teen Room at the Yesler Community Center. The Sounders and the RAVE Foundation introduced a Sounders-themed foosball table, team-themed dĂŠcor and a Sounders FC video corner.
FEBRUARY 25, 2018
Defender Tony Alfaro joins teammates Chad Marshall, Gustav Svensson and Henry Wingo for a night of ping pong and live music at the season kickoff event at SPiN Seattle.
2018 SCHEDULE DATE
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 22 THURSDAY, MARCH 1 SUNDAY, MARCH 4 SUNDAY, MARCH 18 SATURDAY, MARCH 31 SUNDAY, APRIL 15 SUNDAY, APRIL 22 SUNDAY, APRIL 29 SATURDAY, MAY 5 WEDNESDAY, MAY 9 SUNDAY, MAY 13 SATURDAY, MAY 26 SATURDAY, JUNE 2 SATURDAY, JUNE 9 WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13 SATURDAY, JUNE 23 SATURDAY, JUNE 30 WEDNESDAY, JULY 4 SATURDAY, JULY 7 SUNDAY, JULY 15 SATURDAY, JULY 21 WEDNESDAY, JULY 25 SUNDAY, JULY 29 SATURDAY, AUGUST 4 SUNDAY, AUGUST 12 SATURDAY, AUGUST 18 SUNDAY, AUGUST 26 SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1 SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19 SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 29 SATURDAY, OCTOBER 6 WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17 SUNDAY, OCTOBER 21 SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28
OPPONENT
SANTA TECLA FC SANTA TECLA FC LAFC FC DALLAS MONTREAL IMPACT SPORTING KC MINNESOTA UNITED FC LAFC COLUMBUS CREW TORONTO FC PORTLAND TIMBERS REAL SALT LAKE REAL SALT LAKE D.C. UNITED NEW YORK RED BULLS CHICAGO FIRE PORTLAND TIMBERS COLORADO RAPIDS NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION ATLANTA UNITED FC VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES NEW YORK CITY FC MINNESOTA UNITED FC FC DALLAS LA GALAXY PORTLAND TIMBERS SPORTING KC VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC PHILADELPHIA UNION LA GALAXY COLORADO RAPIDS HOUSTON DYNAMO ORLANDO CITY SC HOUSTON DYNAMO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES
TIME
WATCH ON
7:00 PM 7:00 PM 2:00 PM 2:00 PM 7:00 PM 1:00 PM 1:00 PM 6:00 PM 1:00 PM 4:30 PM 1:00 PM 1:30 PM 6:30 PM 7:00 PM 5:00 PM 7:00 PM 1:30 PM 6:00 PM 4:30 PM 11:00 AM 1:00 PM 7:30 PM 2:00 PM 5:00 PM 5:00 PM 1:00 PM 6:30 PM 1:00 PM 7:00 PM 8:00 PM 4:00 PM 1:00 PM TBD 4:30 PM TBD 1:30 PM
GO90 GO90 ESPN JOETV JOETV ESPN ESPN FS1 JOETV FS1 ESPN JOETV JOETV JOETV JOETV JOETV FOX JOETV JOETV FOX JOETV JOETV ESPN JOETV FS1 ESPN FS1 JOETV JOETV JOETV FS1 JOETV JOETV JOETV JOETV JOETV
RESULT L
1-2
W
4-0
L
0-1
L
0-3
L
0-1
D
2-2
MATCH DATES AND TIMES SUBJECT TO CHANGE. ALL TIME PACIFIC. MORE INFO AT SOUNDERSFC.COM/SCHEDULE. STREAM ALL MATCHES LIVE ON YOUTUBE TV 9
A: THE PUNISHER
TONY ALFARO
OSVALDO ALONSO
CALLE BROWN
WAYLON FRANCIS
STEFAN FREI
KIM KEE-HEE
VÍCTOR RODRÍGUEZ
#15 | DEFENDER
MAGNUS WOLFF EIKREM #22 | MIDFIELDER
#6 | MIDFIELDER
#90 | DEFENDER
#24 | GOALKEEPER
#25 | GOALKEEPER
#20 | DEFENDER
A: THIS IS US
BRYAN MEREDITH
JORDAN MORRIS
LAMAR NEAGLE
NOUHOU
ROMÁN TORRES
HENRY WINGO
#35 | GOALKEEPER
#5 | DEFENDER
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#13 | FORWARD
#29 | DEFENDER
#27 | FORWARD
#23 | MIDFIELDER
#8 | MIDFIELDER
Q: WHAT SHOW ARE YOU CURRENTLY WATCHING?
A: THE OFFICE
WILL BRUIN
#17 | FORWARD
A: GAME OF THRONES
HANDWALLA BWANA #70 | MIDFIELDER
JORDY DELEM
CLINT DEMPSEY
#21 | MIDFIELDER
#2 | FORWARD
A: THE PUNISHER
KELVIN LEERDAM #18 | DEFENDER
NICOLÁS LODEIRO #10 | MIDFIELDER
CHAD MARSHALL
JORDAN MCCRARY
#14 | DEFENDER
#30 | DEFENDER
A: THE HANDMAID'S TALE
CRISTIAN ROLDAN #7 | MIDFIELDER
ALEX ROLDAN
#16 | MIDFIELDER
TECHNICAL STAFF
HARRY SHIPP
GUSTAV SVENSSON
#19 | MIDFIELDER
#4 | MIDFIELDER
BRIAN SCHMETZER
DAMIAN RODEN
DJIMI TRAORE
RAVI RAMINENI
GENERAL MANAGER & PRESIDENT OF SOCCER
GONZALO PINEDA
JOHN HUTCHINSON
CHRIS HENDERSON
PREKI
WADE WEBBER
TOM DUTRA
MARC NICHOLLS
GARTH LAGERWEY
VP OF SOCCER & SPORTING DIRECTOR
HEAD COACH
ASSISTANT COACH ASSISTANT COACH ASSISTANT COACH
CLUB DIRECTOR OF GOALKEEPING
HIGH PERFORMANCE DIRECTOR DIRECTOR OF SOCCER ANALY TICS S2 HEAD COACH
S2 ASSISTANT COACH DIRECTOR OF PL AYER DEVELOPMENT
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THE NOUHOU TRAIN IS FULL SPEED AHEAD
BY RYAN KRASNOO
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URING THE SEATTLE SOUNDERS' RUN TO THEIR 2016 MLS CUP TITLE, NOUHOU WATCHED, QUIETLY, FROM A DISTANCE. THEN A 19-YEAR-OLD SOUNDERS FC 2 PLAYER IN HIS FIRST USL SEASON AFTER TRANSFERRING FROM RAINBOW FC IN CAMEROON, NOUHOU WOULD SIT IN THE STANDS AT CENTURYLINK FIELD LIKE EVERYONE ELSE. One day I need to be there, Nouhou thought. One day I need to be there as well. Nouhou was not sure when that day would eventually come, but it came sooner than he had imagined. After playing 24 matches with S2 and leading the team in minutes, he landed on First Team Head Coach Brian Schmetzer’s radar. Schmetzer, General Manager & President of Soccer Garth Lagerwey and VP of Soccer & Sporting Director Chris Henderson are in constant communication with the S2 technical staff and are always evaluating prospective talent. “It’s important that we continue to build up players through our developmental pipeline, and here is another good example of a young player who earned his opportunity to represent the First Team,” Lagerwey said when the club signed Nouhou in January 2017. Nouhou knew the work was only just beginning. He knew he was playing behind one of the best left backs in Major League Soccer in Joevin Jones and that he’d have to wait his turn and earn his minutes. Nouhou didn’t appear in Seattle’s first 13 matches last season, but he finally made 14
his debut as a substitute on May 31 at Columbus Crew SC. He took the beginning of the season as a chance to adjust to the speed of First Team trainings and soak up everything he could from Jones, who was instrumental in Nouhou’s rapid development. “I learned a lot from Joevin on the field,” Nouhou said in French via a translation from Assistant Coach Djimi Traore. “With his advice, I knew I would improve, and I improved a lot.” How Nouhou went from budding Cameroonian prospect to one of the best players under 20 in MLS in less than two years is as remarkable as it is surprising. He grew up in Douala, the soccer-crazed country’s largest city with a population of three million, some four hours west of the capital Yaoundé. He loved soccer, but it was difficult for his parents because they wanted him to focus on school. Nouhou would sometimes pretend to go to class, but would skip and play soccer instead. “It’s only when I was 15 that my parents knew I wanted to do it very seriously because I was first called up to the national team Under-15s,” Nouhou said. “I knew it was my destiny to play soccer.” Soccer is the main sport in Cameroon, and everyone plays in the street. Nouhou loved watching and supporting the national team, one which featured the likes of former Barcelona and Inter Milan star Samuel Eto’o.
I KNEW IT WAS MY DESTINY TO PLAY SOCCER. NOUHOU
ABOVE 2017 WESTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP / CENTURYLINK FIELD LEFT MARCH 4, 2018 / CENTURYLINK FIELD
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Nouhou dreamed about plying his trade in Europe and representing his country at the senior level. But as a young player in Cameroon, it was challenging to get the international recognition required to earn a spot overseas. He waited for an opportunity to arise, and at last, while playing with the U-23 national team a couple years ago, the Sounders technical staff discovered him. “I had a talk with [the Sounders staff] and we talked about coming to play in MLS and to come live in America,” Nouhou recalled. “That opened my eyes. For me, it was a decision to play soccer, yes, but financially, it was a good opportunity for me as well. Not to escape from Cameroon, but to go somewhere and discover a different culture.” The culture shock in America was greater than he could have expected. His first year with S2 was the first time he lived abroad. He didn’t speak much English, and the language barrier made it especially difficult to transition. Fortunately, though, there were several other French speakers on S2’s roster, which helped alleviate some of the language problems and helped ease
off-the-field stresses. “[Fomer S2 players and Cameroon natives] Willy [Kapawa] and Mark [O’Ojong] were very helpful for me because they can speak English and they can make the translations for me,” Nouhou said. “My roommate is [French-speaker Jordy] Delem, and I like to live with him because we’ve become good friends and we share the same ambition. I know I need to break out and be more independent, that’s why I wanted to go and find my way in America.” There was a plethora of other small adjustments he had to get used to, though, like the cold, rainy weather and the different playing surfaces of the fields. “It was hard the first few months,” Nouhou reflected. “When I started to adapt with the help of [former S2 Head Coach] Ezra [Hendrickson] and his staff and Djimi, they helped me to develop as a soccer player but also off the field. I am very thankful for the help from the organization, from everyone in the club to make it feel like home. When I put my feet on the field,
ABOVE MARCH 4, 2018 / CENTURYLINK FIELD
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ABOVE PREMATCH PHOTO WITH THE CAMEROON NATIONAL TEAM RIGHT TRAINING WITH THE CAMEROON NATIONAL TEAM
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I try to give back to the club. It’s a big opportunity for me to come abroad and play in America, and I want to be successful.” Traore has been a tremendous help for players like Nouhou, teenagers from abroad who join the Sounders organization thousands of miles away from home chasing a professional dream. Traore’s bilingualism is beneficial, as is his resume. He won the 2005 UEFA Champions League title with Liverpool and spent 18 years as a professional. When he speaks, players listen. “For me, my main job, it’s not only Nouhou,” Traore said. “All the players I work with, I try to treat them the same way, to give them my experience and my expertise as a coach because I’ve been in the same shoes as them. I grew up in the same way. I know what it takes to be a professional. “Guys like Nouhou, when they come young and it’s their first experience as a pro, I try to give them the best advice,” he continued. “Of course, I will not always be right, but I try to guide them. I don’t want to do everything for them because they need to do some things for themselves. The best way to do it sometimes is to make mistakes. That’s where they’re going to
learn the most. Us [as coaches] are just there to help them achieve what they want and to make them better players when they leave the club one day.” Nouhou and Schmetzer have a good relationship too. Schmetzer is always trying to improve Nouhou, to make him more decisive in the final third, more timely with his runs, more technically sound as a 1-v-1 defender. At first, Nouhou felt intimidated when Schmetzer called him into his office to discuss his play. But now, Nouhou said, he understands what Schmetzer wants and what he’s trying to get out of him. During Nouhou’s first start for the First Team last year against Orlando City SC at CenturyLink Field, he was nervous. He had come on as a substitute the previous three games and was finally getting his first chance to prove himself for 90 minutes. Schmetzer pulled him aside before the opening whistle and told him to play like he had been in training and everything would be fine. “It built my confidence,” Nouhou said of Schmetzer’s encouragement. “From the first time I touched the ball that day, I knew what I needed to do.”
I KNOW I NEED TO BREAK OUT AND BE MORE INDEPENDENT, THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO GO AND FIND MY WAY IN AMERICA. NOUHOU
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RIGHT 2017 / CENTURYLINK FIELD
Nouhou has also become a fan favorite in his short time with the club. Fans have likened his exciting style of play to that of a high-speed train with the way he bolts up and down the left flank. The adoration was surprising to him at first, but he’s really embraced the comparison. “In the beginning, I was laughing,” Nouhou said. “Now, I embrace the nickname, I love it. You can compare me to that because when I’m on the field, that’s how I’m feeling. I like to go fast.” Nouhou is working on trying to become more of a professional off the field as well. He noted how different it is being a professional in the United States versus one in Cameroon when he was younger. There are a lot of small details a player has to manage on his own: taking care of his body, eating the right foods, going to bed on time and getting enough sleep. “I’ve learned that here,” Nouhou said. “On the field, I’ve learned tricks and tried to be more professional. Sometimes, some players will provoke me, and [not responding] is something I need to improve. I think I’m doing much better now.” Nouhou has lofty goals. Since joining the First Team, he’s had his first call-ups to the Cameroon Senior Team. He made his international debut last November, starting
against Zambia in the final match of 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifying. He understands how much work there is yet to be done, but he’s aiming high and is ready to work hard enough to get there. “I’m very ambitious,” Nouhou said. “I want to go as far as I can. I will try everything I can to be an MLS champion, that is one of my objectives with the Sounders. And why not with the national team? To participate in the World Cup or win the World Cup and be one of the best left backs in the world.”
WHEN I PUT MY FEET ON THE FIELD, I TRY TO GIVE BACK TO THE CLUB. NOUHOU
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HOME GROWN H OW HE NR Y WINGO B E CA M E T H E N EX T SOU ND E R S ACADEM Y S TA R TO F I R S T T E A M S I G N EE
BY RYAN KRASNOO
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IT WAS M A R CH 19, 200 9 , A N D THE SE AT T L E SO U N DE R S WER E COM PET I N G I N T H E I R INAUGURAL M L S M ATC H AGAIN ST T H E N EW YO R K RE D B ULLS. TH I R T EEN -Y EA R- O L D HE N R Y W I N G O F R O M LA K E FOR EST PA R K WA S I N T H E S TAND S. H E H AD G R OW N U P WATCH IN G T H E UN I T E D S O C C E R LE AGUE SOU ND E R S W H E N T H E Y WOUL D O N LY F I L L T H E B OT TO M B OWL ON T H E EA ST SI D E O F Q WEST FI EL D, B UT T HAT DAY WAS D IF F ER EN T. A SE L LO U T C R OWD OF 32,523 PAC K E D T HE STADI UM TO S EE HISTOR Y , A N D WI N G O WA S RIGHT TH ER E B ES I DE T H E M TO CHE ER O N H I S BELOVE D HOME TOWN T EAM .
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“It’s crazy to think about,” Wingo recalled. “The other day, one of my mom’s friends sent me a picture of me at one of the very first Sounders games. It’s crazy to see how small I was, but it wasn’t really that long ago. I was just a tiny little kid.” Fast forward eight years to the day. March 19, 2017, his mom’s birthday. Wingo was at now-CenturyLink Field again for the Sounders’ home opener against the very same Red Bulls. His mother was in the stands that day too, but Wingo wasn’t beside her. He was making his home debut. “I only played like two minutes, but that didn’t matter,” Wingo said. “I think [my mom] probably cried. I had a bunch of family there.” When Head Coach Brian Schmetzer called Wingo’s name to check in, it was a special moment for both. Wingo and Schmetzer have a long history. Schmetzer used to
coach Wingo’s older brother Teddy, who’s seven years Henry’s senior. Schmetzer would let Henry train with the older boys, which exposed him to a faster and more physical style of play at a young age that helped prepare him for his future in the Sounders Academy, at the University of Washington and eventually a Homegrown signee before the start of the 2017 season. “I think he’s followed my career closely,” Wingo said of Schmetzer, “and so to be able to have this opportunity now and play for him at this level, it feels like things have come full circle.” Wingo shined in the Academy playing alongside future Pac-12 rival and current Sounders teammate Jordan Morris. Wingo had seen the pathway that some of his former teammates had taken from the Academy to the First Team, and the inkling of a professional future dawned on him later in his Academy years.
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“I knew a few guys who have signed Homegrown [contracts], I saw the path that they’d taken and I thought that’s something I can do if I really put the work in,” Wingo said. “It’s always something that I wanted to do. By the time I was 17 or 18, I knew a couple of years from then that this is where I have to be.” Wingo starred at the University of Washington before forgoing his senior season to turn pro. The transition from the college game was difficult, though, as it is for most players given the sheer physical demands the professional game requires. College seasons are roughly 20 matches and run in a compact three-month span in the fall. Players hardly train in the winter and there are a few spring games before leaving for the summer. Jumping into a campaign that’s three times as long with twice as many games is no easy task and one to which players have to adapt quickly. “You train every single day and you have to train at the highest level,” Wingo said. “Making sure you’re getting to bed early,
making sure you’re eating right, making sure you’re taking care of yourself before and after training. “You need to be getting there early and making sure you’re doing stretching before training, working with the trainers
G ETT I NG T H I S O PP O RT U NI T Y TO P L AY I N S EAT T L E A ND FO R T H I S C LU B IS HUGE. HENRY WINGO
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even when you don’t feel something,” he continued. “That was something I learned. Even if your body doesn’t feel bad, you can’t do enough preventative stuff to keep from getting injured.” Wingo spent his rookie season alternating between the First Team and S2 to make sure he was still getting games and staying in form. He made 11 appearances for the First Team, logging 132 minutes. One of the most difficult parts for Wingo was transitioning into a specific role on a team littered with star power. “Growing up, especially for guys like me, guys like Jordan, guys like Cristian [Roldan], for the most part you’re always the best player on your team,” Wingo explained. “You’re the guy. You know you can do what you want when you’re on the field and you don’t have to go off a lot of direction and people sort of go off you. “Getting here, I’m no longer the guy,” Wingo said with a laugh. “I’m playing with [Nicolás Lodeiro], Clint [Dempsey], Chad Marshall, these guys who have had insane careers and have years and years and years of experience.” As Wingo transitions into his sophomore season with the Sounders, he’s hoping his role continues to grow and evolve and that his contributions will follow suit. He earned his first career MLS start in the Sounders’
2018 season opener against LAFC and went the full 90 minutes. Against Chivas in a crucial CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal match three days later, he entered as a substitute in the 73rd minute. Five minutes later, he assisted Dempsey on the game-winning goal. Wingo’s college coach at UW, Jamie Clark, used to tell Wingo to pay attention to the little things. If Wingo took care of the minutes, Clark would say, then the hours would take care of themselves. Focus on the little things and the bigger picture would always fall into place. “Getting to have this opportunity to play in Seattle and for this club is huge,” Wingo said. “Finally being able to have your name tag in that locker room and step out on that field every day, it’s a dream come true.” When Wingo steps back and reflects on the past five years, from where he was to what he’s done to where he is now, he almost can’t believe it. He’s just as eager to see what the next five years have in store. “Hopefully I’m still here,” Wingo said with a smile. “More established on the team and maybe one day being the man. I’m starting out as the young buck, but hopefully I can be the man here one day.”
I' M STA R T I N G O U T A S A YO U N G BU C K , B U T H O PEF ULLY I CAN BE T HE M A N HER E O N E DAY. HENRY WINGO
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S2'S SIGNING OF 15-YEAR-OLD RAY SERRANO IS EMBLEMATIC OF SHIFTING CULTURE F OR BRIGHT YOUNG PROSPECTS
BY JOSEPH MONDELLO
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WHEN RAY SERRANO INKED A PROFESSIONAL CONTRACT WITH SEATTLE SOUNDERS 2 ON FEB. 14TH, 2018, HE BECAME THE YOUNGEST SIGNING IN CLUB HISTORY AT JUST 15 YEARS OLD. His journey from a local select team in his hometown of Moses Lake, Wash., to the professional ranks is incredibly unique within the American soccer landscape. Five years ago, a player like Serrano would have likely fallen through the cracks. But as the Sounders Academy continues to expand its youth programming, scouting infrastructure and developmental pathway, it’s a story that will become commonplace in the future. As soon as Serrano could walk, he had a ball at his feet. Growing up in a MexicanAmerican household, Serrano and his siblings would often settle friendly arguments with games of 1-v-1 soccer in the backyard, where the S2 prospect first honed his creative, unpredictable playing style. When he was nine, Serrano joined local club Columbia Basin United FC and played up on the U-12 team. He was capable of playing at an even higher level, so his family took turns driving him to Spokane, which is two hours away, twice a week so he could play for the Spokane Shadow. It was with the Shadow — a youth club affiliate of Sounders FC, meaning the Academy shares resources such as coaching education and training curriculums — that he first caught the eye of Sounders coaches. 32
“From what I heard, they spotted me at a game against Crossfire,” said Serrano. “We played against them and Michael Morris — he’s the coach of the U-19s right now — was at that game. I think I scored one goal because we lost like 7-1, but I played pretty well.” Impressed by this dynamic No. 10, Morris relayed his scouting report to the rest of the Academy staff, who then traveled to Arizona for the ODP Regional tournament to give him a second look. “Sometimes when you see a player, you can tell right away that they can play at a higher level,” said Sounders FC Director of Player Development and Academy Director Marc Nicholls. “Within 15 minutes of the first time we saw him in Arizona, it was pretty obvious he needed to play at a higher level. I don’t even think you had to be a soccer coach to see it.” Nicholls then spoke to Serrano’s parents about Ray entering the Sounders Discovery Program (SDP), which invites the top prospects in the state to train twice a week with Academy coaches using the Sounders curriculum. Serrano impressed the SDP coaches enough to be called back for a second training stint, this time with the U-15s. “My first impression of Ray was that he had an impact on the training sessions because
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he was so creative and always moving,” said U-15 Head Coach Sean Henderson. “He was playing up a year or two and he was still doing well. I had high hopes for him even before the season got going.” After the week-long trial, Serrano was invited to join the Academy full time for the 2016-17 USSDA season. Realizing their son had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to pursue his dreams, the Serranos made a tremendous sacrifice. His mom and younger sister moved to Seattle to live with him so he could play for the Sounders. “I really thank them a lot for moving over here with me because it’s crazy to be the youngest signing in club history,” said Serrano. “My family supported me a lot and I love them so much for doing this.” Serrano quickly earned a starting spot and dazzled the coaches. Recognizing that talent is too rare to stand still, Nicholls drafted him into the U-17 squad for the first round of the Generation adidas Cup.
By the end of the season, in which he tallied over 35 goals and 25 assists from
THE FIRST TIME WE SA W HIM, IT W A S PRETT Y OBVIOUS HE NEEDED TO PL AY AT A HIGHER LEVEL. MARC NICHOLLS SOUNDERS DIRECTOR OF PL AYER DEVELOPMENT
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50 appearances across all competitions, he was a full-time starter with the U-17s. In the current USSDA campaign, Serrano has tallied 24 goals and six assists from just 21 appearances for the U-17s. “Ray is exciting, creative and he does the unexpected when he’s on the ball,” said U-17 Head Coach Chris Little. “He is relentless in terms of how hard he works. Similar to [Nicolás] Lodeiro with the First Team, he never stops working, he never stops moving.” Serrano’s star-turn displays in Rave Green have made him a regular for the U.S. U-17 men’s national team, receiving invitations to all three camps of the new cycle. His first start, against the Netherlands at the Nike Friendlies in November 2017, was a special occasion for the entire family. “That was amazing,” recalled his older brother Miguel. “We’re proud of this country, we’re proud of everything it’s given to us. To see my little brother representing this country…there are just no words for it.” It was a surreal moment for Miguel, who is 12 years Ray’s senior. Miguel also often recognizes the skill moves Ray pulls off in big games as ones he taught Ray in the backyard growing up.
In recognition of his hard work and rapid progression, he was invited to preseason with the First Team. Though he loved spending time with his roommate, Román Torres, and learning from the likes of Cristian Roldan and Lodeiro, the best part was training alongside Clint Dempsey, a player whose poster still hangs in his bedroom in Moses Lake. But the biggest highlight of his recent whirlwind of success was his professional debut in S2’s 2-1 home-opening win at Cheney Stadium on March 16, when he came on as a substitute in front of 6,000 fans. “It was crazy,” recalled Serrano. “My whole family was there and they were supporting me, and when I saw the whole crowd there, I got chills.” Added Miguel: “We were screaming, we were excited. I had never seen my dad jump up and down like a little kid.” Throughout the past five years, the Sounders Academy has continually implemented new initiatives aimed to elevate the quality of player identification and development throughout the state. This is what makes Serrano’s signing so symbolic, as he came through all three of the primary pathways: youth club partnerships (Spokane Sounders),
THE DIFFERENCE BET WEEN AN ACADEMY KID COMING THROUGH FIVE YEARS AGO AND COMING THROUGH NO W IS NIGHT AND DAY. SEAN HENDERSON SOUNDERS U-15 HEAD COACH
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player scouting and the Sounders Discovery Program.
16-year-old in 2017, as an inspiration for his own progression to professional soccer.
“I think Ray’s story is great, but how many more Rays are there that we don’t know about?” asked S2 Assistant Coach Wade Webber. “That’s the thing that drives us because we know there are even more kids out there and we need to find them.
“The difference between an Academy kid coming through five years ago and coming through now is night and day,” said Henderson. “There is that possibility of going to S2 and then the First Team. It’s all within their reach, it’s something that’s achievable for them.”
“They might not be playing in the [Regional Club League] First Division, they might be playing in Tacoma in a random adult league as a 15-year-old,” he continued. “But we can still catch them because we have a good network of people identifying talent, and we have good relationships with coaches in communities that are perhaps underserved.” Serrano’s rapid ascent is emblematic of the shifting culture within the club, one where young players have a clear pathway from the youth system to the First Team. He cites Azriel Gonzalez, who signed with S2 as a
There’s no denying that Serrano’s story is rare and heartwarming, or that he has an incredibly bright future with the club. But through their youth programming and an expansive scouting network, the Academy staff is doing all it can to make sure that players just like him don't miss an opportunity. “Ray’s journey is a unique one for sure, but at the same time, these kinds of stories are becoming more of the norm,” said Nicholls. “We’re not talking about a flash in the pan, we’re talking about the systematic scouting and development of young talent.” 37
GOALKEEPER STEFAN FREI IS COMING OFF A CAREER YEAR IN WHICH HE LED MLS IN SHUTOUTS AND EARNED HIS FIRST ALL-STAR APPEARANCE. THE 31-YEAR-OLD IS NINTH ALL TIME IN MLS IN SHUTOUTS AND 11TH IN WINS.
01. MY NICKNAME IS
02. MY SECRET TALENT IS
03. SEATTLE TRAFFIC MAKES ME WANT TO
04. I HAVE AN EXTREME FEAR OF
05. MY CELEBRIT Y CRUSH IS
06. IF I COULD HAVE ONE SUPERPOWER IT W OULD BE
07. THE MOST OVERRATED MOVIE IS
08. MY FAVORITE MLS STADIUM ON THE ROAD IS
09. I'M BEST ON THE TEAM AT
10. THE GREATEST SOUNDER OF ALL TIME IS
39
SCARVES UP! LIKE, 30,000 FEET UP. YOU CAN’T STOP SOUNDERS FC. OFFICIAL AIRLINE
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SCOUTING
REPORT
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