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Home , Ben Olsen, Bobby Convey, DaMarcus Beasley, Kyle Beckerman, Marco Etcheverry, Nick Rimando

Growing up in public Juniors and in Buenos Aires. Bayern Open Cup quarterfinal victory. He was headed for Four stars BY SCOTT FRENCH Munich was among those interested. his first Project-40 trip in early August. He's come to after signing a Project- "Definitely, next season I want to be [produc¬ from 40 pact in late June, two months after a failed tive]," he says. "I want to try this year to get in hey're just like normal rookies, only far tryout with another German club, Hertha Berlin. there and play a little bit, but if it doesn't happen, younger — starting their careers as early as It's just the first stop for Beckerman, whose sights I've got to be patient. Hopefully, next year I'll be America's 16 — and with far more experience. remain on Europe. fighting for a starting position." Four players from the U.S. team that fin¬ "I thought it was going to happen [with Hertha], He's still getting settled in South Florida, learn¬ isheTd fourth at last year's U-17 World Cup in New but things didn't quite work out, not for this year," ing how to live as an adult in an adult world. celebrated Zealand — DaMarcus Beasley, , he says. "I figured it was better for me to start in "There are so many things I didn't know about," and Seth Trembly — are compet¬ MLS — I can establish myself here first. he says. "My parents had to come help me out, U-17squad ing this season in MLS. It's their first taste of real "People are going over to Europe a lot — Stern help me get an account at the bank, get a car.... It professional soccer, but after spending most of John, Joe-Max Moore — so it's common now, was hard in the beginning. I don't know how 1999 in residency with U-17 coach in guys going over once they've established them¬ people get that done." are getting Bradenton, Fla., they're finding the transition far selves here." Beckerman is rooming with rookie goalkeeper simpler than it would otherwise be. The Fusion, trying to scramble back into play¬ and Guatemalan Mar¬ their first "It showed us," says Beasley, "exactly how to off contention, has only so many minutes to spare, tin Machon in Fort Lauderdale, an arrangement be professionals." so Beckerman has seen limited action in his first that helps socially and financially. He's surviving Here's their stories: month: 21 minutes in a loss to , a good on Project-40's meager earnings. taste of stretch in a friendly with Nottingham Forest, "Money? Your first year, you don't really save DAMARCUS BEASLEY enough time to pick up two yellow cards in a U.S. much," he says. "I don't really care about that, I profes- Great expectations. DaMarcus Beasley is a veteran among MLS's youngsters — he's been in the league for 17 months — but only now are sional things starting to fall into place for him. The most highly lauded of the U-17 players to soccer. sign Project-40 contracts, and the only one com¬ peting for a spot on the U.S. Olympic team, Beasley couldn't commit fully to his career until this season was a couple months old. MAKING He played sparingly for the Fire — THE JUMP which acquired him in a draft-day trade from Los Americans have Angeles—while commuting to Bradenton, where been turning pro out of he completed high school in May. He's been an high school since the attacking option off the bench since and has made early days of the North 11 appearances — with four starts — through the American Soccer first weekend in August. League. Future U.S. "I've had an OK year—not a bad year, but OK," national team players he says. "I'm getting more confidence on the ball, such as goalkeeper getting a little more in sync with the team.... A lot Arnie Mausser, Miro more people on my team respect me as a player. Rys (tragically killed in a There are no doubts about me getting the job done." car crash at the age of Next year he wants to start but acknowledged 20), Tony Bellinger and it may be "a little too soon." He'd be happy as the Gary Etherington all first player off the bench, "the extra attacker to try made the jump from the to get extra oomph, an extra goal." high school to the pros. Beasley was the youngest MLS player (16 The NASL began drafting years, 10 months) when he signed in March 1999. high school players in With his focus primarily on U-17 World Cup 1978. Tampa Bay Mutiny preparations, he spent just two weeks last season assistant coach Perry with the Galaxy. Van der Beck was the This summer has been a learning experience. first player taken and "I kind of knew what I was getting into," went on to have a long Beasley says. "Maybe not the living part — being pro career (23 caps). One on your own, not having the things you would at year after being drafted, home — but I'm getting used to it." defender He resides with rookie defender Carlos started on the Cosmos' Bocanegra, enjoys the freedom of being on his 1980 Soccer Bowl own but misses little things, like "not having championship team. But dinner cooked when you get home." there were few young Nutrition is Beasley's parents' greatest con¬ Americans who starred cern. "They always want to make sure I have in the NASL. Hugo enough to eat," he says. "My mom always asks, Perez and Frank 'Have you eaten?' And she's always talking about Klopas joined NASL [me] taking my vitamins. She keeps tabs on me." clubs as teenagers, but it wasn't until later — KYLE BECKERMAN indoors and with the U.S. national team — Brave new World. Kyle Beckerman has been that they blossomed. on pros' radar screens since he was 16 and scored

winning goals in the U-17s' victories over Boca J. BRETT WHITESELL/ISI www.socceramerica.com SOCCER AMERICA 8 AUGUST 21, 2000 Because You're FANATIC! MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER

YOUTH BRIGADE just want to play soccer. If I score goals, the Payne's family, and his folks —just up the I-95 money will come." in — visit frequently. "This is exactly what I wanted, this fam¬ BOBBY CONVEY ily environment," says Convey, "It's kind of The wunderkind. This wasn't supposed to be how the Arenas were with — I'm part of the bargain, but life's been a dream for like their son. ... Bobby Convey these past months. "When I come back here, I'm just a kid in MLS's youngest player — a would-be high a family, I'm not the 'youngest pro' or any¬ school junior when the season kicked off — thing like that. I'm treated as a normal per¬ figured to learn much during his first season with son." ED PURCELL D.C. United. He never thought he'd apply his Convey received a lot of attention after D.C. DAMARCUS BEASLEY lessons so soon. picked him up at the end of the first round in Chicago Fire, A spate of injuries and international assign¬ February' s MLS Draft. ESPN followed him around Midfielder, Age: 18 ments, plus D.C.'s awful form, provided Convey, for a few days, the CBS Evening News and People Speedy winger from Fort now 17, unexpected opportunity to impress, and magazine did stories. Wayne, Ind., is the he's done so. Seth Trembly "I didn't think [entities] that big would want to younger brother of New He's played in 17 of United's first 26 games, is healthy have a story like me in there," he says. England's Jamar— and starting 13 of them, and has grown greatly in again after Things have come easy so far for Convey, who the Silver Ball winner at claims he feels no pressure to perform. the U-17 World Cup. confidence and presence from the experience. missing more The best thing, he says, is "being able to play "I'mjust calm on the field," he says. "That's with guys like Marco [Etcheverry] and Jaime than a month how I am, how I always have been." [Moreno], knowing I have their respect." with a Etcheverry, Convey says, shares his wisdom broken hand. SETH TREMBLY with all the younger players. "He's teaching me Home, sweet home. After spending most everything. He gives me the ball all the time now, HARRY HOW/ALLSPORT of last year in Florida, Seth Trembly is enjoy¬ tells me to do stuff he normally does." ing his time at home. He may have turned pro His transition off the field has been as easy. He's before all but two of his U-17 teammates, but living with D.C. president/general manager Kevin DaMarcus he'll be one of the few residing under his OJ.CALLAHAN Beasley's parents' roof this fall. trade from While most of his Bradenton buddies are play¬ KYLE BECKERMAN ing for clubs miles from home or starting their first - , year away at college, Trembly is paying dues for Midfielder, Age: 18 to Chicago his hometown , an association Crofton, Md., product Bobby worked out that allows him to call home home a while longer. scored 15 goals in 40 games as U-17s'chief Convey (right) for both "My little brother just turned 5," says Trem¬ bly, a defender who signed a Project-40 contract attacking midfielder, has started clubs — and was assigned to the Rapids — in August including the decisive half of D.C.'s 1999. "Getting to see him grow up is a big thing strike against Mexico in the World Cup MLS games. for me." quarterfinals. So is the support of his parents and friends, a definite boost during what has been, so far, a difficult MLS infancy. Trembly didn't suit up for Colorado last season — the U-17s' preparations for New Zealand took precedent — and has played just 13 minutes, spread across three games, for the Rapids in 2000. He's received more press for attending his high school prom in May — Coach Glenn BILL BARRETT Myernick gave him the night off — than for A. LEAFBLAD/SSP anything he's done on the field. BOBBY CONVEY "A lot of this year is getting to know the ropes, D.C. United, going through all the pro things, learning what it's Midfielder, Age: 17 Kyle like to play soccer for a job instead of as a game," Philly native, youngest of Beckerman says Trembly, who missed more than a month the U-17s, became in January the youngest has seen with a broken hand suffered in June. "Hopefully, next year I'll get a lot more playing time, a chance player— at 16 years, 7 limited to prove myself." months — to sign with MLS. action since He's spent some time with the Project-40 team joining the and hopes to secure an agreement to play Fusion in abroad during the offseason—he needs play¬ S June. ing time to build confidence. "Right now, there's so much pressure," he says. "It's hard to keep your confidence steady — it wears your nerves having to deal with it, always thinking, 'Am I doing this right? Am I playing well?' ... Always looking over my shoulder to see if I'm doing something right rather than going out there to have fun." COURTESY COLORADO RAPID It's all been an eye-opener. SETH TREMBLY "I kind of had an outsider's perspective be¬ Colorado Rapids, fore," Trembly says. "You think you know what Defender, Age: 18 it's like, but it's the pressure of winning games, Littleton, Colo., native, getting points, the standings — it's a lot more the second U-7 player intense than you think." to sign with MLS, was a defensive standout at the (Scott French is a senior editor at Soccer championships in New

O.J. CALLAHAN America) Zealand.

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