First impressions are everything. And so are the second and third ones, if you can get them.
Revolution Under-18 defender Christian Sady knows that if he wants to make the U.S. Men’s National Team senior roster some day, he’ll have to keep impressing coaches at each level. The 17-year old is making steps in the right direction.
After earning call-ups to the U14 Boys’ National Team in 2008-09 and U15 Boys’ National Team in 2009-10, Sady was recently one of 24 players called in for the U.S. Under-18 Men’s National Team camp, which is being held in Carson, Calif., this week. The call-up is especially unique as it is his first with the U18s and brings him into focus with the group of players that will eventually represent the U.S. at the 2015 FIFA Under-20 World Cup.
“It’s also an honor to represent your country and know that when you’re putting on the crest across your chest it means something for your country,” the product of North Andover, Mass. said. “A lot more is expected of us. It’s exciting that I’m back but I still have a lot to prove.”
An attacking, left-sided defender, Sady is currently in his fourth year in the Revolution’s youth development program. Last season, he earned Development Academy Under-15/16 Eastern Conference Starting XI honors from U.S. Soccer, before he later trained with the Revolution’s first team during summer vacation.
Certainly, a lot of eyes have evaluated Sady on both the local, club and national levels.
“He’s been on U.S. Soccer’s radar for quite some time as a young kid,” said Revolution Director of Youth Development, Bryan Scales.
“He’s been tracked and monitored and this is his chance with the Under-18s to again make a case for himself. When you’re in with the national team you have a very small window of opportunity to make a case for yourself,” Scales continued.
While away with the U.S. team – who will play a pair of games against Canada during the week – Sady is also one of 21 players representing U.S. Soccer Development Academy clubs at the camp. His experience playing in the Revolution Academy has Sady feeling adequately prepared.
“This is a great environment for me and every day I’m with good players and they test me, put me in situations that challenge me,” Sady said. “Just the competition with the kids, you’re never safe where you are and you’re never satisfied.”
That’s precisely why Sady is equal parts excited and focused when approaching the goal of impressing U.S. U-18 Men’s National Team head coach Javier Lopez during the camp. Sady has a way to go before he is able to emulate his boyhood idol Landon Donovan on the U.S. senior roster, but he’s committed to taking each chance as progress towards a lifelong dream.
“This is just one checkpoint in my career,” Sady said. “You can only hope that there’s another one that’s bigger and better.”
