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Matt Besler, coached by KCFC coach Gareth Hughes and former KCFC coaches Alan Jones & Steve Sweetin, was drafted by the Kansas City Wizards in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft in St Louis on Thursday (Jan 15th). Going #8 in the first round, Matt becomes the 2nd KCFC player to be drafted by the MLS (Goalkeeper Andy Grenebaum (LCFC Alliance 81/82's), coached by former KCFC coach Carl Eaton and managed by Steve Lane from U12 to 19, was drafted by the Columbus Crew in 2006).
Having recently graduated from Notre Dame, where he was captain, Matt played for the successful KCFC Alliance 85/86 team that managed to compete in three successive Final Fours at the USYSA Region II Regional Championships.
Congratulations to Matt and the Besler family!
Here's a piecce from an article on the Top Drawer Soccer:
The dream of a lifetime was fulfilled for a select group of young men Thursday at the Major League Soccer SuperDraft in St. Louis, Missouri's America's Center Convention Complex. But before they became college stars and graced the stage wearing the apparel of their new MLS teams, they honed their skills in the club system, a training ground that helped serve as the catalyst for their professional career.
Notre Dame's Matt Besler, grew up watching professional games in his hometown of Overland Park, Kansas. Besler was selected eighth by the Kansas City Wizards and said he owes a lot to those who coached him during his formative years at KCFC Alliance. “I loved coach Gareth Hughes - he really knows about getting guys to college," said Besler, a versatile 6-foot defender. "I feel like some of what I learned (early) is the reason I can play a lot of positions. "It was just a great environment and a great youth program. I would say I got really serious about things in the eighth grade; that's when you start having to narrow your sports and focus on one. I enjoyed it (at KCFC) and I still keep in touch with a lot of the people from the program."
Check out the following links for further information:
KC Star
KC Wizards
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Apparently Shea really stood out in the Adidas ESP event:POMONA, CA
The good play went beyond the team's two goals, but those were nicely done as well. On the first, Neusport SC's Indiana Mead continued her stellar camp performance with a good pass that set up Caroline Brawner for a good finish and a 1-0 lead in the early going. Later in the half, Kansas City-area standout Shea Groom put in some hard work to meet a pass from the back by FC Milwaukee's Brittany Von Rueden. Groom then hit a lovely chipped cross over the middle where it was met by the head of SA Soccer Helena Pereira for a 2-0 Team 4 lead.
Groom has been one of the better performers here, combining relentless pursuit and athletic ability with high-quality ideas and skill. Mead likewise has been a top midfielder here, both in winning balls and doing good things with it once she's got it. Check out the article: Esp Camp |
