FOXBOROUGH, Mass. \u2013Although he may have to wait until next season to make his MLS debut, rookie center back Otto Loewy is already a lucky man.<\/p>\n
While many of us may have watched our childhood dreams- whether it was becoming a movie star, race car driver, or superhero – fade as we enter adulthood,\u00a0Loewy is one of the rare few that has already realized his: becoming a professional soccer player.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m living the dream,\u201d said Loewy after a soggy, rain-soaked practice session this week. \u201cIt\u2019s something I\u2019ve been dreaming about since I was about 10 or 11 when I told my mom I was going to play professional soccer.\u201d<\/p>\n
For the first-year pro, who moved with his family to the United States to escape the civil unrest in his native Liberia when he was two, the inspiration to play pro soccer wasn\u2019t hard to find.<\/p>\n
His uncle, former AC Milan great George Weah, often hosted summer soccer tournaments in Atlanta, only a few miles from Loewy\u2019s home in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Needless to say, Loewy\u2019s famous uncle only fueled his love\u00a0for the game.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe still get to play around (today) when he comes down to Atlanta for the Monrovia Classic (tournament),\u201d said Loewy, who spoke of his uncle as one of his key\u00a0influences as a child.<\/p>\n
After starring at Winthrop (S.C.) University from 2005-08, Loewy\u2019s stellar four seasons at Rock Hill earned him an invitation to the 2009 MLS Combine, the league\u2019s annual showcase for the nation\u2019s best college prospects.<\/p>\n
But in his final collegiate game, the senior center back, who was also named team MVP for 2008, fractured his right leg in an NCAA tournament tie against William & Mary. Goodbye, Combine.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was both humbling and saddening at the same time,\u201d said Loewy. \u201cI was so close, but not (so close) at the same time (because of missing the Combine).\u201d<\/p>\n
It would be nearly two years before he\u2019d get back on the field. Although he eventually found a regular job after graduation, Loewy wouldn\u2019t let go of his childhood dream.<\/p>\n
Then, an opportunity arose in his own backyard. Before the start of the MLS season, the Revolution was in Kennesaw, Georgia, for preseason training. Sensing that this could be his best shot at getting a contract, Loewy dialed up the technical staff and secured a tryout with the club.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just tried to make myself as involved as possible,\u201d said Loewy of his trial. \u201cI was just working hard, doing extra work, and just trying to get involved with the team.\u201d<\/p>\n
That hard work and enthusiasm to stick with the squad paid off. Big time. On March 31st, the Revolution inked the Winthrop standout to his first professional contract. But perhaps more importantly, Loewy was back in action.<\/p>\n
Naturally, one of the first people he had to tell about the news was the woman he first told about his childhood ambition: his mom.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just told her \u2018We made it\u2019 and that I hope I made her proud,\u201d said Loewy. \u201cShe cried for about a good hour or so.\u201d<\/p>\n
With little time to celebrate, Loewy quickly packed his bags and headed north to join the team for training. Since then, the physical center back has featured regularly in Reserve Division and U.S. Open Cup play-in games, and scored a goal in a Reserve game against Toronto on June 21st.<\/p>\n
Of course, the highlight of Loewy\u2019s first year in Foxboro was his second half appearance in July\u2019s friendly against European powerhouse Manchester United.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a life-changing experience – really\u201d said Loewy with a laugh that suggested he still can\u2019t believe it. \u201cIt was like a dream. It was crazy. I still can\u2019t think about it today. I just look back at it and I\u2019m just like \u2018Wow, I just played against the best players in the world.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
As a childhood Chelsea fan, Loewy admitted that he played with \u201ca little more \u2018oomph\u2019\u201d against his beloved club\u2019s Premier League nemesis. Although he and his teammates fell to the English giants 4-1, it was a game that he admitted he will never forget.<\/p>\n
Months after that memorable match, Loewy continues to work hard in practice to get that elusive first MLS game under his belt. And even if he doesn\u2019t get onto the pitch for today\u2019s season finale in Toronto, Loewy\u2019s efforts to get there haven\u2019t gone unnoticed.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom the get go, he\u2019s been a professional, just coming out here and doing his job,\u201d said veteran defender Darrius Barnes. \u201cHe\u2019s definitely brought a certain kind of toughness to this team.\u201d<\/p>\n
Barnes, who knows a thing or two about what it takes for a center back to succeed in MLS, believes that Loewy\u2019s\u00a0ability, as well as his\u00a0drive\u00a0in training, warrants the rookie defender a shot on the field with the first team.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think he deserves it,\u201d said Barnes. \u201cHe\u2019s definitely come in day in and day out and just busted his (butt) and worked hard.\u201d<\/p>\n
With only one game remaining in the regular season, Loewy knows that what he may have to wait until next season make his MLS debut. He also knows he\u2019ll have to work just as hard in the offseason to prove that he belongs in top-flight football.<\/p>\n
Still, he acknowledges that what he\u2019s already accomplished so far is special. Playing professional soccer isn\u2019t just a job for him. It\u2019s a dream come true \u2013 even if he is, in fact, still searching for his first MLS minutes.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m doing what I\u2019ve always wanted to do every day,\u201d said Loewy. \u201cThe fact that I can help my mom and my family out and actually enjoy something that I love to do makes it all worthwhile.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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