Who is Justin Rennicks?
- Updated: February 20, 2015
Photo credit: New England Revolution
It’s not terribly common to see a 15-year-old to partake in preseason training with a top-flight squad. Then again, Revolution Academy forward Justin Rennicks is anything but your typical teenager.
Here’s a little bit more about the high school sophomore from Hamilton, Mass.:
-You might think that getting an invitation to join the senior squad for preseason action would be the highlight of the early year for any Revolution Academy player. But that invite might have some stiff competition from another crowning moment. During the Aegean Cup International Youth Tournament, Rennicks scored for the U.S. U-16s in a 2-0 win over Romania on Jan. 20. He recently told WickedLocal.com about his experience with the U-16s:
“I was a bit nervous going in,” he said, “but you do your best and hope you do amazing. I’m going to keep practicing my hardest and hope I keep getting called back to national team. That was my goal this year, to be called up.”
-Rennicks originally joined the Academy as a member of the U-14s for the 2012-13 season, and has excelled ever since. He scored 20 goals in this first two seasons, and joined the U-16s for the 2014-15 season. His four assists currently leads the squad. He’s also made two appearamces for the Revolution at the Generation adidas Cup, MLS’s annual elite youth tournament for U-17 academy squads.
-What made Rennicks a good candidate for a preseason invite? The answer may lie in what Revolution Academy director of youth development Bryan Scales recently told WickedLocal.com:
“Justin has made terrific progress since joining our U14 team three years ago,” Scales said. “He has really adapted his game to deal with the speed of decision-making at this level while continuing to maintain his ability to score goals. He has always had the athleticism and competitive drive that top players have, but he’s also worked very hard on the tactical side of his game, allowing him to have success with the New England Revolution and with the US Youth National teams.
“Justin’s future continues to be very bright. As with all players, he’ll have ups and downs throughout the course of his career, but he reacts well to these challenges and approaches his game with a level of professionalism and maturity needed to succeed at the highest levels of the game.”
-Following the Desert Diamond Cup, Rennicks will return to training with the U-16s as they prepare for the spring portion of the 2014-15 U.S. Soccer Development Academy season, which starts on Mar. 7.
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