D.C. United announced todaythe club’s end-of-season award winners, with several honors going to 2011Budweiser Golden Boot winner and MLS MVP candidate Dwayne De Rosario. TheCanadian playmaker tops the list by earning 2011 Volkswagen Most ValuablePlayer Award, Volkswagen Fans' Choice Award, Volkswagen Goal of the Year andthe club’s Golden Boot. After an impressive debut MLS season in which he ledthe team in minutes played, Perry Kitchen wins the club’s 2011 Visa Defender ofthe Year Award. Kurt Morsink was recognized for his daily commitment to theBlack-and-Red by receiving the 2011 Coaches’ Award, while Brandon Barklagetakes home the MLS W.O.R.K.S. Humanitarian of the Year honor for his work inthe Washington Metropolitan community.
Dwayne De Rosario’s impact onD.C. United during the second half of the season has been unquestionable. Sincehis arrival on June 27 from the New York Red Bulls, De Rosario played in 18matches (17 starts), registering 13 goals and 7 assists in 1,488 minutes ofaction for United. Overall, he played 33 MLS matches (31 starts) during the2011 season, registering 16 goals and 12 assists in 2,781 minutes.
De Rosario’s game-changingperformances earned him several awards this season, including three MLS Playerof the Week awards, MLS Player of the Month for August, and the 2011 BudweiserGolden Boot for his career-high 16 goals.
One of De Rosario’s mostunforgettable nights with D.C. United was the September 24 home match against Real Salt Lake. The Canadian international scored the fastest hat trick in MLShistory, registering three goals and one assist inside 31 minutes of play. Histhird goal earned him the 2011
Volkswagen Goal of the Year
Award, aftereffortlessly bending a free kick from 35 yards into Nick Rimando’s goal.
Perry Kitchen was acquiredfrom the University of Akron on January 13, 2011, after being selected in thefirst round (third overall) during the 2011 MLS SuperDraft. The 19-year-oldproved to be a reliable and versatile player, helping the Black-and-Red eitheras a right back, center back or defensive midfielder. Kitchen played 31 matches(30 starts) and tallied one goal for United during his rookie campaign,becoming the first rookie in the club’s 16-year history to lead the team inminutes played (2,726) during the 2011 MLS season.
Kurt Morsink was recognizedby the D.C. United technical staff for his daily work ethic, as themidfielder earns the 2011 Coaches’ Award. Limited by an ankle sprain for much of the 2011 season, Morsink battled each day in training, setting the tonefor his teammates with consistent dedication and professionalism. Since hisarrival at United in March of 2010, Morsink has played 22 matches (20 starts),registering 1,715 of action.
The MLS W.O.R.K.S.Humanitarian of the Year honor was awarded to Brandon Barklage. Throughout thecourse of the 2011 MLS season, the midfielder has been a leader in theWashington Metropolitan community. His efforts include teaching soccertechniques to more than 800 children through D.C. United’s Community SoccerSeries program, and visiting several elementary schools to speak about theimportance of healthy lifestyles. In addition, the United midfielder wasrecognized by TOPSoccer, a community-based training and team placement programfor young athletes with disabilities.
Volkswagen Most Valuable Player: Dwayne De Rosario
Volkswagen Fans’ Choice: Dwayne De Rosario
Golden Boot: Dwayne De Rosario
Volkswagen Goal of the Year: Dwayne De Rosario
Defender of the Year: Perry Kitchen
Coaches’ Award: Kurt Morsink
MLS W.O.R.K.S. Humanitarian of the Year: Brandon Barklage
