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Before each D.C. United match, many of the club’s players engage in a laundry list of pre-game rituals. Some are long-standing superstitions while others aim to provide a dietary, physical or even psychological advantage. Since arriving in Washington earlier this year, rookie Nick DeLeon has found a simple answer to preparing for the rigors of a match day. In the hours prior to kickoff, the Black-and-Red winger speaks with the one person who can put it all in perspective – his father.
“He’s been there and he knows what it takes,” DeLeon says of his father Leroy, who played three years for the Washington Diplomats–who also played at RFK Stadium –during a 15-year professional career. “He preaches the mentality that you can’t be fearful. You have to continue going at defenders even when you lose the ball.”
Anyone who has seen DeLeon play this season knows that the rookie is taking dad’s words to heart. The bond between father and son hasn’t always come easy, though. DeLeon’s parents divorced when he was a freshman in high school, and a few years later Leroy moved to Trinidad to begin a career in coaching. The physical distance took a toll on the relationship.
“When I was younger, I wished he was there a little more, but he coached and he focused a lot on that,” said DeLeon. “Since I really started to make the transition to the pro game, he has been there for me and I’ve got nothing against it. I need him. I’m happy that he’s here, so my relationship with him now is good. I talk to him maybe three or four times a week. Before, it wasn’t even close to that.”
The more frequent communication is paying off on the field, but the correlation may not be as direct as it appears. The advice DeLeon receives from his father is rarely tactical, leaning more often towards the psychological aspects of the beautiful game. Regardless of the topic discussed, it’s clear that Leroy DeLeon’s wisdom is having a massive impact on his son.
“It carries a huge weight. I hear things from my mom, cousin or coach and then when my dad says it, it sticks,” says DeLeon, adding a snap of his fingers for effect. “I don’t know what it is. Maybe because I’ve been searching for it and I’ve wanted that [relationship] and, now that it’s finally here, it feels amazing. I have no idea what it is, but, when I hear it from him, it just sticks in my mind.”
Over his first six weeks as a pro, DeLeon is sticking in the minds of DC’s fans and opposing defenders alike. After being left off the 18-man match day roster for the opener, DeLeon scored just thirteen minutes into his professional debut against LA on March 18. Two weeks later, the University of Louisville product exploded onto the MLS scene in United’s nationally televised thumping of FC Dallas. DeLeon scored a goal and notched an assist that night at RFK, prompting NBC Sports Network broadcaster Arlo White to declare that a star had been born. Those words may soon prove true, but they won't be the real inspiration behind DeLeon's success.
"The words that my dad preached to me," the rookie responds when asked to describe his relentless style. "I am going to be your worst nightmare and come at you all day. You just can't play with that fear of failure. That's how I play. I'll keep going until I do succeed."
