LAYING FOUNDATIONS
During D.C. United’s turbulent 2010 season, the Black-and-Red saw the emergence of several young players and Homegrown talents. Included in this movement were 2010 MLS Rookie of the Year Andy Najar and starting goalkeeper Bill Hamid. United boasted one of the youngest rosters in Major League Soccer, and though the club struggled, a foundation for the future was put in place.
Entering the 2011 campaign, United Head Coach Ben Olsen still had a young side, but unlike the previous season many players had earned valuable experience and had honed their respective skills.
Assistant Coach Chad Ashton says that the likes of Najar and Hamid have set a tone for this year’s incoming rookies. “Those guys have already got a year under their belts, and they can empathize with this year’s rookies – they are watching out for them and bringing them along.”
Asthon continues, “Coming from college to here, a lot of players aren’t used to the length of the season. A college season is three and a half months long and here we go for three fourths of a year. Some guys start to hit a wall, and guidance from those guys that have been there before can make a big difference.”
YOUNGEST IN THE LEAGUE
United is 4-4-4 with roughly a third of the season played, and with the youngest active roster in the League the Black-and-Red are entrenched in the battle for postseason contention. United is unbeaten in its past five League matches, and after giving up 16 goals in the first seven games of the season, the club’s backline has allowed only four strikes during the unbeaten run.
While teams like FC Dallas have a host of Homegrown players on its roster, few of these individuals see the field. Taking into account players that have featured in a minimum of five MLS matches in 2011, United is easily the youngest team in the League with an average age of 24.15. Each weekend Ben Olsen fields three Homegrown players in Hamid, Najar, and rookie Ethan White, while 19-year-old Perry Kitchen has been a key contributor to the Black-and-Red’s defensive ambitions.
In fact, the average age of United’s defense is even younger than the team’s overall number. With an average age of 23, United’s backline is the youngest defensive unit in MLS by two years (minimum of five games played). Last Friday in Los Angeles, Daniel Woolard was the group’s elder statesman at the ripe age of 27. Chris Korb (23), Kitchen (19), White (20), and Hamid (20) rounded out the group.
| Club | Avg. Age |
|---|---|
| DC | 24.15 |
| CHI | 25.2 |
| TOR | 25.24 |
| POR | 25.36 |
| HOU | 25.42 |
| VAN | 25.5 |
| CLB | 26.23 |
| NE | 26.47 |
| SKC | 26.62 |
| CHV | 26.62 |
| PHI | 27.08 |
| SJ | 27.27 |
| LA | 27.33 |
| SEA | 27.38 |
| DAL | 27.57 |
| COL | 27.77 |
| RSL | 28.25 |
| NY | 28.64 |
| Club | Avg. Age Defenders/GK |
|---|---|
| DC | 23 |
| POR | 25.33 |
| HOU | 25.8 |
| COL | 26.17 |
| TOR | 26.25 |
| CHI | 26.5 |
| NE | 26.5 |
| VAN | 26.5 |
| CLB | 26.6 |
| LA | 26.71 |
| CHV | 27 |
| DAL | 27.33 |
| SKC | 27.6 |
| PHI | 28.83 |
| RSL | 28.83 |
| SJ | 29 |
| NY | 29.17 |
| SEA | 29.57 |
NOTE: *minimum five starts
CREATING A CLUB CULTURE
Despite these youthful trends United continues to pick up results and climb the Eastern Conference table. Many of the players themselves attribute their early season success to a harmonious locker room. All the players genuinely enjoy each other’s company and this comes through on the pitch.
“We’re very lucky, it doesn’t always happen where a group of players get along well. Our chemistry is translating out on the field and you can tell,” said rookie Perry Kitchen.
Captain Dax McCarty agrees with Kitchen’s statement. “It’s refreshing. The old guard in this League would say that in order to win you need experienced veteran players – I think with this team we’re trying to break the mold.”
McCarty continues, “Our young guys get a chance every week. The best players play here. It doesn’t matter if you’re eighteen or thirty-five. I didn’t get a chance to play my first year in this League, and our guys are getting a baptism by fire. More than that, they are succeeding.”
At 24-years-old McCarty is still very young himself, but with five years of MLS experience under his belt he is helping to lead United’s youthful ranks. Rookie forward Blake Brettschneider credits McCarty and the older players with creating a good vibe in the RFK locker room.
“We do get along really well. Everyone is coming together nicely, and it’s something we can build off of. We go through emotional ups and downs, but through it all we have done a good job of sticking together.”
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