When D.C. United drafted Perry Kitchen with the third overall pick in 2011, then U.S. under-20 coach Thomas Rongen told anyone who would listen that Kitchen would be named captain within a year.
Turns out the second coach to bring an MLS title to RFK was right. Sort of.
On Tuesday, Kitchen was named vice captain for the U.S. pre-Olympic side. The honor, bestowed upon the 20-year-old by his former college coach Caleb Porter, was little more than a formality in Kitchen's eyes.
"Nothing is really going to change," Kitchen said via phone interview from Nashville, where the Americans are preparing for the Olympic qualifying group stage. "Leaders, they lead. That is what they do. They don't need a title.
There are tons of great leaders on this team. Every guy leads in a different way."
Kitchen's appointment means he'll serve as a second-choice captain behind former United prodigy Freddy Adu. Though they've both been tabbed as leaders in Porter's 20-man group, the pair couldn't be any more different. The outspoken Adu provides a strong personality to rally around, while Kitchen fills a more pragmatic role.
"I think we will compliment each other really well," said Kitchen. "Freddy has the experience, he has been doing this forever so he can tell us what to expect. I can do more of the communication and stuff like that."
Despite the overwhelmingly talented roster, it should come as no surprise that Kitchen will play a key role on this American side. As a freshman in 2010, the Indianapolis native led Porter's Akron Zips to an NCAA title. When Kitchen was pondering an early departure for MLS, it was Porter that helped him make the decision to turn pro. To say the two know each other well is an understatement.
Still, there is something different this time around. Instead of using Kitchen as a holding midfielder as he did at Akron - and as United intends on employing its young star - Porter has a new role in mind for his longtime pupil.
"We really like Ike [Opara] and Perry [as center backs]," Porter said in a conference call this week. "Ike and Perry really did well as a tandem against Mexico. I thought they were solid, and together they really provide the balance of what we want in those two positions."
Kitchen and his U-23 teammates will open Olympic qualifying on Thursday against Cuba at LP Field. He will return to the Black-and-Red ahead of United's April 7 showdown with Seattle at RFK.
