MLS SuperDraft
An NAIA Diamond within the Tough at MLS SuperDraft
Can Davenport College’s Dzenan Catic observe the trail set by FC Dallas’ Tesho Akindele and impress Main League Soccer scouts sufficient to land a coveted draft decide? And who is that this man, anyway?
BY
Brooke Tunstall
Posted
January 09, 2015
10:00 AM
SHARE THIS STORY
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.—Because the entourages from all 20 Main League Soccer groups yesterday rolled into the ocean-side resort that’s serving because the headquarters for the league’s annual faculty scouting mix, a consensus started to emerge about one of many gamers they most need to observe in motion within the video games that start this afternoon.
“The NAIA kid, he’s a bit of a mystery,” mentioned Seattle Sounders affiliate head coach Brian Schmetzer. “A lot of these kids, the ones that go to the bigger schools, we’ve seen them before, either in person or because now so many of their games are on T.V. or the Internet. So even though we still want to see them play against each other, we already know some about him. But this guy is more of a mystery so I think there will be a lot of eyes on him.”
The “NAIA kid” in query is Dzenan Catic, a naturalized United States citizen from Bosnia. In a draft the place forwards who can truly rating are at a premium, Catic stands out due to his prolific productiveness. In two seasons at Davenport College in his house state of Michigan he scored 63 objectives and had 14 assists simply 47 video games. Final fall Catic tallied 39 objectives in 25 video games—probably the most objectives scored within the NAIA since 2004—main Davenport to an NAIA nationwide title. He was named the division’s nationwide participant of the 12 months. (The NAIA is an affiliation of smaller schools impartial from the NCAA.)
“Will it translate?,” requested Revolution basic supervisor Michael Burns. “You look at the numbers, that gets your attention. But lots of guys from that level have scored before and then not been able to do it at our level. That’s what we’re here to see.”
One purpose Catic is drawing extra consideration than earlier small-school forwards with huge numbers is as a result of his pedigree is as atypical for an NAIA participant as the trail that introduced him to mix. A wiry six-foot-three, Catic moved to the USA from Bosnia when he was eight and developed right into a dominant youth participant, turning into Michigan’s Mr. Soccer within the fall of 2010, his senior 12 months of highschool. The Nationwide Excessive College Coaches of America named him the nationwide participant of the 12 months.
He thought-about attending Michigan State however as an alternative signed with German membership Kaiserslautern the place accidents derailed his profession. He returned house in 2012. He had been a professional and thus ineligible for NCAA soccer, however the NAIA has looser guidelines and Catic was allowed to play after sitting out one season. “It was definitely a different path to get here,” Catic advised ASN within the resort foyer. “But there’s more than one way to do things. If I had gone straight to Michigan State and played four seasons, this is exactly where I’d be. I just went a different route to get here.”
His presence in Fort Lauderdale is one thing of a shock as MLS doesn’t historically permit underclassmen into the draft who haven’t signed Era Adidas offers. League officers who run the mix weren’t aware of him and Catic wasn’t on the unique record of invitations. “We had to make a case to the league to get him here,” mentioned Catic’s agent, Niki Budalic. “Fortunately, there were some clubs that had scouted him and we got them to all the league and push for him to be here.”
Budalic is mum about which golf equipment stepped up on his shopper’s behalf, however a number of individuals right here mentioned the Columbus Crew, who historically draft very closely from the Midwest, have an interest.
In some methods, Catic attracts some similarities to F.C. Dallas Tesho Akindele, who put up monster numbers at a small faculty however needed to present he may dangle with the gamers from the larger faculties finally 12 months’s mix. Akindele, who performed at Division II Colorado College of Mines, parlayed a robust displaying right here to vault into the highest 10 of final 12 months’s draft then went on to be named MLS Rookie of the 12 months.
This isn’t misplaced on Catic. “He showed a person from a small school an do it,” Catic mentioned. “It’s motivating for the rest of us.”
One merchandise on his resume that helped get Catic right here is his efficiency final summer season within the novice Premier Improvement League. Catic averaged a objective a sport and led the Michigan Bucks to a PDL nationwide title and was named that league’s MVP.
“That was big for me because it gave me a chance to play against D-I players and show I could score against them as well and gave me a lot of confidence.”
Confidence is one thing Catic doesn’t lack. He’s pretty soft-spoken however he talks about goal-scoring with a matter-of-factness as if he was discussing what he may select for breakfast. “It’s just something I’ve always known how to do,” he mentioned. “I feel I see the sport a bit in a different way and I anticipate and that simply places me in the suitable conditions after which I don’t panic and I’m capable of end.
About enjoying earlier than scouts together with his future on the road, Catic mentioned “I am not nervous in any respect. Extra like excited to get on the market and present what I can do.”
As a small youngster performed he performed with a youth membership of a professional staff in his birth-town of Jablanica. “I was actually a little small for my age, but we played every day in the park and then I’d play at home and was driving my parents crazy,” mentioned Catic, whose accentlesss English presents no trace of his background. “But because I was small my dad had to beg them to take me. The coaches felt sorry for my dad because he said I was trashing their house.”
Apart from Catic, the highest forwards candidates on this draft are Era Adidas strikers Cyle Larin (who’s with the Canadian U-20 nationwide staff) of Connecticut and Romario Williams of Central Florida, together with Pac-12 participant of the 12 months Khiry Shelton of Oregon State and Andy Craven, a ahead from North Carolina who’s considered one of three finalists for the Hermann Award, given the to the highest participant in faculty soccer.
“There aren’t a lot of forwards in this draft,” mentioned Budalic. “So he if shows well here, he’s got a chance to go pretty high.”
Brooke Tunstall is an American Soccer Now contributing editor and ASN 100 panelist. You possibly can observe him on Twitter.
