Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Reading United had a record setting 2010 season, culminating in both personal and team accomplishments. Not only did the team finish in the PDL’s Final Four after a handful of tightly contested playoff games, but now nine United alumni have either been drafted into Major League Soccer or signed to professional contracts.
Every week the club will highlight one of these alumni with an exclusive Q&A. Last week, we highlighted Sporting Kansas City forward C.J. Sapong. This week, our Assistant GM, Ryan Lineaweaver, spoke with Chivas USA defender, and Lancaster, Pa. native, Zarek Valentin.
After playing in four games with the Reading Rage (now United) in 2009, Zarek won the 2010 NCAA Division I Soccer Championship with the Akron Zips, the school’s first major athletics championship. Zarek also has played on the United States U-20 team, including their most recent matches in the 2011 CONCACAF U-20 Championship. Zarek was drafted No.4 overall in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft by Chivas USA.
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Ryan Lineaweaver: At the time, the Reading Rage (now United) were on the upswing in the PDL. Besides their success in the league, why did you pick Reading back for the summer of 2009?
Zarek Valentin: It was the best possible summer option for me at that time. I knew a couple of my friends had been playing there, and Pete Bulat and Andrew Wenger were probably was the biggest individuals in recruiting me. Guys like (Head Coach Brendan) Burke and Art (Auchenbach, President/General Manager) were very welcoming.
RL: What did your time in Reading do to prepare you for the MLS game?
ZV: Reading United made it a very pro-like environment. They had practices that were balanced and I liked that a lot. Most of all, they knew when to be serious and when to be fun. That balance helped me out with everything on the field for when I got to Chivas USA.
RL: How does the speed and physicality of the MLS compare to the PDL level? The college level?
ZV: Obviously some players are very gifted with speed at every level and the PDL level was very close to the college level in both of those categories I think. The professional level is definitely more physical but not in a “silly” way at practice. The biggest transition I think is the speed of thinking involved. It’s a mental strain but a good one I think!
RL: How do you keep yourself mentally prepared for a schedule that starts with the preseason in February and ends (at the earliest) in October? While many players play year-round during their youth, they have breaks between seasons. This is eight months of day-in and day-out work, unlike anything that you’ve dealt with before.
ZV: To me, I’ve learned it’s all about how you prepare yourself on and off the field. I’m in the gym before every practice to get my muscles warmed up and ready to go. After games it’s necessary to take ice baths, get massages, or whatever else is necessary. Mentally, I think I’ll be fine because I love the game. Physically, I’ll need to put more effort as stressed by my fellow Akron teammates at Chivas (Ben Zemanski and Blair Gavin).
RL: What was the overall experience of the MLS Draft like? Did the Philadelphia Union supporters group, the “Sons of Ben”, recognize you as a former Reading player and Pennsylvania native?
ZV: The Draft was probably the coolest thing I’ve been a part of. I’ve never been more nervous for a certain event before but it was an excited nervousness. I remember walking in and being stunned by the amount of people and fans that were there. I was happy to get a warm reception from the “Sons of Ben” supporters who were there and recognized me as a Pennsylvania boy.
RL: What goals have you set for yourself for the 2011 season? Where do you envision Chivas USA finishing in the standings?
ZV: I see myself learning more in this first year than almost in all my other years playing soccer. Not to put down other coaches, but I’ve just seen such a learning curve from other rookies. Guys like Heath Pearce and Jimmy Conrad have been essential in my learning at right back (Heath) and center back (Jimmy). I’m not sure how our team will do, but I can assure you it will be better than last year!
RL: So I have to ask, what are they putting in the water at Akron? Five Zips were drafted in the top eight players in the MLS SuperDraft this year. How does a small school, that had never won a national championship before, accumulate that much talent?
ZV: It’s actually a combination of Lemon Juice and Whey Protein. (laughs) Just kidding. It’s just a great environment that Caleb Porter and his staff have created there that is only putting out quality players that I get to play with. I couldn’t be happier to go there for every reason and once a few recruits started coming, the rest started accumulating. It’s a combination of good players and great guys! We did finally get our first National Championship my last year and that was such an amazing experience.
RL: Were you disappointed when you couldn’t draft yourself in the MLS Salary Cap Challenge? You would’ve been dirt cheap as a rookie defender.
ZV: I actually looked into seeing what I would be and I guess thanks for letting me know I can’t be drafted! (laughs). Maybe one day I’ll be in those games….
RL: Be honest. I think hardcore Reading fans really want to know where you allegiance lies: Reading United or Michigan Bucks? (Zarek played in 4 games for Reading in 2009, and 5 games for Michigan in 2010).
ZV: Well I certainly have a lot of love for both clubs. They have done a lot of good for me, so it’s very hard for me to say honestly. I got to practice once this past year with Reading and I was astonished at how far the club had come in just one year!