Framed in Nick Rimando’s house is one of the iconic moments in the Real Salt Lake goalkeeper’s storied MLS career. Standing next to Kyle Beckerman on the award stand at CenturyLink Field as the RSL captain is hoisting the MLS Cup in 2009, Rimando sports an ear-to-ear grin with his son Jett in his arms.
It was a crucial moment in Rimando’s career and it is immortalized in a way that is reflective of who Rimando is on and off the field. A story of success in a highly scrutinized position on the field, a caring father off of it.
So when he broke Kevin Hartman’s all-time MLS record for wins with a 3-1 victory over the Chicago Fire on August 6, he smiled the same broad smile he did in 2009 as Jett raced into his arms on the field and his younger daughter Benny, not yet born when RSL won MLS Cup seven years earlier, was carried off the field on his shoulders to a rousing applause from the 19,909 at Rio Tinto Stadium.
“It was great. She was so happy. She always sees the pictures of Jett in my arms with the trophy,” Rimando smiled. “To get a record with her on the field with me was awesome. I’ve just got to get another championship where I can take a picture with her and put it up in the house.”
Rimando has been a picture of consistency with Real Salt Lake. You don’t break the career marks he has achieved without an elite level of professionalism. But his path to the Claret-and-Cobalt wasn’t one greeted in celebration upon his arrival. After winning MLS Cup in 2004 with D.C. United, Rimando suffered an injury plagued 2006 season before falling behind Troy Perkins on the D.C. depth chart. After that harrowing season, one which saw Rimando start just two matches, he was traded to Real Salt Lake – a throw-in in RSL’s efforts to bring in Freddy Adu and garner some publicity around the team before the young phenom departed for Portugal in the summer of 2007.
By the time the 2007 season started, he was traded twice again – to the New York Red Bulls and then back to Real Salt Lake.
He easily could have lost his motivation that year. Instead, he used the moves to spark a newfound pursuit of perfection in front of the net.
“I wasn’t playing and didn’t know what my next move was. I learned a lot about myself on the field and off the field and how to deal with certain situations. Luckily I found myself here,” Rimando said. “It was a tough part of my life and a time of uncertainty. I knew I could still play, but I learned that part of the business.”
Rimando has never been one to lack motivation. Standing five-foot-nine, he has always run into coaches that have questioned his ability to play the position in front of others with the size and frame that fit the profile of a goalkeeper.
He’s heard those critiques his whole life and has responded the best way he knew how.
“I just used it as positive energy and to prove everybody wrong that did doubt my ability to play goalkeeper because of my height,” Rimando said. “I concentrated more on things that I could control and I focused more on shot-stopping and the ability to play with my feet and reading the game. I used that as motivation to get where I am today.”
The first pro coach to put that faith in him was Ray Hudson with the Miami Fusion and Rimando remembers his professional debut in great detail. Hudson called on Rimando to start over his future Head Coach Jeff Cassar and General Manager Garth Lagerwey.
“He had so much confidence in me and told me to just have fun,” Rimando said. “I remember calling my mom and she was so excited and she told me I could retire the next day. It was a special moment for sure.”
Now, 16 years later and with several MLS records in his bio, he targets another record, one of few that wasn’t held by Hartman as Rimando started etching his name in the MLS record books. No goalkeeper has been in net for more MLS Cup titles than the three won by Pat Onstad with the San Jose Earthquakes and Houston Dynamo. Rimando is among three players, Hartman included, who have two to their credit.
With so many records already to his credit, he has shown the motivation to add that one to his resume. And if his own determination isn’t enough, he will always have Benny around, reminding him that she too wants to be in an MLS Cup celebration.
