Real Salt Lake has long held great pride in developing and cultivating youth to help garner success in Major League Soccer. 2018 looks to be no different as three of the nation’s top college standouts, Corey Baird, Aaron Herrera and Rick Lopez-Espin look to continue a legacy of bright young talent as RSL’s preseason rolls into its first weekend.
Getting their first taste of professional soccer at the commencement of preseason last Monday, Baird, Herrera and Lopez-Espin reflected on their first week as professional players under Head Coach Mike Petke and how the jump from the elite college ranks has already impacted them.
“The level here is much higher that I’m used to,” Lopez-Espin explained this week. “I’m trying to learn as much as I can from all of the talented players and staff here.”
Making the jump from the college level to the professional level is an opportunity that players on campuses around the country dream of having. Being able to grow as a soccer player and adapt to a higher level of playing is something RSL’s rookie class has sought after for some time.
Herrera, 20, made the decision to pursue a professional career this offseason after spending the past three seasons at the University of New Mexico where he was a standout figure on the Lobos backline. A graduate of the RSL-AZ Academy formerly of Casa Grande, Arizona, Herrera became one of the most prominent defenders in the college game and – if eligible for the MLS SuperDraft – would’ve likely been selected as a sure-fire first round pick.
“The professional game is tough, it’s quick and getting some of the nerves out over the first few days of preseason has been tough,” Herrera explained. “But having a background with this club and having played with a lot of the young guys already at the Academy, helps out both on and off the field. The quality of play here is incredible and I’m just trying to learn it all.”
Similar to Herrera, Baird, 21, also found his way to the RSL first team by way of the RSL-AZ Academy before cementing himself on a historic Stanford team that won three NCAA national championships during his four years as a Cardinal. Carrying with him the successes at the college level, Baird – if eligible for the MLS SuperDraft – would’ve made a strong case for being selected in the first round of the draft in Philadelphia.
Even with paths being paved differently for each rookie in the RSL side this year, the soccer world is one many refer to as the ‘biggest-small world’, reflected by the Claret-and-Cobalt rookies crossing paths with each other, and current teammates.
“It’s always been nice to have familiar faces in the locker room. With Corey playing at Stanford I played against him,” Lopez-Espin recalled. “Then Connor Sparrow also played at Creighton so to come into a team that you can relate to the team makes it really nice.”
As a rookie, a veteran presence on the field and in the locker room supplements growth as a professional and having Kyle Beckerman and Nick Rimando in the side has been an invaluable asset to RSL’s rookie class during the first week of preseason.
“Those two lead the way from the very beginning,” Herrera explained. “Nick and Kyle don’t really say a lot, rather they lead by example and show you how to be a professional and how to work hard to be successful.”
You can watch RSL’s rookie class and the rest of the Claret-and-Cobalt by purchasing tickets at RSL.com or by calling 844.REAL.TIX.
