FRISCO - Sometimes, life can come at you fast - but for all the right reasons.
For U-18 Academy forward Aldo Quevedo, it’s happened on two very important instances in his career.
Two years ago, Quevedo was plugging along in the FC Dallas Premier system and enjoying success both on and off the field. After being a part of a team that went to regionals in 2015, he found himself going through the tryout process for his same Premier team the following season - until an on-looking Luchi Gonzalez had an even bigger offer to make.
“I saw something in him that I knew was going to be a great addition to the Academy,” the club’s Academy Director said. “I was confident with his hard work and his attitude that he was going to raise eye brows in the college world - which he did and he has - and I knew he was going to help the team and the Academy program be better.”
The decision was not an easy one for Quevedo, but one that fate really made for him.
“I didn't know what to do because I had gone to this private school for my whole life,” he said. “Then during that whole process [Gonzalez’s] U-16 team won the National Championship that same week, so right after that I thought ‘This is the place where the best soccer is being played’ and all of the players were going to basically their pick of schools, they could choose where they want to go and just seeing the players as a family just kind of decided that's where I have to be.”
And it’s definitely paid off. The 6-foot forward was part of the U-16 team that repeated as National Champions last season and his play during the season garnered attention from colleges across the nation - something he says he wouldn’t change for the anything.
He was first noticed by a few schools at the USSDA Winter Showcase his first season in the Academy, but it was a different school that saw him at the Generation adidas qualifying weekend a few weeks later that set his quick commitment in motion.
“The coach texted me saying we want to have you on a visit next week,” he said. “It was the first one I visited and honestly I didn't want to go to the other schools, I just knew that was the place for me. I got the offer a week or so later.”
This fall, Quevedo will begin his college career at Yale University - a testament to his dedication both on the field and in the classroom.
“Aldo's done very well, number one, because of his attitude - he's a constant learner. He's a student of the game and he's a student of life,” Gonzalez said. “He's a role model, he's high-character and I think he fit in very well.”
Playing in a high-intensity Academy program like FC Dallas, it takes serious commitment to balance both high-level academics to earn an Ivy League scholarship while also training every single day. A typical day sees a 6:30 wake-up call (not an easy task for most teenagers), training in Frisco until 10, taking in a quick meal in the rush to school, attending classes all day, taking a short break until hitting the books around 6 p.m. and heading off to bed at 10:30 to start the cycle over again in the morning.
“It really goes back to what the coaches have told us from the beginning - we're not like everyone else,” Quevedo said. “We chose this life of trying to be an elite soccer player and an elite person. You really have to fit that profile in every aspect, you can't just put all you dedication into one thing, you have to be a well-rounded individual.”
“He's going to have a brilliant education and have that D-I college experience.” Gonzalez said. “As you see in the Draft, every year there's players coming out of that - Homegrown or not. We're excited to see him continue to develop and hopefully he can earn a Homegrown contract in the future.”