Senior kinesiology major
One recent Saturday night, my friend mentioned his girlfriend had previously met American soccer player Freddy Adu and invited him to Looney’s Pub, where we were headed shortly. Why would Adu, a professional soccer player and youth phenomenon, be at a College Park bar? No one had an answer to this question. After clarifying that this was not some sort of joke by my friend, I jumped at the opportunity to meet Adu, urged my buddies out of the apartment, and we were off to track down Adu in the crowded pub.
Being a fan of American soccer since an early age, I knew a great deal about Adu. The highly touted athlete went professional at age 14 and signed with the MLS team D.C. United. His supercharged popularity soon found him engaged in photo shoots with Brazilian soccer great Pelé. In fact, Adu was sometimes referred to as the “next Pelé.” With this billing, Adu was expected by many to boost American soccer’s popularity and talent levels. Unfortunately, after several stints with various soccer teams around the globe, this potential never materialized for Adu. His most recent employer was the MLS team Philadelphia Union.
With this loyal fan’s knowledge in mind, into Looney’s I walked, a man driven to seek out his childhood icon. After pushing my way through the dense crowds of thirsty college students, I spotted Adu at a table in the corner. After mustering up the courage, I politely walked up, tapped him on the arm and asked him, “You’re Freddy Adu, right?” Without so much as looking in my direction, he dismissed me with a wave of his hand and said, “Nahh.” Needless to say, I was a little miffed he simply ignored me without so much as a look. So much for childhood heroes. I shrugged it off, grabbed a drink and enjoyed the rest of my night.
A day or so later, I thought again about my brief encounter with Adu and how taken aback I had been by his odd demeanor. I couldn’t help thinking about how America treats its talented youth. The sudden fame and expectations thrust on young talent in our country can often alienate them from age-specific life experiences that provide natural maturation. Breakdown in this progression can lead to “burnouts.” Look at Adu. He exhibited tremendous talent and potential that, if nurtured, could have allowed him to live up to his title of the “next Pelé.” Instead, Adu was rushed in his development. American soccer advocates touted him as the savior of American soccer and threw him into the spotlight with, apparently, little or no thought about how this would affect him. When he was drafted into the MLS, he was only 14 years old and, it seems, far too young to be in such an adult place. Adu is a product of a system designed to sell an image and sell a commodity in demand.
All too often you see children being pushed, mostly by others who are older, into roles they may not be ready to take on in an adult world. Whether this occurs in the sports industry or the entertainment industry, children who display talent are all too often forced into roles they are not ready to assume. American institutions should learn to develop and nurture their talented youth in a timely manner, to guide their mental, emotional and physical gifts in such a way that these young people might avoid “burnout” status. If Adu had not been rushed along, he might truly have been the next great thing in American soccer.
Ian Lacy is a junior kinesiology major. He can be reached at ianlacy19@gmail.com.
