The soccer Gods seem to bless those who work and fight for their place on the pitch. In the case of Jayden Da, he had to do much more. He had to navigate the youth soccer system essentially by himself. While Jayden has an amazing supportive family, they were not familiar with the intricacies of American youth soccer, but then again, not too many are given it’s “complex” nature.
Jayden and his family relocated to the United States when he was 11 years old. Before that, his experience was playing pick-up soccer with his friends in Africa. In Rockville, Maryland, as in many other parts of the United States, choosing a soccer team goes beyond locality or having the best coach. Sometimes, it’s about finding the program that offers the best opportunity, even if it means leaving a program that provides top-notch training and development.
In America, there are numerous leagues segregated by affiliation. For instance, MLS Next has exclusive tournaments and showcases accessible only to its teams. Due to limited funding, college scouts often prioritize attending these events, focusing on what seems like a “sure” thing. However, the challenge lies in the fact that MLS Next teams may not always be the best clubs and are not uniformly present in every city, making it easy for talented players to go unnoticed. So, you can see how a talent like Jayden could go under the radar.
In high school, Jayden recognized that in order to pursue college soccer, he needed to be apart of a program that attended showcases and provided college opportunities. Through his own research, he identified a fitting team and made a strategic move. This decision proved to be beneficial, as Jayden spent his final youth soccer years at OBGC Rangers while playing for Richard Montgomery High School.
His behind-the-scenes work did not stop there. He reached out to college coaches with his film and with inquiries. He told me, “I made sure to thank anyone who responded to me, even if it was to tell me ‘no.’”
In soccer, the focus often leans toward youth prodigies, making it easy to overlook late bloomers. Jayden, a 6-foot-5-inch center forward, was not always a giant as his mother recounts, “he went to sleep 5 foot 10 inches and woke up 6 foot 5 inches.”
Late puberty was a huge blessing for Jayden. It forced him to use skill and his technical ability to beat players. Something he would have not been able to do if he was always the biggest and fastest player on the field. Now that he is the biggest guy on the field, he is a truly complete player who has the ability and the “bag” to beat defenders no matter what the situation calls for.
Jayden opted for Division III Washington & Jefferson College. Up until this point, he had made a steady climb to where he was, so despite having offers from Division II schools, he chose WJC due to its track record of player advancement and success.
Jayden made a significant impact in his freshman season, aiming to secure a D1 offer by dedicating himself to daily training. Despite winning numerous accolades, including Athletic Conference Player and Newcomer of the Year, he continued to reach out to numerous D1 programs to ensure he achieved his goal. This dream became a reality when Duquesne selected him from the transfer portal.
Now a first-round pick in the MLS SuperDraft, the Maryland footballer harbors new goals and dreams. Yet, it’s the valuable lessons from his journey that he plans to leverage for a successful future, expressing his excitement to start anew, “I’m excited to start over.”
He has followed the same method at every step, and every level of his career – “I did it before, so I know the steps to do it again” outlook on the game, coupled with his dedication and work ethic to match. No one can guarantee a player will be successful in the MLS, but I can guarantee Jayden Da will put himself in the best position to do so.
