Former USC star excelling for DC United
WASHINGTON — Twenty minutes after the rest of the team has finished stretching and left, Blake Brettschneider and a D.C. United teammate are still on the field at RFK Stadium, doing juggling and passing drills. Behind them, a blue two-door Volkswagen sits on a stand beneath a Corona banner, and a massive poster of the GEICO gecko stares around the empty stadium.
RFK, built in 1961 to host the Washington Senators and Redskins, looks its age. It still has dugouts where the first- and third-base lines were. The seats in the lower level are orange, but the ones in the upper deck are yellow and faded red. Still, with an attendance of more than 15,000 per home game, the stadium is a far cry from South Carolina's Graveyard.
A new venue is perhaps the least significant aspect of a transition from college to professional soccer, but Brettschneider has met all the challenges of his new career with poise. The former Gamecock standout quickly established himself as a hard worker, a reliable striker and an essential component of the United offense, and he looks forward to improving further as he gains Major League Soccer experience.
"There's definitely a role for me," he said. "It may not be as a starter week in and week out. But getting the playing time that I've gotten — I'm pretty lucky to have gotten it. A lot of rookies don't see this much time their first year. But at the same time, I feel like I bring something to the table and can help this team. It may not be all the time, but when the time comes, I'll be ready."
Brettschneider was not selected until the second round of the MLS supplemental draft in January, but he earned a contract out of training camp. He first earned attention after scoring in a 2-1 friendly loss against Dutch soccer club Ajax on May 22.
Last year's Conference USA leader in assists, Brettschneider already has two in seven regular-season starts for United. As part of a strong rookie class, he says he has not endured much hazing beyond having to carry the balls to practice. Veterans Josh Wolff, Charlie Davies and Dwayne De Rosario, among others, respect their new teammates and have helped them improve on the field.
"Those type of guys, you can learn so much just by watching them," Brettschneider said. "They've been in places and been in situations that you can learn a lot from, and situations that you hope to find yourself in sometime. They're invaluable. I wouldn't trade them for any other teammates in the world."
The Lilburn, Ga., native acknowledged his time at South Carolina as a key stepping stone on his way to the United squad.
"I guess I've always really wanted to [play professionally], but there's always those moments in your life where you doubt yourself," he said. "I was fortunate enough to go to South Carolina. It's produced a lot of quality players. The coaching staff is really good there — helped me stay focused. When the time came and the opportunity came, I went out and seized it and was fortunate to end up here."
When asked about the biggest difference between college and professional soccer, Brettschneider quickly mentioned not having to go to class. Though he misses sweet tea and barbecue, he and his teammates have replaced traditional Southern cuisine with a new favorite meal at a restaurant called Thai Chef here downtown.
The dish, ironically for the former Clemson rival, is called the Crying Tiger. It consists of fire-roasted herb marinated beef, sliced, served with spicy dipping sauce.
Apart from the cuisine, the greatest challenge Brettschneider has encountered is the length of the season. The MLS regular season began in the middle of March and will last until October 22, and a trip to the playoffs would extend into November. He said that feeling burned out at times is the inevitable by-product of the difficult schedule.
"You go through highs and lows, mental ups and downs," he said. "It's just a matter of trying to do the right things to be mentally ready. You have to get away from the game every once in a while. When they give you days off, really try to find something else to focus your time on. It can be a grind, but I think they do a good job giving us days off and keeping things fresh here."
During one break in September, Brettschneider will return to South Carolina to watch the Gamecocks take on Clemson. He still keeps in touch with many friends from his graduating class, and he said that it was comforting to be able to call them while he was new in D.C.
Brettschneider has many happy memories from time at South Carolina, particularly his senior season, when the soccer team advanced to the Round of 16 in the NCAA Tournament.
"When I first got [to South Carolina], it wasn't home, but by the time I left — you don't realize what you've got until it's gone," he said. "It really became a special place for me and a lot of my friends that were there with me. It's really hard to believe it's over there, but I guess it's setting in — the start of a new era."
The former Gamecock walks off the field and removes his shades. They have built-in strobe lights on each lens. Training with them will help improve Brettschneider's reaction time and visual concentration.
During this new era, he will make the adjustment to a faster paced, more physical style of play. Just as he did at South Carolina, he will do his part to continue a winning tradition. He hopes that his rookie season is just the beginning of a successful career.
"I could easily learn a lot more. I'll take the rookie ups and downs and deal with them and just try to learn everything I can," he said. "You're constantly trying to better yourself and be successful. I think I've done so pretty well so far, but I think there's a lot more I can do, a lot more I can accomplish."