Daryl Ferguson has been playing soccer for most of his life. As a youth player from the Washington D.C area, Ferguson was a member of the Western Pennsylvania Foothills Soccer Club.
After graduating from St. John’s High School where he was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame, Ferguson continued his soccer career at Seton Hill University (SHU).
Now at the close of his senior year and with graduation steadily approaching he has been invited to showcase his talents once again for the Charleston Battery, a professional A-League soccer team based in Charleston, South Carolina.
By Leslie Rodriguez,
Sports Editor
Daryl Ferguson has been playing soccer for most of his life. As a youth player from the Washington D.C area, Ferguson was a member of the Western Pennsylvania Foothills Soccer Club.
After graduating from St. John’s High School where he was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame, Ferguson continued his soccer career at Seton Hill University (SHU).
Now at the close of his senior year and with graduation steadily approaching he has been invited to showcase his talents once again for the Charleston Battery, a professional A-League soccer team based in Charleston, South Carolina.
Ferguson’s road to the Battery’s training camp has been paved largely by hard work and dedication according to SHU head men’s soccer coach Dan McCarty.
�Daryl has the skills to play at the next level. He has all the tools, speed, strength and skill, and he is without a doubt the most focused person on the pitch during a match,� said McCarty.
As one of the first male athletes recruited to the university Ferguson’s career at SHU has been one consisting of many accolades.
He was named as an All-American Mideast Conference selection two times by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and was also named to the Daktronics Men’s Soccer All-Appalachian Region Second Team and the All – West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference team in the fall of 2006.
Though playing for the Battery is considered a more competitive level than club soccer, Ferguson is no stranger to playing on teams outside of the collegiate circuit.
In February of 2006 he became one of the first players to be signed by the Delaware Dynasty, a men’s soccer team that plays in the Premier Development League (PDL).
The league is also the highest level of soccer in which a college or high school player can participate while retaining their NCAA eligibility.
According to Ferguson playing for the Dynasty was a great experience that allowed him to preview what a professional commitment to soccer would be like.
�I led the league in minutes played and did a lot of agility work, weight lifting with light weights, and some distance and sprinting work. I am in the best shape of my life because of playing in the summer,� said Ferguson.
The Dynasty completed the 2006 inaugural PDL season with a record of 5-9-2 finishing fourth within the Northeast Division.
Former Dynasty head coach Fran Kulas admits that Ferguson stood out right away at the open tryout last January.
�He is a solid defender whose physical presence and athleticism allows him to deny opponents scoring opportunities. Additionally, he brings a sense of mobility in the attack out of the back and such two-way players are what we are looking for,� said Kulas.
Despite taking a temporary leave from school March 15 to April 1 in order to train with the Charleston Battery, Ferguson is determined to finish at SHU with his degree in pre-med. Ferguson also added that if the Battery offers him contract he will accept it and put medical school on hold until he is done playing soccer for good.
�My parents are very excited about the opportunity, but they are happy with whatever decision I make. They are very supportive of me and are not the type to force you to do something you don’twant to do. They are happy and proud of my accomplishments,� said Ferguson.
Charleston Battery assistant coach Mark Watson is eager to see what Ferguson will bring to the training camp.
�Daryl is a player we have had our eyes on for some time and the more we see of him, the more we like him,� said Watson.
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