In the early 1990s, when the likes of Joe-Max Moore led a UCLA
men’s soccer squad that dominated opponents at the Northern
Athletic Field, a young Tim Pierce watched.
The undersized youngster was a common sight in the stands at
Bruin games, where he would sit and wonder if he would ever get the
chance to take the field for UCLA.
“Growing up playing soccer, it was a dream to come play
here,” Pierce said.
For much of Pierce’s youth, it seemed as though the dream
would never amount to much. While he always possessed excellent
technical skills, his height was a hindrance.
“I was always smaller than everyone else growing
up,” Pierce said.
It was during his junior year of high school that things started
to look up for the talented forward. He grew enough so that his
size was no longer a problem.
Despite being named CIF offensive player of the year his senior
year of high school, UCLA didn’t show particularly strong
interest in him.
“UCLA didn’t really recruit me that hard,”
Pierce said. “I just really wanted to come here.”
After two solid, but unspectacular seasons at UCLA, he finally
established himself as a dangerous goal scorer last season. He
scored 10 goals in 22 games and is on pace for similar numbers this
year.
It is the thrill of putting the ball in the back of the net that
makes Pierce love the game.
“Soccer is such a long game and it’s so low scoring
that when a goal is scored it’s just that much more
exciting,” Pierce said.
Pierce has scored many of his goals off of assists from friend
and roommate, Matt Taylor. The two of them are arguably the most
dangerous forward combination in college soccer today.
“We’re two attack-minded players that think
alike,” Taylor said. “And its good to be on the field
together.”
Taylor and Pierce have combined to score 11 of UCLA’s 24
goals this season.
Despite the excitement that Pierce brings to the game with his
ability to score at virtually any time, he is very relaxed in his
approach to the game.
“I try not to let my emotions run too high before the
game,” Pierce said. “Because I like to have some sort
of calmness when I’m on the field. When I get the ball I want
to be able to think through each situation.”
Though Pierce is the guy that calms people down on the field, he
is known by his teammates as a guy that loosens things up off the
field.
“Tim brings a lot of character to the team,” Taylor
said. “He can really lighten up the mood whether things are
going well or not.”
Pierce enjoys his role as the funny man on the team, but also
takes his responsibility as a senior leader seriously.
“I’m kind of a jokester and I like to mess around a
little bit,” Pierce said. “But for the younger guys I
can tell them what’s up because I’ve been through a
lot.”
Pierce is hopeful that this won’t be all he goes through
during his soccer career. He will graduate this spring, and hopes
to continue his soccer career in the MLS.
“I expect to be taken (in the MLS draft),” Pierce
said. “My coaches seem to think it’s a pretty realistic
thing.”
Head coach Tom Fitzgerald, a former MLS coach with the Columbus
Crew, likes Pierce’s chances of being an asset to a
professional team.
“He is very capable of scoring goals here, and at the next
level as well,” said Fitzgerald.
For now, Pierce is focused on trying to end his UCLA career with
an NCAA title.
“We need to keep believing in ourselves,” Pierce
said. “As long as we do that and keep fighting, we should
have a really good shot at (an NCAA championship).”