When everyone questioned his decision, he went with it
anyway.
Even when the naysayers were not sold on his abilities, he knew
he only had to prove them to one person ““ himself.
So when the 2005 MLS SuperDraft selections were announced, Chad
Barrett and his mother sat side by side and both breathed a sigh of
relief.
“Finally,” said Barrett and his mother in
unison.
Barrett was selected as the third overall pick of the draft by
the Chicago Fire on Friday. The sophomore forward was the highest
draft pick from UCLA since Steve Shak was the No. 1 pick in 2000.
The 19-year-old said he knew Chicago was interested, but he was
still surprised that he was picked so early.
“I couldn’t be more excited,” Barrett said.
“I’ve been dreaming to go pro ever since I was a kid.
Every kid does, and now it’s a reality. It’s taken the
weight off my shoulders.”
The pressure that Barrett felt may have been from Salcedo, who
tried to persuade him to stay with the Bruins. Though Barrett would
not comment on his current relationship with UCLA coach Jorge
Salcedo, Barrett stood firmly rooted in his decision to enter the
draft.
“I’m not trying to shove it back anyone’s
face, but everyone has an opinion,” Barrett said. “It
feels pretty good to have it end like this.
“I have no regrets. I’m going to miss playing with
the guys at UCLA. You know it was just time for me to move onto the
next level. It seemed like I didn’t want to be at school and
I wanted to choose soccer as my path. It’s been on my mind
since the beginning of the season. It was the hardest decision I
ever made, but I’m thankful I made it.”
In his first two seasons, Barrett amassed an impressive 16 goals
and 18 assists. After his freshman campaign, the Beaverton, Ore.
native took home Pac-10 Co-Freshman of the Year honors. The
two-time All-Pac-10 performer is currently a starter for the U.S.
Under-20 National Team, which qualified for the World Youth
Championships over the weekend.
As for his new destination, Barrett will head out to Chicago on
Feb. 1, where he will begin life at the next level.
“I’m going to have to prove it that I belong at the
next level,” he said. “I can’t ask, I can’t
expect, I just have to work my ass off.”
As for the two senior Bruins, Mike Enfield and Aaron Lopez, who
also entered the draft, both were ecstatic with where they will be
spending their professional careers.
Enfield was chosen 15th overall with the third pick in the
second round and will join the Los Angeles Galaxy. Lopez was
selected 26th overall with the third pick in the third round by
first-year MLS franchise Club Deportivo Chivas USA, which is also
in Los Angeles.
Enfield (Ventura, Calif.) and Lopez (Santa Barbara, Calif.) are
both pleased with their fortune of getting to stay in Southern
California and receiving the opportunity to play at the Home Depot
Center in Carson, Calif.
“It’s the greatest feeling in the world, and getting
to play in L.A. makes it that much better,” Enfield said.
“The fact when I went wasn’t important, it was about
where I was going to go. To get selected by the Galaxy was what I
wanted because it’s been a team I’ve supported since
the league started up 10 years ago, and I grew up around
them.”
Lopez was also feeling the pressure of draft day.
“I was nervous as I was going further and further down the
list because I didn’t want to go to the East Coast,”
Lopez said. “But I’m stoked right now, really happy.
Words can’t describe the way I’m feeling right
now.”
Enfield’s selection came as a result of the Galaxy
shipping midfielder Sasha Victorine to the Kansas City Wizards for
a higher draft pick that ultimately landed the Bruin senior. The
Pac-10 leading scorer last season will join former Bruins Kevin
Hartman, Cobi Jones, Scot Thompson and Pete Vagenas on the Galaxy
squad. Since the leagues’ formation in 1996, UCLA has molded
more MLS players than any other university.
As for Lopez, the versatile defender was a bit disappointed at
how far his stock had dropped, but the outcome may prove to be
fodder for him to prove his ability at the professional level.
“I heard before (the draft) I was going to be in the top
10 for sure,” the two-time M.A.C. Hermann Trophy semifinalist
said. “It’s pretty surprising how long it was for me to
get drafted. I’m kind of disappointed.
“But it doesn’t matter. I’m going to go to the
camp and I’m going to show up and prove that I can make the
team. It’s more motivation for me to prove I am better than
the pick I was.”