2008 Woodie Awards
Teammates accomplish lifelong dream of making MLS Super Draft
Kayla Panu
Issue date: 2/1/08 Section: Sports
2/1/08 - Three comrades on the University of Rhode Island men's soccer team all had their life-long dreams come true within the last two weeks.
Senior midfielder Geoffrey Cameron was the 42nd overall pick by the Major League Soccer champion Houston Dynamo in the Super Draft held on Jan. 18. By Jan. 25, his two former teammates, seniors Danleigh Borman and Lukasz Tumicz, had also been drafted. Borman went seventh in the supplemental draft and was picked by the New York Red Bulls, while Tumicz was 34th, picked by the Columbus Crew.
"I was very, very excited," Cameron said about being drafted. "It was an emotional thing because my grandfather had passed away a few weeks before the draft and it was his dream to see me drafted and play for a professional team.
"When I heard my name I was completely shocked. It was a bittersweet moment. It was one of the biggest moments in my life," he said.
Cameron, a native of Attleboro, Mass., was four years old when he started kicking a soccer ball around. His father had played professional hockey and tried to get him into it, Cameron said. "I think he tied my skates too tight," he said with a chuckle. "I always enjoyed playing soccer and watching it on TV."
From the moment he decided to pursue soccer over hockey, he devoted his life to the sport.
"I lost a lot of my social life in high school," he said. "All I did was play soccer. I appreciate my mom and dad for pushing me and for everything they did for me. I wouldn't be where I am today without them."
Cameron only spent two years at URI, transferring for his junior year from West Virginia University. His former WVU coach broke NCAA rules and the team was being investigated, but he said he had the opportunity to get out.
URI coaches John O'Connor and Gareth Elliot offered Cameron a scholarship, which he accepted.
His most memorable moment in soccer at URI, which is one he also shares with Tumicz, was the day the Rams won the Atlantic 10 Championship against Saint Louis University.
Senior midfielder Geoffrey Cameron was the 42nd overall pick by the Major League Soccer champion Houston Dynamo in the Super Draft held on Jan. 18. By Jan. 25, his two former teammates, seniors Danleigh Borman and Lukasz Tumicz, had also been drafted. Borman went seventh in the supplemental draft and was picked by the New York Red Bulls, while Tumicz was 34th, picked by the Columbus Crew.
"I was very, very excited," Cameron said about being drafted. "It was an emotional thing because my grandfather had passed away a few weeks before the draft and it was his dream to see me drafted and play for a professional team.
"When I heard my name I was completely shocked. It was a bittersweet moment. It was one of the biggest moments in my life," he said.
Cameron, a native of Attleboro, Mass., was four years old when he started kicking a soccer ball around. His father had played professional hockey and tried to get him into it, Cameron said. "I think he tied my skates too tight," he said with a chuckle. "I always enjoyed playing soccer and watching it on TV."
From the moment he decided to pursue soccer over hockey, he devoted his life to the sport.
"I lost a lot of my social life in high school," he said. "All I did was play soccer. I appreciate my mom and dad for pushing me and for everything they did for me. I wouldn't be where I am today without them."
Cameron only spent two years at URI, transferring for his junior year from West Virginia University. His former WVU coach broke NCAA rules and the team was being investigated, but he said he had the opportunity to get out.
URI coaches John O'Connor and Gareth Elliot offered Cameron a scholarship, which he accepted.
His most memorable moment in soccer at URI, which is one he also shares with Tumicz, was the day the Rams won the Atlantic 10 Championship against Saint Louis University.