SLSG Illinois is pleased to announce that
Seth Rudolph of Belleville, Illinois has signed his first professional contract
with Swedish club Sandviken IF. As
a youth player, Rudolph played for SLSG Metro in the first two seasons of the
US Development Academy and was a member of the Central Conference Starting XI
in 2009 after scoring 19 goals in his final season with the SLSG Metro US
Development Academy. Rudolph went
on to play collegiately at George Washington University in Washington DC. While at GW, Rudolph scored 29
career goals making him the 7th all-time goal scorer for the
Colonel’s and co-Captained the team his senior year.
According to SLSG Illinois’ Blake Decker
who coached Rudolph both at Metro and Belleville West High School, “Seth signing
a professional contract should come as no surprise to anyone who has worked
with him or seen him work. He has
had a professional mentality as long as I’ve known him. In high school, when other guys were
out with friends or sleeping in on weekends, Seth was out training, often by
himself. This did not change as he
progressed into college and he was a common fixture at the Collinsville Complex
during the summers while in college whether training with the 18 Academy, playing
with the U19s, training with the U20’s as well as often training by himself. For any young player who says they want
to be a professional, Seth is the prime example of what type of commitment it
really takes to make it.”
Rudolph joins a long line of former
Metro United players who have joined the professional ranks, but is the first
player from the SLSG Metro era to sign a professional contract. SLSG Illinois Program Director, Dale
Schilly, commented, “While we have produced a number of professional players in
era prior to the US Development Academy, Seth is our first former Academy
player to sign a professional contract.
Given that he is from our second Academy class, there will certainly be
more to follow. The entire SLSG
Illinois would like to congratulate Seth and wish him a long and successful
professional career.”
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| Seth Rudolph in 2008 |
Always eager to help the club for which
he played as a youth, Rudolph took some time out of his training in Sweden to
answer questions for our current SLSG Illinois youth players:
1) When did you know you wanted to play
soccer professionally?
Ever since I was a young kid I've
always wanted to play professionally. As many kids do, I looked up to professional
athletes and always dreamed of being one.
2) What sacrifices did you have to make
to become a professional?
I sacrificed a lot of time, energy, and
social life to make my dream happen. I spent countless hours running, training,
and traveling for soccer. Also, I would skip seeing friends to train or go to
bed early because of having a match the next day. Soccer involves a lot of
travel to games and tournaments, which usually take place on the weekends, so
that would prevent me from seeing my friends.
3) How are you adjusting to living in a
different country?
I have been just going with the flow of
my teammates. The club and my teammates are very helpful. It's a small town, so
there isn't many distractions. It's been a pretty smooth transition.
4) When trying to find your first
professional club, did anybody tell you “no”? If so, how did you deal with that?
I did a tryout in Virginia that I did
not perform very well in. I didn't play to my abilities, so the coach advised
me that maybe I was not ready or good enough for the level. Personally, I enjoy
when people say I can't or tell me “no” because it gives me motivation when I
need that little push, or I don't feel like getting off the couch.
5) How did you end up in Sweden with
Sandviken IF?
I had spoke with Andy Stadler who
I played with at GW about how he had gotten his trial in Sweden. Stadler also plays at Sandviken. A few months after we spoke, he asked
if I would wanted to do a trial at Sandviken IF so I sent over some film for
their staff to review. A few weeks
later, I got a call on a Wednesday that said pack your bags, we would like you
to start a trial in Sweden on Sunday.
6) What is your most memorable or
lasting experience from your time at SLSG Metro?
My most memorable moment was playing
against the U17 US National Team during the first year of the development academy.
There was a large crowd because the game took place during the KSHE 3v3
tournament. My favorite moment of that game was when I scored to tie the game.
7) What advice can you give a young
player who wants to play professionally?
I would advise a young player to work
hard. Many people do not realize how much work you need to put in. The best
players are gifted, but they also work the hardest behind the scenes. Also,
don't give up. There are many people that may not like how you play or think
that you're not good enough. I have had countless people say no or doubt my
abilities, but I turned it into that extra sprint or the extra finishing after
training.
Sandviken IF will resume play in the
Swedish Football League next weekend after a 3 week mid-season break. Rudolph looks to join the squad for
matches soon after their return to action.
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