Axel Ramirez immediately made his way to the table upon hearing his name.
As the Merced High soccer player reached for a pen from Merced Atlas Soccer Academy president Fernando Aguilera, he realized he still had a snow cone in his hand. Ramirez quickly sought out a teammate to lighten his load, producing a small laugh from the 150 people that had gathered at McNamara Park to mark the event on Saturday afternoon.
It was a sign of Ramirez’s youthful exuberance, but also showed how relaxed he and fellow Atlas teammate Alfonso Ocampo-Chavez were surrounded by teammates, family and friends on the biggest afternoon of their young lives. Ramirez (15) and Ocampo-Chavez (14) both signed their professional contracts to join the youth academy of Major League Soccer’s Seattle Sounders. Ocampo-Chavez had twice as much to celebrate, also signing to join the U.S. National team’s under-15 squad. Both were firsts for members of the club.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for these kids,” Aguilera said. “They’ve both worked very hard and have a lot of skill. It’s nice to see them get recognized.
“It’s the first time in the 16 years of the club that we’ve ever had someone sign with an MLS team or the national team, so hopefully this is big not just for us, but other players in the Valley. Doors are already opening and scouts are going to be paying more attention to this region.”
The pair visited Seattle three weeks ago to get an idea of the program and where they might end up playing. Ocampo-Chavez had already been extended an offer at the time, but part of the trip was a tryout for Ramirez.
“There were about 10 of us trying out and they came from all over – a couple guys from Hawaii, some from Florida and Southern California,” Ramirez said. “I was pretty nervous at first, but about five minutes in I knew I had it.
“I felt pretty confident by the end, and they made an offer the day before we came back home.”
The contract is an all-inclusive one, where the Sounders will flip the bill for the pair’s gear, clothes, food, housing and school. The youth academy has six teams that range in age from under 12 to under 18. The academy produced 17 Division I players in 2016 alone and has 13 players that have gone on to first- or second-tier professional careers since 2011, including Tottenham Hotspur FC and U.S. men’s national team star DeAndre Yedlin.
“It’s emotional,” said Ocampo-Chavez, who will be leaving for Portland, Ore., next week to train with the under-15 national team. “You’re excited because your dreams are starting to come true, but your family is a little sad because you’re leaving them.
“I’m excited. All of this just motivates me to work harder. Playing professional soccer is my dream, and today I’m a little bit closer to it.”