Cruz takes unlikely path toward MLS

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Danny Cruz isn't supposed to be waiting to hear his name called in the MLS SuperDraft on Thursday. The UNLV and Generation adidas midfielder isn't even supposed to be playing soccer.

Cruz's soccer career started by accident during his freshman year in high school. Cruz was a football player who wanted to keep fit in the offseason. He tried soccer because the schedules didn't conflict.

"I was one of those kick-and-run kids when I was younger, when I was a freshman," Cruz said. "My speed and my physical abilities is what drew the coaches to me. From there, they tried to teach me about tactics and technique."

What started out as an offseason training method blossomed into a successful youth career. His speed and his work rate set him apart from others and earned him a spot on the West Region IV team.

If Cruz's career arc seemed steep as he jumped from kick-and-run freshman to regional level player, the path accelerated exponentially when fortuitous scheduling gave him a chance to shine on the national level.

"I went to the Disney Showcase (with the West Region IV team) and ended up playing against the U.S. U-17 national team," Cruz said. "I had three goals in the game and we won 3-2."

The Disney performance earned him a call-up to the U-17 national squad under John Hackworth. Many saw him as an outside shot to make the U-17 World Cup roster considering his lack of experience. Cruz confounded the doubters by earning his way onto the squad for the tournament in South Korea.

"I didn't go to qualifying with the U-17s, but I got called into camp and did well for myself," Cruz said. "Hackworth saw something in me and he helped me move forward. Give credit to him. Then I kept going to the World Cup and college and now I'm here."

Here is a place where Cruz features regularly with the U-20 national team -- he heads to Trinidad and Tobago this weekend with the team -- and earns All-MPSF honors for his play with the Runnin' Rebels.

United States U-20 head coach Thomas Rongen said Cruz's play down the flanks evokes memories of other wide players who have succeeded at the MLS level.

"He's been very productive for us at the U-20 level," Rongen said. "He's got certain qualities that lend well to us. He reminds me of a Brian Mullan-type player. He gets his crosses, he gets an occasional goal and he has a great work rate. He's a very fit player. He's a player who can make the jump to the next level."

Few thought the jump to MLS would come this year. Cruz had good, but not great, numbers at UNLV. Instead of continuing his growth at UNLV, advocates around him pushed him to think about accelerating his development as soon as possible.

"I have a good base of people around me with Thomas Rongen and the national team coaches and Mario Sanchez (UNLV head coach)," Cruz said. "We felt that what was best for me was to continue to challenge myself. This is definitely the next thing."

Rongen thinks Cruz is "far from reaching his maximum potential" and will benefit from the tutelage from a MLS coaching staff to improve in the short- and long-term.

"If you're a talented player, you need to make choices like college versus pro or MLS versus Europe or whatever the choice might be," Rongen said. "You try to put yourself in the best possible environment. MLS is a great growth opportunity for him. He's a guy that is far from reaching his ceiling. His development will get accelerated when he gets into a higher level of play."

By his own admission, Cruz is a raw product who still needs to learn the finer points of the game. That development will need to come quickly in the tactical and technical spheres if he wants to make an impact in MLS in his rookie year. His spot in the Generation adidas program -- which will give him roster protection rather than placing him in roster jeopardy from day one -- will give MLS coaches an added incentive to take a chance on Cruz's potential like Hackworth and Rongen did.

"People have faith in me," Cruz said. "Coaches always know that they will get the work ethic from me. I may not be the sharpest on the ball, but I have that heart. I'll keep moving for 90 minutes. If you put me in for 30 minutes, I'll go as hard as I can."

Given his staggering career arc, his desire to make it as a professional and the raw potential he shows, Cruz thinks he is striving towards a ceiling he feels he hasn't scraped yet.

"I'm nowhere near where I can be," Cruz said. "I have so much to gain every day from stepping onto the pitch and crossing the white line. I'm only getting better with every day."