Feeling a Draft
January 27, 2006 03:36 PM | General
January 26, 2006
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Devon McTavish had no idea whatsoever that he was going to be selected in the 2006 Major League Soccer Supplemental Draft held yesterday. A cell phone call during class from D.C. United assistant coach Tom Soehn is how McTavish found out that he was just the second player in WVU history to be picked in the draft.
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| West Virginia's Devon McTavish was the 43rd overall player selected by D.C. United in the MLS supplemental draft held Thursday.
All-Pro Photography/Dale Sparks |
“That’s how confident I was,” McTavish laughed. “I didn’t even bother to watch it.”
McTavish was taken in the fourth round by D.C. United (43rd overall) and joins Aaron Pitchkolan (second round pick in 2005) as the only two WVU players taken in the draft. McTavish admits the last 24 hours have been a whirlwind.
“I’m just trying to figure out my classes right now,” McTavish said. “I have 15 hours to graduate and I’m trying to work out something there.”
In the meantime, the all-Big East defender will spend next week training in Washington, D.C., before the team departs for Florida for preseason camp on Feb. 8. D.C. United’s first regular season match is Sunday, April 2, against the Metrostars.
And while being drafted doesn’t mean an automatic spot on the D.C. United roster, it does give McTavish the opportunity of going into preseason camp with the security of at them at least knowing who he is.
“I’m just getting started right now,” he admitted. “I guess it shows that they see something in me and they’re willing to bring me into camp and use a draft pick on me.”
Unlike other professional sports with large player personnel departments and large scouting budgets, Major League Soccer uses a combination of personal workouts, tryout camps and word of mouth to evaluate prospects. The league does conduct a combine but it only invites about 60 of the nation’s finest players and McTavish did not make that cut.
“In order to help himself, Devon went down to D.C. United for two days and trained with them before the draft,” said West Virginia coach Mike Seabolt. “Last year Aaron went to the combine but Devon did not get invited so he had to go a little more difficult route.”
“It was an invitation-only camp with about 22 guys from all over. Basically we played games for two hours and they wound up picking two of us,” McTavish said.
McTavish admits having a coach like Seabolt who was once involved in professional soccer and understands the process proved to be very helpful.
“He’s been doing stuff behind the scenes that I probably don’t even know about,” said McTavish. “He’s definitely a big part of it, for sure.”
“I kind of know the process and I know what teams are looking for,” Seabolt added. “Basically my role as an MLS assistant was primarily to scout, recruit and find these kids. I just kind of helped him through the process.”
McTavish said he first began to think about professional soccer following his junior season when Pitchkolan was drafted by F.C. Dallas.
“I always loved the sport and I wanted to play as long as I could,” McTavish said. “I guess last year it kind of started hitting me that it might be my last year playing and I didn’t want that to happen. So I started talking with Coach Seabolt about what I needed to do and who I needed to call.”
Realistically, McTavish, a Winchester, Va., native, was hoping to latch on with a team during preseason camp.
“They do that with some players and that was what I was really planning on actually,” McTavish said. “When I was drafted it was like icing on the cake for me. I didn’t expect that at all.”
McTavish, who as a senior led WVU to its first trip to the NCAA tournament in 14 years in 2005, must report on Monday to begin a week-long training camp in Washington, D.C. Other than that, McTavish admits he knows very little.
“(Soehn) told me we’ll sit down on Monday and they will tell me everything I need to know,” McTavish said.
Fortunately, McTavish doesn’t have to find a place to stay for the week.
“My sister lives in Alexandria, Va.,” he said. “I plan on staying at her house for at least next week and maybe longer, who knows?”
