Pros

Introducing … Willie Sims By Andrew Hush
January 31, 2006


“It is kind of lonely early on here without friends and family and you kind of wonder ‘who do I call or who do I hang out with?’ I’ve got to get used to these guys.”

Willie Sims (Picture by Tony Biscaia)

Willie Sims has a lot to get used to. A new job with new colleagues in a new part of the country is a big enough challenge for anyone, so for the 21-year-old from California to face all that and also prepare for the new season is a tough proposition. However, as he looks forward to settling into his ‘new’ New England surroundings, playing soccer is the one thing that will come easily to him, no matter what his role is:

“I’ll play wherever they put me, wherever I can help. I like to roam around up front and score goals. I’ve been doing that since high school.”

28 goals in 55 games during his three years at Cal-State Northridge where, incidentally, he remembers being marked by Tony Lochhead, then of UC-Santa Barbara, is testament to the young striker’s scoring abilities and, like Kyle Brown, he is excited to wok with the likes of Pat Noonan and Taylor Twellman:

“I know they are ahead of me and that it will take time but I hope to play at some point. It is a big challenge because they are great players.”

Sims’ heritage lies in Guatemala, where his father played professionally before a meniscus injury curtailed his career, whereupon the family came to the USA in 1987. Although Sims cannot remember often seeing his father play, he clearly picked up some of his ability and has followed admirably in his footsteps, to the point where he was recently offered the chance to emulate him and play for the Guatemalan national team:

“After I was drafted they called me and asked if I would be interested in playing against the USA next month (19 February in Frisco, TX). It is a great honor but I want to concentrate on establishing myself with the Revolution first.”

Teething problems are inevitable for the most confident of young players as they adjust to their new surroundings. Of course, for this former resident of the west coast, New England in January is like nothing he has experienced before either. Sims has played in this area, once before, when he and his Northridge side fell 1-0 to Boston College on a day ‘much warmer than it is now!’