Rommel Morales was certainly the new kid on the block at Dynamo practice Friday.
Currently a member of the Dynamo Academy U-18 team, Morales joined the Dynamo first team for practice as a goalkeeper. Although he appeared calm and collected on the field, he admitted that he was very anxious Thursday night.
"Being 17 years old, and coming out to play with these guys is big. But practice was good, and the shots were definitely a lot sharper than I have ever experienced," Morales said. Not only did Morales deal with the shots well, but he also stayed after practice to help some of the first-team players work on finishing drills.
Dynamo goalkeepers coach Mike Toshack had plenty of good things to say about Morales, a rising senior at Aldine MacArthur High School, after working with him throughout the session.
"He came in with the right approach, very serious and very professional, which is in part due to [Dynamo Director of Youth Development] James Clarkson, who prepares our kids for when they do come into this environment."
At the beginning of practice, Toshack said the coaches noticed Morales was nervous, and they had Morales do ballet drills for fun, producing a few laughs and breaking the tension. Once they got down to business, Toshack said Morales showed some abilities of a great goalkeeper, with great reactions and speed, but the main area stressed Friday was Morales' positioning and preparation for each shot.
Morales was one of four non-roster players at training Friday, as collegiate Dynamo Academy players Daniel Roberts, Josue Soto and Pana Vasquez are in the midst of a two-week training stint.
With goalkeeping already a strength of the Dynamo organization, from first-team starter Pat Onstad to collegiate prospect Tyler Deric, the 17-year-old Morales has plenty of time to develop, and Toshack was encouraged by his current skill set.
"With goalkeepers, you have a little more time to develop your skill,' said Toshack. "We will definitely be monitoring him in game-time situations, his technical skills, and his athleticism. In the next couple years, we may have a keeper on our hands."
With time and practice, Morales could yet develop into another excellent Dynamo goalkeeper. Youth players interested in following in his footsteps can try out for the Dynamo Academy via the Dynamo Elite Camp in August.
For more information on the Dynamo Academy and other youth development programs, log on to http://houston.mlsnet.com/t200/youth/.
