For 26-year-old Marcus Chorvat, Glasgow Rangers striker Dado Prso's story serves as motivation for his own Sueno.
Chorvat, the oldest of the 60 remaining Chivas Sueno MLS 2008 hopefuls, has played soccer both at the college level and in Europe. But the Indiana University product would love nothing more than to follow in the footsteps of Croatia's World Cup veteran.
Like Chorvat, Prso worked out in the world before he was plucked from the ranks of the amateurs and thrust into a life of a professional soccer player. And now, at an advanced age for a soccer player, Chorvat hopes to also walk from the working world to the professional ranks.
"I know that there is no chance of the reserves, no other options for me," Chorvat said. "I know how the league works. You have to be really young but maybe once in a while you might be the next (Dado Prso)."
In terms of experience, Chorvat stands out from the remaining 60 players in Sueno L.A. He's won an NCAA championship while playing for Indiana University. At the soccer powerhouse, Chorvat was a stalwart for four seasons and played with such players as Pat Noonan, Ned Grabavoy, Jay Nolly and Danny O'Rourke.
Following college, Chorvat was even a "Yank Abroad" though his experience did not take him to the pinnacle of European soccer. Chorvat's path led him to Slovakia, his parents' homeland. There, he latched on to a second-division side that no longer exists before joining SK Slovan Bratislava. In some 18 months in Slovakia, Chorvat said he played in about 8-10 second division games before financial reasons forced him back stateside.
He had stints with PDL sides Fort Wayne Fury and Indiana Invaders. Then, he went abroad again though it was much closer to home. Chorvat played for the Windsor Border Stars of the Canadian Professional Soccer League.
Afterward, he headed out west and seemingly left professional soccer in his wake. Now, he works for the Screen Actors Guild and is also a youth coach with the South Bay Soccer Club.
"I had to make a move. I was still young enough and not tied down," Chorvat said. "What a better time to go and travel?"
Chorvat, though, started feeling the itch to play at a higher level than the local men's league could provide, so he joined the PDL San Fernando Valley Quakes.
Now, he's a few steps away from joining the highest ranks of professional soccer in the United States -- not that he was necessarily expecting to do so when he first decided to try out.
"I didn't have many expectations. I just sort of stuck to what I know and what I learned over time and as you get older you learn to play the game a lot differently," said Chorvat, who tried out after a friend's request. "Maturity and experience helped me play well."
Now, Chorvat said he plays much more relaxed and does not try to over-think the game, as he said he did in his younger days. A defender by trade, Chorvat said he knew what it would take to get to the next round.
"You have to play exceptionally well. You just go out there, play focused and enjoy," Chorvat said. "There's really no pressure. If you don't make it, you don't make it."
Entering the tournament, Chorvat was not expecting much at all. He had intended to try out for the Galaxy instead, but balked at the fee attached to trying out for Chivas USA's intra-city rival. Instead, he put that money towards a futsal tournament.
"Why pay $150 and you make it to the final round and you know you're not going to go on because of your age?" Chorvat said.
His only problem now is the timing. The futsal tournament falls on Saturday, the same day of the Sueno MLS round of 60. Still, he said he would make it for both.
After all, his ultimate motivation is soccer itself.
"You play just for fun, just for the love of the game," Chorvat said. "That's it."
Luis Bueno is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
