Fifteen-year-old Daniel Sanchez remembers with utter clarity the best moment that soccer has provided him thus far.
As a member of under-14 side Northwest United, Sanchez was in the Nevada state final. With the game scoreless and around 10 minutes remaining, a pass came in from the right side of the penalty area. A teammate had chipped the ball over a defender and Sanchez coolly collected it.
"I took one touch ... and the sweeper went forward and I cut back and I just shot it and it went in," Sanchez recalled. "When I scored the goal, the whole team started screaming celebrating, and when the game finished the coach (Alan Fitzhugh) started to cry. He'd been wishing for that (title) almost the whole time he's been coaching. Me, I've never felt that before."
Sanchez now has taken two giant steps toward recreating those moments on a much larger scale. The Las Vegas teen is part of the final 18 participants in the 2008 Sueno MLS at The Home Depot Center. A forward by trade, Sanchez's made an impression on Chivas USA coaches and scouts by scoring a boatload of goals in the first round and coming back with another strike in Saturday's round-of-60.
That he's among the final 18 does not necessarily mean he is close to being the finalist. In fact, he said being within sights of realizing his dreams is only extra motivation he said might put him on top.
"After they picked me I was really surprised, excited but most of all happy," Sanchez said. "My confidence is really high right now. With (coaches) telling me I can make it and progress higher in soccer makes me want to try even harder."
Though the dream of playing professional soccer has stirred in Sanchez for some time, he did not give the initial Sueno MLS much thought. In fact, it was not until one of his youth coaches persuaded Sanchez to try out that he went for it.
"Last year I heard it on the news but I didn't really think it was something I could try out for so I kind of ignored it," he said. "My coach (Amado Perez) was the one who encouraged me. He was supporting me in this."
Perez, who's Nevada Devils squad includes Sanchez, showed up with information on the tryouts and asked the youngster if he'd be willing to have a go at them.
"I was like 'OK, cool. I'll go try out and see what comes out of it,'" Sanchez said.
Since then, dad Sergio Sanchez has trekked from Las Vegas to Bell Gardens to help fulfill his son's dreams.
Sanchez, the second-youngest of seven siblings, is trying to follow in the Jorge Flores' footsteps, who was a high school student when he tried out a year ago. Since then, Flores has played for Chivas USA's under-19 side, landed a professional contract and suited up for the U.S. under-20 national team.
For Sanchez, a sophomore at Cheyenne High School in Las Vegas, progressing through the professional ranks in a similar manner would suit him fine.
"Hopefully I see my soccer in my future ... just taking baby steps if I could," he said. "Right now these trials are helping me out but I wish to progress even more."
If Sanchez impresses over the next couple of weeks and is the last person standing, he said he might have a similar reaction to his under-14 coach Fitzhugh.
"That right there is my life, going pro," Sanchez said. "That right there is a dream come true and hopefully it happens. For my family, that would mean everything. They have supported me all my life with all I wanted to do. If that happens, I'll cry."
Luis Bueno is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
