After winning the 2006 MLS Cup championship last season, Dwayne De Rosario is riding the wave of success. His impressive play, leadership, and incredible goals during his first season in Houston have earned one more award to add to his ever-growing collection.
This afternoon, De Rosario was named Canadian Player of the Year for 2006, making this the second year in a row in which De Ro is given the nod for his country's top honor by fans and the media.
"Getting the award is a great honor, no matter how many times you earn it. Just the fact that I get to represent my country at an international level is a dream come true, but being named the top soccer player in your country makes the whole experience a lot more meaningful."
De Rosario was undoubtedly one of Houston's most important pieces in its 2006 Championship run. His 11 goals and 5 assists, added to his field vision and leadership on the field earned him the award of Team Most Valuable Player. De Ro, however, does not lose focus on his priorities as a player. To him, the goal is simple one.
"I play to win and score as many goals as I can, not necessarily to win MVP awards", said De Rosario. "I am the kind of player that will always give 100 percent of himself, and who will always try to play the game, day in and day out, to the best of his abilities. If the awards come as a bonus, I will definitely take them. They are the icing on the cake for me."
Head coach Dominic Kinnear agrees.
"Dwayne is a very talented player, so I think this award is well deserved", said Kinnear. "Winning this award once is great; winning it twice is even more impressive. I think he should be proud of the way he played in 2006."
In spite of his great play and individual accomplishments, De Rosario has yet to win the MLS MVP Award. Being named the best player in Canada does provide some consolation, though.
"It's hard not winning the MVP, but at the same time it is still an honor to be among a select group of players, who represent the best the league has to offer. Again, my aim is not to win awards, but to do what I can on the field, and give 100 percent at all times. Hopefully, some day my turn will come to win in MLS."
