overseas and the MLS. I wanted to wait though and see where the most interest arose and when the time came MLS came up with an offer that was hard to decline... providing me with a Generation adidas contract. I knew the opportunity was for the taking. I knew an opportunity would present itself; I just didn't know exactly when or where, but I was thrilled when I found out New Year's day that the MLS wanted to sign me as a GA player.
You competed in the 2009 MLS Combine. How did that affect your
thoughts before the MLS draft?
I was very pleased with my performance at the combine ending it as
the leading goal scorer and leader in points, which calmed my nerves and
gave me some confidence entering the draft. Before a draft many things
go through your head, such as: what team is going to draft me, when am
I going to be drafted? But the thing is you never know... in a draft
anything can happen and all I can say is that all the rumors and articles
written predicting where a player is going to go only makes
you think more. But in a way that makes it exciting and horrifying at
the same time. I simply kept an open mind and was full of joy knowing
my dream of playing professional soccer was coming true, just not sure
where.
You were FCD's first pick in the 2009 Superdraft. Did you expect to
be taken so high, and did you have any idea what team you would play
for?
Like I said you never know where you are going to go in a draft and
I had no idea how high or how low I was going to be drafted. All I knew
was that my dream of playing pro soccer was coming true and just had to
wait for my name to be called. Fortunately enough for me I did not
have to wait that long. When I heard the commissioner say "FC Dallas
selects Peri Marosevic forward out of the University of Michigan and GA
player as 5th overall pick in the 2009 MLS draft," I couldn't help myself
but smile and that smile took a long time to fade.
What were you doing the moment you found out you were selected by FC
Dallas? Describe your emotions at that moment.
I was sitting in the draft room, nervous and anxious waiting for my
name to be called. Once I heard my name I was, as many would say, the
happiest person on the planet. I couldn't stop smiling and gave all my
family members a hug that they each deserved. It was with their help
that led me to this point in my life so I had to thank them. As I was
walking up to the podium my mind was racing and I couldn't get a clear
thought in my head. When the commissioner put the scarf around my head
and shook my hand, I knew my hard work paid off and what a feeling that
is... a feeling I cannot describe. For those of you who have seen the
movie Pursuit of Happyness... something like that haha.
Who did you call first to tell them you were moving to Dallas?
My family was there so I didn't have to call them haha.. my phone was
going crazy once my name was called. Everyone was calling to congratulate
me, but the first call I made was to Anthony Wallace, my long time
friend and teammate to be. We always talked about how insane it would
be if I ended up on the same team as him... and once it happened we
could do nothing but laugh.
How much did you know about the FC Dallas team before you were
selected? How soon were you researching the team?;)
Well with having Anthony on the team and a couple guys I used to play with like Brek, Avi, Blake and Lambo. I had a good understanding of who was on the team and what the team was about. But of course I did my own research as soon as I got home from the draft and checked out all the players and staff and tried to learn all their names. And since every player had a bio on their page I tried to learn something about each player to get an idea of who my teammates were going to be. It was definitely an experience I will never forget.
