On April 13, 1996, a young Princeton grad in a D.C. United jersey stood on the sidelines in Columbus, Ohio, waiting to step onto the field and play his first career MLS minutes. He was a scrawny kid from Racine, Wisconsin who had played for the United States U-18 national team and who had been drafted 21st overall in the 1996 MLS College Draft.
This young kid, he would go on to play in more than 300 MLS games. He'd have a career that spanned fourteen years. He'd play more MLS minutes than all but five other men.
Along the way, he'd win the first three MLS Cups (1996-1998). He'd also snag three US Open Cups (1998, 2000, 2003), secure a spot on the 2001 MLS All-Star team, and earn two caps for the U.S. senior national team.
His name is Jesse Marsch, and now, after one of the most impressive careers in MLS history, he is hanging up his boots.
"In the end, it wound up being not that difficult a decision," said Marsch of his retirement. "My body was letting me know that I was getting older and it wasn't as easy to fulfill the requirements of being a professional soccer player every day.
"There were also some opportunities that came up in this offseason that were hard to refuse. So everything seemed to come together and it made sense for me and my family to move in this direction. I think we're already very happy with the decision."
Far from leaving soccer altogether, Marsch has accepted a job with the U.S. national team as an assistant coach. The move will see him reunite with Bob Bradley, his coach at Princeton, as well as with the Chicago Fire and Chivas USA.
"It's a fantastic opportunity and a big responsibility," said Marsch. "I'm lucky to be involved in this and excited about it. I hope that it's just the beginning of a long coaching career at whatever level winds up coming my way."
Marsch began his professional career as a player with D.C. United in MLS's inaugural season. He won two MLS Cups in Washington, helping establish the club as one of the league's most prominent.
"There was a lot of excitement around the start of the league," said Marsch. "It was something fun and gave me an opportunity to keep doing something that I loved. But it doesn't take you long to realize that this isn't just for fun. It's a job and you have to work hard at it and you have to go out every day to try and get better."
Marsch moved from D.C. United to Chicago in 1998. He would win both the MLS Cup and the U.S. Open Cup with the Fire in 1998, and enjoy eight successful seasons with the club.
"The most memorable moment in my whole career was winning that double in 1998," said Marsch. "That was a pretty fantastic time in my life. I won the double, got married, and went on a honeymoon all in the course of one month. It was incredible."
Marsch landed at Chivas USA in 2006, where he helped lead the Red-and-White to four consecutive playoff appearances. Even more than that, he helped establish Chivas USA as a formidable club in MLS.
"Being at Chivas was really rewarding," said Marsch. "It was a project to take that organization and elevate it into something that was considered legitimate within our league. And I think that in the four years that I was here, we gained a lot of respect from a lot of other organizations and players because of the way we played and the way we did things. I'm very proud of that."
Marsch retires as one of only three players to have played in every MLS season since the league's inauguration, along with Steve Ralston and D.C. United's Jaime Moreno. He has seen MLS grow from a fledgling start-up to an established force in the American sporting landscape.
"To see this league develop and become more professional has been the most rewarding thing for me," said Marsch. "It has really become something we can be proud of. It has created a lot of great players and I think helped catapult our national team into world prominence."
"I was always proud to have taken part in helping this league become better and better," he continued. "I hope to do that in the future as well, from the sidelines."
While he's looking forward to his new position with the U.S. national team, Marsch will miss his days in an MLS jersey.
"There's the part of just being on the field and competing in big games that I'll miss," he said. "Whether it's big playoff games or big finals; actually on the field. I'll miss that part. But hopefully I'll be able to find those competitive outlets in coaching as well."
"There's also the camaraderie of the locker room," he continued. "But I will still try and nurture those friendships in the future, and being on a coaching staff, there's still camaraderie there with the players and the other coaches. Hopefully I can still experience that."
Marsch has accomplished a lot in his 14-year career, and is quick to remember those who helped him and those who supported him over the years.
"Whether it was in D.C., Chicago, or Chivas, I was lucky enough to have some good relationships with the fans," he said. "As much as they may have enjoyed watching me play, I've really enjoyed having them around to support us and support me and my family. It was a mutual relationship."
Marsch has a lot to be proud of. He's found success both on and off the field, he's inspired generations of American soccer players, and he's had a hand in creating a league that is thriving; he's come along way from that April night back in 1996.
But if you had told him then all that he was going to accomplish, he wouldn't have believed you.
"I would have never thought that a career like this would be possible," he said. "It's been a lot of hard work but it's been very rewarding. I feel like soccer has given me so much more than I could ever give back to it. I'm very, very thankful."
