A distinct local flavour has swept through the Toronto FC dressing room in 2009.
There are more top Canadian international players on the squad than at any time in the two previous seasons. Given the various quotas on domestic players, General manager Mo Johnston pulled off another vital coup at the 2009 MLS SuperDraft by selecting Scarborough native O'Brian White.
"Welcome home" were the first words uttered by his mother on the phone when White called to tell her that he was a Toronto FC player.
<p style="font-size:10px; margin:0 auto;">VIDEO: White's first MLS goal against DC United.</p> |
"My family was already following the draft," said White, "so when I called them in Scarborough right after, they already knew I was coming home."
Scarborough wasn't always "home" for the 23-year old soft-spoken rookie born in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. He arrived in Canada at the age of 16 to live with his mother.
"It was April and the weather was cool. I wanted to go back."
"But then the summer came around and I really started to enjoy myself here. So I put my mind to the new life in Toronto."
A culture shock and further adjustments awaited the teenager as he slipped inside the halls of Lester B. Pearson high school in the city's east end as the season turned to fall.
"Not wearing a uniform to school was the biggest adjustment early on. I was surprised to see that you can wear whatever you want and that punctuality wasn't a big issue here."
The slight adjustments turned to a leap forward when he left high school to pursue post-secondary education at the University of Connecticut.
<p style="font-size:10px; margin:0 auto;">VIDEO: White visits Sick Kids</p> |
"My dad lives in Connecticut so he had been telling them about me for a while. They also saw me play in tournaments for Jamaica as a junior."
It was in Connecticut where he came under the tutelage of Ray Reid, one of the most renowned collegiate coaches in the United States.
"He still checks up on me and gives me tips on my play."
In playing under Reid, White - the sociology and communications student - blossomed into one of the most coveted collegiate-level players in the United States. In 2007 he won the M.A.C. Hermann Trophy awarded annually to the country's top college player. Its past winners include Aston Villa's Brad Friedel and former Rangers and Manchester City midfielder Claudio Reyna.
Instead of turning pro after a highly successful year, White chose to remain in school to complete his degree. It was a promise he made to himself and his family. But what should have been a triumphant final season soon turned disastrous as the striker suffered a torn ACL in 2008.
Toronto's athletic therapist, Carmelo Lobue, says an injury of that magnitude requires someone who doesn't suffer from "mental fatigue" in order to bounce back. He was one of the trainers charged with bringing White back to form after Toronto used its fourth overall SuperDraft pick to select a player who had suffered a severe physical set-back.
"From the first minute I met him," says Lobue, "I saw his determination. He is one of the most dedicated athletes I've worked with."
That is high praise from Lobue, who treated wounds on the gridiron for five seasons with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League before joining the Reds.
"White is humble. He is one of the first guys in and one of the last ones to leave training. He knew it wasn't going to be easy, but he didn't let anything stop him."
<p style="font-size:10px; margin:0 auto;">VIDEO: White scores a beauty against Colorado</p> |
"Working with someone like that makes our job easier."
That sentiment was shared by the club's assistant athletic therapist, Shawn Jeffers.
"His attitude was very good. He was doing a lot of double days early when he met up with us in Florida (for spring training) after the draft."
"When the guys went to the field, I took him to a local gym. He adapted quickly to the routine and made a lot of progress early."
Both Lobue and Jeffers became very close to White due to the amount of time they spent together trying to restore the full range of motion and flexibility to the injured leg.
"Rehab was tough," says White, "sometimes four or five hours a day. But I had Carmelo and Shawn and they gave me lots of support. I never had a doubt that I could trust them."
What makes White so immediately likeable when speaking to this gifted young athlete, working his way back to the brilliant form of 2007, is that he recognizes and duly credits the support mechanism that surrounds him at the club and home.
"Family is the biggest thing. It's my support tree"
On the list of tickets for friends and family, White's name has the biggest number next to it in the dressing room. Between his mother, sister, two aunts, an uncle and the plethora of close friends who back him with encouragement, the tickets run short in supply.
White also leaves an astounding glimmer of hope for Canadian soccer fans.
"Who I play for at the senior level is still undecided," said the highly touted former Jamaican U-20, U-17 and U-15 player with Canadian papers.
"I am still making up my mind and I will make the best decision for myself."
Canada is a country ravaged by young star players declaring their affections for England, Holland, Portugal and Bosnia in recent years. To hear a great talent like White say that he is considering waving the Maple Leaf despite his deep Jamaican connections, can take some sting away from the disappointment of watching another World Cup tournament without Canadian involvement.
