Major League Soccer made a tremendous stride at the beginning of the season by introducing the Reserve Division. The back-up players on rosters around the league now have an opportunity to play in competitive matches instead of just training sessions. The full benefits of the Reserve Division will not be realized for a few seasons, but there is sure to be a point in the near future when a marquee player in MLS credits his success to being a part of a reserve team early in his career. D.C. United realized the immediate rewards of the division by becoming its inaugural champions this past weekend.
D.C. United head coach Peter Nowak and the entire United franchise have a great deal of respect for all the players on the roster, but the reality of a professional league is that it's impossible to play all the players on a roster. The majority of the key players on the United Reserves saw little if any time in any MLS matches this year. But after winning the Reserve Division, these players have contributed to the success of the club and have added another piece of hardware to United's crowded trophy case.
Forward Jamil Walker finished the season as the Reserve Division's leading scorer with nine goals in 12 matches. For more than half of the regular MLS season, Walker struggled to crack the first time lineup. In the Reserve Division, however, Walker played very well both as a starter and a substitute. In the first team's season finale, he collected his seventh assist of the season, ending tied for second-most on the team. Without the Reserve Division, Walker most likely would not have developed as well as he did during the summer, and D.C. would be without an important offensive option in the postseason.
Just like any championship team, the reserve players needed to show technical ability and concentration throughout the season. The D.C. United organization has a great amount of pride in these players, who take their jobs very seriously. Despite it being an off day for the players who played 90 minutes the night before, those players all showed up at Sunday's reserve match to support their teammates that push them in training every day to be the best players they can be. In addition to the players showing true professionalism, the coaching staff should also be commended. Assistant coaches Tommy Soehn and Mark Simpson have run the reserve team all season and their preparation was essential for the club's success.
Throughout the year, the reserve players learned from the regular first team players in training. United's starters deserve credit for helping the reserves to keep improving, just as the reserves deserve credit for always pushing the first team to stay sharp. The reserves couldn't have been successful without a talented and professional group of players making them better all season, and now the first team can learn a lesson from the reserve players by focusing when the games matter most and bringing another trophy home to D.C.
