How it all came to be...
From Naple Valley, Wash., Nikolas Besagno describes the moment he was drafted into Major League Soccer at age 16 as a dream come true. Besagno was acquired by Real Salt Lake in the First Round (first overall) of the 2005 MLS SuperDraft. Being the top pick and the second youngest player to be drafted was not even on the young player's mind. "I was just happy to go into the League," Besagno said. "It is what I'd always wanted. It's like everything was going right."
He would soon learn things could only get better. Not only had he officially been drafted to the MLS, but he would be playing for RSL Head Coach John Ellinger, his previous coach at the U.S. Men's U-17 National Team level. "I would not have been happier with any other coach," he said.
In April 2004, Besagno was invited to the U.S. U-17 Residency Program in Bradenton, Fla., by Ellinger. The young star made an instant impression in the 1-0 victory against Belgium on April 29 in the Ballymena Tournament in Northern Ireland. He quickly became a starter in the following three matches against Scotland (2-0 victory), Austria (1-1 draw), and Switzerland (0-0 draw, 4-3 PK loss). Besagno held on to a starting position for the rest of the season, ending the season with one goal and two assists in 20 games and started in ten of the eleven international games he played in. Five days after his 16th birthday on November 15, 2004, Besagno played 89 minutes in the 2-1 victory over Mexico with the U-20 National team.
Besagno came into RSL's inaugural season hoping to get a feel for the pace of a professional soccer team. Playing soccer for J.F. Kennedy Memorial High School and then representing the national team, soccer has always been fun and games for Besagno. But playing for Real has made him look at the game from a different perspective. "Being on a team with men twice my age who do this for a living makes you realize that it's so much more than just a game," Besagno said.
One season with RSL has helped Besagno's improve upon his skills. "I made lots of mistakes in the beginning and gave the ball away a lot," he said. "But now I have learned you can't hold the ball for more than a couple seconds. When you play with the pros you have to play just as good as them." Besagno ended the 2005 RSL Inaugural Season playing in two games with one start. "I hope to land a starting position in 2006."
Coach Ellinger's Call...
"Nik is someone I got to know in the Under-17 residency program. He has the ability to not only be very composed on the ball in a defensive center midfielder position but also very good at weighing balls both on the ground and in the air. He is very strong on tackle. Although young, we picked him because we know we were going to have a very good player in the future. It wasn't so much we were going to have an immediate impact the first season, but for years two, three, whenever. He's shown some glimpses in the few games he's played with us and how he played with the U-17's in the World Championships have also substantiated our faith in him."
Field Vision: Forward Jamie Watson says...
"Nik is a great addition to this team and has a lot of potential. He is very good in the air and very strong in his tackles. Nik has the potential to be very dominant in MLS one day. Away from the field he is one of my best friends and is a great guy. I am very glad he is a part of this team and I hope he is here for a while."
Things you need to know...
Nickname:
Niko
Family:
Parents are John and Barbara
Favorite athlete:
Zinedine Zidane
Hobbies:
Hanging out with friends
Most memorable moment:
2005 MLS SuperDraft
Greatest accomplishment:
Fulfilling his dream of playing professional soccer
Favorite music:
Hip Hop
Favorite movie:
Happy Gilmore
Favorite actor:
Mel Gibson
Favorite food:
Steak
Favorite book:
Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
Favorite TV show:
Family Guy
