Sounders may be adding one more Homegrown Player

There was another new addition to trialists and invitee section of the Seattle Sounders training camp. Dave Olsen, former Academy standout and Seattle University Redhawks forward, was at Starfire today.

In 2015 he lead NCAA Division I in goals scored with 16 goals, added an assist for good measure, and was a Hermann Trophy semifinalist. He began 2016 on the Hermann Watch List, but struggled to have the strong season expected of him, scoring just four times with four assists. His freshman year at San Diego State he scored seven times.

Now, he and the Sounders are trying to figure out his future. That could mean a first team contract, or with Sounders 2.

“That’s an ongoing process,” Brian Schmetzer said. “I have to talk to him after training today and see what his real path is. I don’t have a concrete answer for you, but any time I can help the Academy kids and give them an opportunity, whether it’s with the first team or S2, I’m going to try to do that, because I know the importance of the Academy.”

In Olsen’s first season with the U18 Academy team, he and Jordan Morris combined for nearly 50 goals (Morris had 27, Olsen 18). In his second season with the U18s, he was usually the lone forward, scoring 17 goals. Recent HGP signing Seyi Adekoya came off the bench or was in the midfield behind David.

David also played for the Sounders U23s in 2015 and ‘16.

In today’s practice he was mainly a wide player, as his frame is more suited to space than as a solo forward in a 4-2-3-1.

This training camp has seen significant advancement in Academy and Homegrown Players getting long looks by the first team staff, and Olsen is the latest of those. Schmetzer sees giving Academy players a chance as a way to reward both the player and the Academy staff.

“I understand that we’ve put time and effort and money into the kids. We want to try to reward that, and also reward Marc (Nicholls) and the Academy staff for doing a good job developing players.”