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Wednesday, October 1, 2008
For "Juice," Soccer is Still Sweet
Raleigh Durham, NC
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Just a few years ago, circa 2003, you may have known him as “Juice”, the long-haired, hard working goalie for Wakefield High School’s soccer team. Today, however (though he will still answer to “Juice”), you won’t find him anywhere near North Raleigh. Justin Hughes now makes his home in Denver, CO, where he plays goalie for the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer.
Hughes started his soccer career as a kindergartner in his hometown of Rochester, NY, where he played for the local YMCA. Since then, there hasn’t been a moment where soccer was not present in his life. At age 11, he moved with his family to Wake Forest, where he attended Wake Forest-Roseville middle school. He began playing for the CASL, the Triangle’s preeminent youth soccer league, where, he says, he truly began to hone his soccer skills.
“Club soccer was really the best exposure,” Hughes said. “That’s where all the college coaches and scouts were.”
For Hughes, the competitive atmosphere encouraged constant hard work, which he attributes to his current success. Scouts began to take notice of his skills at goalie. He eventually joined the most advanced teams in the league. His U14 team regularly traveled to prominent soccer tournaments across the country.
Hughes continued playing for CASL when he entered high school at Wakefield.
At the time, Wakefield’s building was also being occupied by students from Sanderson High, which was undergoing renovations. Here, he tried out for the soccer team.
“My freshman year, we were all mixed in with Sanderson students. I wasn’t able to make varsity as a freshman,” he said.
This seemingly disappointing event turned out to be positive for Hughes, as it gave him the opportunity to establish a relationship with Neil Prescott, Wakefield’s junior varsity soccer coach. When Sanderson students left Wakefield the following year, Prescott took the position of head varsity coach.
“I was able to play for Coach Prescott for four years, which was great,” Hughes said.
In addition to soccer, Hughes had the unique experience of being the kicker for the Wolverine varsity football team during his senior year. The head football coach was Steve Rivers, father of Philip Rivers, the now successful quarterback for the NFL’s San Diego Chargers.
Rivers taught him a great deal.
“Coach Rivers was a great coach,” said Hughes. “He demanded respect and treated everyone around him with respect. It was a great experience.”
After high school, Hughes went on to play goalie for UNC on a full scholarship.
“Coming out of high school, I pretty much had it narrowed down to Wake Forest and UNC,” he said. “In the end, UNC was just the place I’d always wanted to go to college.”
As a Tar Heel, the atmosphere became even more competitive.
“Either you were playing well on the field or you were sitting on the bench,” Hughes remembered.
Playing in the ACC, one of the nation’s toughest soccer conferences, also helped Hughes. “You always faced a tough opponent,” he said.
He ultimately had a successful college career.
“Unfortunately, we never got any hardware, but we came close a few times,” he said.
These days, Hughes’ life is 100% soccer.
Each day, he arrives at the Colorado Rapid’s practice facility by 8 am, where he works with trainers to nurse a current injury. Practice begins at 10 am and lasts on average for two hours. After practice, the team eats lunch together at the facility. “I’m usually out of there by two,” said Hughes.
Then there are the games.
Major League Soccer’s preseason starts in February, during which teams travel the world to play exhibition games. This preseason, Hughes said, the Rapids played games in such soccer-centric places as England, Spain, and Bermuda.
March marks the start of the regular season, which lasts through October. The best teams in the league play even longer in the postseason.
When asked what advice he would give to a high school student today, Hughes responded emphatically. “Focus and determination are important,” he said. “It’s just a matter of working hard. You’re going to get out of it what you put into it.”
For Hughes, sports always meant balance. Being a part of a team, he believes, helps high-schoolers avoid other, less productive temptations.
At age 24, Hughes’ pro soccer career seems very promising. His hard work has led him from playing on the CASL fields of Raleigh with his peers to sharing the locker rooms of Major League Soccer with his heroes. And yes, he’s even met David Beckham. The Rapids’ first game of the season was against Los Angeles.
“Certain guys you’ve admired, now you see them on the same field. It’s pretty wild,” he said.
As for Hughes’ signature long and curly hair, he has no plans to get rid of it.
“I’m going to keep it as long as I can,” he says.
Obviously, it seems, Hughes’ determination applies not only to his work on the Soccer field, but also to his head.
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