A soccer player has made it all the way from the Nanaimo house league to become a first-round Major League Soccer draft pick.

Callum Montgomery of Lantzville was chosen fourth overall by FC Dallas in the MLS SuperDraft last week. He and his family were at the draft Friday in Chicago.

B次元官网网址淰arious mock drafts projected it, but you still never know, with trades and things like that, and what teams are looking for and what they actually see in you,B次元官网网址� said the 21-year-old defender. B次元官网网址淵ou donB次元官网网址檛 really know, I guess, till you hear your name called, so it was a pretty cool moment.B次元官网网址�

Montgomery played for the Blue Thunder house team and then Nanaimo rep before moving on to VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 V.I. Wave program. He attended Dover Bay Secondary and finished high school at St. Michaels University School and played for the Victoria Highlanders.

He is coming off his final, and finest, season with the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, as his 49ers sported a 14-5-2 record and he was an All-American and Academic All-American.

B次元官网网址淭hat was probably the best I had been in all four years, just getting older and learning from every year and starting to take a larger leadership role at the same time,B次元官网网址� Montgomery said.

He said as a teenager, he had a dream to play MLS soccer, but didnB次元官网网址檛 think he was quite good enough.

B次元官网网址淎nd then [I] got to college and started really developing more and more and grew into my body more, became faster, stronger, more athletic and then the accolades started coming in,B次元官网网址� Montgomery said.

Still, at seasonB次元官网网址檚 end, he wouldnB次元官网网址檛 have thought he would be a high draft pick, so itB次元官网网址檚 been a bit of a B次元官网网址渨hirlwindB次元官网网址� to find himself go in the first round, fly to Phoenix for a rookie symposium this week, and then look ahead to his first training camp with FC Dallas.

He said his new club has a strong program with good players and coaches and heB次元官网网址檒l have a better idea of where he fits in once he arrives there.

B次元官网网址淭hat being said, I just want to work hard every single day and do what I can do to contribute,B次元官网网址� said Montgomery. B次元官网网址淲hether thatB次元官网网址檚 on the practice field carrying water bottles or starting every single match, I just want to contribute to the teamB次元官网网址檚 success and get better every day in the process.B次元官网网址�

sports@nanaimobulletin.com
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