Dreams really do come true! MSC is proud and thrilled to share the exciting news that one of our own has made his professional soccer debut. Jonathan Dean (aka JD) made his MLS debut on Saturday, March 25th, starting at left back for the Chicago Fire. Through his hard work and perseverance, JD’s dream became a reality in their 3-2 victory over Inter Miami. JD also started the next game for the Fire, on April 1 v. D.C. United. JD fell in love with the beautiful game on the same fields where your kids play today. That history at MSC started in our Rec program and then quickly moved on to our Academy and Select programs. JD’s team was one of the best teams in the State, winning countless major tournaments and playing in what was then known as the Classic 1 division. While JD’s rapid rise and development was in large part due to his innate speed and hours of hard working honing his skills, MSC coaching was also a significant part of his story. In a conversation with Adrian Juarez, MSC’s Director of Coaching and one of JD’s former coaches, JD shared “I started out at Macon Soccer Club from a very early age and that's where my passion for soccer grew. I also met some of my best friends who I went to school with as well. I played up an age group since the beginning and loved the team and group of guys. I believe we were number 1 in the nation at one point and being coached by Shannon and Baxter and having trainers like BB, Ben Ngie, James Jordan, and Iain Jones from an early age helped progress the love for soccer and eventually having coach Adrian train and develop our team. Macon Soccer Club really had some great coaches who were passionate about the sport. They helped me personally grow to love the game which ultimately created a drive and passion for the sport. Luckily, I have been able to continue to play with the same drive and passion that I developed through Macon Soccer Club.” His coaches at MSC also fondly recall JD’s time with the club. “JD had tremendous ball mastering skills,” recalls Adrian. “He was deadly on 1v1 situations, which is why he spent most of his time at MSC playing right forward. Thanks to skills, his speed, and low center of gravity, he was able to take on players, and then finish or cross with ease. Although I only got to watch him play and develop during his Academy years, I was lucky enough to train him during his first Select year (U13). He was always driven, always looking for ways to improve his game, even at a very young age, but he did so in a humble way. He is a truly generous person and a team player. I remember a couple of summers ago he was in Macon during his off season and randomly stopped by MSC. We were doing Select tryouts at the time and he just grabbed a clipboard and assisted our coaches with evaluations.” The fond memories and excitement don’t stop with Adrian. Both of his former MSC Academy coaches, who also saw him flourish at the High School and Select level, were excited to share their own experiences with JD. Baxter Sowell (Coach B), remembered, “Jonathan had all the raw materials: high game IQ, cardio fitness, great vertical and speed. He could play multiple positions and still stay within the team’s game plan. If I had to put his personality into a single descriptor, it would be tenacious! The word backdown simply doesn’t exist in his world. At some level, Jonathan is where he’s at in life, playing professional soccer for Chicago Fire, simply because of the men and women that put their heart, soul, and resources into the Macon Soccer Club.” Coach Shannon Joyner reminisced, “Jonathan was very competitive and hated to lose. I remember someone once told him that it was a long shot for him to play at the next level and he was determined to prove them wrong. He is great mix of natural talent and a strong work ethic.” The tenacity described by Coach B and next level determination is apparent looking at JD’s career thus far. JD’s path to joining the Chicago Fire included a prominent high school career at Stratford Academy followed by two NCAA stops. JD began his collegiate career playing at Wofford College in 2015 where, as a freshman, he made 17 appearances, scoring 1 goal and tallying 5 assists. Then in 2016, JD transferred to the University of Central Florida, where he made 50 appearances, scoring 1 goal and tallying 11 assists. His collegiate career culminated in JD captaining the team and leading them to a Conference Championship and Sweet 16 appearance. Following college, JD continued to pursue his dream of playing professional soccer – first in the USL for Birmingham FC (2020-21) and then for New Mexico United (2022). Following the 2022 USL Season, JD was offered a one-year contract with the Chicago Fire. Prior to his starting debut against Inter Miami, JD had come off the bench in the previous 2 games. Including his April 1 start, that is four games in a row for JD. Hopefully the trend continues since our own Atlanta United will be hosting the Fire on April 23rd. We would love to see our members showing support to our Macon Soccer Club Wonder kid! While we are excited to share news of JD's accomplishment, we would be remiss if we didn't point out that MSC wouldn’t be able to provide a platform for kids like JD to work hard and achieve their dreams if it wasn’t for you, our Middle Georgia soccer community. So, a big thank you is owed to our Academy and Select coaches, volunteer rec coaches, employees, parents (getting kids to practices – with shinguards!), referees, contractors, local university players who provide clinics, and everyone else who spends time out at the fields every spring and fall. Because of your dedication and selflessness, MSC has seen growth in player involvement and quality of play in recent years. This should translate into more players achieving their dreams, no matter the size. As any coach can attest, it is special to see a player entrusted to your guidance grow as a person and player, reaching their goal - whether that goal be an MLS debut, a college scholarship, or just making their high school team. We appreciate your trust in us as coaches and board members, and are excited for what the future will bring to MSC.