by Andrew Wasik ’13

Playing at the next level is a dream held by many student-athletes at Sherwood but few have a chance to actually pursue the dream. Seniors Ernest Williams and Jonny DeMoya have been given the opportunity to make their dreams come true by playing for The Baltimore Bay’s Chelsea U18 academy.

Williams, primarily a right midfielder, is being recruited for soccer by schools like The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Georgetown. “This [academy] is the next step from high school, and then after this my goal is to play for a Division I college,” said Williams.

DeMoya, who is catching the attention of coaches at schools such as Temple and University of Maryland Baltimore College, has the more difficult task of being a goalkeeper. “I think it’s harder trying to make a team as a goalie.” DeMoya explained, “We don’t have the opportunities position players have; they can come in and play 15 minutes off the bench while if I don’t start in goal I don’t play.”

Through playing for the club team in Baltimore, Williams and DeMoya have the unique opportunity to move up through the academy system of Chelsea, a professional football club in the English Premier League. The team travels around the country, going as far as Texas and California, playing other team’s academies. The team’s season coincides with Sherwood’s season, although the Academy practices year round.  After completing a grueling tryout to make the team, Chelsea has the “rights” to both players. Neither DeMoya or Williams could play for another team unless Chelsea gave away the rights of the players.

Although playing at  an academy is the next step on the way to college and possibly the pros, it comes with a cost. All academies countrywide have adopted new rules that don’t allow academy players to also play for high school teams in order to try to cut down on injuries. “I think it feels pretty good playing at the next level, but it’s disappointing not being able to play for Sherwood,” said DeMoya “I know it’s for the best in the long run, though.”

Williams agrees, adding, “I like playing at the next level because there is more skill and it’s harder, but I definitely miss playing with all the guys on the team.”

While they have to sacrifice playing for their school team and give up most of their weekends for traveling and practice, Demoya and Williams made the commitment to their teams in the hope to someday play on a professional soccer pitch.