Kevin Alvarenga speaks softly but carries a big strike.

Alvarenga is a gifted central midfielder who’s beginning to find his voice. He performed well at the U.S. U18 National camp two weeks ago, showcasing his skills at a variety of positions.

For his Texas Rush club he patrols the middle of the field and combines his playmaking ability with the skill of striking a ball from distance.

“I think Kevin is one of the few kids that can strike a good ball from over 30 or 40 yards, and do it consistently,” said Rush coach Scott Dymond. “He keeps working all the time – he’s a very humble kid.”

At 6-foot-1, Alvarenga has great size but isn’t always the most talkative player on the field. His recent growth benefited greatly from being in camp with players like David Caban, Sean Cunningham, Bryan Gallego, William Trapp and Ryan Zinkhan. In fact, one of the first things Alvarenga did upon returning to his club was share with his teammates what he’d learned from coach Mike Matkovich and the staff.

On the Rush team, Alvarenga has other talented players around him, including Christian Garcia, a new player this season who oozes raw talent, and Bryan Garcia, a U18 who has been in the national pool before.

The challenge Dymond will have with Garcia, and for most of his first-year squad, will be acclimating them to the new rigors of the Academy and its daily demands.

“A lot of the players were top players in their league and they have to adjust to playing their best all the time and being sharp every day,” Dymond said. “We have to continue to play as a unit even when things aren’t going well and players are tempted to play individually.”

Bigger in Texas

Speaking of the great state of Texas, eight players were represented on the Top 100 2011 Boys list, including Michael Ambrose, Jack Coleman, Rocco Bagley, Aaron Simmons, Devin Cook, Edu Aranda, Christopher Figueroa, and Alvarenga.

See the complete list here