A long-held dream of a small-town kid is about to come true.

Erie, Pennsylvania's Andrew Lubahn is in Belgium now as a member of the Cercle Brugge team.

The professional club made a move to sign Lubahn after he impressed on a trial there in June. He will play with the squad for a year as a youth player and then become a full-fledged professional upon turning 18 next September.

It's what he's wanted for a long time.

"It's what I've wanted to do ever since I made the U14 (National) team," Lubahn, who has played on every youth national team except the U17s, said. "This is why I went to PSA and everything I've done since then has prepared me for that."

Premier Soccer Academies, Brad Friedel's player development venture in suburban Cleveland, set up trials for Lubahn in Belgium and also at Werder Bremen in Germany, but the Cercle Brugge staff liked him so much he never made it to Germany.

Lubahn, who has learned some Dutch through his father, will be attending his final year of school in Belgium and taking a crash course to improve his knowledge of the language. He now leaves the home he's grown up in along with his twin brother William, his parents Don and Terri, and five older siblings.

Terri Lubahn admitted to some bittersweet emotions over her son's departure.

"We're for it because it's what he wants," she said. "He's so focused and it's what he wants to do. We're happy for him, but it's not our dream. It's his dream. He's so passionate about it."

Sam Tojaga, Lubahn's coach at Erie Cathedral Prep and also with youth club Erie Admirals, said the player has something extra.

"He always had that little bit of special quality you find in international and world class players," Tojaga said. "He has the work ethic and that extra dynamic, that extra gear you can't teach. You can teach a kid skills and tactical stuff, but he has those elements that makes players special."

Tojaga added that Lubahn being successful as an overseas pro can do wonders for the game in a town like Erie.

"In a community like Erie, even though we have a tremendous facility and a pretty good club, this is someone who can become a role model for youngsters in the game," Tojaga said. "I have an 8-year old boy who adores Andy. Young kids can see his success and it gives them something to replicate and idolize. Also, as good as a player he is, a better person. If my son grows up to be like him I'll be pretty happy."

Lubahn, a fast attacker who likes to take players on 1v1 and has excellent close control, has not signed with an agent and can retain amateur status for the next year. He said he will play with a reserve team for the first year while he finishes his school and learns the language better. He is already excited with the soccer aspect of his move.

"Everyday it is the highest quality training," he said. "There are no light practices or anything. It's all based on getting ready for the season and the next game. I loved it."