Parker Walsh is given opportunity to play in Germany

Parker Walsh is given opportunity to play in Germany
July 8, 2009
The dream opportunity to pursue life as a European professional is hard to find for an elite youth soccer player in America.

Roanoke, Virginia’s, Parker Walsh is getting just such an opportunity.

Walsh, a standout defender for Danny Beamer’s Roanoke Star club who has verbally committed to Virginia, is beginning a year at German club Karlsruhe. Walsh will compete and train with the professional club’s U19 (amateur) team with an eye toward a possible professional opportunity.

Boys club soccer player Parker WalshParker Walsh (blue)
“I’ve basically got a one-year option to evaluate my progress and see what goes on from there,” Walsh said just before boarding a plane to Germany. “I feel like it’s a good opportunity. The coaches and the sports director at the club are behind me. When I went over (in the spring) they liked me from the first day which was encouraging. I trained for four months with a local team and the Karlsruhe coaches were keeping track of me. They are a club centered around their youth program because they don’t have a lot of money to buy older players. I’ll be there through the end of the season except for a few weeks in December for the Christmas break when I come home.”

Walsh will finish his high school (he was scheduled to graduate in another semester) with some online courses, and he turns 18 in October, which is the minimum age a player can sign a contract for a club outside his home country. If it works out, Walsh believes the opportunity to start on his pro career early will be a big benefit.

“This is a great way to get into a professional environment at my age,” he said. “It’s like a four-year head start. Pro clubs are looking for players to make an impact at age 21, which is when we’re still living the college life. This way I get to see what the competition is like and gauge my progress.”

Walsh thanked his head coach Danny Beamer, who also was instrumental in developing former Arsenal FC player Danny Karbassiyoon, in helping forge this opportunity.

“Danny helped me more than words can explain,” he said. “He went over to Germany and talked to coaches. I’ve played with Roanoke since age eight and he’s been around. When I got into the U14 (National Team) pool, he helped me stay level-headed and keep moving and providing all the things for the right environment in Roanoke. ODP was helpful as well and I want to think Gordon Miller and Virginia. I feel like I wouldn’t be getting this chance without Danny Beamer, Roanoke Star and Gordon Miller.”

Parker’s father Mark said the chance for his son is one he couldn’t have foreseen.

“This is a nice opportunity for him. I guess you have to take it when you get it,” he said. “I came from a football background so I never would have expected this. His mother (Betsy) and I just want to make sure it’s in Parker’s best interest. We are both college graduates so that is important to us, but he as told us he will go to college one way or the other. But the training offered in Germany is remarkable and we don’t have that here yet.”
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