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Young footballer ready to reward his club's faith
Gordon Williams, Gleaner Writer
Four months after surgery followed a jolting tackle that ruptured tendons in his knee and halted his career, O'Brian White took his first jog.
Another five months would pass before the Jamaican made his professional football debut in late July.
Today, White's anterior (ACL) is fine. His speed, strength and technical skills are back. But it will probably take the 23-year-old United States Major League Soccer rookie striker a bit more time to find the flow of the game.
"It's just a matter of getting into the repetition of playing, practice full time," White explained last week. "Everything is good. I am very close."
Yet, ever since Toronto Football Club (TFC) selected the St Ann native fourth overall in January's MLS Super Draft - damaged knee and all - the plan has been patience. The small steps came first.
"They've made sure I'm ready to play," White said.
TFC rolled the dice on White. And, with his future squarely on the line, the former national youth player backed himself. Up to six hours of grinding daily therapy matched by lost personal pleasures, including a to Jamaica, were among sacrifices on White's road back.
TFC is now banking on the potential he once showed as the best college player in the US. In four years at the University of, White scored nearly 50 goals.
terribly good
"We know what his qualities are," said John Carver, then TFC's, during the team's February preseason training camp where White first ran.
"He's got pace, he's got strength, he's got power, but he is also terribly good."
White is ready to reward his club's faith.
"Physically, I feel good," he said. "Mentally, I'm prepared."
White missed half the 2009 MLS season before his TFC debut as a substitute in a July 22 friendly against Argentine club River Plate. He played twice more, once each in MLS and CONCACAF Champions League (CCL), before failing to leave the bench in last Saturday's MLS game against the New England Revolution. His MLS statistics read: 11 minutes, no goals, no assists.
Yet numbers alone don't worry White. He hopes to be part of TFC's 2009 play-off run and is more interested in catching up to the game he "missed a lot" for nine months. The October 18, 2008 setback that threatened to cut short his football career is being filed away.
"I tried to take my mind off it," said the 6' 1", 175-pound player. "I wasn't anxious to go out there once they told me my schedule to play. I just focused on the date they say I could play. But it was hard."
Most players return to action from similar damage after about seven months. White and TFC chose to wait longer.
"It was a serious injury," he said. " ... I'm not really in a rush."
Now White ices the injured knee "at least five times a day" and claims to be about 95 per cent ready. But that didn't quell TFC's anxiety when he fell under a challenge against River Plate.
"I remember that exact tackle," recalled White. "I wasn't really worried about the tackle. The trainer told me everyone on the bench was holding their breaths. But they were very happy I got up and ran off."
White plans to stay with TFC a while. He has been given no promises for playing time. That he'll have to earn. But Toronto's Jamaican community and TFC's fan base have rallied behind him. And although Johann Smith and Rohan Ricketts, two players with strong Jamaican roots, are no longer at the club, White said his current team-mates have made him happy.
"It's been tough," he said. "But I've got a lot of support - from family, friends and the club. And I look forward to making it work."
TFC is currently fourth in the MLS eastern standings, good enough for a play-off spot if the season ended today. But there is a long way to go in the competitive MLS. TFC finished last in the conference in 2008 and failed to make the play-offs. Soon the club will need returns on its investment. White calmly brushes aside the looming demand.
ready to play
"No pressure," he said. " ... I feel comfortable going out there to play ... I am ready to play. It's just for them to decide how much I play."
When he does, the striker has a chance to make a huge impact. Last season, TFC finished next to last in scoring with 34 goals. Without White's contribution, the club has already tallied 28, tied for third with three other clubs in the 15-team MLS.
White said he has not set a goal projection for the season. As for international football, he would like to play for Jamaica, but won't ponder that option until he is fully fit.
Yet, despite his punishing journey back to the game, White hasn't lost his sense of humour. Reminded last Thursday that TFC had not won a game since his return to action, he burst into laughter.
"I know," said the former High student. "Hopefully, I can do something big."
He has already taken all the small steps.
Gordon Williams, Gleaner Writer
Four months after surgery followed a jolting tackle that ruptured tendons in his knee and halted his career, O'Brian White took his first jog.
Another five months would pass before the Jamaican made his professional football debut in late July.
Today, White's anterior (ACL) is fine. His speed, strength and technical skills are back. But it will probably take the 23-year-old United States Major League Soccer rookie striker a bit more time to find the flow of the game.
"It's just a matter of getting into the repetition of playing, practice full time," White explained last week. "Everything is good. I am very close."
Yet, ever since Toronto Football Club (TFC) selected the St Ann native fourth overall in January's MLS Super Draft - damaged knee and all - the plan has been patience. The small steps came first.
"They've made sure I'm ready to play," White said.
TFC rolled the dice on White. And, with his future squarely on the line, the former national youth player backed himself. Up to six hours of grinding daily therapy matched by lost personal pleasures, including a to Jamaica, were among sacrifices on White's road back.
TFC is now banking on the potential he once showed as the best college player in the US. In four years at the University of, White scored nearly 50 goals.
terribly good
"We know what his qualities are," said John Carver, then TFC's, during the team's February preseason training camp where White first ran.
"He's got pace, he's got strength, he's got power, but he is also terribly good."
White is ready to reward his club's faith.
"Physically, I feel good," he said. "Mentally, I'm prepared."
White missed half the 2009 MLS season before his TFC debut as a substitute in a July 22 friendly against Argentine club River Plate. He played twice more, once each in MLS and CONCACAF Champions League (CCL), before failing to leave the bench in last Saturday's MLS game against the New England Revolution. His MLS statistics read: 11 minutes, no goals, no assists.
Yet numbers alone don't worry White. He hopes to be part of TFC's 2009 play-off run and is more interested in catching up to the game he "missed a lot" for nine months. The October 18, 2008 setback that threatened to cut short his football career is being filed away.
"I tried to take my mind off it," said the 6' 1", 175-pound player. "I wasn't anxious to go out there once they told me my schedule to play. I just focused on the date they say I could play. But it was hard."
Most players return to action from similar damage after about seven months. White and TFC chose to wait longer.
"It was a serious injury," he said. " ... I'm not really in a rush."
Now White ices the injured knee "at least five times a day" and claims to be about 95 per cent ready. But that didn't quell TFC's anxiety when he fell under a challenge against River Plate.
"I remember that exact tackle," recalled White. "I wasn't really worried about the tackle. The trainer told me everyone on the bench was holding their breaths. But they were very happy I got up and ran off."
White plans to stay with TFC a while. He has been given no promises for playing time. That he'll have to earn. But Toronto's Jamaican community and TFC's fan base have rallied behind him. And although Johann Smith and Rohan Ricketts, two players with strong Jamaican roots, are no longer at the club, White said his current team-mates have made him happy.
"It's been tough," he said. "But I've got a lot of support - from family, friends and the club. And I look forward to making it work."
TFC is currently fourth in the MLS eastern standings, good enough for a play-off spot if the season ended today. But there is a long way to go in the competitive MLS. TFC finished last in the conference in 2008 and failed to make the play-offs. Soon the club will need returns on its investment. White calmly brushes aside the looming demand.
ready to play
"No pressure," he said. " ... I feel comfortable going out there to play ... I am ready to play. It's just for them to decide how much I play."
When he does, the striker has a chance to make a huge impact. Last season, TFC finished next to last in scoring with 34 goals. Without White's contribution, the club has already tallied 28, tied for third with three other clubs in the 15-team MLS.
White said he has not set a goal projection for the season. As for international football, he would like to play for Jamaica, but won't ponder that option until he is fully fit.
Yet, despite his punishing journey back to the game, White hasn't lost his sense of humour. Reminded last Thursday that TFC had not won a game since his return to action, he burst into laughter.
"I know," said the former High student. "Hopefully, I can do something big."
He has already taken all the small steps.
