Alecko's career in Major League Soccer was probably influenced early on by his father, who was part of the New York Cosmos and the Iranian National Football Team. During his high school years, Alecko was awarded the Gatorade National Athlete of the Year Award. In 2003, Alecko was the #1 draft pick at the 2003 MLS Super Draft.
BCC: What can you tell a Brazilian soccer player about the benefits of playing in the United States at the high school or college level?
AE: The greatest benefit is gaining an education that will last for the rest of your life and open doors for future employment opportunities, because as we all know, a soccer career doesn't last forever.
BCC: What are coaches looking for? How does one get their attention?
AE: Coaches are looking for good soccer players with strong character. There are many different ways to get a coach's attention, but the best way to start is by simply contacting them.
BCC: If there was a timeline of things to do to be recruited (and the Brazilian high school system is only three years long) what would it look like?
AE: Difficult to say. Coaches are always looking for good players. Many of the top players in the US are known within the Academy or youth national team system, so that is the best avenue to search for the best players. For an unknown international, simply contact the coaches and initiate conversation to see if there is any interest.
BCC: Is English totally necessary?
AE:No.
BCC: How do I know I will fit in at a school and on a team?
AE: That is for you to decide. Visit the school, speak to the coaches and students, ask questions.
BCC: Which schools have great soccer teams (HS or college)?
AE: The University of Virginia. :)
BCC: Are Brazilians players welcomed in the US by other players?
AE:Of course!
BCC: What are the downsides of playing professional soccer?
AE:Injuries.
BCC: What is the hardest lesson to learn about the sport?
AE:Discipline, commitment, pressure, dealing with failure as well as success, consistency, etc etc. It is not easy to be a successful professional athlete, and a lot of hard work and preparation is necessary before you even get close to the soccer field.
BCC: Are there any outreach programs for really great soccer playing kids from very poor (international) areas?
AE:I'm not exactly sure. At the moment, the best outreach programs are through hearsay because a lot of time and money is now being invested in developing the American youth soccer system. There is no secret recipe or protocol or avenue of communication that ensures a path to US high school or college soccer, but simply reaching out and having a CV or video of highlights can go a long way. I can only speak for myself, but if I am contacted with that type of information then it will be much easier for me to help you or at least direct you to someone else who might be better suited to help.
To read more about the amazing Alecko Eskandarian, please visit his Wikipedia page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alecko_Eskandarian
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