Garza finds motivation in competition

18-year-old forward works out daily with local friends

By Steve Hunt / MLSnet.com Staff

18-year-old forward Fernando Garza feels there is something he can learn everytime he takes the field. (FC Dallas)

A native of Garland, Texas, Garza was in familiar company as two of his friends, 21-year-old defender Jaime Benitez of Dallas and 21-year-old goalkeeper Raul Herrera of Richardson, were also among those making the cut. And now the three are working out daily in a bid to make their dreams come true.

"When I heard their names called, I was happy because I knew that we would keep practicing every day," Garza said. "We've been training together every day and want to keep going. We just push each other and it's great having two of my best friends out there with me."

Garza would like to see them all in the final three so that their practices can continue.

"That would be great," he said. "That would be awesome. We could continue training together and to be able to go to practices together with FC Dallas, that would also be great."

Over the weekend, Garza and the other 17 players remaining met for a training session led by FC Dallas director of youth development Chris Clarke.

"The competition was really good and everybody out there were a lot of good players there," he said. "Everybody worked well together and we all got to know each other better. That should help us in the game this weekend."

Garza, who played four years on the varsity squad at North Garland High School, is pleased with how he has performed at Sueno thus far but knows if he is to be in the final three that he will have to take his game to a whole new level.

"I just want to keep playing the way I've been playing," he said. "I'm a forward and need to score some goals if I want to keep going."

And that means performing well in the game on Saturday afternoon between the 18-man squad and an undetermined opponent which will take place just hours before FCD faces the Los Angeles Galaxy in a preseason match at Pizza Hut Park.

"I'm just trying to do my best out there to be one of the final three," Garza said. "I will go out there and give it all I've got and 100 percent to be one of the finalists. If I start, I will give it all I can or if I come off the bench, I will do what I need to do. I'm very excited to play this game and to have chance of being one of the three finalists to play for FC Dallas."

Garza has been playing soccer for some 16 years and credits his older brother, Sergio, for introducing him to the sport.

"He used to play soccer every day," Garza said. "He always told me to go out there and to not be afraid of playing with and against the bigger kids. He told me to pass the ball and do my best."

His older brother has also dispensed some sage advice during Sueno. "He has told me just to keep working hard," Garza said. "He has been out there for all of it. He's been there for the first practice and has been there ever since. He tells me to keep going and that he knows that I can do it."

Sergio also deserves credit for helping to instill a strong love of the game in his younger brother. "I love everything about it, passing, games, winning, practices and everything," Garza said. "I like that even when you lose, the game teaches you something."

Garza, who plays on an under-18 team in the FCD youth system, likes playing up top for a multitude of reasons. "I like dribbling at people and moving forward," he said. "I don't like moving backwards to pass the ball. I just like going forward, try to score and take people on."

Steve Hunt is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.