While many Brown seniors spent winter break seeking future employment, Chris Gomez '05 sat at home watching TV and listening to the radio. At least that was how he spent a few hours on Jan. 14, the day of the Major League Soccer SuperDraft.
After watching the first round of the draft on television for an hour, Gomez switched over to the Internet and heard what he had been waiting for. The two-time All-Ivy goalkeeper was selected 28th overall by FC Dallas, a team that just a few days later would sell the rights to former Brown player Cory Gibbs '01.
"(Brown Head Coach) Mike Noonan found out prior to the selection and called me one minute before they announced it," said Gomez. "At first I wasn't sure whether or not to believe him because they hadn't actually said anything yet."
Gomez immediately called his parents, then fielded a barrage of phone calls from his teammates and one from his potential new boss, FC Dallas Head Coach Colin Clarke.
FC Dallas has the first rights to watch Gomez try out. This Sunday, Gomez will head to Dallas to begin working out with the team. For the first few days, there will be training sessions and tryouts in Dallas and Florida. After about a week, the team will name the unofficial roster and head to Spain for two weeks. When the team returns to Dallas on March 1, they will publicly release their roster.
Both Gomez and Noonan are optimistic about Gomez's chances to earn a position on the team.
"From what I have heard and what Coach Noonan has said, the team is looking to keep me for a while," Gomez said.
Noonan noted that several teams had expressed interest in Gomez prior to the draft. "I know Chris's pedigree from last year was important. I think it shows the value that he was one of the four goalies picked in the draft. (Assistant Coach) Scott Wiercinski and I have worked with him every week for four years, and (at tryouts) it's an environment where they look at what you do every minute. He's going to go down there and get his place and keep it."
Unlike most of the other players trying out for the team, Gomez will be balancing soccer and school.
"I'm going to continue with my classes," Gomez said. "I have three independent projects and two regular classes." During his tryout period, Gomez will be communicating with his professors via email.
Other former Brown soccer players have been drafted and had the opportunity to play professional soccer. Noonan was quick to point out that players coming from the Ivy League have a chance to play, but also are capable of continuing on in other fields. Matt Cross '01, who was drafted by the Kansas City Wizards in 2001, tried out with the team but then decided to attend medical school.
"Chris and I have had these discussions," said Noonan of Gomez's desire to play soccer professionally. "He's going for it. You make it a career, and Chris is ready to do it."
This past summer Gomez got a taste of professional soccer while training with the Los Angeles Galaxy. Along with a somewhat familiar environment, Gomez will be sure to encounter a few familiar faces.
"A couple of friends I grew up playing with will be trying out," Gomez said. "One guy who plays for Notre Dame played on our rival team in high school (and will be there)."
Gomez was to join the former All-American and All-Ivy Gibbs, but on Jan. 20, FC Dallas sold Gibbs to Fayenoord Rotterdam. The Dutch team, currently in fourth place in Holland's top league, signed Gibbs to a four-and-a-half-year contract. Gibbs, one of only four American players in the league, has already started a game at the center back position.
"It's a huge move," Noonan said. "Cory is four years out of Brown, and he continues to impress people." Noonan emphasized the scouts were impressed by not only Cory's physical development, but some attributes he picked up at Brown.
"If you look at some of the quotes laid on him, they said his mentality was superb," Noonan said. "His talent must be at a high level, but if they have already identified (his mentality) that makes us really proud."
Noonan believes that Gomez may not be the only Brown senior trying out for a professional team this year.
"You may see Jeff Larentowicz ('05) go in a later round of the draft," Noonan said. Later rounds of the draft are scheduled before team tryouts begin.
Along with soccer, Brown has several alumni in other professional sports, such as Sean Morey '99, who is playing on special teams for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and a handful of hockey players in the American Hockey League and East Coast Hockey League.
"It's a statement of students and student athletes," Noonan said. "You can excel academically and make it to the highest levels in the athletic arena as well."
Gomez will look to do both in the following month. While he may be interviewing for a job, Gomez sees soccer as less work and more fun.
"It's kind of not even a job for me," Gomez said. "It's going out there and having fun, and getting paid for it."
