Sporting Kansas City defender Erik Palmer-Brown is one of five finalists revealed today for U.S. Soccer's 2013 Young Male Athlete of the Year. Voting is open online at USSoccer.com and will account for 50 percent of the total votes. National media and U.S. Soccer representatives from National Team coaches to the National Board of Directors will also cast their ballots before the winners are announced on Nov. 26.
2013 Young Male Athlete of the Year Finalists
Kellyn Acosta, Defender
Shaquell Moore, Defender
Shane O'Neill, Defender
Erik Palmer-Brown, Defender
Wil Trapp, Midfielder
Palmer-Brown, 16, became the youngest signing in club history and the only player born in 1997 on an MLS roster when he signed a Homegrown Player contract in August. The Sporting KC Academy product and Lee's Summit, Mo. native attended the prestigious U.S. Soccer Residency Program in Bradenton, Fla. for the spring semester this year and has featured extensively for United States youth national teams.
At the Under-15 level, Palmer-Brown represented the United States at the 2013 Tournament Delle Nazioni in Italy in May. At the Under-17 level, he was on the roster for the Caspian Cup in Azerbaijan in June and he helped the United States win an international tournament in Japan in July.
At the Under-18 level, he was invited to a training camp in California in September and was then selected to the roster for a four-team international tournament in France last month. He scored the first goal of his international career in a 1-0 victory over Czech Republic and played the full 90 minutes as the U.S. went unbeaten (2-0-1).
The U.S. Soccer Young Male Athlete of the Year has been awarded annually since 1998. View a list of previous winners below:
1998: Josh Wolff
1999: Ben Olsen
2000: Landon Donovan
2001: DaMarcus Beasley
2002: Bobby Convey
2003: Freddy Adu
2004: Eddie Johnson
2005: Benny Feilhaber
2006: Josmer Altidore
2007: Michael Bradley
2008: Sacha Kljestan
2009: Luis Gil
2010: Gale Agbossoumonde
2011: Brek Shea
2012: Rubio Rubin
A center back and former member of the U.S. U-17 Residency Program, Palmer-Brown is establishing himself on the international and professional fronts at an incredibly young age. On Aug. 2, 2013, the native of Kansas City suburb Lee’s Summit, Mo., officially signed a homegrown contract with Sporting Kansas City, becoming the youngest signing in the club’s history at 16 years old. Before his signing, Palmer-Brown represented the USA for both the U-15 Boys’ National Team and U-17 MNT. In late April and early May, Palmer-Brown played for the U-15s at the 2013 Tournament Delle Nazioni, starting in all four matches. In June, Palmer-Brown started in two of three games to help the U.S. U-17 MNT win the International Tournament in Niigata, Japan. Most recently, Palmer-Brown started in every match for the U.S. U-18 MNT, helping the USA take second place at the 2013 Limoges Tournament in France. - See more at: http://www.ussoccer.com/About/History/Awards/2013-Young-Male-Athlete-of-the-Year-Finalists.aspx#palmer-brown
A center back and former member of the U.S. U-17 Residency Program, Palmer-Brown is establishing himself on the international and professional fronts at an incredibly young age. On Aug. 2, 2013, the native of Kansas City suburb Lee’s Summit, Mo., officially signed a homegrown contract with Sporting Kansas City, becoming the youngest signing in the club’s history at 16 years old. Before his signing, Palmer-Brown represented the USA for both the U-15 Boys’ National Team and U-17 MNT. In late April and early May, Palmer-Brown played for the U-15s at the 2013 Tournament Delle Nazioni, starting in all four matches. In June, Palmer-Brown started in two of three games to help the U.S. U-17 MNT win the International Tournament in Niigata, Japan. Most recently, Palmer-Brown started in every match for the U.S. U-18 MNT, helping the USA take second place at the 2013 Limoges Tournament in France. - See more at: http://www.ussoccer.com/About/History/Awards/2013-Young-Male-Athlete-of-the-Year-Finalists.aspx#palmer-brown
