Staff Highlights-Region I Boys ODP

Region I Boys ODP
Highlights of Coaches and Players

It may seem like Erik Hort’s progress in the world of professional soccer has been something of a whirlwind, but in truth his recent successes all stem from a strong foundation laid over several years time.

That foundation includes a very substantial contribution from U.S. Youth Soccer Region I ODP, the team he was playing with when he was first discovered by a European scout.

The 19-year old Hort is an outside back with top Czech Republic professional club Sparta Prague, a club often near the top of its national league and a frequent participant in the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup. Having been with the club for just over a year, Hort has progressed through the top ranks of the club’s youth system and now plays in the Czech 2nd Division with Sparta Reserves.

“I’m living my dream so far,” the New York native said. “For an American to come in and begin training with the professional men is pretty good. The coaches have told me they like my habits and that I’m doing well in training. It’s pretty exciting.”

When Hort arrived in January of 2005, he immediately felt the pressure of trying to win a contract with a major professional club.

“When I first came I thought I was coming for a tryout for two weeks, but after one practice they moved me to the highest level youth team,” Hort recalls. “The coaches said they didn’t have a natural attacking right back, and that if I did well in a game the next day, I could come with them for training camp. Well the game came and I performed well and on that Monday morning I was leaving for camp.”

The quick rise continued from there for Hort, although not without tribulation.

“It was the hardest thing I’ve ever been a part of,” Hort said of the team’s grueling training camp in the mountains. “We had three sessions per day for a week, and were doing so many fitness things as well, including skiing, aerobics and cycling. I felt like the coaches were testing me as an American, to make sure I wasn’t going to get homesick and leave (as another American had done at the club previously).”

Hort did well enough to earn a professional contract with the club, and continued performing well through the fall before again being promoted. To prepare for the spring season (Czech teams take an extended break because of harsh winter conditions), the team returned to the mountains for more intensive and exhausting training. He played in the team’s first league match of the spring on March 11.

Erik grew up in the New York City area, and began with ODP from the earliest age, making the Eastern New York U13 team. He recalls a number of excellent Region I ODP trips including domestic Interregionals at Disney, Austin, Texas and Chula Vista, California, plus overseas tours in Spain, Costa Rica and Italy. Most notably however, he was first seen by the Sparta Prague scouts on a Region I trip to Austria.

“I was scouted in Austria and the coaches from Sparta sent a letter to my house calling me in for a tryout,” he said. “ODP really gives you a taste of what’s out there. When we went to places like Spain and Costa Rica – you get to play against some amazing teams. I even got to play against the Brazilian National Team. Those trips were a big experience for me and got me a lot of good looks from (professional) coaches.”

One of Erik’s ODP coaches, Craig Reynolds, now an assistant coach with Chicago Fire of Major League Soccer, said the player made a great impression immediately.

“He stood out right away as one of the better guys,” Reynolds said. “His leadership skills started to emerge right away. Through the course of the year with that team, we did 5 events. You get to know somebody pretty good and he was always setting a good example on the field. He’s one of the more vocal guys. A lot of guys, even if they want to lead, are too shy. But he stood up and took charge. He was good at organizing the defense, and even off the field, set the tone for being on time and all that good stuff.”

Reynolds said on top of all the mental characteristics, Hort can also flat out play.

“Technically he is good all around. He’s fast, has good technique, is a good tackler and reads the game well. He plays right back now, but we used him in the center. Even if he’s not the biggest guy, he jumped well and his timing was good. He was always one of the better athletes in the group.”

Now Hort, who said he loves his life in the city of Prague, is working on the next and most difficult rung in the ladder.

“American soccer is physical, but you get over here and the game is everything,” he said. “You leave your heart out on the field. It’s a lot different being a professional. “