High expectations accompanied Justin Moose to the nation's capital after D.C. United selected him with their top pick of the 2006 SuperDraft. Adding his speed, skill and work rate to a winning club with a proven track record of developing young U.S. talent looked like a win-win situation, and some thought United's winger-friendly system might give Moose an opportunity to contribute right away.
But nagging hamstring problems and the steep learning curve of MLS conspired to make Moose's rookie season a forgettable one, as he logged just a single minute with the senior team.
"It was frustrating," he said of his 2006 experience. "But I think I gained a lot of valuable experience that made me a better player. I had to sit out during games and watching things from the mezzanine just gives you motivation to get out there and get on the field."
This year, a markedly improved Moose has driven himself into contention for significant playing time, having already earned two starts - including a promising 45 minutes in D.C.'s 2-1 victory against Chivas USA on May 6.
"I could've had a hat trick by halftime," he said ruefully afterwards.
Covering plenty of ground along United's right flank, Moose was at the center of several dangerous opportunities but couldn't deliver the final pass or finish when it was needed.
"I felt like I didn't really get settled into the game," said the Wake Forest graduate. "My nerves were going a little bit. Just playing a half, you've got to make every touch matter, so you've got to be ready for every ball. I had a couple of missed opportunities which kind of took it out of me a little bit, but hopefully I'll get another shot and get to bury a couple of those chances."
The soft-spoken Moose is intent on justifying the D.C. technical staff's faith in him, but to do so he'll have to rise to the top of a pack of young, hungry players who've have been given opportunities to contribute thanks to head coach Tom Soehn's recent lineup tinkering.
"I thought Moosie came in and did a good job," said Soehn of the Chivas match. "He was nervous - and the more you play those guys, that goes away because there's a lot of ability out there. And throughout the course of a season we keep implementing guys, and when they do well, it puts pressure on everyone else."
Moose has been included in his team's 18-man game-day roster for every match this season, due in no small part to the valuable versatility he offers Soehn and his staff. While drafted with a wing role in mind, since the early days of 2007 preseason he's worked hard to prove his worth as a central playmaker.
"During the first week that we were back - when it was unofficial practices, just playing with the guys - I found myself playing a free role," said Moose. "During practices I'd try to get in the middle until they told me to go out wide, to try and get more touches on the ball. They saw me there and I guess they thought that I could help the team in that position."
Off the field, the move from small-town life in Statesville, N.C., to the fast-paced Washington area has forced similar adaptation. He's had to scramble to find living quarters that not only fall within the budget of his modest second-year salary but also allow him to relocate his dog, a Labrador retriever mix named Dixie, from his parents' house.
A prolific songwriter who grew up listening to Southern-tinged rock like Widespread Panic, Moose is also coming to grips with the D.C. music scene. He joined a local band earlier this year and often plays guitar with teammate and fellow North Carolinian Clyde Simms.
Like many young MLS players, Moose knows that he only has so much time to make an impression and earn a senior roster slot with United. He's eager to match the exploits of other 2006 first-round draftees like Mehdi Ballouchy (Real Salt Lake), Marvell Wynne (Toronto FC) and Sacha Kljestan (Chivas), who have become mainstays for their respective clubs.
"I knew going into it that there weren't going to be any guarantees," he said of his draft-day selection. "So it's a good feeling to get drafted high, but with those particular guys coming in with you, you just have to make a name for yourself."
Charles Boehm is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
