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Jamie Watson (soccer)
Encyclopedia
Jamie Watson is an American
soccer player who currently plays for Orlando City in the USL Professional Division.
at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
, but left after his sophomore season to sign a Generation Adidas
contract with Major League Soccer
.
Watson scored 12 goals and had 10 assists in his 2 seasons at UNC. Watson earned the coveted ACC Rookie of the Year after a highly successful freshman year. He was also named to Top Drawer Soccer's All Freshman Team at the conclusion of the season. During his second season, Watson was named to the ACC All-Tournament team and was selected to the All ACC team.
by Real Salt Lake
, but was waived on January 22, 2008, after making 39 first-team appearances and scoring 2 goals with 1 assist. Watson became an instant fan favorite and was well known throughout the community for his contributions on and off the field. He served on the board of directions for Utah Heart to Home, which is the Utah equivalent to Home makeover. Along with Heart to Home, Watson was heavily involved the with Gov. Jon M. Huntsman and the First Lady, Mary Kay Huntsman, in their efforts to raise awareness around Salt Lake City regarding several issues.
After helping Austin Aztex U23
of the USL Premier Development League
reach the PDL playoffs for the first time over the summer of 2008, scoring 7 goals in 13 appearances, Watson signed with Major League Soccer
's FC Dallas
on 1 August 2008, but ultimately made just one first team appearance.
After being waived by Dallas at the end of the 2008 season, he signed with Wilmington, and was loaned out for the opening game of the 2009 season to Charleston Battery
in early 2009, and after playing one game, returned to the USL Second Division
club Wilmington Hammerheads
. Watson enjoyed his best season as a professional, being named to the USL2 All-League team, earning league player of the week, team of the week on several occasions, and eventually all leading up to earning league MVP honors, as well as the scoring title. After the conclusion of the Hammerheads season, Watson was signed to a two year contract by the USL-1 team Austin Aztex
, and played his first match with them on 29 August 2009.
His contract with the Aztex was extended to two years in February 2010. Prior to the 2011 season, new owners purchased the club and moved it to Orlando, Florida
, re-naming it Orlando City. The club will play in the USL Pro
league in 2011.
Watson is one of the few players in American soccer history to score in all four divisions of U.S. soccer.
, trained with the United States Under-17 team at the Bradenton Academy
as a teenager, and was a starting forward at the 2003 FIFA U-17 World Championship
in Lahti, Finland, playing alongside Freddy Adu
. Watson scored a goal and contributed an assist in the opening fixture of the tournament against South Korea, while in the following match against Sierra Leone he assisted on Adu's game-winning goal. He finished the tournament with a team high 2 assists and 1 goal.
Watson has scored over 50 goals at youth level and has 10 international goals in youth international matches. His highest level reached at youth national team was representing the Under-23 Men's National Team in a tour of Kunnamoto, Japan against the Japan U-23 Olympic squad.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soccer player who currently plays for Orlando City in the USL Professional Division.
College
Watson played two years of college soccerCollege soccer
College soccer is a term used to describe association football played by teams who are operated by colleges and universities as opposed to a professional league operated for exclusively financial purposes...
at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
, but left after his sophomore season to sign a Generation Adidas
Generation adidas
Generation adidas is a joint venture between Major League Soccer and U.S. Soccer aimed at raising the level of young soccer talent in the United States. The program, sponsored by adidas, encourages early entry of American players into MLS...
contract with Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
.
Watson scored 12 goals and had 10 assists in his 2 seasons at UNC. Watson earned the coveted ACC Rookie of the Year after a highly successful freshman year. He was also named to Top Drawer Soccer's All Freshman Team at the conclusion of the season. During his second season, Watson was named to the ACC All-Tournament team and was selected to the All ACC team.
Professional
Watson was selected in the first round (13th overall) in the 2005 MLS SuperDraft2005 MLS SuperDraft
The 2005 MLS SuperDraft, held in Baltimore, Maryland on January 14, 2005, was the sixth incarnation of the annual Major League Soccer SuperDraft. Expansion club Real Salt Lake had the first pick as the result of a coin toss . RSL drafted Under-17 midfielder Nikolas Besagno with the first selection...
by Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake is an American professional soccer club based in Sandy, Utah, a suburb of Salt Lake City. The team competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. They currently play their home games at Rio Tinto Stadium. Real Salt Lake won...
, but was waived on January 22, 2008, after making 39 first-team appearances and scoring 2 goals with 1 assist. Watson became an instant fan favorite and was well known throughout the community for his contributions on and off the field. He served on the board of directions for Utah Heart to Home, which is the Utah equivalent to Home makeover. Along with Heart to Home, Watson was heavily involved the with Gov. Jon M. Huntsman and the First Lady, Mary Kay Huntsman, in their efforts to raise awareness around Salt Lake City regarding several issues.
After helping Austin Aztex U23
Austin Aztex U23
Austin Aztex U23 was an American soccer team based in Round Rock, Texas, United States. Founded in 2007, the team played in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2009, after which the franchise folded and the team left the league.The team played...
of the USL Premier Development League
USL Premier Development League
The USL Premier Development League is the amateur league of the United Soccer Leagues in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda, forming part of the American Soccer Pyramid...
reach the PDL playoffs for the first time over the summer of 2008, scoring 7 goals in 13 appearances, Watson signed with Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
's FC Dallas
FC Dallas
FC Dallas is an American professional soccer club based in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, Texas which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
on 1 August 2008, but ultimately made just one first team appearance.
After being waived by Dallas at the end of the 2008 season, he signed with Wilmington, and was loaned out for the opening game of the 2009 season to Charleston Battery
Charleston Battery
Charleston Battery is an American professional soccer team based in Charleston, South Carolina, United States. Founded in 1993, the team plays in the American Division of the new USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
in early 2009, and after playing one game, returned to the USL Second Division
USL Second Division
The United Soccer Leagues Second Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, part of the United Soccer Leagues league pyramid...
club Wilmington Hammerheads
Wilmington Hammerheads
Wilmington Hammerheads is an American professional soccer team based in Wilmington, North Carolina. Founded in 1996, the team plays in the American Division of the new USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
. Watson enjoyed his best season as a professional, being named to the USL2 All-League team, earning league player of the week, team of the week on several occasions, and eventually all leading up to earning league MVP honors, as well as the scoring title. After the conclusion of the Hammerheads season, Watson was signed to a two year contract by the USL-1 team Austin Aztex
Austin Aztex
Austin Aztex FC was an American professional soccer team based in Austin, Texas, United States. Founded in 2008, the team played in the USL First Division, and in the USL Division of the USSF D2 Pro League, the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid...
, and played his first match with them on 29 August 2009.
His contract with the Aztex was extended to two years in February 2010. Prior to the 2011 season, new owners purchased the club and moved it to Orlando, Florida
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
, re-naming it Orlando City. The club will play in the USL Pro
USL Pro
The USL Professional Division, commonly known as USL Pro , is a professional men's soccer league in the United States that began its inaugural season in 2011....
league in 2011.
Watson is one of the few players in American soccer history to score in all four divisions of U.S. soccer.
International
Watson has played for various youth United States national teamsUnited States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
, trained with the United States Under-17 team at the Bradenton Academy
IMG Soccer Academy
The IMG Soccer Academy is part of the IMG Academies located in Bradenton, Florida. It is U.S. Soccer's full-time residency program for the United States' U-17 and U-16 mens national teams. Started in 1999, it has become integral in developing the United States' top youth soccer prospects...
as a teenager, and was a starting forward at the 2003 FIFA U-17 World Championship
2003 FIFA U-17 World Championship
The FIFA U-17 World Championship 2003 was held in the cities of Helsinki, Tampere, Lahti, and Turku in Finland between 13 August and 30 August 2003...
in Lahti, Finland, playing alongside Freddy Adu
Freddy Adu
Fredua Koranteng "Freddy" Adu is a Ghanaian-born American soccer player who currently plays for Philadelphia Union in Major League Soccer. He plays primarily as an attacking midfielder, but he is also used as a winger or forward....
. Watson scored a goal and contributed an assist in the opening fixture of the tournament against South Korea, while in the following match against Sierra Leone he assisted on Adu's game-winning goal. He finished the tournament with a team high 2 assists and 1 goal.
Watson has scored over 50 goals at youth level and has 10 international goals in youth international matches. His highest level reached at youth national team was representing the Under-23 Men's National Team in a tour of Kunnamoto, Japan against the Japan U-23 Olympic squad.
Wilmington Hammerheads
- USL Second DivisionUSL Second DivisionThe United Soccer Leagues Second Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, part of the United Soccer Leagues league pyramid...
Regular Season Champions (1): 2009United Soccer Leagues 2009The 2009 season is the 23rd season played by the United Soccer Leagues. Season titles will be contested by 20 professional men's clubs in the USL First Division and USL Second Division, as well as 37 professional and amateur women's clubs in the W-League and 68 professional and amateur men's teams...
Individual
- USSF D-2 Pro LeagueUSSF Division 2 Professional LeagueUSSF Division 2 Professional League was a temporary professional soccer league created by the United States Soccer Federation in 2010 to last just one season. The twelve-team league was formed as a compromise between the feuding United Soccer Leagues and the North American Soccer League...
Best XI (1): 2010