There’s a new midfielder in North Carolina FC's lineup and he’s a bit different than the pieces that surround him. Unlike the seasoned professionals in Austin da Luz, Kyle Bekker and Steven Miller and the familiar faces in Dre Fortune and Marcel Kandziora that regularly inhabit NCFC’s midfield, Graham Smith is etching his mark in the middle of the park for NCFC as a rookie.
Three games in, Smith has played every minute of the season. He’s completed 179 passes and done so while maintaining an 85.5 percent passing accuracy, filling in nicely to his new role on the professional stage.
However, just a few months ago, the young talent’s starting role wasn’t the only thing in question – he was actually fighting for a contract through combines and trials. Smith came to NCFC in December of 2017 as part of an invite-only combine. From there, he earned a preseason trial and then finally a contract to cement his role with the club.
A product of the University of South Florida men’s soccer team, Smith wrapped up his college career in 2016 before searching for his next opportunity to play. Following an impressive combine and a preseason trial, the dream continued for Smith, as he signed his first professional contract with NCFC ahead of the 2018 season.
“He works very hard and has a great attitude, said NCFC Head Coach Clarke when announcing Smith’s signing. “He’s learning a lot right now and wants to get better. His work rate is exceptional and he’s going to help us a lot this year.”
Smith has been relied on heavily this season already, but as a rookie, he’s focused on developing his game even more and moving forward with the team.
“I’ve really enjoyed my time here so far. We’re disappointed in the first results, but when you look around we have a lot of new faces – me being one of them – and it’s going to take a little bit of time for us to gel on the field. From a team standpoint, we’ve been getting better each day. From a personal standpoint, I’ve been happy with the way things are going, but the thing is you can never be satisfied. You have to keep going and pushing forward.”
Smith and North Carolina FC will look to continue that push this weekend in a heated in-state rivalry match against the Charlotte Independence. The teams will meet on Saturday, April 14 at 7 p.m. at the Sportsplex at Matthews, and make their debuts on the new streaming platform ESPN +. The rivalry has quickly developed with Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup matches each of the last three years, but the overall rivalry between professional soccer teams from Raleigh and Charlotte extends back to 1993 when the Raleigh Flyers faced off against the Charlotte Eagles.
There’s a new midfielder in North Carolina FC’s lineup and he’s a bit different than the pieces that surround him. Unlike the seasoned professionals in Austin da Luz, Kyle Bekker and Steven Miller and the familiar faces in Dre Fortune and Marcel Kandziora that regularly inhabit NCFC’s midfield, Graham Smith is etching his mark in the middle of the park for NCFC as a rookie.
Three games in, Smith has played every minute of the season. He’s completed 179 passes and done so while maintaining an 85.5 percent passing accuracy, filling in nicely to his new role on the professional stage.
However, just a few months ago, the young talent’s starting role wasn’t the only thing in question – he was actually fighting for a contract through combines and trials. Smith came to NCFC in December of 2017 as part of an invite-only combine. From there, he earned a preseason trial and then finally a contract to cement his role with the club.
A product of the University of South Florida men’s soccer team, Smith wrapped up his college career in 2016 before searching for his next opportunity to play. Following an impressive combine and a preseason trial, the dream continued for Smith, as he signed his first professional contract with NCFC ahead of the 2018 season.
“He works very hard and has a great attitude, said NCFC Head Coach Clarke when announcing Smith’s signing. “He’s learning a lot right now and wants to get better. His work rate is exceptional and he’s going to help us a lot this year.”
Smith has been relied on heavily this season already, but as a rookie, he’s focused on developing his game even more and moving forward with the team.
“I’ve really enjoyed my time here so far. We’re disappointed in the first results, but when you look around we have a lot of new faces – me being one of them – and it’s going to take a little bit of time for us to gel on the field. From a team standpoint, we’ve been getting better each day. From a personal standpoint, I’ve been happy with the way things are going, but the thing is you can never be satisfied. You have to keep going and pushing forward.”
Smith and North Carolina FC will look to continue that push this weekend in a heated in-state rivalry match against the Charlotte Independence. The teams will meet on Saturday, April 14 at 7 p.m. at the Sportsplex at Matthews, and make their debuts on the new streaming platform ESPN +. The rivalry has quickly developed with Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup matches each of the last three years, but the overall rivalry between professional soccer teams from Raleigh and Charlotte extends back to 1993 when the Raleigh Flyers faced off against the Charlotte Eagles.
