It’s all been dizzying for Rich Asante.In December, he’s cramming for exams at his apartment on Syracuse University’s South Campus. The New Year comes and suddenly he’s a hometown hero and professional soccer player.

Handfuls of journalists want to talk to him. He’s looking for a place of his own, talking about contracts and drooling for a chance to face international soccer icon David Beckham.

It’s understandable why the former SU midfielder could be a little starstruck. He should be in his second week of classes, reading syllabuses and buying textbooks. Instead, Asante is ‘one of the nice discoveries of the draft,’ at least in the words of Orange soccer head coach Dean Foti and his contacts within Major League Soccer.

In the course of a few weeks, Asante practiced with the MLS expansion team Toronto FC, received an invitation to the prestigious (at least in U.S. soccer terms) MLS combine, impressed scouts with his ability to pass and score and joined Toronto FC when the club used the 27th pick in the draft to select him.

Of course, that meant he needed to leave SU a year early, delaying any dreams of graduating; move back with his family in North York, Ontario (about four miles outside of Toronto); and meet as many members of the team and media as possible so he’s acclimated to his new surroundings well before preseason begins in early February.Whew.

So can’t Asante at least rest easy now, knowing that he’s the only the second Syracuse soccer player to be drafted in the MLS SuperDraft and the highest pick the program’s ever seen?

‘He’s still smart enough to know he has to go out and work and get a contract,’ Foti said. ‘It’s like an interview. It’s not the time to give yourself a pat on the back.’But, Rich, you are having fun, aren’t you? You are living out a lifelong dream.

‘I’m trying the best I can to have fun. I’m just going into preseason and giving it my all and see what happens from there.’OK, so reality is probably still sinking in. We’ll give him more time to let it marinate.

While he always hoped to play professional soccer in Toronto, Asante never had a clue it would turn out like this. He received a 2006 honorable mention team honor from the Big East after scoring two goals and assisting one last season, his best season statistically. In his four years playing midfield and defense at SU, he scored five goals and assisted on four.

He still had hope, but never a solid realization, he’d play professional soccer. Toronto FC inviting him to practice with the team was the only indication Asante said he ever received.

‘It just goes to show if you work hard and put yourself to it, you can do it,’ Asante said. ‘Dreams do come true. This was a dream for me.’

Despite striving to recruit players that have the potential to play professionally, Foti said a lot had to be done for Asante to reach MLS. It wasn’t that Asante couldn’t play defense or produce a good cross or handle the ball well. Almost any player at the Division I level has talent.But Asante remained humble, didn’t rest on his laurels and remained focused – traits he continues to display in his first weeks as a professional player.

‘It was the fact that he had the right attitude,’ Foti said. ‘That’s a huge step for any athlete – to accept you aren’t as good as maybe you think you are. After four years of working and adjusting, he got to this point.’

So now Asante’s there, he has a plan. But don’t expect anything out of the ordinary from him. There are only two items on his agenda – work hard and earn a starting role on Toronto FC.

From there, he’ll expand his goals. Like maybe act as the icon for the growing legions of soccer fans in the Toronto area. Or play in a more prestigious league in Europe. For now, he’s relishing the opportunity to play professional soccer with his family and friends nearby.Oh, and maybe to show that Beckham guy a thing or two about soccer.

Rob Anthes is an assistant sports editor emeritus at The Daily Orange, where his columns appear every Wednesday. E-mail him at rmanthes@syr.edu.

Published on January 23, 2007 at 12:00 pm