SOCCER: ROOKIE STARS PLAY BIG ROLES IN CHIVAS USA'S POSTSEASON MARCH.Byline: MATT ZIMMERMAN Staff Writer Like scores of youngsters in the stands that day, they shared a dream. They wanted to be on that field, scoring goals, hoisting the trophy. Jonathan Bornstein Jonathan Rey Bornstein (born November 7, 1984 in Torrance, California) is an American soccer defender and midfielder, who currently plays for Chivas USA of Major League Soccer. and Sacha Kljestan Sacha Kljestan (born September 9, 1985 in Anaheim, California) is an American soccer midfielder, who currently plays for C.D. Chivas USA of Major League Soccer. Kljestan played for the Region IV Olympic Development Program team. sat among 51,350 at the Rose Bowl, similar thoughts in their heads as they watched Bob Bradley's expansion Chicago Fire Chicago fire conflagration destroyed most of city (1871). [Am. Hist.: Jameson, 94] See : Disaster defeat D.C. United D.C. United is a professional soccer club located in Washington, D.C. that participates in Major League Soccer. The club's official nickname is the "Black-and-Red" and home uniforms are black and white with accents of red. The team's name refers to Washington, D.C. in the 1998 Major League Soccer title game. ``I definitely think people who watch the sport, younger kids, can look at us and say, `These kids had dreams,''' said Bornstein, who joins teammate Kljestan as a finalist for MLS's Rookie of the Year award Rookie of the Year award is newly established in 1985 that third season in K-League. Many star palyers were received this award such as Lee Dong-Gook, Lee Chun-Soo, and so on. and as a reason Chivas USA will make its playoff debut Sunday against Houston at Home Depot The Home Depot (NYSE: HD) is an American retailer of home improvement and construction products and services. Headquartered in Vinings, just outside Atlanta in unincorporated Cobb County, Georgia, Home Depot employs more than 355,000 people and operates 2,164 big-box Center. ``They can say, `When they were our age, they were watching big-time players on TV, dreaming and hoping to be there one day,''' Bornstein said. ``So I think we're pretty big role models to a bunch of kids, younger kids and high school kids. People who see the league now, they can (think), `Maybe I can play in the pro ranks, if I take the right steps.''' Bornstein and Kljestan were the only players to appear in all 32 regular-season games as Chivas went 10-9-13 to reach the postseason in its second campaign. Bornstein, a former UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX star from Los Alamitos Los Alamitos (lôs ăləmē`təs, lŏs), city (1990 pop. 11,676), Orange co., NE of Long Beach, S Calif., in a suburban area; inc. 1960. Los Alamitos Racetrack and U.S. military installations are nearby. , is the overwhelming Rookie of the Year Rookie of the Year may refer to:
Kljestan teamed with veteran Jesse Marsch to provide the midfield backbone so important to Chivas' success. ``I felt like I could definitely play in this league,'' said Kljestan, from Huntington Beach, who turned pro after his junior season at Seton Hall. ``When I was coming out of college, I thought if I'm coming out early, I want to be someone who's coming out that's going to make a difference for the team.'' Kljestan, a member of the U.S. Under-20 national team at last year's World Youth Championship, was the fifth pick in the draft. Chivas had traded the top pick to New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of for a package that included that fifth selection and Kljestan's Seton Hall teammate Jason Hernandez. ``When he first came (on his recruiting trip to Seton Hall), we were all just like, `Who is this guy?''' said Chivas' Jason Hernandez, Kljestan's former college teammate. ``(We're a) bunch of East Coast guys ... we see this tall, skinny kid with long hair, and we're just like, `This is a California surfer kid.' But he came in, he was a great fit for us. It worked out well.'' Kljestan set a single-season school record for assists with 15 in 2005, scored 20 career goals and led the Pirates to three NCAA Tournament appearances in three seasons. Bornstein wasn't heavily recruited out of high school, and he first attended Division II Cal Poly Pomona, playing two seasons for former UCLA, Galaxy and U.S. national team star Paul Caligiuri before transferring to Westwood. ``(Caligiuri) was telling me it's going to be hard to get anywhere if you're at a D2 school, there's not as much exposure,'' Bornstein said. ``Basically the choice, I thought it was an easy one after two years at Cal Poly. Then from UCLA, it was an easy choice to go on with my dreams of playing professional soccer.'' Chivas took Bornstein with the first pick of the fourth round, the club's second selection of the draft. ``They both have just a good understanding of the game, and that is the thing that probably all their coaches could see from a young age,'' Bradley said. ``That's really important when you're moving up a level, because it allows you to pick things up faster than anybody else.'' It also is allowing them to become role models to tomorrow's MLS See multilevel security. stars. ``We have a lot of fans going to the (HDC (Hard Disk Controller) See disk controller. HDC - Disk Controller ) Stadium Club after the game,'' Kljestan said. ``And all the little kids wanting autographs, it's just something you dreamt of when you were a kid. I was going up to Cobi Jones when I was 10 years old, getting autographs from him all the time when I was at Galaxy games.'' matt.zimmerman@presstelegram.com (562) 499-1338 CAPTION(S): 2 photos, box Photo: (1 -- 2) Sacha Kljestan, left, and former UCLA standout Jonathan Bornstein are finalists for MLS's Rookie of the Year Award. Edna T. Simpson/Staff Photographer Box: MLS PLAYOFFS |
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