
Beachside midfielder Diego Rodriguez. (courtesy photo)
This past weekend, Diego Rodriguez was focused on Beachside's three games at the Development Academy Winter Showcase in Lakewood Ranch, Fla.
After all, DA competition against distant clubs – in this instance, Charlotte Soccer Academy (N.C.), Portland Timbers (Ore.) and Vardar (Mich.) – only comes at national showcases or playoffs. At such events, there's also an emphasis on college recruiting, with coaches filling the sidelines in droves.
But for Rodriguez, a midfielder from Woodbridge, Conn., there was no worry about finding an NCAA home. He's already committed to Bryant University, a Division 1 program in Smithfield, R.I.
"The coaches were amazing," Rodriguez said.