A reggae-loving, dreadlocked Maryland native might seem like a strange fit for Salt Lake City, but midfielder Kyle Beckerman has found a happy home at Real Salt Lake. In November 2009, Kyle helped lead his team to a MLS Cup Championship against the L.A. Galaxy.

Kyle’s life-long love affair with soccer began in his hometown of Crofton, Maryland. He grew up wrestling, swimming, and playing lacrosse and baseball, but his passion for soccer was apparent at an early age. Kyle first became interested in soccer at age 4 when he started tagging along with his older brother.

At 13, Kyle was accepted into the U.S. Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program after playing on state, regional, and national teams. In 1999, he visited to New Zealand for the Under-17 World Cup. The extensive travel required in high-level youth soccer made it difficult for Kyle and other young players to keep up with their school work. Kyle, along with Landon Donovan and DaMarcus Beasley, became part of the first class of students to attend the United States Soccer Federation’s Bradenton Academy, a residency program that allowed players to get the best soccer training possible while receiving a high school education.

In 2000, Kyle began his MLS career at the Miami Fusion. In 2001, the Fusion team was dispersed, and Kyle was picked up by the Colorado Rapids. After five-and-a-half years with the Rapids, he made his way to Salt Lake City in 2007, where he became team captain in 2008. He started all 38 games that year, and helped the team reach the 2008 Western Conference Championship. In 2009, he became the youngest player in league history to play 200 regular-season games.

When Kyle’s not on the field, he enjoys traveling and relaxing with family and friends. He is also a high-level ping-pong player.

Soccer, Athlete, Sports