David Vazquez is ‘feeling free’ and ready for the Union reserve team’s season

The Union’s reserve team kicks off a new season this weekend, bringing the latest opportunity for the club’s young prospects to make names for themselves.

This year’s crop is one of the most-anticipated in the history of Union II, as the team is called. Playmaker David Vazquez, central midfielder, C.J. Olney, centerback Neil Pierre, and goalkeeper Andrew Rick have spent significant practice time with the senior squad already, even though they’re still teenagers.

Vazquez will be in an especially big spotlight, thanks to his talent and backstory. The Union drew headlines and controversy for recruiting the 18-year-old from Total Futbol Academy in his native Los Angeles, paying the city’s two MLS teams and MLS headquarters for the privilege.

It took months of negotiations to get the deal done, and, after two years in the academy, he turned pro last month.

“I’m feeling free,” Vazquez told The Inquirer. “It was a lot of stress throughout the months, with paperwork and all that. Now that I’ve got it done, finally, I think I’m able to perform and feel like I’m an actual player on the pitch.”

» READ MORE: The Union finally signed marquee academy prospect David Vazquez

Coach Marlon LeBlanc can vouch for it, too.

“He’s a lot freer than he was for the first month or so of the preseason,” he said. “He’s playing with a little bit more risk, a little bit more bite. … He’s got a smile on his face again.”

Vazquez was with Union II as an amateur for the last two years, recording five goals and two assists in 23 games. So LeBlanc knew as well as anyone how much the player was going through.

“I think for any young man, teenager, to be in this kind of limbo with the contract type of stuff, I think it was weighing on him pretty heavily for some time,” he said. “But he’s been outstanding since getting that part taken care of. So I’m really, really pleased with where David is at right now.”

Vazquez’s family hasn’t been to Philadelphia yet, but he hopes they’ll make it for one of his first games.

“They’re supporting me from afar,” he said. “They really like the Union. It was a big decision for me and for them, but they trusted me with my abilities and my passion, so they gave me the opportunity. And, obviously, I took it, and now it’s going well for me.”

» READ MORE: Inside the Union’s controversial recruitment of top prospect David Vazquez

Perhaps the most fun of Vazquez’s many soccer connections are three of the U.S. women’s soccer team’s top young prospects. Olivia Moultrie and sisters Alyssa and Gisele Thompson were teammates at TFA, and he still keeps in touch with them occasionally.

“Here and there to congratulate them if they score or something,” Vazquez said, and since Moultrie and Alyssa Thompson are attackers, there are many opportunities if he wants to. Moultrie scored her first senior U.S. goals at the recent Concacaf Gold Cup, and Alyssa Thompson was on last year’s World Cup team.

“They were top players playing with guys at a young age,” Vazquez said. “It kind of helped them build their game a bit. Now they’re doing big and better things with the women’s national team.”

There was the potential for a reunion with Moultrie later this month when the Union visit the Portland Timbers. She plays for the NWSL’s Portland Thorns, who coincidentally host Gotham FC the next day (March 23 and 24).

Because MLS is playing through a men’s FIFA national team window that weekend, the Union will be severely shorthanded. Vazquez initially was a candidate to fill in the bench, but it turns out he’ll be gone with the U.S. men’s under-19 team. Pierre also will be on the squad, which is heading to Morocco to play friendlies vs. the hosts and England.

» READ MORE: USWNT beats Brazil 1-0 in Gold Cup final with Lindsey Horan goal

When Vazquez was in contract talks with the Union, there was a belief that he’d go straight to the first team. Though he isn’t yet, there’s little doubt within the club that he’ll be at the top level soon — perhaps later this year.

“So far I’ve just been training with them,” Vazquez said of his first-team experience. “They’ve been saying that I’m going to be with them, hopefully soon in the next couple months. … They’ve been pushing me. They’ve been helping me develop as a person and as a player as well.”

LeBlanc was happy to echo that.

“For a guy like David and any of them, they’ve been exposed to that first team now so many times it’s not going to be a big jump for them anymore,” LeBlanc said. “The idea for David is just to continue to work as hard as he can, stick to the principles, be who he is most importantly, and the rest will take care of itself. … We expect him to go out, continue to do those things, and when the time is right, I’m sure Jim [Curtin] will come looking for him.”

» READ MORE: From L.A. to Philly, David Vazquez’s Union Academy life could have gone a different direction

Union II plays its home games at Subaru Park. Many of this year’s contests are on Sunday afternoons or early evenings, with a few midweek contests along the way. The season opener against Toronto FC II is one of those Sunday games, a 3 p.m. start.

Tickets for all Union II home games are $12, general admission, with no fees for electronic delivery to a mobile phone. Union season ticket-holders can pick three Union II games this year to attend for free. Games are streamed on Apple’s platform as part of the MLS Season Pass package.

The full schedule and ticket sales are available on the Union’s website.