Over the years, the D.C. United Academy has produced a number of the region’s top players who have worked their way up to the Black-and-Red's senior team. The likes of Jalen Robinson and Ian Harkes have been given opportunities to turn their Academy careers into Major League Soccer careers, and on Saturday, another Academy alum and Homegrown picked up his first senior start with United: 18-year-old Chris Durkin.
Durkin hails from Hampton, Va., but spent most of his adolescent life in Glen Allen, Va., making the trek into the District multiple times per week to train and compete with D.C. United’s Academy teams. After impressing on the Academy scene, the young midfielder signed a professional contract with D.C. United in 2016 at just 16 years old, making him the fifth youngest signing in the history of the league and the eighth Homegrown Player in United's history.
While this is Durkin’s third season on the Black-and-Red roster, the midfielder's physical and mental development since 2016 have allowed him to start breaking into United’s lineup and earning regular minutes in 2018. He has appeared in all four games for D.C. United this season, and his quality of minutes have continued to improve since Week 1.
"In every aspect of the game, he has grown," D.C. United head coach Ben Olsen said of Durkin. "Technically, tactically, and emotionally, which again, I think is a big component for him to improve on."
After a strong preseason and impressive minutes off the bench during United's first three matches of the season, Durkin reached another major milestone in his professional career on Saturday, when he made his first Major League Soccer start in Columbus. The 18-year-old played alongside fellow Homegrown Harkes as a holding midfielder in a 4-2-3-1 formation, logging a full 90 minutes in his first start. Throughout the match, the young gun’s passing ability shined, as Durkin set a new career high in passes completed with 37, and earned an 86 percent passing success rate.
“I think it went well for me, I did well on the ball in tight spaces,” Durkin said following the game. ”I thought I sprung some good balls forward and was reliable in the midfield.”
United's new formation allowed them to challenge the Crew with a high press, which created numerous turnover opportunities for Durkin and the Black-and-Red. The Homegrown remained energetic and aggressive in the center of the pitch, using his vision to feed the attack and his decision making ability to effectively operate with little space and quickly alleviate pressure when needed.
"I think we came out on the front end and caught them off guard with our press," Durkin said. "We need to work on the fact that they adapted to it and we needed to keep possession of the ball a little bit more and really dictate the game. I think that can only get better."
The midfielder also set a new career high in recoveries with six during his shift at MAPFRE Stadium. On the defensive side of the ball, the Homegrown proved to be an asset both on the ground and in the air, winning four duels and three aerial duels.
While Durkin acknowledges the importance of his first career start, the maturity of the 18-year-old continues to shine through, as he recognizes the team's performance will always come before personal accolades.
"I think getting 90 minutes is definitely a dream of mine. To achieve that here was awesome," he said after the Columbus match. "You know, putting my ego aside, I want to win. Sure I like reflecting on getting 90 minutes, but you know I want the team to win."
Moving forward, Durkin will continue to work toward becoming a staple in United’s lineup. And while most young players may feel a sense of pressure to perform and prove themselves, Durkin has remained focused on what’s within his own control—his work ethic, taking advantage of his opportunities to learn, and sustaining his continuous growth.
"I have worked really hard this past year, and I think the work is finally starting to pay off. I've become more comfortable, I have started to find my feet a little more in each game, and I feel confident. Now I have to keep going and keep doing what I am doing. Each game has been a learning experience, and I think I can only get better."
