Shooting for the stars

Leo Harlan compared soccer at the University of Louisville to the football programs at Florida State or Alabama. Like the Seminoles and Crimson Tide, the Cardinals stand as a perennial power, play in a majestic — though slightly smaller — stadium and contend for titles annually. 

Rarely does Harlan, the varsity boys soccer coach at Vestavia Hills High School, encounter a player with the skills to succeed on a Louisville level. Watterson Young was the exception. 

Young, a 2015 Vestavia Hills graduate, is entering his third season with the Cardinals. After redshirting in 2016, he’s looking forward to contributing in any way he can when he returns to the pitch this fall. 

In Young’s absence, his team advanced to the 2016 national quarterfinal before falling to Stanford, the eventual College Cup champion. 

“I’m just going to try to be as much of a leader as I can on and off the field for the team,” Young said of the upcoming campaign. “Hopefully we can improve upon the Elite Eight finish and maybe make it to the Final Four this year.”

Young began his preparation for the 2017 slate before the summer even started. 

In May, he earned a roster spot on the Birmingham Hammers for a second consecutive season. His stint with the semi-professional team, which is a popular landing spot for local collegians, brought him back to the fields that he learned to play on. 

Young grew up competing for the Vestavia Hills Soccer Club at Sicard Hollow Athletic Complex. Now, the facility hosts Hammers practices and home games during the late spring and early summer. 

“It was definitely good to be back there,” said Young, who left in late June for Louisville. “I have a lot of memories there.”

Rocky Harmon watched many of those memories transpire. The VHSC executive director has known Young since he was 9 and coached him for three years at the U13, U17 and U18 levels. He remembers Young as a player distinguished by his work ethic, and he said his strength on the pitch rested in his effort and tenacity. 

“He really gave 100 percent all the time,” Harmon said. “He was a go-getter.”

Young embodied that same energy as a Rebel under Harlan and then-head coach Rick Grammer. At his forward position, he helped lead Vestavia Hills to state titles in 2013 and 2014. Young’s versatility and knack for knocking in clutch goals cemented his status as one of the best players to matriculate through the program, Harlan said.  

He recalls one playoff match against Hoover that ended with Young netting a buzzer-beating goal. Young had dribbled through a sea of defenders to obtain an open look. 

“He could play any position and strike at any moment,” Harlan said. “He’s the type of guy that the guys know about him and want to be like him.”

Young saw action in six matches during his freshman year at Louisville. This fall, as a redshirt sophomore, he’ll aim to expand his impact both on and off the field. 

Harmon, Harlan and his hometown will be following along. 

“Some guys shoot for the stars, and that’s what he’s done,” Harmon said. “We’re all pulling for him.”