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Centaur alum
chosen in 1st
round of
MLS draft
The Woodstock Academy associate head of school Holly Singleton remembered coaching a summer soccer match for the Centaurs several years ago and, on this occasion; her team was short of players. Simon Becher showed up to fill in.
“I put him in and the whole offense fell apart,” Singleton recalled. “Everyone was just passing the ball. I pulled Simon out and asked him what he was doing and he said to me that he was just trying to get everyone the ball so they could score. I told him, ‘Everyone is waiting for you to score, Simon.’”
He listened and, of course, he scored.
The 2018 graduate used his touch around the net to carry him to Oakwood Academy, then on to the College of Holy Cross, St. Louis University and, on last week, Major League Soccer.
The Brooklyn native was chosen with the 16th pick of the first round in the MLS Superdraft by the Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
“I’m very proud of his accomplishments, not just because he has become a professional athlete which was always his goal but because he is a classy human being with a good heart. Not only did he achieve his dream, he did so by being a good human being,” Singleton said.
Becher realized his dream while watching the stream of the MLS draft from his home in Brooklyn.
“It felt amazing,” Becher said. “I had no idea. There was no call (from Vancouver) before (the pick) so when it popped up on the TV, it was the first time I heard. It was a dream come true. It was something that I have, honestly, been dreaming about and envisioning since I learned to kick a soccer ball. I’m just excited to get started.”
It wasn’t easy. Becher had to make some sacrifices. He never played soccer for Woodstock, instead, he opted to play for Oakwood Soccer Academy. They do not allow their players to play high school soccer.
Oakwood was one of the hardest decisions Becher had to make — he missed playing on the same soccer field as his friends.
“Woodstock Academy is a very tight-knit community,” Becher said. “The staff was always supportive. They were always flexible with me missing days because of travel. Obviously, I spent a lot of time up on the Woodstock Academy fields on the weekends in the offseason, using the facilities to train and being with all my friends. They supported me, supported my dream and believed in me.”
Becher signed his National Letter of Intent to play in early 2018 for the College of Holy Cross. He led the Crusaders in points with 16 as a freshman, getting seven goals and two assists.
To achieve his dream, he transferred to St. Louis University. “I wanted the challenge; wanted somewhere where I would be pushed in my development and grow my game in a bigger market, competing against some of the best teams in the entire country. I think I got that with St. Louis,” Becher said.
The Billikens were undefeated for 20 games which is “pretty unheard of,” Becher said. “If you look at everything we achieved in the past year, all the way down the team, (the coaching staff) believed in us. We worked hard and worked hard for each other.”
Becher finished as the second-leading scorer in the NCAA this past season with 38 points; 14 goals (6th best in the NCAA), including five game-winners, and 10 assists.
Becher was a first team United Soccer Coaches All-American and a Hermann Trophy semifinalist and was the fourth member of the Billikens chosen in the draft Tuesday. Teammates Isaiah Parker (3rd), a forward, defender Kipp Keller (5th), and goalie Patrick Schulte (12th) went just before him.
Now, he heads to Vancouver. “I connected with coach (Vanni Sartini), the media and (public relations) people (Tuesday). Preseason starts next week so I will be packing my bags and heading up there,” Becher said.
The Whitecaps finished sixth in the Western Conference of the MLS with 49 points; 12 wins, 13 draws and nine losses.
“I bring a work ethic. I bring creativity to the attack, someone who can score, can get assists, a lot of different things. Hopefully, I can make an impact and help them push for the playoffs and win an MLS Cup,” Becher said.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy