Dillon Serna: Should He Stay Or Should He Go?

My story from a few weeks ago regarding Dillon Serna got linked on an Akron-based forum called ZipsNation, as the forum-dwellers were talking about Serna's possible — inevitable, almost, considering the Rapids' want for another creative force in the midfield — move to MLS this year.

Unsurprisingly, most of them were against the move. Not only because he would be one of many talented players leaving the Zips this season alongside Caleb Porter, but because he's still very much a work in progress. We know it, and they know it.

This post in particular by the Ampaipitakwong-esque named fknbuflobo got my attention:

It's an interesting question to be sure, and one that will determine whether or not he turns into just another great homegrown prospect that fizzles out within a year or three, the kind that got released by the bucket-full by seemingly every MLS team prior to this year's waiver draft. (Incidentally, I think that was more an inevitable occurrence more than anything. Homegrown signings are a fairly new concept after all, and many teams were more concerned with getting them at all than getting future superstars out of the batch. There was going to be a mass exodus, and if there wasn't, there was going to be some manner of revolution in US soccer if all the young guys suddenly worked out at the same time!)

There are a few things that are out of his control, of course. The biggest knock on him is always going to be his size, and that might keep him injury prone his entire career. He's not going to grow another six inches or 50 pounds unless he magically finds a potion to induce a second puberty. Since there are no Wizards left in MLS, I don't see that happening. (And with that, the pun quota for the month is filled.)

However, his need to continue to grow into the small frame that he has does not change my opinion on the matter. I think my answer to the question is fairly obvious, I believe they should sign him up on that homegrown contract as quickly as possible.

There's a different way about the Rapids now though, a youth movement being led by youth-masters Oscar Pareja and Wilmer Cabrera. Though their actual managerial abilities took a few hits this season, there's no denying the work that they've done with kids before. Pareja helped to build the best youth system in the country in Dallas, while Cabrera has done work with the U-17 and U-18 American teams.

If any Akron fans are reading this, I assure you that going from Akron to the Rapids would certainly be no worse than a lateral move for the kid, and at best should work out even better.