Abe Rod and Adam Beaudry: Similarities, Differences, and Lessons Learned

EDITORIAL – Last winter, the Colorado Rapids did not pick up the team option on Homegrown goalkeeper Abraham Rodriguez. Abe Rod had just had a good year with Rapids 2 and made his first team debut on Decision Day. In January, they signed graduating senior Adam Beaudry to a Homegrown contract.

What are the similarities and differences between these two players? What lessons did the organization learn from putting time and effort into a Homegrown goalkeeper, to then move on at the age of 21?

The Rapids FO enjoys bragging about the academy and their Homegrown players. That said, only Cole Bassett and Sam Vines have established themselves with the first team in recent years. It’s a make-or-brake year possibly for Oliver Larraz and Sebastian Anderson. Abe Rod was a player nobody said anything bad about. What happened? How is this relevant to Beaudry? Did it come down to Rodriguez being listed as 5’8″ and Beaudry at 6’2″?

Beaudry had a good tournament at the U-17 World Cup with the United States last November. Rapids goalkeeper coach Chris Sharpe heard from more than one person he was one of the five best keepers in that tournament. Sharpe first saw the Castle Pines resident when he was 13-years-old and thought he had half a chance.

“He would have been 13. So five years ago, give or take. Our academy played [Real Colorado]. I would have loved to have got him two years earlier,” Sharpe told Burgundy Wave.

“We probably would have sold him for $15 million. I’m not doubting that at some point,” he added, thinking of what would have happened had he gotten him those two years earlier.

In terms of what stood out from the baby-faced Beaudry, “Movement, athleticism, understanding. I can give you technical ability. I can help you build IQ. It’s very hard for a coach to give you athleticism, personality.”

“We think similarly. The way he can push things out of me and make me want to work on those and listen to him. He sets the tone,” Beaudry said of Sharpe.

What set Beaudry apart, either at the same age or at present with Rodriguez 21 and Beaudry nearly 18? Beaudry is listed at 6’2″. Sharpe thinks he could reach 6’5″. Even if he doesn’t, even if his player profile height is an overestimate, he’s at a good size for a goalkeeper. Compare that to Abe Rod, who’s listed at 5’8″ and just never had a late growth spurt after signing at 17. This reporter has stood next to both players. Those heights appear accurate.

“Strength and a muscle standpoint. He’s got a lovely frame. He’s probably got 2-3 more inches in growth to go. At 17-years-old, he’s about to compete with the first team boys,” said Sharpe.

Sharpe and Beaudry aren’t sure which foot he’s best with playing out of the back, so there’s that. Sharpe said that the decisions around the third goalkeeper has been pipeline based. The organization feels they have a good conveyer belt of academy goalkeepers at the moment.

Senior Director of Soccer Development Brian Crookham has told Burgundy Wave they’re particular about the timeline for players within their pathway to the first team. At some point, if a player’s not making progress at some level (one of the age groups, MLS NEXT Pro, sitting on the bench in MLS, etc.), it’s not good for them or the guys behind him. He’s holding up someone else’s development who could be better.

“It’s never easy. You can have six or seven midfielders. You can only carry three goalkeepers really. For us it, it was ‘where are we going with it?’ We would have loved to have kept Abe. He had ambitions to go on and do other things as well,” Sharpe told Burgundy Wave, possibly alluding to Rodriguez wanting a different environment or even doing something outside of soccer?

“We have to make tough decisions at times about players and development. We’re loaded. Adam, we see potentially can be a #1 at some point. And if he does really well, can we move him somewhere across the pond that benefits him and hopefully benefits U.S. Soccer. I was happy to make tough decisions at times.”

Burgundy Wave brings healthy skepticism to public comments made by club officials. No one ever explicitly said they felt Abe Rod had the potential to be the #1. No one said they felt he could be worth $15 million.

Beaudry clearly has the physical attributes Rodriguez does not. The question is whether the academy and Sharpe have prepare him to contribute to the first team and by when. Will he be ready by the time Zack Steffen is no longer at the club, whenever that is? Will he eventually be worth $15 million? Or will another young goalkeeper’s development supersede his before that happens?

Photo Credit: Mark Shaiken

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