Wayne Frederick, Trinidad International: “I Just Want to Make my Family Proud.”

COMMERCE CITY – Listening to a soft-spoken Wayne Frederick II talk about the changes he’s seen in his somewhat quick rise to MLS in Colorado, you can’t help but wonder how this young man has dealt with a fair bit of uncertainty coming up through the ranks. However, it’s dealing with those moves and setbacks at such an early age that has instilled a distinct calm confidence you can’t help but notice in Wayne.

“I pick things up really quick, and I think that’s why I have a lot of belief about myself that I can do whatever Coach (Chris Armas) wants me to do,” says the Junior to his Father, Wayne Sr. “I’ve always had to be open to learning.” Wayne explains that has been a constant in his progression due to the fact that coaches have not really been able to make up their mind where to play him on the pitch. “I’m very versatile so I can play wing, 6, 8, 10, right back – all my life I’ve done that.”

Wayne made his MLS debut last year at San Jose. About a year later, he got his first start. It was fittingly at San Jose. He balled out.

Wayne’s love of the game goes back to Wayne Sr., who was born in Trinidad and is a friend of T&T football legend Shaka Hislop, as he admits with a laugh he really had no choice but to carry that love forward. “My family has been in soccer – my dad, his friends – they all played growing up in Trinidad, so I got into it early at the age of 3. I played a lot of sports but at some point I made that decision.”

There wasn’t a lot of pressure from his father, but rather Wayne took his enjoyment of the game and is showing his appreciation for his introduction and support. “I loved to do it, I was doing it every day, and that often and falling in love with it had me keep going.”

“My dad wasn’t able to play (professionally) because he had sickle-cell disease and he became a doctor because of that. He’s kind of living his soccer through me a bit, not in a pressure way, and I’ve never told him but I just want to make my family proud.”

He and his father didn’t always see eye-to-eye, especially in their football fandom, cracks the younger Wayne. “My dad’s a big Arsenal fan, massive Arsenal fan,” he admits (something that makes this writer smile – COYG!!!). My favorite team is Manchester United. (Former Man U striker) Dwight Yorke played for Trinidad, and is the Trinidad Head Coach now, he’s a legend in Trinidad. Once I found out, I was all Man United.”………(kids, right?!?!) 

Despite that household rivalry, doing well for his family was always one priority but not always an easy route, he shared with Burgundy Wave. Especially given his late-bloomer physical presence on the pitch.

“I grew up as a really small kid. I was probably 5 ft going into high school (note – Wayne is now a solid foot taller after hitting his growth stage before college). That definitely gave me an advantage because it was tough coming up that way, people doubted me, didn’t really think I could do certain things. I kind of stayed in my age group but everybody was so much bigger than me it felt like I was playing up.”

After being named a High School All-American, winning the D.C. State Championship, and being named the State Player of the Year, Frederick played two seasons for the Duke Blue Devils. He not only impressed on the field, but off it as well earning ACC All-Academic honors. It was here that Wayne really began practicing his versatility by playing virtually everywhere except between the posts. 

“I was going to college and got recruited mainly as a center back/right back, but by the end of the year they told me you’re a midfielder for sure,” he explains. “I didn’t know where I was going to play on a given night, or I’d go in at striker and 10 minutes later I’m moving to right back, then moving to left back, so it’s just being open to adapting to anything.”

After being drafted by the Rapids in the first round of the 2024 MLS SuperDraft, Wayne was eager for the next step in his career and looking forward to getting started right away in preseason. However, an injury slightly derailed his fast-track and he had to adjust once again and begin his time in Colorado with Rapids 2 in order to get back up to full speed and integrate into Chris Armas’ system.

“I got hurt the 3^rd day of preseason, so I missed all of preseason. You always have to have that belief (in yourself), but getting the injury and not getting going as early as I would’ve liked with everybody else takes a toll on you mentally of course.”

What followed was real blessing in disguise, though, as Wayne took advantage of playing time with Rapids 2 under the watchful eyes of Head Coach Erik Bushey and Assistant (and former Rapid) Collen Warner. “I have to thank Eric and Collen for all the insight they’ve given me,” says Wayne. “They really encouraged me, helped me get back fit, and gave me a lot of instruction.”

“I learned so much going down there just on the style of play, different things with the 6 position, and getting those minutes was important getting the confidence back up and ultimately to show the coaches what I could do.”

Once again, Frederick enjoyed a bit of a position change, but one that has led him to the first team in 2025. “Only recently I’ve moved to midfield. I only played 5 months of midfield in college and then I came here. It’s been a big adjustment but that’s what I needed. I needed to learn how to play the position, how to be aware, knowing what you’re going to do before you get the ball. That’s what a box-to-box midfielder is – attacking and defending. I needed that giving me both of those abilities to affect the game in different ways. As (2024) progressed, I think I showed that I learned those things with the second team and it showed a bit with first team training as well.”

 “Going (to play with Rapids2), at first it’s like ‘man, I just really want to be with the first team,’ because I really hadn’t trained with them at that point, but I needed it. In the moment you may not realize certain things, but looking back I absolutely needed those games, those minutes, those training sessions just to get more focused on me personally. Doing that, and leading into preseason this year, was really helpful.”

Hearing the younger Frederick speak in such an introspective light, it’s easy to see why nothing really phases him and gives him a calmness on the pitch as well. 

A healthy start to 2025 has been exactly what Wayne was looking forward to with the Rapids. Whether being asked to help out defending or moving play forward through the midfield, his versatility and quality both on and off the ball have led to his first significant MLS minutes across four games including one start so far. “Preseason really helped me, I think this year was what I really worked on – knowing where guys were, where the pressure’s coming from, where the next man is, knowing where you’re going before you get the ball.” 

“After preseason, I was so happy just to have even gotten it in because not having one you can really tell it’s needed. You don’t realize how impactful it really is in getting the season going, but it was absolutely necessary.”

Another big step in his progression has been on the international stage as of late 2024, as he was called into camp for Trinidad and Tobago ahead of a friendly with Saudi Arabia. Even though Wayne admits it was a bit intimidating at first, he soon settled in and saw his first action for the Soca Warriors in a real eye-opener. 

“First call up in December was awesome. I was really nervous. It was quick – only three or four days – two training sessions and a game. I played in that game about 30 minutes and it was an awesome experience. I learned so much being around different types of players and coaches. Then, when I went back there last month (for a 2-match series with Cuba), I could tell that I learned a lot from just that alone.”

When asked how the international game compares with MLS so far, Wayne says it’s another version of needing to be versatile and able to change styles quickly. “In Saudi when we played it was faster, really quick, chaotic in a way things flying around. The guys aren’t with each other for long, you don’t have a preseason and all this time to hone in on what the team wants to do. So, it’s really tough getting everybody on the same page, but that’s another skill you have to adapt to is being able to play with different players, quickly pick up on what’s needed of you.”

As far as how Colorado is going so far in his second season, fans should be happy to hear Frederick give some glowing insight on the Rapids locker room and some of the main reasons he’s optimistic of their chances this year. 

“The quality of players I see everyday in training, all of them can do amazing things, I think as everybody gets going more into form, it will come out more in games. Our depth is amazing and it’s young too. I think one of the most important things is the culture. Everybody is cool with each other. I don’t think there’s another team in the league that is this close and gets along with each other so well.”

Hopefully, for Colorado’s solid form to start 2025, that continues to carry over to the team’s play on the pitch as well. Wayne Frederick II is a factor in that, more and more with each passing day.

Photo Credit: Colorado Rapids

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