Judge graduate now a Major League Soccer player

Intermountain Catholic

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Adam Acosta, a Real Salt Lake (RSL) right fullback, practices foot speed drills, necessary in the physical game of soccer. RSL is presently in fifth place in the Western Conference.IC photo by Chris Young

SALT LAKE CITY — It was a dream come true for Adam Acosta when he signed with Real Salt Lake (RSL) in May 2005. RSL is the Major League Soccer team on which Acosta plays right fullback.

Throughout 2005, Acosta signed three-day contracts. But in February 2006, he signed a one-year contract. He said next February it will start all over and he will have to try out again.

Acosta started playing soccer when he was five years old. He also played little league baseball, basketball, and golf. He learned at a very young age what it means to be a role model. His mother, Joyce Acosta, taught second grade at St. Olaf School while he was enrolled there. His mother’s students knew he was an athlete involved in many sports, and they looked up to him. He enjoys being a role model now, and is happy to sign autographs when he is recognized in public.

Acosta graduated from Judge Memorial Catholic High School in 2000, where he played basketball all four years and was on the varsity team as a sophomore, junior, and senior. He was also on the soccer team all four years.

Acosta said James Yerkovich, varsity basketball coach and vice principal, is one of the most inspirational people in his life.

"I learned everything from Coach Yerkovich," said Acosta. "Coach Yerkovich taught us how to deal with life by teaching us how to get along with other team members both on and off the court, as well as get along in the relationships we had with our family, friends, and with God. He taught us when dealing with any type of relationship, including God, it is not about receiving, it is about giving and putting your whole self into the time and effort of these relationships. The relationship is not about you, it is what you can give to it.

"What I learned from Coach Yerkovich has helped me in every aspect of my life," said Acosta. "During my junior year, everything started to make sense. It made going into college a lot easier because I knew who I was through these relationships. I have developed life-long friendships. I may not talk to some people for a while, but I know they are there for me and I am there for them."

Acosta said Judge Memorial Athletic Director Dan Delporto was also a huge inspiration in his life. They are still good friends. As the freshman basketball coach, Delporto was the first to implement Yerkovich’s "We" philosophy into Acosta’s life. The "We" philosophy focuses on the value of Christian teamwork on the courts and in the classroom. Delporto also helped the freshman make the transition into college.

Recruitment from high school into soccer is different than recruitment for basketball. Soccer recruitment comes from club soccer, which is played through private organizations. Acosta went to the University of Utah his freshman year and continued playing club soccer with Northern United. As a member of the Northern United team, Acosta traveled to Colorado, Idaho, Florida, and Italy to play soccer matches and tournaments. In 2000, his team won the Men’s Amateur National Championship. Acosta was recruited to the University of Redlands from the Northern United team.

Acosta received an academic scholarship to the University of Redlands in California. Athletic scholarships are not given at that university. He said the discipline he learned at Judge Memorial through Yerkovich and Delporto, which required him to have good grades in order to play sports, paid off for him in college. Yerkovich and Delporto taught him how to become a responsible adult. Acosta graduated in 2005 with a Bachelor’s Degree in psychology.

At the University of Redlands, Acosta had a coach similar to Yerkovich, who also helped him make the transition from high school to college.

"Coach Rob Becerra from the University of Redlands was a huge inspiration and, as far as soccer goes, he is the main reason I am with RSL today," said Acosta. "He really built me as a person and he did it in a way in which I was able to walk out of college with him as one of my best friends. He prepared me mentally and physically, and improved my soccer skills. He is Catholic and we have the same values. He really helped me, especially being away from home."

In college Acosta played all four years as a starter in soccer. He made the All Conference team all four years, and was Conference Player of the Year and was an All-American Player his junior year. He also played basketball his sophomore year.

Acosta said soccer is a very physical game which requires endurance, strength to withstand fatigue, and good foot speed. It also requires good nutrition, weight training, and staying healthy.

The playoffs for RSL will be held in late October and early November.

"To prepare yourself mentally for a playoff game, you have to find another reason as to why the game is important to you," said Acosta. "To focus on the playoffs is too overwhelming. To prepare ourselves mentally, we focus on our head-to-head match-ups and our series with each team. We play the Western Conference teams four times and the Eastern Conference teams twice each season.

Acosta started out as an RSL forward, the same position as Jason Kreis, who is the team’s leading scorer.

"Jason Kreis is an amazing person," said Acosta. "He has shown me a lot about playing soccer and the professional world of soccer. Kreis is the type of person who takes young guys aside and wants them to learn and become better players. You can ask him for advice and he will help you without criticizing you. He is such a leader that playing with him or against him in practices every day has not only been a dream come true, but it has been such an inspiration."