July 2008

With cameras flashing, reporters jotting down notes and an assembly of important guests, Claudio Reyna’s emotional July 16 announcement of retirement looked like that of any other superstar athlete.

Except, he made his announcement here, at the home of the Gray Bees, where Reyna’s illustrious career began to take shape.

“I had the option of Giants Stadium or at the Red Bulls (complex),” said Reyna, a 1990 graduate of St. Benedict’s, who became one of the most decorated players in U.S. history. “The perfect place to have the conference was at St. Benedict’s. It’s like my second home.”

Claudio launched his soccer career here in 1987.

“By 1985-86 we had good program,” recalled Jacobs. “In 1987, I got a phone call from his father that he wanted to play here.”

Reyna transferred from Jonathan Dayton High School in Springfield to St. Benedict’s and, as they say, the rest is history.

In his three years in a Gray Bees’ uniform, Reyna helped to lead the team to a 66-0 record. This was a team packed with future professional players including Gregg Berhalter and Petter Villegas.

Claudio’s leadership began to attract national attention. During his senior year, he was named Gatorade National Player of the Year and was the only soccer player selected twice as Parade Magazine’s National High School Player of the Year (1989 and ’90). He was later tabbed as The Player of the 20th Century in New Jersey.

After St. Benedict’s, his stature as the best player in the nation continued to grow at the University of Virginia. He led the Cavaliers to three successive NCAA Championships.

After UVA, he made the unusual leap to play professional soccer in Europe. American players rarely played in Europe then, so Claudio was an exception. He really had to prove himself.

“When I first started to play in Europe, it was at a time American players were laughed at,” said Reyna, who smashed that moniker by being named among the best players in Germany and also obtaining the captain’s arm band twice overseas.

After 14 years playing professional soccer abroad on such European sides such as Bayer Leverkusen, Rangers, Sunderland and Manchester City , he returned home in 2007 to play in the MLS with the New York Red Bulls.

Plagued by injuries suffered during his European stint, he played few games for the Red Bulls. During his time recovering from a disc injury in 2008, thoughts of retirement began to trickle in.

“It came to me a few weeks back, I made the decision after talking to my wife and family,” he said.

Now having retired from professional soccer, he plans to direct his time to other matters.

“I’ve been asked to be on the Board of Trustees at St. Benedict’s,” said Reyna, who was appointed to the St. Benedict’s board back in December. “I will also stay involved with Red Bulls and focus on my foundation.”

He recently started The Claudio Reyna Foundation with business partner Emory Plitt with an enormous amount of support from Jacobs, Headmaster Fr. Edwin Leahy and St. Benedict’s. The foundation will focus on bringing top-level soccer personnel to inner city youths. One of their first tasks is to start an academy-like operation at St. Benedict’s, which will be open to the city residents.

As the press conference was wrapping up, Claudio was asked how he felt about his retirement.

“Today is a really happy day, I don’t know why I’m crying.”

--By Kwasi Agyemang '08

As Claudio Reyna finished off the round of questions reporters asked, here are few some words people had to say about him:

“I knew he was going to be special, but even I didn’t think it would get to this. Playing in four World Cups, Captain on the U.S National team and 12 years in Europe , I would’ve never seen that.”

- St. Benedicts Head Soccer Coach, Rick Jacobs.

- Red Bulls Sporting Director, Jeff Agoos

- MLS Commissioner, Don Garber