Photo credit: Paul Kitagaki Jr./AP
Kicking and screaming have a whole new meaning as a young California soccer player is making American history as the youngest professional athlete across all major leagues in North America.
Thirteen-year-old Da’vian Kimbrough recently signed a contract with the Sacramento Republic FC, a team part of the USL Championship league. According to ESPN, the previous record for the youngest American athlete was held by Maximo Carrizo, who was 14 when he signed with New York City FC’s senior squad in 2022.
According to a statement released by the Sacramento Republic FC, the 5 foot-11 forward from California is only 13 years old, five months, and thirteen days of age.
“Republic FC announced Da’vian Kimbrough, a member of the club’s youth development academy, has signed his first professional contract making him eligible to compete for the club’s first team. In signing his first professional contract, Da’vian is the youngest professional athlete in American team sports history (13 years, 5 months, 13 days). As he begins his third year with Republic FC, he will be added to the club’s first-team roster pending league and federation approval, and continue his development as one of the team’s high-potential players in the academy,” they announced in a statement.
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Kimbrough was only 11 years old when he joined Republic FC’s youth academy. According to CNN, during his introduction season with the team, he earned a “countrywide-best record of 30 wins and one loss, including 27 straight wins to begin the season.”
He gained attention from many soccer lovers after he played in the Bassevelde Cup, a tournament focused on youth soccer players. Not only did he score six goals in the tournament, he also was named Most Valuable Player.
According to the statement, “Kimbrough is now the sixth Republic FC Academy player to sign a professional contract with the club and the 25th to sign a professional contract overall.”
Photo credit: Paul Kitagaki Jr./AP
“Since its inception in 2015, the club’s youth academy has offered the region’s only professional pathway to support the development of the region’s best players,” according to the statement. The program has created a pipeline for 34 players to earn first-team opportunities through USL Academy contracts, with eight players joining MLS-affiliated clubs,” the statement continued.
Kimbrough has been a standout player for the team during his time with the youth academy. According to People, he has scored 61 goals in 81 games, a stat that could compete with an adult professional soccer player!
Kimbrough is expected to remain in school in Sacramento at the Elk Grove Charter School, an education partner with Republic FC, and train with players on a schedule that will allow him to focus on both his academics and soccer skills.
“His training schedule will be modified and monitored with the club’s sports medicine staff, in consultation with his family and USL safeguarding guidelines. He will continue a mixed training regimen that provides him the benefits of competing with professional players on the first team, as well as the unique development opportunities that happen in Academy competition,” according to a statement from the team.
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Many of the coaching staff on the team are eager to get Kimbrough out on the field with their other professional players. Head coach Mark Briggs praises Kimbrough for the person he is on and off the field.
“A young player’s path is never the same as the person seated next to them. Da’vian has shown tremendous focus, commitment and dedication, as well as a willingness to embrace the challenging road ahead of him… Over the last two years, he has demonstrated his tremendous potential, and our goal is to continue to support and help him grow as a player and person,” Coach Briggs stated.
We are eager to see what the future holds for Da’vian, but we have a feeling it will be very bright!
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