Coronado High School 2022 graduate CJ Fodrey was drafted on December 21st as the overall 13th pick by Austin FC. Going into the Major League Soccer (MLS) SuperDraft, Fodrey was one of eight and the only freshman named to the 2023 Generation Adidas class. I had a chance to speak with CJ about his incredible accomplishments throughout his collegiate and budding professional career.
Q: First, I want to ask you about your season at SDSU. I saw some of your stats on their website, including being named Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and No. 4 Freshman in the nation by Top Drawer Soccer. How was your experience with being a collegiate athlete and what did it help you to learn more about yourself and the sport?
A: “Being a collegiate athlete is a great experience. I’ve played pro before that, but coming into the college season it was great because I had a bigger role than I did with playing professionally. Here at State, I was more depended on as a freshman and I took a bigger role, which was good for me.”
Q: What was your most notable memory playing college soccer so far? How do you think transitioning to Austin would be a different experience?
A: “My most notable memory was probably playing with my teammates that I literally lived with. I lived with ten other freshmen, and it was cool just to be with them every single day and I think dorm life was really fun for me. I’m going from playing guys that are playing within the same five year agencies to guys that are much older than me. I think it’ll be a big difference and I’ll be away from home for the first time in my life.”
Q: How does the MLS SuperDraft work?
A: “Pro teams from MLS draft you. This year they gave out 11 Generation Adidas contracts where the league pays for your salary. They only hand out usually 5-10 of those a year and that’s where they’ll say you’re good enough to leave college early and pay for your contract and schooling for the next eight years. I got one of those and entered the draft and that’s when I got picked 13th overall.”
Q: What were your thoughts leading up to the draft? Did you have any expectations?
A: “I was just excited to get the GA so I knew for sure I was going to end up going somewhere.”
Q: What are you looking forward to in this next chapter of your life playing for Austin?
A: “I’m looking forward to meeting the fans; the fans are super cool. I’m also looking forward to playing in the Q2 Stadium, getting a lot of minutes, and playing a lot over the next three years of my contract. Hopefully I’ll just keep slowly growing and getting better and better.”
“For all the people that are probably reading this, I’m just a Coronado kid that grew up playing here in Coronado. I’ve played here in San Diego my whole life, so it’s very possible for whoever’s reading this that whoever wants to be a professional soccer player can be.”
Congrats to CJ and the best of luck in his professional soccer career!
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