This newest of Sporting KC newcomers got in his first practice Thursday. He looked good
Jamil Roberts is just 22, but Sporting Kansas City’s newest arrival is already deeply aware of the responsibilities shouldered by a professional athlete:
Eating healthy. Drinking the correct fluids. Getting to bed on time.
But for Roberts, there’s even more to being a pro.
“It can sound lonely, but distancing yourself, in my opinion, from the distractions,” he said. “Sometimes you have to cut people out. No matter how close you are with them or how good a friend they are, sometimes they can be, without you knowing, the one that’s holding you back.”
Roberts arrived in Kansas City last week after being selected 77th overall in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft. He opted to remain with his college team, Marshall, for his senior year and helped guide the Thundering Herd to the first NCAA soccer in program history.
He actually had the mindset of living like a pro long before he arrived in Kansas City. A native of Langport, England, Roberts signed his first professional contract at age 16 with Plymouth Argyle.
“I’ve just tried to live like a pro ever since then,” Roberts said. “I’ve had some great mentors along the way that have really drummed it into me of how to live and the mindset that it takes to make it.”
Before draft day in January, he took soccer seriously but still had to focus on school. As soon as his name was called in the third round of the draft, however, soccer became everything.
He followed his future Sporting KC teammates on Instagram and watched KC games and post-game shows to the point it became “a bit obsessive.”
In his final weeks of college in Huntington, West Virginia, Roberts’ professional instinct began to kick in again. He would have to leave behind his life at Marshall.
“I love the people of Huntington,” he said. “But especially over the last couple of weeks I kind of realized that I’m ready to move on and I’m ready to throw myself into a new environment and thrive.”
After months of anticipation, he took another big step Thursday: his first Sporting Kansas City practice.
“It’s amazing just to get involved,” he said, “to look around the training ground and get involved with the boys, finally. It’s everything that I’ve wanted, everything that I’ve looked forward to for the past few months.”
Traditionally a left winger, Roberts manned that position in Sporting’s small-sided scrimmage at the end of Thursday’s practice. He often talks about his pride in creating good chances for his teammates and being clinical in front of the goal, but Sporting KC head coach Peter Vermes was impressed by another facet of his game after that session.
“I actually was more interested just to see his movements — his movements are actually pretty good,” Vermes said. “He’s also a very athletic guy, which is important for our league.”
Left back Luis Martins was also impressed by Roberts’ first outing, saying that the newcomer had some “great touches” and a “little bit of quality.”
“I really appreciate the words from the gaffer. It’s early doors, so to hear that is obviously great,” Roberts said. “I’ve got to prove to them that I’m capable at this level, and that’s the mindset that I’m going with and that’s the only thing I can really focus on right now.”
This story was originally published June 4, 2021 at 5:00 AM with the headline "This newest of Sporting KC newcomers got in his first practice Thursday. He looked good."