By Jake Nutting
When the Tampa Bay Rowdies acquired midfielder Nate Worth via transfer from FC Tulsa in May, it wasn’t the typical in-season move you see from many teams. Usually, a team is looking to fill an immediate need and help them improve on the field right away. Worth, a 17-year-old already in his third season as a professional and with experience with the U.S. youth international, certainly has value to offer right now, but the Rowdies knew they were getting a player still in the middle of his development.
That was fine by Rowdies Head Coach Robbie Neilson, who has embraced mixing youth into the roster during his first year in Tampa Bay.
“We want to give young kids an opportunity,” noted Neilson on the night Worth earned his first Rowdies appearance back in May. “Nate’s 17 and he’s a really good player and we trust him. Yes, physically he’s maybe not quite at the level to be playing consistently but technically I think he is. It’s part of the club’s ethos now to bring these guys through and give them a chance.”
Worth has been with the squad for nearly a month now, playing 186 minutes through six appearances. The youngster picked up his first start for Tampa Bay in last weekend’s 2-0 win over Orange County SC, helping the marshal the center of the pitch during a 63-minute shift.
“It feels great,” said Worth following the Orange County match. “Day in, day out in training, this is what I work for. I work to play, not to sit on the bench, so to start in a game… it shows progress in where I’m at, so I’m really happy. I appreciate Coach Robbie for putting his trust in me and hopefully, it’s the first of many.”
The Rowdies youthful ethos extends beyond Worth. This season, the club has signed five USL Academy players, the most the Rowdies have ever had under contract in one season. Midfielders Nick Skubis and Amari Fowlkes, goalkeeper Taner Akin, forward Cristian Ortiz, and defender Mateus DeJesus are all among the club’s group of local teenagers on academy contracts. Skubis, a local standout from Tampa set to depart the Rowdies this week to attend Ohio State University, made his professional debut coming off the bench versus Orange County this past weekend.
“I’m a big believer in offering young players opportunities,” said Neilson. “When I first started my coaching career, I was around the academy and then I eventually became a head coach. The young guys coming in, it really brings a great energy to the group. That’s important. It brings competition to the group, also a hunger to the group… Tampa Bay is a huge area. There’s never really been a pathway for these young guys. We hope the Rowdies provide that pathway for them.”
The academy kids aren’t the only players on this year’s squad getting their first experience in the pro ranks. Defender Zane Bubb, who finished up a standout college career at the University of Central Florida last year, joined the Rowdies shortly before the start of the year after impressing as a preseason trialist. An unfortunate knee injury sidelined Bubb right before the season opener, but he’s now back to full fitness and finally made his professional debut alongside Skubis as a substitute against Orange County.
“Zane’s [Bubb] another young player we’ve brought in that I believe has great development potential ahead of him,” said Neilson. “He had an issue with his knee the first few weeks of the season, but with the rehab he’s done he’ll be an important player for us going forward.”
Of this year’s crop of academy players, Ortiz is setting a compelling example of what the Rowdies hope to accomplish by investing in local young players. The 17-year-old attacker who netted a goal for the Rowdies in their preseason win over MLS’ CF Montreal, became the first-ever Rowdies academy signing to turn professional with the club when he signed a contract in May. Two months later, Ortiz has been called up by the Dominican Republic U-20 squad for the CONCACAF U-20 Championship tournament, which kicks off this week in Mexico.
“Cristian has come in and done really well with us, as have all of the younger guys this year,” said Neilson. “We have two or three million people in the Tampa Bay area. In all that, we have some very good players here. They just have to have somewhere to go. They have got to have a pathway. They need the opportunity to stay local and play professional soccer in an environment with a high standard. We hope to do that for them.”
