DeShawn and Laketric Mendel

Discussion in 'Yanks Abroad Academy' started by Dave Marino-Nachison, Jan 14, 2018.

  1. Dave Marino-Nachison

    Jun 9, 1999
    These two seem like a fascinating pair. They're the German-born sons of an American serviceman who are spending their senior year in high school in California. (The story, linked below, says little about the mother; it notes that the father has been their "caregiver" since they were 3 and I'm sure there's more to the story.) I don't know if this exactly fits here but perhaps it does in the context of YAs who may be here only briefly.

    [​IMG]

    “I brought them here so that they could explore every opportunity they might have,” said their father, Danny Johnson, a former U.S. serviceman previously stationed in Germany.

    ...

    Despite the potential for professional soccer careers, the family had made the decision to move to Riverside, enroll the boys at Poly High for one year and take advantage of the American college recruiting process.

    “Our dad puts pressure on us to give everything we have so that we can look at the best scholarships we can,” Laketric Mendel said. “But we definitely want to try to go pro if we can make it.”

    ...

    Ask an opposing coach and very few have seen their combination of strength and speed in a player at the high school level. Both measure 6-foot-2 and weigh 180-to-185 pounds.
    https://www.pe.com/2018/01/10/riverside-polys-mendel-twins-proving-a-bear-to-defend-on-soccer-field/

    FuPa has Laketric as a '98 who was affiliated with SC Germania Nürnberg.

    https://www.fupa.net/spieler/laketric-mendel-1070503.html

    Based on a quick search, the internet has more to say about him than his brother.
     
    Winoman repped this.
  2. chrome_vapors

    chrome_vapors Member+

    Oct 15, 2010
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    Well that certainly adds up.

    I imagine none have ever seen a 20yo compete in high school soccer, though perfectly legitimate per CIF rules. As I remember it, high school eligibility in California used to cut off at that exact age.

    Call me unimpressed though, these twins are competing almost exclusively against 00 - 03's.

    If I'm a college coach and they can actually play, I'd be interested. They'll be damn near 26 before they run out of NCAA eligibility.
     
  3. sakibomb523

    sakibomb523 Member+

    Oct 13, 2009
    Orange County
    Club:
    AS Roma
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    UC Riverside should recruit them. They were horrible last year.
     
  4. Dave Marino-Nachison

    Jun 9, 1999
    UniversalAdvice and Winoman repped this.

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