Cody Sharrett: First of all, welcome to the Crew. You were born and raised in Columbus. How excited are you to play with your hometown club after signing a Homegrown contract this morning?
Wil Trapp: I'm massively excited. It's a dream come true for me. I've always wanted to sign a pro contract. For it to be here in the place I've grown up and a team I've followed my entire life, it's more than I could have hoped for.
CS: I'm sure you attended plenty of Crew games growing up. Do you remember your first game?
WT: I can't remember the first game exactly, but I remember going to Ohio Stadium when the team played there. Just watching guys like Brad Friedel and Brian McBride and those guys, it was one of the things that pushed me to want to pursue soccer as my life goal as a job.
CS: You play defensive midfield primarily. Guys like Danny O'Rourke currently and Brian Carroll in the past have had success in that position for the Crew. How have you modeled you game after some of those guys?
WT: Brian Carroll was a guy I really followed, and he had immense success here. Danny O'Rourke as well, being another Columbus guy. Those two guys have done extremely well and they are real natural leaders. They are players that I aspire to be like and emulate.
CS: You started with the Crew Soccer Academy in 2007. What did playing with CSA do for yor development?
WT: It put me on the map, I think. The success I had with the Crew translated to National Team call-ups and that kind of stuff. I owe the Crew a lot for my success and I'm glad I get to pay them back now.
CS: From the Academy and Gahanna Lincoln High School, you went to Akron where you played under current Portland Timbers Head Coach Caleb Porter for two seasons. How did he help mature your game in college?
WT: From the beginning, Caleb had a tough love sort of thing. He played defensive midfielder. I didn't start out as defensive mid at Akron, but he really pushed me into that role and kind of groomed me to be one of the guys he looked upon to be a leader and move on to the next level. I really owe him a lot for the player I am today.
CS: The FIFA U-20 World Cup is next year. What are you hoping to accomplish ahead of the qualifying for that tournament?
WT: We have to qualify. Hopefully, I'll be in the qualifying team. If I make the World Cup squad, I'm just going to keep working to play, and start and go as far as we possibly can in the tournament. It's one of those things, to be on the world stage is another dream come true.
CS: It's an open road now. Whether it be short-term or long-term what are your goals with the Crew?
WT: First and foremost, I want to play and contribute in my rookie year. It's no easy task for any player because you're getting acclimated to being a pro in general. Down the road, I hope to bring a championship back here, fill the stadium with fans and contribute back to what has inspired me to be a pro to the community to help young gets accomplish their dreams.
