Naperville Central senior Nathan Laird had a couple of reasons for trying high school soccer for the first time this season after playing club ball during his first three years.
Laird had accepted a scholarship offer to play for DePaul, which is coached by Naperville North alum Mark Plotkin.
The second reason was probably more important, though.
“My mom really wanted me to play because she said I didn’t do anything here at Central,” Laird said.
Laird’s mother, Cristiane, told him she has always loved watching sports. She gets to watch him play for the Redhawks, who are glad to have the speedy forward.
“He’s that dynamic, explosive player,” Naperville Central coach Troy Adams said. “We needed it. We returned a lot of defensive players, but we were a little light on the attack, and luckily he brings a different perspective than some of our other players — a little bit more of that pace. We really lacked that last year.”
Laird is off to a strong start. He has three goals and two assists in his first seven games, including a goal and an assist in the Redhawks’ 4-0 DuPage Valley Conference win against visiting Neuqua Valley at Memorial Stadium on Tuesday.
Laird’s goal against the Wildcats came at the 23:04 mark of the first half. He got loose on the right wing and chipped a 25-yard shot over charging junior goalkeeper Oskar Marcinkowski’s head.
That turned out to be the only score the Redhawks (4-1-2, 1-0) needed against Neuqua Valley (2-1-1, 0-1). But Laird helped give his team a better cushion when he assisted on senior forward Nolan Ewanic’s goal with 23:40 to go in the second half.
Ewanic finished with two goals to boost his team-leading total to seven. Laird is second on that goal-scoring list and is supporting his teammates just as much in practice.
“He just makes practice more intense and all around makes it better,” Naperville Central sophomore defender Calum Bohan said. “It makes everyone sure they are on top of their game.”
That includes Bohan, who has to go against Laird.
“If practices are harder, it makes it a lot easier in the game,” Bohan said.
Laird played in MLS Next, the highest level of club, for Chicago FC United. But he said he likes the camaraderie he finds with the Redhawks.
“Obviously, the players are different, and it’s different to play here, but it’s still fun,” he said. “It’s more friendly over here. I feel like everyone is nicer.”
Laird comes across as soft-spoken, preferring to let his play do the talking, but Bohan said that facade hides a pleasant personality.
“He’s hilarious, such a funny guy,” Bohan said. “He’s probably the comedian of the team.”
But Laird is serious about winning. Adams notices that during games.
“You can see his work rate,” Adams said. “He gets to balls because he’s committed to working in getting to them. That’s a huge piece as well.”
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One area in which high school soccer is superior to club is the rivalries. Laird got his first taste of that Saturday when the Redhawks lost to crosstown rival Naperville North 1-0 in the Best of the West Tournament championship game at Memorial Stadium.
“There is a level of intensity that you don’t see at the club level except on very rare occasions,” Adams said. “For the most part, there aren’t that type of rivalries in academy soccer.
“For us, the North game is Alabama-Auburn.”
Laird understands that now.
“We’re going to play North again (Sept. 17),” Laird said. “We have to beat them.”
Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter.