“It didn’t take long for me to become obsessed with the game.”
My name is Juan Carlos Obregón Jr. I was born in Brooklyn, New York on October 29th, 1997. Growing up in the inner city had its challenges, but there were a lot of moments of joy as well. Life always revolved around two constants that continue to take precedence above all else as the closest things to my heart: family and soccer. My fondest memories as a kid are going to the park with my parents and sister kicking the soccer ball around. I envisioned a pro career in my future, but there was more to the dream than that. I wanted to be a goalscorer; a dominant goalscorer.
East New York is a vastly diverse place and being the son of two Honduran immigrants, our family definitely fit into that mold. I predominantly spoke Spanish at home and English at school, effectively utilizing my bilingual abilities. Honduran culture runs deep through my veins and I loved when my family would gather to celebrate the holidays. Similarly to many other countries worldwide, soccer in Honduras is like a sacred religion. Everyone plays, and the burning passion for the game was certainly passed down to me from my parents. It didn’t take long for me to become obsessed with the game, and I was determined to put in the maximum effort possible to be the best.
At the age of four, I played for Liga Cristo del Consuelo (CDC Academy) in Brooklyn. It was fun because at that point, I was just running behind the ball and kicking it. I wasn’t thinking about anything else and I never got tired of playing. The game was simple.
“It was a great opportunity to test myself.”
BW Gottschee Academy in Queens was my next stop when I was eight years old, which is one of the oldest club teams in New York City. The competition intensified in a way I wasn’t used to in the past, but it was a great opportunity to test myself with kids at a higher level. I fit in well during my two years there and developed into one of the stronger players with promising potential.
From the ages of 10-13, I played for Red Bulls Youth Academy in Harrison, New Jersey. The weekly schedule was always jam-packed, consisting of nightly training sessions and tournaments on the weekends. Our preparation was never geared towards evaluating one team at a time, we had to physically be in shape for several games with very little recovery in between. I separated myself as one of the most talented players among the group and graduated from the program.
I was brought up to the Red Bulls Academy to play my U13-U15 years. It was an amazing experience because it gave me an inkling of what it takes to thrive in a professional environment. The level of play once again increased, and it was a chance to compete with other young phenoms who were just as hungry to make a name for themselves as I was. However, due to the significant travel commitment from Brooklyn to New Jersey, I decided to leave the academy to find an option closer to home. I remember days where my Mom would pick me and my sister up after school, drive to New Jersey for a 7:00 pm training, arrive back home at 10:30-11:00 pm, and repeat the same cycle the next day. In addition, I was eating dinner in the car and rushing to complete my homework, which was never ideal.
“I found my niche as a bona fide goal scorer.”
I ended up joining Cosmos Academy in Uniondale, New York. I had a very successful season there, lighting up the stat sheet in both goals and assists on any given night. Under the guidance of the coaches, I was truly able to display my offensive capabilities to the fullest and positively impact every aspect of the game.
In 2010, my former club BW Gottschee agreed to form a partnership with Cosmos Academy. The cost to play was no longer free and the fees were challenging for my parents to afford. So, I started to play for Metropolitan Oval (Met Oval) Academy in Queens when I was 16 years old.
Met Oval was the spot in my youth career where I evolved the most as a player, and I found my niche as a bona fide goal scorer. I was getting used to hitting the back of the net two or three times a game and enhancing my ability to distribute the ball too. In 2014, we won the national tournament in the Super Y League, which consists of some of the most elite youth teams from the U.S. and Canada. I won the Golden Boot as the tournament’s leading goalscorer with five goals in five games, an incredible achievement that would draw the attention of many collegiate coaches. Shortly after the national tournament, I received and accepted an offer to play Division I soccer at Siena College.
“It was an incredible feeling to be contributing to a great team.”
I transitioned well to the style of play my freshman year at Siena, but I wasn’t a regular starter. My fitness level and stamina needed to improve if I wanted to play for the full 90 minutes of a game. The summer before my sophomore year, I played in the PDL (Premier Development League), which is now called USL League Two, with F.A. Euro in my hometown of Brooklyn. I embraced the grind and wouldn’t let anyone outmatch my work ethic on the field. I ended up leading the PDL in goals with eight in 11 appearances and I was super proud of myself. The hard work paid off that summer and I was primed for a great season in my second go around with the Saints in 2016.
We had a really talented group my sophomore year and started the season winning our first four games, cracking the top 25 ranking threshold in the country. It was an amazing feeling to be contributing to a great team, as I scored two goals over that four game span myself.
Not long into my sophomore year, an unexpected call changed my plans and had me pack my bags quickly. I got called up to the U20 Honduran national team to be a part of their training camp. It was an opportunity I couldn’t let slip away and it was a huge honor to represent the country where my family is from. I continued to try and play in every game that I could for Siena throughout the fall, but it was difficult to do so because I was re-called to report to the U20 team in Honduras multiple times. I finished the season with four goals and three assists, and we made it to the semi finals of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) tournament.
During the shortened spring season for Siena later that year, I played in five games. I scored a hatrick and dished out an assist in the finale against the University at Albany in a razor close 4-3 win. Having experience with the Honduras U20 national team under my belt, I felt ready to make the leap to the professional ranks and decided to forgo my last two years of college eligibility.
“I was starstruck.”
I joined Liga MX side Club Necaxa, which plays in the top flight of football in Mexico. I was a member of the U20 reserve team for two seasons, and I played tremendously well on the biggest stage of my career up until that point. I hit the back of the net twice in an abbreviated 2017 campaign and led the league in goals with 12 in 17 appearances the following year. The first team was intrigued by my goal scoring prowess and oftentimes would allow me to practice with them. I was starstruck to be around the likes of players who represented their national teams at the World Cup, most notably Matías Fernández from Chile and fellow Honduran Brayan Beckeles.
In the middle of the 2018 season, I was told that I would debut for the first team in their next Copa MX game, a football tournament that is considered by many to be one of the most profound in all of Mexico. However, things took a turn for the worse after I received a red card in a reserve game just a few days prior. I lost control of my emotions, and my lack of judgment got me suspended from the chance I had desperately been working for my whole life.
The following preseason, I returned to Club Necaxa and expected to sign a contract with the first team. I didn’t have an agent at the time, so I did all of the negotiating myself. They made an offer to sign me, but as part of the deal, I would be loaned to a second division team to get playing time. At that moment, I was disappointed because I felt that I had proven myself enough to lock in a first team contract. I turned the offer down and came back to the U.S. immediately signing with an agent to assist me in the search for another opportunity.
“I realized that I belonged at the professional level.”
The Houston Dynamo showed interest in me, and I trained with them for a bit before signing with their USL Championship affiliate, Rio Grande Valley FC Toros (RGV Toros). I only played in four games during the 2019 campaign after joining the team in late September, but I made an immediate impact in my debut against Orange County SC. In a game we led 1-0, I came on as a substitute in the 84th minute and scored in the 85th to put the game out of reach in front of our home crowd. Scoring my first professional goal was a really proud moment and amounted to an indescribable feeling of happiness. I was saddened to have to leave Necaxa, but I got a newfound boost of confidence that made me realize that I belonged at the professional level.
In 2020, I trained with the Dynamo again and appeared in their second preseason game as a substitute. I ended up drawing a penalty that led to the final goal of a 5-0 victory, and I’ll never forget the rush of excitement I felt to suit up in a Major League Soccer (MLS) jersey.
I was called up to the U23 Honduran national team before the start of the MLS regular season to be a part of training camp for the Olympic Qualifiers. Unfortunately, with two weeks left in the tournament, COVID put the world on hold and canceled the remaining games for the foreseeable future. I was devastated that an opportunity to be on the world’s biggest stage in soccer was taken away from me, but my family encouraged me to be optimistic and work even harder during quarantine when no one else was watching.
After many months away, the 2020 season resumed in mid-July and I played in my second year with RGV Toros. Individually, I paced the team in goals with three, but we finished tied for the second lowest point total in the USL Championship.
Heading into 2021, RGV Toros split from the Houston Dynamo and became an independent club. I felt like I deserved a contract or even a preseason invite with the Dynamo, but it never came about. While offers rained in from numerous other USL Championship teams, the Olympic Qualifiers were finally happening and training camp was starting up for the U23 Honduran national team. I had still not signed with a club yet, but I had faith in my ability to shine in the spotlight.
“I felt untouchable.”
In a do or die match for a guaranteed spot in the Olympics, we played against the U.S. in front of an empty Jalisco Stadium in Guadalajara, Mexico. I had a whole bunch of emotions when both anthems played, but I knew there was business to be taken care of and I was determined to dominate the game. I wanted to prove I was worthy of another shot with an MLS side.
When the referee blew the opening whistle, I felt untouchable. I never lost the ball, I was creating opportunities, and I was rewarded for my efforts when I scored the opening goal of the game. I actually started the chance while making a run, and then I was tripped up by one of the U.S. center backs just over half field that drew a free kick. A cross was lobbed into the box, headed towards the net by my teammate Denil Maldonado, and I tapped in the goal. We held on to the advantage and came out victorious 2-1. I became an Olympian representing the country where my parents were born, and I couldn’t have been more thrilled.
“I love the city of Hartford.”
MLS rosters had already closed when I returned to the states, so my agent recommended that I play with a USL Championship team. In early April of 2021, I signed with Hartford Athletic. The people in the organization embraced me with open arms and the fact that Connecticut is a two hour drive from home in Brooklyn allows me to see my family often. They have never missed a home game since I joined the club, and their support means the world to me.
We started out the season winning games, but we ended the back half of the season on a difficult losing stretch, missing out on the playoffs. Individually, I performed at a high level, breaking the single season scoring record in Hartford Athletic history with 10 goals. I was also pleasantly surprised by the amount of support we received from our fan base, and I honestly believe we are better in that department than every other organization.
I missed five games during the month of July that year to go to the Tokyo Olympics. I was surrounded by an aura of greatness, and it was an incredible honor to represent Honduras in what is considered the holy grail of sport. I didn’t play much on the pitch, but I entered the game as a substitute for 20 minutes in our second matchup against New Zealand. Sure enough, I scored the equalizer in the 78th minute that we were desperately looking for that knotted the game at two apiece. We ended up winning the game 3-2, and contributing in the way I did was one of the most satisfying moments of my career that I will never forget.
Hartford Athletic picked up my option after the 2021 season ended, and I am happy to be back with the Green and Blue once again. We have a resilient group that is willing to do whatever it takes to claw back into the playoff race. I love the city of Hartford, and I know our fans will continue to bring thunderous energy to every home match. They are, without question, the best fanbase there is in the USL Championship.
I’m Juan Carlos Obregón Jr., and this is my story.