NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. — Chris Sharpe wasn’t even looking for Abraham Rodriguez the day he discovered him.
The Colorado Rapids goalie coach was watching a Rapids Academy game about five years ago when someone tapped him on the shoulder and pointed to the field behind Sharpe. “Have a look at this kid.”
And there Rodriguez was, an undersized, athletic kid who kept making spectacular plays.
“He came from nowhere,” Sharpe said. “I turned around and here’s this little kid darting around making unbelievable saves but super raw like no technique, no coaching. … We monitored him for a bit, but we had to have him.