On his 21st birthday, Rashawn Dally wrote in a book he’d be drafted on his 22nd birthday. It came true.
He wrote a goal for 23, too, but he’s keeping that a secret and hoping time, progression and opportunities will make it happen.
Dally is FC Cincinnati’s youngest forward and was its last pick in the 2019 Major League Soccer SuperDraft two weeks ago. Then, he sat with his family in their Bloomfield, Conn., home waiting to learn his fate.
Fast forward to Monday morning, when Dally stood with Emery Welshman at an IMG Academy practice field and discussed advice during the training session. The waiting is over. Now, it’s about executing, and Dally said he’s excited and open to learning.
“It’s been good so far,” he said. “I’m excited to get out here and meet all the guys. I’m here learning as much as I can during these training sessions. I’m trying to pick up as much as I can from the coaches to see what kind of style they like and adapt to that.”
Dally is one of FC Cincinnati’s six rookies selected in the SuperDraft. He was the club’s last pick — No. 49 overall — but the lone selected forward.
“Going and getting Rashawn is something different,” Head Coach Alan Koch said. “We don’t really have too many out-and-out, dynamic speedsters in our squad right now. We needed that sort of profile and we’re excited to see how he does.”
Dally played at Quinnipiac in college and become the school’s first player selected in the SuperDraft. He played 78 matches as a Bobcat, finishing with 16 goals and 15 assists. Last March, he joined the Jamaican National Team and could again in the future. If so, he’d join current FCC players Alvas Powell and Darren Mattocks on the Reggae Boyz.
