BEAVERTON, Ore. — After two years of pain and frustration, Brent Richards is thrilled to be back playing soccer.
And he is excited that his comeback is with the Portland Timbers organization.
The 2008 Camas High School graduate is one of the first six players signed by the Timbers 2, Portland’s new United Soccer League team.
“It feels really good to be training back here,” Richards said after a Thursday morning practice at the Adidas Timbers Training Center. “The body is feeling the best it has since my surgery so I’m happy about that.”
That surgery was actually several operations. On January 26, 2013, Richards injured his left knee during a Timbers training session. When his knee didn’t adequately recover from the initial surgery to repair his ACL, he underwent another surgery in January of 2014 — a relatively new procedure involving the anterolateral ligament.
Following that surgery, multiple doctors told Richards his knee felt strong.
“I may not be back where I was right before the injury, but it’s the best I’ve felt so I’m really happy about that,” Richards said.
And he is willing to learn a new position. A forward throughout his career, Richards is being looked at as an right-side defender for T2.
“I’m happy about his potential there. He’s a good athlete,” T2 head coach Jay Vidovich said.
Richards said he doesn’t care where he plays, he just wants to earn a spot in the lineup.
Richards said his knee finally started to improve last summer. As part of his rehabilitation, he spent time training with his former team at the University of Washington.
Prior to the injury, Richards’ soccer career was a series of successes. In 2010 he was the Premier Development League MVP in helping the Timbers under-23 team win that league’s championship. In 2012, he was the first homegrown player signed by the MLS Timbers. That year he appeared in nine matches with the Timbers and nine more with the Timbers reserve team, earning the club’s Young Player of the Year honor.
Richards said he feels good about his training, but admits he won’t really know if he’s still as quick and explosive until he plays in a game.
“A good test will be when I get in a game and we start playing 100 miles an hour. That will be the true test,” Richards said. “It’s different in training. I still feel like I’m pretty quick and I’m pretty athletic, but games are different than training.”
After two years of rehabilitation and uncertainty, even training sessions are enjoyable.
“I wavered a few times. There were times when I’d tell myself ‘I’m having a bit of an identity crisis. Am I going to be able to play again?'” Richards said. “So to be back out here is just the best feeling ever.”
In addition to Richards, T2 on Thursday announced it has signed former MLS Timbers midfielder Steven Evans, Argentine forward Santiago Biglieri, former Timbers U-23s forward and recent draft pick Kharlton Belmar, Jamaican defender Rennico Clarke, and central defender Harrison Delbridge who played last season for USL-champion Sacramento FC.
Timbers 2 plan to sign 14 players for the season, leaving room for players from MLS Timbers who need game action to join the USL side. The Timbers 2 season kicks off March 29.
