Dirk Lambertson '21 Recruiting Profile

           I am a 6’1” right-winger from Greensboro, North Carolina; however, my parents are currently stationed in Naples, Italy where I have lived for the past twelve years. Along with playing centerback, I have experience playing left and right back as well as playing right-midfield in a 3-5-2 formation. My two previous club coaches played me primarily in right-midfield (3-5-2) and center-midfield (4-3-3) however; I played anything from striker to center-back depending on the game. With the varsity high school team, I played center defensive midfield and was a captain of the team as we won our schools' first-ever Division 1 title. Along with the team's title win, I won individual awards such as All-Tournament honors along with being the tournament MVP at the Division 1 level. I also earned All-European 1st team as a sophomore. In 2017 and 2018, I travelled to Bolton for a week in October to train at the Bolton Wanderers facilities with players from around the globe. In 2018 year, I trained with the U-17 team playing center attacking mid in a scrimmage. Some of the players that I played with on that U-17 team have gone on to make first team appearances for Bolton and other teams across England. While I was in middle school, I was part of the ODP Europe set-up playing an age group up, U-17, as we played in France, Spain, Italy, and Germany against top-level teams. Last year and this upcoming year I will be playing for Monteruscello which is one of the top amateur Italian teams in my area and has many players in all divisions of Italian soccer. One of these players is Fabio Quagliarella who won the golden boot in 2018/19 and has played for several big clubs in Italy. Last season our league was at Regionali level for U-18 and we finished second due to the early closing of the season. This level is where the best teams from the region are in the same league. The upcoming season will be at Juniores Level as there is no U-19. Juniores for most teams is the step right before the first team and teams at this level have players that will go on to make professional appearances. My first year with this team I started at center-back in my first year playing that position at a high level. With my Italian team, I have gained a great desire to be in the starting-11 week-in-week-out, because the competition in the squad is very high as five different center-backs are competing for 2 starting spots and the amount of work needed to start is immense. 

            My best attributes both on and off the field include my coachability, speed, field sense, and leadership. On the field, I was captain of my team in elementary and middle school, The American Soccer Club of Napoli, for three years and co-captain for one year before that. The team I played for following ASC, ASD Progetto Europa Cesa, made me co-captain in my final year playing there despite being an American playing for an Italian team. And, for my high school team I was a varsity captain last year as a sophomore. Off the field, I have a leadership role in my school’s Student 2 Student program which helps students transition to a new school. As a lifelong student of the Department of Defense Education Activity, I am comfortable in a small school setting where I can have a better relationship with professors and other students at the school. I want to major in sports management, and want to attend a school with a sports program supported and valued by the community and the school. I would also like to be part of a program that challenges the players and pushes them to the highest level along with ensuring that teamwork is the paramount priority in the squad.