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Five nuggets to know about Nashville SC first MLS homegrown player Adem Sipic
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- Five nuggets to know about Nashville SC first MLS homegrown player Adem Sipic
A memorable birthday for a lifetime. There wasn't a gift for Adem Sipić on his birthday, April 6, last year. He earned a call-up to train with the Nashville SC first team.
Since then, it's seemed that every four months, Sipić has leaped to the next level in his soccer journey. The 17-year-old Sipić was unveiled as Nashville's first MLS homegrown on Tuesday at Geodis Park. That came after joining the first team for preseason camp in January.
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Sipić finishes his tenure with the Under-17 academy team Saturday at MLS Next Cup in Dallas, before joining MLS Next Pro affiliate Huntsville City FC .
Sipić fielded media questions on an elevated platform in the press conference room, splitting academy director Kevin Flanagan on his right and general manager Mike Jacobs to his left. He had more than 20 family members visiting from his hometown Bowling Green, Kentucky and birthplace Tampa, Florida. In its fourth season, Nashville graduated its first academy player to its senior team.
"I feel like it really hit me during preseason," he said. "Like being with those guys every day and competing with them. I feel like that's when I realized like I could have a good successful career."
What Adem Sipic brings to Nashville SC
Adem Sipic, center, a 17-year-old from Bowling Green, Ky., holds his new jersey with Nashville SC owner John Ingram, left, and general manager Mike Jacobs, right, after signing with Nashville SC as the first homegrown player in club history during a press conference at Geodis Park in Nashville, Tenn., Tuesday, June 13, 2023.
Flanagan said Sipić is a target forward, naturally capable of playing with his back to goal, holding up the ball, boasting "an incredible work rate" and understands how to press defensively.
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"I know Mike (Jacobs) was telling me this during preseason: He was like, 'a lot of academy players that come in think they have to do this different because the players are bigger and stronger and faster,'" Sipić said. "For me, I kept it the same. I played to my strengths. I knew I was quick and fast and a good finisher and I could hold up the ball. So during training and games, that's a key thing I focused on: getting in behind, trying to score goals."
Adem Sipic, right, a 17-year-old from Bowling Green, Ky., shakes hands with Nashville SC owner John Ingram, left, after signing with Nashville SC as the first homegrown player in club history during a press conference at Geodis Park in Nashville, Tenn., Tuesday, June 13, 2023.
'A prototype for what you look for'
At 6-foot-2, there are just some things that are easy on the eyes for Nashville SC general manager Mike Jacobs.
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"Physically, he's a specimen, compared to the players his age and as a center forward he's probably a prototype for what you look for," Jacobs said.
Sipic is a microwave goal scorer
Sipić scored his first professional goal on Sunday in his first professional start with Huntsville against St. Louis City SC II. With the Under-17's, Sipić has scored 16 goals in 14 MLS Next games.
The forward's favorite, of course, was a bicycle strike in October against the Philadelphia Union academy.
Sipic from soccer family
With parents who immigrated from Bosnia in 1995 after the Bosnia War, Sipić and his older brother Safet grew up playing 1-on-1 after school in Florida and Kentucky. He began playing competitively at SKY Soccer and Bowling Green Elite FC.
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Sipić joined Nashville's academy during its inception in 2020 as one of three BG Elite FC players to be invited: goalkeeper Ammar Delić, winger Andrei Jahić and Sipić.
Road to first team
So what's next for the center forward?
"I feel like really just taking it day by day, like going down to Huntsville now, playing on Thursday…and hopefully get a few opportunities here with the first team in in this great stadium."
For stories about Nashville SC or Soccer in Tennessee, contact Drake Hills at DHills@gannett.com. Follow Drake on Twitter at @LiveLifeDrake . Connect with Drake on Instagram at @drakehillssoccer and on Facebook .
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville SC first homegrown: What to know about Adem Sipic
