COMMERCE CITY – For Rapids Homegrowns Shane O’Neill and Dillon Serna, no offseason activities could have been better than competing among players like Jermaine Jones, Michael Bradley and Clint Dempsey at the most recent US national team camp.
O'Neill and Serna's years started with call-ups to the USMNT's annual January camp, and the two of them used the time under head coach Jurgen Klinsmann to do more than just prepare for the upcoming MLS season. They also tried to prove their worth and show Klinsmann how close they are to being able to contribute.
“Making the roster was good, but I’m looking for the next step," O'Neill told MLSsoccer.com. "I’m looking to break through at some point.”
To do that, O’Neill will have first to regain his spot on the Rapids back line. The center back has spent the past week recovering from a stomach virus that forced him to miss the team’s recent match at the Desert Diamond Cup, and will have to beat out offseason acquisitions like rookie Axel Sjoberg and vetean Bobby Burling in order to make his way back into the lineup.
Serna is in a similar boat. After experiencing his first camp with the US senior team, he now returns to a Colorado side that is more competitve at his position. A starting place in the midfield is not guaranteed for him, but the 20-year-old Serna sees positives in that.
“If you got these older guys coming in to try to take your spot, it’s going to push you every day.” Said Serna.
Entering his third season in MLS, Serna remains the youngest player in the Rapids' crowded group of midfielders and strikers. Confident playing on either flank, he’s expected to compete for minutes with the likes of Designated Players Gabriel Torres and Juan Ramirez, as well as seasoned pro Vicente Sanchez.
“It’s an evolved team this year, a super-competitive group.” Rapids head coach Pablo Mastroeni said of his re-formed Rapids side. “It’s going to be an environment that requires everyone to work hard and take the opportunity. The more competition we have in every spot, the more competitive we’ll become as a club.”
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O'Neill and Serna learned firsthand just how competitive things can get in the recent January camp with the US. The pair of Rapids youngsters held hopes of earning their first senior caps, but were relegated to the role of spectators in friendlies against Chile and Panama.
It was an experience which provided both of them motivation and optimism for their international careers moving forward, and comes in a year in which the US Under-23 national team will look towards qualifying for the 2016 Olympics in Brazil.
“We’re both competitive and like to compete, but we would’ve loved to earn our first cap.” Serna said. “That gives us a little taste, but something to keep working for and motivation for us to get that cap soon.”
Colorado open their regular season on the road against the Philadelphia Union on Saturday (4 pm ET; MLS LIVE).
