Homegrown Andrew Rick had long imagined the day he would step on the pitch at a packed Subaru Park, starting at goalkeeper for the Philadelphia Union.
When he finally penned his first team deal on May 4th after years of developing his craft at every level of the club, he knew that day was approaching, but couldn’t be sure exactly when. The 18-year-old spent the better part of the past decade picturing what the moment would be like, and on Saturday against Charlotte FC, it finally arrived. In front of his friends and family in the stands, Rick made his Major League Soccer debut at home, sporting the crest he grew up wearing.
Rick’s the ultimate example of what it means to be a Homegrown – he started at the Union Youth level, played for the club’s Academy teams, then signed a pro deal with Union II in 2023. A year later, he became a first team player, joining Curtin’s squad as the club’s 23rd Homegrown.
While disappointed with the final 2-0 result, the night was still a culmination of his diligent climb up the club’s pathway to the pros.
“I was super excited and jittery the whole day,” Rick said in the locker room after the match. “It's a very proud moment because the end goal for me at the club has always been to make my first team debut. I obviously want to go on and win a bunch of stuff, but I'm very happy to take this next step in my career.”
As expected, there’s pressure on an 18-year-old making his first start in front of a home crowd, especially serving as the final line of defense between opponents and the back of the net, but Rick said the support from both those close to him and supporters in the stands made all the difference.
“The fans were behind me, the players were behind me, the coaching staff was behind me. I heard the "Pickle Rick" chants in warmups and at the start of the game, so that always kind of lightens the mood and helps you settle in. I really appreciate all the help from everyone,” Rick said.
Even though Charlotte’s Patrick Agyemang claimed a two-goal lead for the visitors in a span of seven minutes, Rick didn’t let it shake him. Instead he stood tall, responding with two big saves for a total of five on the night.
It’s unsurprising Rick had a solid inaugural showing as a first-teamer -- he was a standout at the academy level, leading the U-17s to 2022 MLS NEXT Cup and 2023 Generation adidas cup championship victories. More recently, he’s lifted Union II to new heights as they currently stand as the top Eastern Conference team in MLS NEXT Pro.
In addition to his contributions with the reserves, Rick’s been training with the first team since preseason, working alongside Andre Blake, Oliver Semmle, and Director of Goalkeeping Phil Wheddon for several months now. He says time spent with them has been integral in his development, allowing him to take that next step into MLS play.
“It’s been amazing working with them every day – it’s really helped me in so many areas. I'm very fortunate to work with such a great group of goalkeepers and when we're fully healthy I'd argue we’re the best goalkeeper group in MLS,” Rick said. “I appreciate them pushing me every day to be the best that I can be, and I do the same thing for them.”
With Blake on the mend and Semmle still a suitable back-up, it’s unclear who will claim the lion’s share of minutes this summer. In any case, Rick’s ready to take on whatever role he’s asked to fill, but if it’s as the starter, he wants to do it in a winning fashion.
“When I step in goal, I want to win. Unfortunately, today we didn't win, and if I get the opportunity to play again, I'll do my best to make sure that we are in a position to win,” Rick said.
