Towson midfielder Pat Healey and goalie Billy Chiles have spent the past few years making a name for themselves on the soccer field. Now, they hope to hear their names called on Friday afternoon at 2 p.m. at the Major League Soccer SuperDraft at the Baltimore Convention Center before a national television audience on ESPN2.
The seniors are on the fringe of being selected in the four round, 56-pick draft, according to most scouting analysts. If Chiles or Healey are selected, they will become the first Tigers drafted by an MLS team, let alone play in America?s top professional soccer league.
Healey, the Colonial Athletic Association?s Player of the Year and son of Baltimore Blast general manager Kevin Healey, spent the past week in Fort Lauderdale at the MLS Combine with more than 60 prospects, displaying his skills for scouts and coaches.
Healey said he has been contacted by several teams and worked out for D.C. United prior to leaving for the combine.
“In 2006, when we did well I thought I could really play [professionally],” the former Calvert Hall standout said. “I always had the idea in my mind that I could do it, but that really reinforced it.”
Chiles, who earned Second-Team All-American honors for posting nine shutouts and 110 saves in 21 games, has been attracting plenty of attention in Bradenton, Fla., where is training with the Under-23 National team. Chiles also has been contacted by several MLS teams the past week, and has a great chance to become a fixture on the U-23 team that will play in the CONCACAF U-23 Championship tournament in March.
“Really, it?s up in the air,” Chiles, a Silver Spring native, said. “I would love to play professionally and hopefullya team wants to try me and bring me in.”
Healey and Chiles each took a different path to Towson, but both tied their professional chances to the success of the school?s soccer team. The 5-foot-11, 160-pound Healey started 16 of 17 games as a freshman in 2004, and was a three-time All-CAA selection. He finished his career with 25 goals and 22 assists.
“I wanted to go to Towson and build the program,” Healey said. “They were kind of down and there was an ability to go places.”
Chiles transferred to Towson after spending two years at Rutgers, where he was buried on the depth chart. In his first year in yellow and black, Chiles set a single-season school record with a minuscule .33 goals-against average.
But everything changed when the juniors powered the team?s unexpected run to the Sweet 16 of the CAA Tournament in 2006.
But this year, the Tigers stumbled to a 12-7-2 record and saw their season end in penalty kicks to Old Dominion in the finals of the CAA Tournament.
The success of 2006, however, put the skills of Healey and Chiles on display, and hopefully today, it can carry over to downtown Baltimore.
“It?s kind of in God?s hands,” Chiles said. “I don?t know if I will watch the draft. Right now I am just working hard.”
