With the World Cup underway, soccer is at the forefront worldwide. Here in Belmont, one youngster is making waves on the pitch, having recently received an invitation to a prestigious opportunity.
Kenny Greiner, 12, will begin training with the New England Revolution Academy next month.
“I would say it’s a pretty big deal, because they said they were selecting the best kids in Massachusetts and Connecticut,” Greiner said.
A rising seventh-grader at the Lexington Montessori School, Greiner began playing soccer at an early age. He took after his older sister, Cassie, a rising junior and standout on the Belmont High School girls’ soccer team. Kenny also toyed with basketball and ice hockey, but soccer best fit his vibe.
“I like playing soccer because I like to be outside and run around,” he said.
Greiner played for the Boston Bolts on the club circuit for three years. Last fall, the Revolution invited him to participate in a series of scrimmages. His family isn’t quite sure how they found out about the talented left back – either through the Bolts coaches or through the academy’s scouting staff’s own volition – but welcomes the opportunity. He’ll join some friends from the Bolts at the academy, which oversees training for approximately 90 minutes, four days a week, starting in July. He’s the only Belmont resident on the roster.
“I’m pretty excited to play for the Revs next year,” Greiner said. “I’m kind of sad that I’m leaving the Bolts because a lot of my friends are on that team and I played with them for a long time, but I’ll still get to see them at some things.”
A left back, Greiner thrives at attacking the ball in the air and calmly winning one-on-one situations. He’s got a strong field sense and knows where to be. At the academy, he hopes to act on feedback telling him to be more aggressive and shoot. A fan of Manchester United F.C., Greiner is rooting for Team USA and France in the World Cup.
In the Classroom
“History [and] science is sometimes fun, not really a big math fan, but that’s OK,” Greiner said. “I like to learn about what happened earlier in time and Massachusetts.”
A future playing for Belmont High School is unlikely. Greiner expects to compete with MLS NEXT. With the Revolution in his corner, he wants to learn how to “become a better player and how I can get to play college soccer and higher level soccer after.”
