ROOKIES
- 3/7: Evan Newton
- 3/8: Alex Dixon
- 3/9: Josue Soto
- 3/10: Will Bruin
- 3/11: Kofi Sarkodie
NEWCOMERS
- 3/14: Jordan Graye
- 3/15: Jason Garey
- 3/16: Colin Clark
- 3/17: Hunter Freeman
- 3/18: Jermaine Taylor
As the 2011 season draws closer, HoustonDynamo.com will introduce you to the newest members of the Dynamo roster. With 10 players who have yet to play a game for the Dynamo, the squad will feature a new look in 2011.
This week we look at five players who the Dynamo either traded for or signed and have yet to represent the team. Today’s featured player is Hunter Freeman.
Freeman is making his MLS return this year after a two-year stint with IK Start of the Norwegian Premier League. Prior to moving to Norway, Freeman spent four seasons in MLS playing for Colorado, New York, and Toronto. The 26-year-old from Allen, Texas, tallied one goal and three assists in his MLS career.
A former youth international at the U-20 and U-23 levels, Freeman was a standout performer at the University of Virginia before the Colorado Rapids selected him with the seventh pick in the first round of the 2005 MLS SuperDraft. In 2004, Freeman set a UVa record with 21 assists, earning first team all-ACC honors and third team all-American honors. Freeman will compete for time at the outside back positions with rookie Kofi Sarkodie, Andre Hainault, and Mike Chabala.
Hunter Freeman player bio
MEET HUNTER FREEMAN
Watch the video interview with Hunter Freeman
HD.com: Tell us a little bit about your soccer background.
Hunter: I've played soccer since I was 4 years old. Growing up, I played both soccer and baseball but eventually chose soccer. I played for the Dallas Texans club team and then went to the University of Virginia. I played in MLS for a few years before going overseas to play. Now I'm back in MLS, and it's great to be back home.
HD.com: What was your most memorable soccer memory prior to joining the Dynamo?
Hunter: It would have to be playing in the Dallas Cup with my club team. It's a pretty big tournament, and we always got the chance to play some good teams from Mexico and elsewhere. That would probably be the highlight of my early soccer career.
ARCHIVE: Native Texan Freeman excited
HD.com: Who is a soccer player that you admired growing up?
Hunter: My role model as a soccer player has always been [Italian fullback Paolo] Maldini. As a defender, I think he is one of the best there has ever been. Obviously he is one of the most decorated in terms of trophys and titles won, as far as Champions Leagues and World Cups. He is a class player who played for many years.
HD.com: Talk a little bit about the experience of going over to Norway and living in country with a completely different culture.
Hunter: It's a transition like anywhere, but obviously when you are moving overseas to a country you have never lived in, it's a different transition. It's a smaller, more old-fashioned country with a much slower pace than here in the U.S., but it was nice and a great experience. I guess you could say I grew culturally. It was nice to see how their culture differed from ours and at the same time I tried to introduce a little of our culture to them.
ARCHIVE: Freeman, Sarkodie offer new look defense
HD.com: Do they speak much english in Norway?
Hunter: Yeah, which is what made the transition so easy. Almost everybody speaks English except for the older generation. Even walking around town when I was first there and didn't really know what was going on or where something was, it was easy to just ask some random stranger on the street.
HD.com: Did you pick up any Norwegian while you were there?
Hunter: Yeah. I think it's the second hardest language to learn, but I actually took classes for the first few months when I was there to get some basic vocabulary down. I understand more than I can speak.
HD.com: What were your first impressions when you heard that the Dynamo were interested in bringing you back to MLS?
Hunter: I've said it in interviews before, but I've known Dominic [Kinnear] for a long time. I had the pleasure of having him as my coach on the Generation adidas trip when I was in MLS the first time. After that experience, I really admired him and said in the back of my mind that if I had the chance to play for him, I would jump at the opportunity. I've had a lot of good friends that have played here, and everyone has always had nice things to say about him, so when I had this opportunity to come back, and there was interest from Houston and Dom, it was too good to turn down. Fortunately my club in Norway allowed me to leave a year early from my contract, and I could not be happier that everything worked out as good as it did.
HD.com: What have been your early impressions of Houston, both on and off the field?
Hunter: On the field it's been good. I've known some of the guys through playing in MLS before. That made it easy coming into the locker room. It's a good group, and we all get along. It's not very cliquey, and everyone hangs out with everyone else. Off the field, it's been good as well. It's just a matter of getting settled and moving into my home. We haven't been here that much in preseason, we've been on the road, so I'm looking forward to establishing some more roots here as the season is about to begin.
