Eddie Gaven facts for kids
Gaven in 2007
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | October 25, 1986 | ||
| Place of birth | Hamilton Township, New Jersey, U.S. | ||
| Height | 1.83 m | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2001–2003 | IMG Soccer Academy | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2003–2005 | MetroStars | 69 | (16) |
| 2006–2013 | Columbus Crew | 209 | (35) |
| Total | 278 | (51) | |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2003 | United States U17 | 4 | (0) |
| 2005 | United States U20 | 1 | (0) |
| 2003–2008 | United States U23 | 5 | (1) |
| 2004–2010 | United States | 8 | (0) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 2016–2022 | Ave Maria Gyrenes | ||
† Appearances (Goals). |
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Eddie Gaven (born October 25, 1986) is a former American soccer player. He played for 11 seasons in Major League Soccer (MLS). Most of his career was with the Columbus Crew. In 2012, Eddie became the youngest player to reach 250 MLS games. He was only 25 years old at the time.
Contents
Early Life and Training
Eddie Gaven was born in Hamilton Township, New Jersey. He went to Steinert High School. Instead of playing college soccer, Eddie trained at the IMG Soccer Academy. This academy is run by the U.S. Soccer Federation. He spent two years there, getting ready for a professional career.
Becoming a Pro Soccer Player
Eddie Gaven became one of the youngest players ever to sign with MLS. He was just 16 years and two months old. The MetroStars team picked him in the 2003 MLS SuperDraft.
Making History with MetroStars
- On June 14, 2003, Eddie played his first game. He became the youngest player in MetroStars history.
- In his second game, on July 5, he scored his first goal. This made him the youngest player to score for the team.
- In that same game, something very unusual happened. The coach used a special rule to put Eddie in as a "goalkeeper" for a few seconds. This allowed Eddie to re-enter the game as a midfielder later. He then scored the winning goal in overtime! This rule was later changed because of this event.
- In 2004, Eddie became a regular starter. He was voted to start in the MLS All-Star Game. He was the youngest player ever to do this.
- He finished the 2004 season with seven goals and seven assists.
- Eddie was also named to the MLS Best XI, which is a list of the best players in the league. He was the youngest player to receive this honor.
- In 2005, he scored eight goals and had four assists.
Playing for Columbus Crew
- Before the 2006 season, Eddie was traded to the Columbus Crew.
- He played almost every game for the Crew in 2006, scoring four goals.
- In 2007, he played 27 games, scoring five goals and helping with seven assists.
- The 2008 season was a big one for Eddie and the Crew. He helped them reach their first MLS Cup Final. The Crew went on to win the championship!
- In 2010, Eddie had to play in goal again during a game. The team's main goalkeeper got hurt, and they had no more substitutions. Eddie made two saves and helped his team win 3–1. He even won "MLS Save of the Week" for one of his saves!
- Eddie signed a new contract with Columbus in 2011.
- He missed most of the 2013 season due to an injury.
- After the 2013 season, Eddie Gaven decided to retire from playing soccer.
International Soccer
Eddie also played for the U.S. national team at different levels.
- In 2003, he played in the Under-17 World Championship in Finland.
- In 2004, he became the youngest player (at 17 years old) in CONCACAF history to play in an Olympic qualifier.
- He also became one of the youngest players to play for the senior U.S. national team. He earned his first "cap" (played in a game) against Poland in 2004.
- In 2005, he was part of the U.S. Under-20 team that played in the FIFA World Youth Championship.
Life After Playing
After retiring from playing soccer in 2013, Eddie Gaven became a coach. From 2016 to 2022, he was the Head Men's Soccer Coach at Ave Maria University.
Personal Life
Eddie Gaven is a devoted Catholic.
Career Totals
During his professional career, Eddie Gaven played in 278 league games and scored 49 goals. Overall, including playoffs and other tournaments, he played 284 games and scored 52 goals.
Honors
- Columbus Crew
- MLS Best XI: 2004
- Major League Soccer MLS Cup: 2008
- Major League Soccer Supporter's Shield: 2008, 2009
See also
In Spanish: Eddie Gaven para niños
