Jalen Robinson facts for kids
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | May 8, 1994 | ||
| Place of birth | Catonsville, Maryland, United States | ||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Playing position | Defender | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Bethesda SC | |||
| 2009–2012 | D.C. United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2014–2019 | D.C. United | 26 | (0) |
| 2014 | → Richmond Kickers (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| 2014 | → Arizona United (loan) | 19 | (0) |
| 2015–2017 | → Richmond Kickers (loan) | 18 | (1) |
| 2021 | Pittsburgh Riverhounds | 18 | (0) |
| 2022 | Loudoun United | 23 | (1) |
| 2023 | Detroit City | 10 | (0) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2010–2011 | United States U18 | 5 | (1) |
† Appearances (Goals). |
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Jalen Robinson (born May 8, 1994) is an American soccer player. He plays as a defender, which means his main job is to stop the other team from scoring goals.
Contents
Early Soccer Days
Jalen grew up in the Washington metropolitan area, which is the area around Washington D.C. He started playing soccer at a young age. He played for a team called Bethesda SC in Maryland.
Later, he joined the D.C. United Academy, which is a special training program for young soccer players connected to the professional team D.C. United. After two years with the academy, Jalen decided to go to college instead of signing a professional contract right away.
He earned a scholarship to play college soccer at Wake Forest University. Jalen was a key player for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons men's soccer team for two years. In 2013, he was recognized as one of the best players in his college league.
Playing Professional Soccer
Starting with D.C. United
On January 6, 2014, Jalen signed a special "homegrown" contract with D.C. United. This meant he joined the team he had trained with as a young player. D.C. United is a team in MLS, the top professional soccer league in the United States.
To help him get more playing time and experience, D.C. United often sent Jalen to play for other teams on a "loan." In March 2014, he was loaned to the Richmond Kickers, another professional team. He made his first professional appearance for the Kickers on April 26, 2014.
After a short time with the Kickers, D.C. United brought him back and then loaned him to Arizona United. With Arizona, Jalen played in 14 games, gaining valuable experience.
Making an Impact
In 2015, Jalen was loaned to the Richmond Kickers again. On March 28, 2015, he scored his very first professional goal! This happened in a game that ended in a 2–2 tie.
Jalen made his debut for D.C. United's main team on June 19, 2016. He came into the game as a substitute against the Houston Dynamo. In the next game, he started against the New England Revolution. He played a big part in helping D.C. United win 2–0, keeping the other team from scoring.
During that game, Jalen showed how good he was at defending. He blocked three shots, recovered the ball five times, cleared the ball seven times, and made two tackles. He also completed most of his passes. Fans and teammates thought his performance was so good that he could have been named "Man of the Match."
Moving to New Teams
Jalen's contract with D.C. United ended after the 2019 season. After that, he continued his professional career with other teams.
On May 21, 2021, he signed with Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, a team in the USL Championship league. The next year, on May 25, 2022, he joined Loudoun United FC, another USL Championship team.
In 2023, Jalen moved to Detroit City, signing a one-year deal on February 2. He played for Detroit City during their 2023 season before leaving the club.
