Monday, May 17, 2010

Retired at age 17

Toronto FC used a second round draft pick to select Zachary Herold, a U.S. U17 midfielder with a bright future ahead of him. Herold, who won't turn 18 until June 7, had a good career at the U.S. youth national sides and had signed a Generation Addidas contract with MLS. He was looking at a long career in the game--until pre-season medical screenings that is. According to Soccer By Ives' Franco Panizo, Herold has been forced to retire before even playing in a professional game:
Herold has been forced to retire from professional soccer due to a health condition. Herold suffers from Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) - which causes abnormal thickening of a part of the heart muscle and could lead to a potentially fatal heart rhythm - and it was detected during medicals administered in pre-season. Herold has since been consulted by several experts in the U.S. and Canada, and the safest route for him was to retire.

Toronto's second round pick in this year's MLS SuperDraft, Herold will be honored in a ceremonial coin toss in Toronto FC's match against the New England Revolution on May 22.
Put simply that sucks.

But here is to hoping Herold will live a long and healthy life otherwise.

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