Minnesota Thunder’s Quavas Kirk Makes USL Team Of The Week – 2nd Time in ’09

The USL announced their Team Of The Week on Tuesday for week 17 of the USL-1 season and Quavas Kirk was on that team for the second time this year. Kirk also made the team for the 13th week of the season.  Both honors have come in games against the league contender Portland Timbers and both times have been for his newly found defensive skills.

Even though Kirk has only recently turned 21, it seems as if he’s been around for a long time. Kirk came to the Thunder this past year as a forward/midfielder from DC United.  His journey in soccer started in the Chicago area where he played for the Chicago Magic soccer club. While with the Magic, Kirk was asked to join the US Soccer’s residency program at IMG Soccer Academy in Bradenton, FL in 2003. While there, he scored 23 goals in 53 games as a forward and the future looked bright.

Photo By Jeremy Olson - www.digitalgopher.net

In 2005, the Illinois native first broke his foot in April after posting 16 goals and five assists in just 15 games to begin the year with the U-17′s. He was sidelined for most of the summer, but did play extensively for the U.S. at the FIFA Under-17 World Championships in Peru, making three total appearances (all starts). He sprained the same foot during the tournament and was unable to play the rest of the year.

Also in 2005, Kirk signed a Generation Adidas contract and was drafted by the Los Angeles Galaxy in the 3rd round (34th overall) of the 2005 MLS SuperDraft. He saw his first action for the team in 2006. Kirk had the number 23 jersey for the Galaxy, which he had to give up to a very famous David Beckham when the England international was signed by LA in 2007. Kirk is even mentioned in Grant Wahl’s new book, The Beckham Experiment.

In 2006, Kirk had a breakout year for the Galaxy and looked to be over his string of injuries. He appeared in 22 games (10 starts) and had 2 assists. His first career assist came in a 2-0 win over Kansas City on July 1st. He tallied his first career goal in U.S. Open Cup play during a 2-0 win over Roma FC on August 1st. He also played in six reserve games (all starts), collecting an assist in 345 minutes on the pitch.

In 2008, Kirk made 11 appearances (five starts) for LA  for the first team, as he was used in both defense and midfield positions. He also played in three SuperLiga games (one start), tallied an assist in three reserve division games (all starts) and started in a U.S. Open Cup game, a 1-0 loss to the Richmond Kickers in July. But his lack of goal-scoring concerned LA and with the issues the Galaxy were having on and off the field, Kirk became dispensable.

On February 15, 2008, Kirk was traded to DC United in exchange for the rights to Greg Vanney. While playing for DC United, he scored his first league goal against the Colorado Rapids in a 3-0 win in August of that year. However, Kirk struggled to find his form and was waived by the team in the spring of ’09.

He then tried out with the newest MLS team, the Seattle Sounders, but failed to spark interest with his trial. He was signed by the Minnesota Thunder in February of this year.

Thunder coach Don Gramenz said that Kirk was signed as a forward/midfielder where he was tried early in the season. However, the team seemed to lose confidence in the midfielder and he failed to impress and had several niggling injuries. Yet Gramenz and assistant coach Jon Lowery both liked Kirk for both his ability and his work ethic. “The turning point came earlier in the season when the team was struggling with injuries,” said Gramenz. “Friedland, Costanzo, and Peterson were all injured. We were switching formations and figuring out how to utilize players and their strengths. We wanted him on the field and Jon and I were discussing his attributes. Lowery said, how about outside back?”

Gramenz said he thought about it for a couple of days and then he and Lowery had a conversation with Kirk. Gramenz says that the switch happened because of Kirk’s “intangibles that can’t be coached.” He said, “It was his athleticism, pace and the desire to compete and want the ball.”

These days Kirk seems to have a renewed energy and confidence. In the match against Portland at the NSC on July 4th, Kirk marked out forward Takayuki Suzuki the whole night. I asked Kirk about the performance and he stated with a laugh, “Suzuki’s an old man, I had better mark him out.” Suzuki is a former J-Leauge and Japanese National team player who is 33 years old.

Kirk also has a great sense of humor which was seen earlier this season when he was injured and in street clothes for the game. He sat behind the Thunder Dark Cloud supporters group, sang the songs, and chanted along, making a few of his own chants that ended up being some of the funnier comments of the evening.

On the field Kirk is all business, making the transition from defense to a support player on the offense. While Kirk is still learning the ins and outs of defense, he looks most comfortable with the ball at his feet as he moves up the field, not afraid to take players on, one-on-one. He also has one of the better right-footed crosses on the team and can sometimes be seen playing a nice early ball in from his outside back position. Mainly though, Kirk is working on his positioning and learning the defensive side of the game.

“I still have a lot to learn,” said Kirk after the July 4th game. “I’m starting to get comfortable and I’m feeling more confident. I know I can get a lot better.”

Kirk is still young and would be entering his senior year if he was in college. Yet he’s already played with DC United, the LA Galaxy and the MN Thunder. He had so much success at an early age and then a rash of injuries that it may have been hard for him to keep up at that level. The repositioning as a fullback seems to be a revelation to Quavas Kirk himself and in a sense a needed rebranding of the player. If he keeps moving forward at this pace he will not remain in the USL long. His coach agrees.

“Kirk is getting better with each start and performance as an outside back,” said Gramenz in a recent interview at IMS.  “I credit his attitude, personality, work ethic, desire and his overall ability to play the game.  He will only get better with time by learning the position tactically — defensively and offensively. I really believe Quavas will develop into one of the best outside defenders in this league and possibly beyond.”