Over the course of 2011 to 2014, Patriot League teams knew well that the Boston University men’s soccer team had a special talent.
A native of Dekar, Senegal, Dominique Badji was an ever-present threat up throughout his BU career, earning multiple conference and regional awards along the way. Fast forward to present day, and Badji has turned a fourth-round selection in the 2015 Major League Soccer SuperDraft into a starting role on the Colorado Rapids.
While Badji now dons Colorado’s burgundy and white and plays as a winger, his approach mimics that which bore 22 goals under the guidance of BU head coach Neil Roberts.
“Getting picked toward the end of the draft was just motivation to go out there and prove people wrong,” Badji said. “Coming into training camp, I was motivated to do everything that I could. The first year was rough with ups and downs. [I] played a couple games. I wasn’t really satisfied with the first year I had. I’m just looking to build onto it this year, and so far so good.”
As Badji mentioned, his first year was riddled with ups and downs as he struggled to make Dick’s Sporting Goods Park a permanent home. He started nine games and scored two goals in his rookie campaign, falling victim to Colorado’s last-place finish in the Western Conference.
However, come this year, Badji is firmly entrenched in head coach Pablo Mastroeni’s starting lineup, as he’s started all three of the team’s games. The former Terrier attributes his success to confidence and a desire to erase the bitter taste of the 2015 season, but Roberts feels the about-face is the result of the right situation.
“Colorado was a very good team for him to fall to because he had the opportunity to shine right away,” the 31-year head coach said. “They never thought Dom was going to make the team, never mind even contribute right from the beginning. Dom, like through his whole life, took advantage of the opportunity and shined. The credit goes to him.”
Badji also said the guidance of Mastroeni and the rest of the coaching staff has been invaluable, as they “believe in me as a player and see a lot in me.” Those learning moments supplement Badji’s growth, but nothing can replicate the on-field auspices of Colorado’s revamped roster.
The Rapids employ U.S. national team stalwarts in goalkeeper Tim Howard and midfielder Jermaine Jones, and striker Kevin Doyle and winger Shkëlzen Gashi respectively boast Irish and Albanian national team experience. For a 23 year old who just over a year ago was studying business at BU, it’s an astronomical leap that he never quite envisioned.
“Never would I think I’d have this many people to look up to, gain experience from, get advice from,” Badji said. “This preseason was awesome with Kevin Doyle teaching me a lot, Gashi has been here a couple months and I’ve learned so much from him since I’m more of a winger now. It’s nice to have these big-time players on our team, but it’s nice that they’re willing to help younger, inexperienced players.”
Roberts echoed Badji’s sentiments about the likes of Howard and Jones, but he added that the “humble, quiet” kid’s success falls on his own shoulders too. Badji and Roberts seriously discussed the prospects of professional soccer in the buildup to his junior season, and the need for consistency was established.
“Our guys that make it, it’s that you can play within a team and make the team better,” Roberts said. “Can you make your teammates better? So many kids think that when scouts come and watch you, that they want this brilliant player, but they want someone who can do the basic things at a good pace at a good level. That’s what Dom can do. He can pass, he can defend, he can do all that.”
While it remains to be seen what the future holds for Badji, he’s enjoying life in Colorado and seems primed for future success. He’s also left a positive mark on the club from day one, earning respect through dedication and his work ethic.
“He is very well liked and gives everything he has whenever he is at practice or at games,” said John Rosch, managing editor of Burgundy Wave. “And to think that he came from Senegal to BU to the Rapids is everything that is right in sport — a guy that was always counted out but earned a contract despite the odds saying he wouldn’t. It’s a great story, and I can’t wait to see how it progresses.”
Badji’s may now play under the bright lights of MLS stadiums, but he knows his roots laid the foundation.
“Without BU, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” Badji said.
Jonathan's a New Englander who writes about sports, features and politics. He currently covers men's hockey at BU, worked as Sports Editor during the spring 2016 semester and is on the FreeP's Board of Directors. Toss him a follow on Twitter at @jonathansigal.
