He's The Mac: McLaughlin Goin' Pro

Just a few months ago, senior Tom McLaughlin raced by a tightly packed defense and rifled a shot past Princeton goalkeeper Ethan Bing to clinch victory for the Harvard men's soccer team. This spring, he hopes to repeat the feat against Tony Meola.

For the second straight year, Harvard's captain has been drafted by a club in Major League Soccer (MLS), the United States' top professional soccer league. Last year, midfielder Will Kohler was selected by Metrostars, but he opted for the security of a job in finance. This season, forward McLaughlin got the call, and he intends to give MLS a shot.

"I'm still looking at recruiting, but soccer is my bag, and I'm not ready to hang up the boots," McLaughlin said.

The 1997 Ivy League Player of the Year and leading scorer, McLaughlin caught the eye of professional scouts and was chosen by the New England Revolution in the final round of the 1998 College Draft with the 36th overall pick.

"We have definitely helped our team in this year's drafts," said Revolution Head Coach Thomas Rongen. "[McLaughlin is] a quick and intelligent player."

"Tommy's a real great leader on our term," Harvard defender Ryan Kelly said. "He's one of the most explosive players I've ever played with."

As highly regarded as he is, McLaughlin still face an uphill battle for a roster spot. MLS teams are permitted to carry just 20 players on their rosters.

As an attacking player, the competition McLaughlin will face will be especially fierce. The Revolution recently acquired standout El Salvadoran striker Raul Diaz Arce in a blockbuster trade which sent its most recognizable player--defender Alexi Lalas--southward to Metrostars.

In addition, a healthy Joe-Max Moore returns to the team for another season. Lately, Moore has been a mainstay of the U.S. National Team, and he could even command a spot in the team's first eleven in the World Cup finals this summer.

"I don't see much room up front any-more," McLaughlin said. "I'm not going to beat [Moore and Diaz Arce] out."

The Revolution also possesses a wealth of young attacking talent, as it used three of its four college picks this year on offensive-minded players in an effort to improve on its league-low 40 goals last season. The first of those selections was Johnny Torres, this season's Hermann Trophy winner, college soccer's version of the Heisman.

McLaughlin is not intimidated, though.

"I'm sure it's good competition out there, but I really feel comfortable with my play," McLaughlin said. "I'm confident."

If the competition for roster spots does not pose enough difficulty for McLaughlin, there is the small matter of spring semester preventing him from proving his worth to his new coach.

McLaughlin is intent on graduating with the class of '98, which means that he cannot turn his attention to soccer in earnest until early June.

The Revolution, however, began training last month, and preparations are continuing in Florida for the March 29 opener against defending champions DC United.

"That is my biggest dilemma," Rongen said. "I cannot keep a spot on the 20-man roster open for his if I feel he's not ready to step in and contribute. But we realized when we drafted him that he was going to finish school and we're willing to wait."

McLaughlin will join the team for a preseason trip to Mexico over spring break, which will afford him his best opportunity to make a positive impression on Rongen. Unfortunately, he will have to do it in exhibition matches against Mexican First Division powers Guadalajara Chivas and Atlas. Rongen's expectations are realistic, though.

"Anytime you draft a rookie, particularly in soccer where it is quite a jump from college to the professional level, you have to take a long-term view," he said. "We're willing to work with him."

One trait of McLaughlin's which may serve him well is his ability to play multiple positions. If he cannot break in at forward for the Revolution, McLaughlin is willing and able to help out in defense.

"When I came to Harvard for my first couple of years I played marking back and I worked my way up to forward," McLaughlin said.

Rongen views this as one of McLaughlin's great selling points.

"For spots numbers 18,19, and 20 on the roster you look for players who can play more than one position to give you depth," Rongen said. "Tommy was moved from defense to forward which shows what a talented and versatile player he is."

Another factor working in McLaughlin's favor is the fact that Rongen is building his Revolution squad with an eye to the future.

"I'm a coach that is willing to give young players a chance," Rongen said. "We're going through a major facelift now, trying to get more technical players. When we draft, we're going for the most talented players available."

The fact that the Revolution staff considers McLaughlin among the most gifted collegiate players in the country along with the patient approach it takes toward player development indicate that McLaughlin should get a long, hard look for a spot on the Revolution roster.

Still, if things do not work out right away, McLaughlin will not abandon his goal of playing in MLS. Although the prospect of a stint in the second division A-League is not nearly as appealing as a shot at the big time, McLaughlin recognizes that he might need a little seasoning before he can take on the likes of Carlos Valderrama and Marco Etcheverry in MLS.

"If the Revolution told me that since I'm graduating so late it would be hard to jump on a team right away, I would be willing to play A-League for a year to get the chance to play in MLS," he said.

Interest in McLaughlin's services among other teams is by no means lacking. The Connecticut Wolves, an A-League outfit, made him one of their college picks in the annual A-League draft. The indoor professional team Philadelphia Kixx also selected McLaughlin in the National Professional Soccer League draft earlier this year. But McLaughlin is focused on making a name for himself in the three-year old MLS.

"I was never considering playing indoor and overseas didn't appeal to me, but with the new league coming [in 1996], I really wanted to play and that is something I look forward to doing," he said.

Should he succeed, McLaughlin would join several fellow alumni of Pennsylvania club team FC Delco, including the Metrostars' Brian Kelly and DC United's Ben Olsen. And he wouldn't be surprised if one more former FC Delco player lined up against him someday.

"[Kohler] is getting the fever again," said McLaughlin. "He's still in touch with Metrostars and he's given thought to coming back. I wouldn't be surprised to see Will in the league in another year or so."

Anyone who has seen McLaughlin blow by the opposition and fire home a crucial goal for the Crimson would not be surprised to see him there either, for a long time to come.