For many athletes, especially those serious about their sport, their dreams revolve around playing at the next level. Some even have aspirations of making it to the very top. For senior soccer player Daniel Bede, he felt his transition to the New England Revolution Academy was a step in the right direction.

Bede made the plan to go to the Revolution Academy during his freshman year. However, a few factors postponed the official move until early August.

“I don’t think [coronavirus affected the move],” Bede said. “I think it was more [because of] the coaches and my ability that led to the move [at the time it did].”

Despite being years in the making, the switch still came with some surprises. Wayland boys soccer head coach David Gavron didn’t know Bede was making the move until it was official.

“The first time I knew he was going was when I got an email telling me,” Gavron said. “I don’t play a role in any decisions. All I can do is try to support the guys and help them out any way I can.”

The same shock registered with former Wayland teammates as well. Team captains expected to have Bede’s presence on the field for the season.

“It’s a big blow to the team,” senior boys varsity soccer captain Ben Chen said. “I initially thought he was gonna stay with us because that’s what it looked like. When the opportunity came for him to leave and chase his dreams, obviously that’s what you [have to] do.”

Even with it coming as a bit of a surprise, Bede still has the support of his former teammates and coaches.

“For [Bede], this is the right time, the right opportunity for him to challenge himself at one of the highest possible levels in playing soccer as a teenager,” Gavron said. “This must be something that he really wants.”

His parents also gave him the support he needed throughout the process. When the move was finally completed, it confirmed the potential they saw in their son.

“My parents were really excited,” Bede said. “They knew it was something I had wanted for a while, and they’ve always known that I’d be able to make it. Being able to do it was just really nice like a ‘we told you so.’”

Bede now has a lot of new opportunities with his new club. Traveling is one such addition, with the chance to play in Georgia, California and Toronto.

“I think it’s a great opportunity to take myself to the next level because not a lot of kids get to do it,” Bede said. “You don’t have to pay, you get to travel a lot, you get to play with the best kids and [you have] a great opportunity to get to a higher level.”

Having played soccer since he was seven years old, Bede has had plenty of experience applying his craft. This likely explains his impressive skillset, which may be surprising due to his size and defensive position.

“Looking back to [Bede] as a middle schooler, I saw [the] unlimited potential for him to be a major player on the soccer landscape,” Gavron said. “I was really looking forward to him being a part of our program when he came up. He’s got great feet, [he] is able to really control the ball and [he] makes great plays. When I think about Bede, I think about how big he is, how much control of his body he has and how light he is on his feet.”

With Bede now part of the Revolution Academy, the hard work has only just begun. The team practices Monday thru Thursday during the season, each session being about two hours long.

“I think the adjustment to the people isn’t too bad,” Bede said. “My biggest challenge is the practice quality. It’s a very fast environment, so I’m not used to it. You get tired all the time and sometimes want to quit. You just have to keep going.”

For the Wayland boys soccer team, losing a player isn’t necessarily uncommon. However, having to adjust to a handful at one time is.

“We’ve never had a player leave for academy soccer before,” Gavron said. “This year we lost three players to private schools, so this is the largest exodus we’ve ever had from the program.”

The program has been strong over the recent past, being honored with awards such as the High School Team Academic Award and the Team Ethics and Sportsmanship Award. These departures haven’t changed ambitions at all, as the team still has the goal of a state championship in focus.

“I’ve been on the team for four years, so I’ve seen a lot of guys come and go, and I can confidently say that right now we have a very deep team,” Chen said. “Players can play multiple positions, and the guys are just ready to compete.”

While leaving for the Revolution Academy was the right decision in Bede’s mind, he still remembers the Wayland soccer program very fondly. He finds that even with the new opportunities on the horizon, there will still be some things that he will miss in Wayland.

“I think the biggest thing I miss in Wayland is getting to play under the lights in front of people,” Bede said. “I’m gonna miss my senior night, Kicks for Cancer, playoffs and everything. That’s the [cost] of trying to make it to the next level.”