WASHINGTON, D.C.– As a lifelong Chelsea supporter, Griffin Yow used to see former Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney as a threat to his club.
That was until one day during United academy training when the then 15-year-old forward, now United’s 12th homegrown signing, found himself lacing up his boots next to England’s top goalscorer.
“It was definitely a change for everyone — the staff, as well,” Griffin, 16, said last year after a training session with Rooney. “As soon as he was there, everyone became more professional and a lot more serious. He for sure has an impact.”
While Rooney quickly made an impact for United, Griffin quietly continued to make his own impression on the United staff.
Griffin, who lives in Clifton, Va., started playing soccer like many 6-year-old kids in America: on a team coached by his parents. He soon joined a local youth program before going to Virginia Development Academy and getting recognized by United States national team representatives. In 2017, United’s academy director, Ryan Martin, invited Griffin to join United’s academy.
His second year came with a handful of call-ups to train with the first team, and in July of 2018, Griffin was practicing alongside Rooney before most of the first-team players had a chance to shake his hand.
On the other side of the pond, about two decades earlier, Rooney began his journey through Everton’s youth system. He made his first-team debut Aug. 17, 2002, one month before Griffin was born.
There was very little time for Griffin to be starstruck once Rooney arrived in D.C. In his first official United training, while most of the team was on the West Coast for a set of games, Rooney commanded more effort from the academy teenagers.
“[Rooney] told me personally, ‘If I were you out here — I want you to go out as hard as you can on all of the first-team guys, like just crack them,’” Griffin said last year. “It is really cool because he probably did that when he was at Everton. It was good to hear it from him.”
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Griffin scored 21 goals in his 39 games for United’s academy team. Last October, he received a call-up to the U.S. U-17 national team and will likely rejoin the U-17s in May for World Cup qualifying in Florida.
Griffin joined Loudoun United its inaugural season in the USL Championship last month and went on loan to the club this weekend for a scoreless draw with the Tampa Bay Rowdies. After sitting on the bench in the first match of the season, Griffin scored the first goal in the team’s young history, forcing a lucky deflection against Memphis 901.
“In some ways, signing Griffin without Loudoun United doesn’t make a lot of sense,” United coach Ben Olsen said. “His development now is going to be sped up because we can get him 15 games this year. That is at the minimum.”
.@Griffin_Yow gives us his thoughts on scoring his first professional goal, his favorite player on United and what it means to him to play for his hometown club, D.C. United. #DCU pic.twitter.com/On6H7cOMH2
— D.C. United (@dcunited) March 22, 2019
Griffin attacks on the left side and has an instinct to get on the end of balls and make plays in the final third. He understands his current skill level and looks to reach new levels each training session. For inspiration, Griffin looks to young attackers like FC Barcelona forward Ousmane Dembélé, who isn’t the strongest player but is quick and agile like Griffin.
“He has some really interesting qualities as a player,” Olsen said of Griffin. “One of them is that he is an attacker that understands how to make plays. That is a rare thing for American attackers. I am looking forward to working with him and getting him fully into the group.”
Nine months after that first training session, Rooney handed Griffin a United jersey in celebration of Griffin’s first professional contract.
“This is my hometown club, and there is no club I would rather be at,” Griffin said. “I have been with the team out here for almost two years now. It may not have been as regular as it is now, but I am comfortable in this environment, and I have a relationship with all of the guys.”
Despite the familiarity, Griffin still gets nervous now that he is officially part of D.C. United’s MLS team and training regularly alongside an experienced player like Rooney.
“I don’t say, ‘Wow, that’s Wayne Rooney, or Luciano Acosta.’ I am more nervous to play at their level and keep at that level,” Griffin said. “Those are nerves I want to keep. I don’t want to come out here and think that I am already at their level.”