Zavaleta, Corrado work with Chivas USA

Summertime is typically reserved for a summer job back in a hometown, a semester abroad or an internship in a new city.

But for sophomore forward Eriq Zavaleta and junior midfielder A.J. Corrado, the summer of 2012 provided a new opportunity.

During the summer, Zavaleta and Corrado spent their mornings working out with Chivas USA in Los Angeles.

It was the first time either trained with a professional first-team squad in the MLS. Both have had summer workouts with Columbus Crew’s U-20 squad.

This time, they got to see what a career in the MLS really looks like.

“It was great having Eriq there,” Corrado said. “It made the experience really fun because it was such an easy transition with a friend there. I had a buddy in the locker room and on the field.”

The experience competing against professional players forged a closer bond between Corrado and Zavaleta, Corrado said. He also believes the things they learned throughout the summer will help them
this season.

“That experience for two college players is great knowing that he’s going to be your teammate when the season continues,” Corrado said. “This work is only going to benefit the overall team as well.”

Zavaleta said the team would wake early and head to the stadium around 8 or 8:30 a.m. to lift. Training would start at 9:30 a.m.

“We would train for a couple of hours doing different things each day,” Zavaleta said.
“Then at the end of the day we would get another lift in.”

This summer’s experience with the Chivas first-team might have been Zavaleta’s first at that level, but it was not his first involvement with the club in
general.

“I was there last summer for four months working out with the U-20’s,” Zavaleta said. “It was something that I really thought got me better, but I think the level doesn’t really compare to the first-team. I think it was the greatest thing that A.J. and I could’ve done for ourselves.”

The two Hoosiers received the opportunity to play with the full-time professionals when Zavaleta’s uncle, the team’s assistant coach, invited the two to
Los Angeles.

“He told me, ‘I think it’s a great opportunity for you to come and train at a higher level,’” Zavaleta said of his uncle. “I have a close relationship with A.J. and thought it was something he could benefit from, so I asked if he could come along as well.”

For collegiate players, this type of summer training is a great opportunity to meet professional players and brush shoulders with their immediate competition in the NCAA, Corrado said.

“There were a couple of guys just out of college,” he said. “Ben Zemanski was one player I looked up to in terms of play. He recently graduated from Akron and made a nice transition into the MLS.”

Zavaleta said one player he bonded with was his roommate, Juan Agudelo.
Agudelo has a reputation as one of the premier forwards in the MLS after scoring six goals for the New York Red Bulls as an 18-year-old.

“Although he is so young, he is someone I definitely look up to,” Zavaleta said. “He’s just such a great friend, and he’s done really well so far. There are a lot of guys there who know where I am and definitely could help me along the way.”

Although becoming a teammate alongside professional players was a great opportunity, Corrado said the other perk of the experience was getting to train in one of the best soccer facilities in the nation.

“The Home Depot Center definitely is one of the better complexes in the country,” Corrado said. “The locker room and weight room and everything is right there in the stadium for you. After morning workouts, we would typically be off the rest of the day, so we could just head to the beach and relax there.”

Corrado said this summer was the best of his IU career.

“I just kept thinking this was about as good as it gets,” Corrado said.