GUYANA’S Curtez Kellman inked his first Professional football contract with Sporting Kansas City II, an MLS Next Pro club that is affiliated with Major League Soccer (MLS) side, Sporting Kansas City.
“I feel truly grateful for this opportunity. This is something that I’ve wanted since I started playing football and I know for me to reach this level I had to work hard with dedication to the sport,” Kellman said in an exclusive interview with Chronicle Sport.
Speaking from his new home in Missouri, Kellman further added that “getting the opportunity to sign my first Pro-Contract; I’m grateful and I’m looking forward to a very successful career.”
The 23-year-old Kellman recently completed his studies at Daytona College, where he gained a degree in Business Administration.
During his NJCAA playing career, Kellman was a two-time All-American and one of the country’s top midfield players.
Thanks to Guyanese football Hall-of-Famer Alex Bunbury and his Sport and Academic Academy, Kellman was given a try-out at Sporting Kansas City.
“He (Bunbury) worked hard behind the scenes in getting me this opportunity. Of course, I did my part; I came up here (to the US) and worked very hard to grab the opportunity with both hands,” Kellman said.
Kellman, who suited up locally for Western Tigers and Georgetown Football Club (GFC), only made one appearance for Guyana’s Senior Men’s National team when the Golden Jaguars journeyed to Indonesia in 2017 for an International friendly.
Though representing Guyana at the youth stage and finding considerable success on the collegiate scenes, many were left amazed at his many omissions from the team, especially under Brazilian Márcio Maximo.
Nonetheless, Kellman was adamant that he has “never let my omission from the National team get the better side of me because it would be a form of distraction and I wouldn’t be able to focus and reach my true potential, so I work hard continuously.”
“Also, with this opportunity, I want to be very much consistent with my performance and it will provide an opportunity for me to get a chance to be able to represent my country whenever called upon,” the dominant midfield player highlighted.
The MLS Next Pro is a third-tier league in the United States soccer league system behind the MLS, USL and USL League One.
The MLS Next Pro is made up of the reserve teams for the MLS clubs.
