Photo courtesy of New York Red Bulls Communications Assistant, Zachary Lahey FACESRunning with the Red Bulls II: Barry Sharifi by Anthony Paradiso August 25, 2020 Barry Sharifi said his parents “kind of forced” him into starting soccer when he was four years old. Fast forward almost twenty years, and now the midfielder is playing soccer with the New York Red Bulls II.The Red Bulls drafted Barry Sharifi in the third round of the 2020 Major League Soccer Super Draft. Most of the Red Bulls joined the team after great careers in college or high school, but Sharifi not only excelled as a college athlete, he became an offensive juggernaut for the Red Bulls U-23 team. The Long Island native impressively scored 17 goals in 25 matches for the Red Bulls’ U-23 academy team.Sharifi signed his first professional contract with the Red Bulls II on Mar. 5, 2020.Where It All StartedSharifi was born and raised on Long Island in his hometown of Jericho, New York. Barry said he lived “very close to where Tim Parker grew up” in Hicksville.Soccer wasn’t something he thought of trying until his parents put him in it when he was four. But his dreams to go pro weren’t just because he found himself enjoying the game. When he was 12, his parents made a decision that forced him to grow up rather quickly.“When I was in middle school, I was really enjoying my soccer. My parents had left to work in the military as linguists, so both my parents were gone [and] I kind of had to grow up quick and that meant deciding what I wanted to do and how I wanted to live. That’s when I knew I wanted to play soccer professionally.”Sharifi developed as a soccer player during his time at Albertson Soccer Academy. The Academy gives young players experience playing against the best competition in the United States.Then, another accomplishment when he was 13 helped move his development along.“I [was playing] with Albertson and I had not made the roster, so I was on the pre-academy team,” Sharifi recalled. “A couple of injuries came up in the academy team. When I was called up and four months later, I was the captain of the team. At that point, I really grew as a soccer player and a person.”After gaining confidence at an elite youth soccer academy on Long Island, Sharifi went on to a legendary collegiate career, which culminated in being drafted by the New York Red Bulls. Sharifi had a fabulous college soccer career at Loyola University, where he became a three-time Patriot League Midfielder of the Year and three-time United Soccer Coaches of America All-Region Honoree.Sharifi was a staple in the Loyola University Greyhound midfield during a 2017-19 run for the team that included winning three straight regular-season championships. When Barry and his teammate Josh Fawole were drafted in 2020, they became the first Loyola players selected in the MLS draft since 2009.Barry described what he misses the most about his collegiate career:“Doing everything with your teammates. You’re living with your teammates, you’re training every single day with your teammates, it’s almost like you’re a family… We were very close together.” Adjusting to the Professional LifestyleSharifi made it clear to me that beginning his professional soccer career had its challenges.For one, Barry has been trying to learn how to fit his playing-style into the Red Bulls’ philosophy. The Red Bulls coaches employ the “high press” tactic, which requires players who can expend a greater-than-usual amount of energy in order to pursue opponents deeper in their defensive-half. Like all players new to the Red Bulls system, this style of play demands a high-level of fitness, which is something that Sharifi wants to make an even bigger part of his game.“I was in the academy, for one year, but it was not as intense as it is now,” Sharifi said. “The highlight is on the press and the energy and what you’re willing to bring to the field every day so it’s a lot, yeah. These guys were playing at such a high level and such a fast pace that I was not used to. It was a tough adjustment, but I’m learning.”Since the United Soccer League Championship resumed its season in mid-July, the Red Bulls II have played ten games. Barry Sharifi made his professional debut on his team’s first game of the season on July 17 against Hartford Athletic. Thus far, he has appeared in eight of his team’s ten matches.The 22-year-old has come a long way since he was 12 and his parents left home. Post Views: 468The following two tabs change content below.BioLatest PostsAnthony ParadisoAnthony Paradiso has written for In The Zone since Sept. 2019. Anthony has written about local New York City sports topics for westviewnews.org since 2017. A graduate of Montclair State University, he co-hosts a sports talk show on University radio station, 90.3 FM WMSC.Latest posts by Anthony Paradiso (see all) Alex Smith, Washington Football Team Reportedly Parting Ways - March 1, 2021 NHL, Amazon Web Services Partner to Develop New Stats, Data, and Insights - February 11, 2021 New York Sports Icons Honored at 41st Thurman Munson Awards Virtual Event - February 5, 2021 NHL on NBC Broadcasters Preview the 2020-21 NHL Season - January 16, 2021 Related Topicsbarry sharifiNew York Red BullsNew York Red Bulls IISoccer Click to comment You must be logged in to post a comment Login Leave a Reply Cancel replyYou must be logged in to post a comment.Newsletter SubscriptionCan't Miss Posts! No Shame in Their Game – Female Mixed Martial Artists Use Onlyfans to Make Money by Brandon Berrios | posted on December 4, 2020 Neha Uberoi Khangoora: Pro Athlete to Successful Business Entrepreneur by Sunil Sunder Raj | posted on February 9, 2021 Women in Sports: NHL Network Host, Jackie Redmond by Nicholas Durst | posted on March 4, 2019 The Five Biggest Injuries of the 2020 NFL Season by Anthony Paradiso | posted on November 6, 2020 The Most Catastrophic Boat Trip Since the Titanic; the New York Giants by John Venezia | posted on October 4, 2020More in FACES You Know I’m Right, Episode 91: Ken Davidoff of the New York Post (Audio/Video)On the 91st episode of You Know I’m Right, Nick Durst and Joe Calabrese are joined by... You Know I’m Right, Episode 90: Actor Scott Patterson (Audio/Video)On the 90th episode of You Know I’m Right, Nick Durst and Joe Calabrese are joined by... Jackie Daly chats with Sean Conley: Former NFL kicker and author of “The Point After”Welcome to the second installment in my Cozy Book Corner! If you missed the... Patrick Mahomes Welcomes First Child With Fiancee Brittany MatthewsPatrick Mahomes Love Life: Patrick Mahomes was drafted into the NFL in 2017 and... INTERVIEW: Eric LeGrand; 2020 Rutgers Hall of Fame Inductee (VIDEO) Philadelphia Union to play first home game in 310 days