Better Know a Timber - Quavas Kirk

Hello, I'm Quavas Kirk
Meet one of the Portland Timber's newest defenders, MLS veteran Quavas Kirk. This will be an ongoing series Dropping Timer will be bringing you - an attempt to help you get better acquainted with your 2010 Portland Timbers.

Signed in early December, Portland's promising free agent acquisition will be looking for an opportunity to showcase his strengths in what will be a showcase season overall for the 2011 MLS-bound Timbers. With a bit of luck and some solid play, it's likely Kirk will be joining them in the jump.

Besides a sharp fashion sense, Quavas will bring some extra excitement and athleticism when he arrives in Soccer City USA. Although only 21 years of age, Quavas has multiple seasons of experience in the MLS, but most recently playing for the USL Minnesota Thunder last season.

QUICK PROFILE
Born: April 13th, 1988
Birthplace: Aurora, Illinois
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 185

Although only spending a few seasons in the MLS, Quavas is already quite well-traveled. A 3rd round draft pick by the LA Galaxy in 2005, Quavas played in 33 games for the Galaxy, but eventually was traded to DC United. After spending a season in DC and a brief trial with the Seattle Sounders, he was sent over to Minnesota where he appeared in 15 games last year.

Quavas is known as a player loaded with potential, someone who's still learning the game, but has the upside and the youth that can lead to improvement. Along with being a standout on Team USA's under-17 team (scoring 22 goals in 53 games), Kirk learned the game as a youth at the prestigous IMG Soccer Academy. Located in Bradenton, Florida, the IMG Soccer Academy is place for youths who are deadly serious about soccer. Kids live at the dorms, take classes, as well as go through rigorous soccer training throughout their education. Curfew is at 9pm. This place is no joke. In 2005, Quavas signed with the infamous Generation Adidas Program, a joint MLS/Adidas venture aimed at promoting and raising the level of youth soccer in America. The top teenage soccer talent in the nation are identified and then pushed to sign with MLS or other professional teams, as opposed to pursuing a college education (although a safeguard is in place to provide academic scholarships to players whos careers don't pan out). Generation Adidas is a bold program that's helped to produce such players as Jozy Altidore, Clint Dempsey, and Freddy Adu.

The David Beckham Incident

As a member of the LA Galaxy, Quavas originally wore the number 23 on his jersey. However, upon the arrival of David Beckham, Quavas was forced to change his number to 15, despite publicly expressing his desire to keep the number. Beckham brought with him a list of requirements and special accomodations (including his bloated salary) when he came to the MLS and this was certainly one battle that Quavas was not going to win. Sorry, Quavas.

As a member of the Timbers, Quavas won't have to worry about quibling over kit numbers. Instead, he'll be a valued part of the teams 2010 season. Quavas will be an exciting defender to watch, somebody who'll probably show us flashes of brilliance throughout the year, but the question remains....Can Kirk fufill his potential and become a big-time player in the MLS? Well, we'll get an upclose view as he tries to answer that question this summer at PGE.

* MLS Stats - Espn Career Profile