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Sunlake soccer star Chris Wilkinson follows soccer dream to Europe

 
Sunlake High’s Chris Wilkinson recently signed with Chesterfield, a British professional development soccer team.
Sunlake High’s Chris Wilkinson recently signed with Chesterfield, a British professional development soccer team.
Published May 27, 2015

LAND O'LAKES — Chris Wilkinson wants to be a professional soccer player, and he has put himself on the fastest track possible.

The graduating Sunlake senior is headed straight to England. On June 20, he'll head to Chesterfield and join that professional club's academy with the goal of training to become a pro footballer.

The sturdy 6-foot-1 midfielder had college options including as a placekicker, where he excelled for the Seahawks' football team.

"That's a very debatable topic, and I think college soccer has great benefits, naturally education being one," Wilkinson said. "But, Europe presents more opportunities of getting to the pro game more quickly."

He didn't just put out a YouTube video and land in Chesterfield, a town of more than 100,000 in the county of Derbyshire. Wilkinson was able to put his talents on display in England while playing in tournaments there as a youth.

Wilkinson's uncle, Guy Newman, is the director of coaching for California club Encinitas Express. Three summers ago, Wilkinson joined that team as part of a training camp at famed Manchester United. It was his second experience playing at the major Gothia Cup in England, previously doing it with Norwegian club Lillestrom.

"That opened up a lot of doors for me," he said.

And it doesn't hurt to have some connections — like a Hall of Fame grandfather.

Ron Newman played in his native England, mostly with Portsmouth and Gillingham, before coming to the United States in 1967. He transitioned from player/assistant for the Dallas Tornado, taking them to the NASL championship in 1971, to a full-time coach who won an incredible 753 games and was the MLS' first coaching hire with Kansas City.

"Pure legend," Wilkinson said.

One of Newman's mates is Gordon Hill, a legend in his own right: he scored 39 goals in his four seasons for some of the classic Manchester United teams, part of a lengthy playing career. As fate would have it, Hill is now an assistant coach for Wilkinson's club (West Florida Flames) and aided the Chesterfield process.

At Sunlake, Wilkinson was the centerpiece of the midfield, serving as holder and creator for a bevy of goal scorers as the Seahawks made three straight state semifinal appearances.

"We always needed to know where Chris was on the field so we could double him. Chris has the ability to take over a game and do things with the ball that most other players dream about," said Wiregrass Ranch coach David Wilson, whose Bulls gave Sunlake its only regular-season defeat last winter.

Wilkinson, who greatly credits his mother, Tracey, for helping him such a large decision, knows it will represent a large step up from high school.

"I don't think I'll have any issues," he said. "I know it's a much higher level of competition, but that's something that I need."

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Chesterfield's pro side just missed on moving up to League One, one rung below the English Premier League, considered the best in the world — and where Wilkinson wants to end up ultimately.

"Anywhere professionally would be great, but, yes, I would love to be in the EPL," he said. Arsenal is his favorite team.

For such a major life move, Wilkinson is as assured as an 18-year-old can be.

"I'm counting down the days to June 20," he said.