Brek Shea

Brek Shea

Shea with FC Dallas in 2010
Personal information
Full name	Dane Brekken Shea
Date of birth	(1990-02-28) February 28, 1990
Place of birth	College Station, Texas, United States
Height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Position(s)	Winger
Team information
Current team	FC Dallas
Number	20
Youth career
2005–2007	IMG Soccer Academy
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2008–	FC Dallas	98	(19)
International career‡
2005–2007	United States U17	19	(0)
2007–2009	United States U20	12	(4)
2012–	United States U23	3	(0)
2010–	United States	15	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of November 12, 2012 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of September 13, 2012

Dane Brekken "Brek" Shea (born February 28, 1990) is an American soccer player who plays as a midfielder for FC Dallas in Major League Soccer and the United States national team. A versatile attacking player known for his size, strength and speed, Shea has been deployed in a variety of defensive, midfield and attacking roles, before settling as a wide-midfielder.

Career

Youth and Club

Born in College Station, Texas, Shea attended Brazos Christian School and one and a half years at Bryan High School in Bryan, Texas, and played for the Texans FC youth soccer organization in Houston, Texas, now known as the Dallas Texans, Houston Division. During his tenure with the Texans, Shea won four consecutive state championships. After his years in Bryan, Shea moved to U.S. Residency in Bradenton, Florida, while there Shea graduated in the top ten of his class at Edison Academy and later went to train with Bolton Wanderers F.C. in England in October 2007.

FC Dallas

Shea did not play college soccer and instead turned professional straight out of high school. He was drafted 2nd overall by FC Dallas in the 2008 MLS SuperDraft, and he signed a Generation adidas contract. He made his MLS debut for Dallas on April 20, 2008, as a substitute against CD Chivas USA in the 86th minute. Four minutes into the game Shea would pick up his first yellow card. Brek appeared in five of the team's six international friendlies and made eight starts with the reserve team before he underwent season-ending surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee on September 19, 2008. Shea earned his first professional start on May 23, 2009 in a match versus the Los Angeles Galaxy. Shea recorded his first MLS assist on Kenny Cooper’s game-tying goal during a match versus the Earthquakes on June 7, 2009. Shea also recorded two assists in a 6-0 blowout win over Kansas City on August 1, 2009 at Pizza Hut Park Shea spent his first two seasons with the club playing as a utility man, including spells as a striker, a central midfielder and as a defender. He eventually settled in at left winger during the 2010 MLS season. Shea scored his first professional goal on May 15 against the Philadelphia Union. During the 2010 Season Shea finished seventh on the team in minutes played (1,797) and made a career high 25 regular season appearances, Shea ended the season with five goals and four assists, as well as having 2 assists in four playoff games.

Shea graduated from the MLS Generation Adidas program at the end of the 2010 season. After playing left midfield during a Generation Adidas trip to Spain, Shea started the 2011 season at center-back, with manager Schellas Hyndman saying he found Shea's talents better used there.

During a match against the Vancouver Whitecaps MVP David Ferreira came down with an injury and much of his scoring role was passed onto Shea. Coach Schellas Hyndman soon started Brek at the midfield, and he blossomed into a top player of the 2011 MLS season. Shea was named to the MLS Team of Week 11,14, and 16 in the 2011 MLS season for his performances against Seattle Sounders, Houston Dynamo, Chivas USA, and Columbus Crew. Following Ferreira's injury he led FC Dallas to 10 wins (the first team in the 2011 MLS season to do so) led the club in goals, and as a result he was named to the MLS All-Star Game as a midfielder. However, Shea was unable to play in the MLS All-Star game due to a CONCACAF Champions League match. During a match against Sporting Kansas City Brek Shea helped Dallas rally back from down 0-2 to win 3-2, with two crosses in the final two minutes, to Maicon Santos and Bobby Warshaw respectively. Following the end of the 2011 MLS campaign, where Shea was an MVP nominee. On November 10, 2011, it was announced that Shea would spend a month of his offseason training under manager Arsène Wenger at Arsenal.

Shea would have a disappointing follow up to his successful 2011 campaign, only netting 3 goals in a 2012 season mired by injury problems. It was announced in November 2012 that Shea would be out an estimated 3 months following surgery for the removal of a bone in his right foot.

On December 10, 2012, it was announced that Dane Brekken Shea had been transferred to the McMurry University Warhawks. He has always dreamed of playing at the next level, and he has finally accomplished that. He is now a part of the world's best team. He will probably sit the bench until his senior year and will receive no scholarship money, but just making the team is a huge achievement itself. Initiation into the team is to suck Kyle Riese off. Good luck Brek.

International career

Shea was a member of the U.S. residency program in Bradenton, Florida, and played extensively for the Under-17 team during that time. He later moved on to the U-20 national team, whom he has represented most recently at the 2009 CONCACAF U-20 Championship. He received his first call-up to the senior national team at the age of eighteen, when he was called in late for a second round World Cup qualifier on June 18, 2008, at Barbados.

In September 2010, he was called up for an October friendly against Colombia. Shea earned his first international cap playing the first half of the 0–0 draw and in the process became the first player born in the 1990s to make an appearance for the full US National team.

Shea received his third call-up and second cap when he joined Eric Alexander, Zach Loyd, and Ugo Ihemelu, making FC Dallas the most-represented MLS team at the January 2011 U.S. national team camp. Shea started the January 22, 2011 match against Chile, playing 60 minutes.

Under new U.S. national team head coach Jürgen Klinsmann, Shea was named as one of seven midfielders for a friendly match against Mexico on August 10, 2011 in Philadelphia. In the 60th minute, Shea came on as a substitute for Jermaine Jones and recorded his first international assist on the equalizing goal from Robbie Rogers. Brek Shea started in a friendly against Costa Rica. Shea played all 90 minutes and picked up a yellow card in the 0–1 loss.

After a six-month rough patch during his 2012 campaign, Shea made his return to the U.S. national team for a friendly against Mexico on August 15, 2012. Shea came on in the 78th minute as a substitute for Herculez Gomez. In the 80th minute, Shea dribbled the ball on the left wing, split two defenders as he sped to the edge of the penalty box and laid off a ground cross for Terrence Boyd who backheeled it to Michael Orozco Fiscal for the goal from close range. That was the only goal of the match and earned the USMNT a historic win: beating Mexico for the first time in Mexico City in 75 years.

Personal life

Brek Shea is the son of Charles and Kirstin Shea. Charles Shea played football at Virginia Tech. Shea is the middle of five children with two older brothers and two younger sisters. Shea was drafted by FC Dallas with the second pick in the 2008 MLS SuperDraft.

Shea is known for his unique hairstyles and colors; he has six tattoos and his natural hair color is blonde.

During Shea's personal time he often paints. On June 26, 2011, Shea showcased 10 of his abstract pieces to the Controlled Chaos Art Show and Auction at NYLO Hotel in Plano, raising almost $10,000 for the FC Dallas Foundation benefiting disadvantaged youth through soccer. During the art showcase FC Dallas owner Dan Hunt attended and purchased one of Shea's paintings. To sell and display his art, Shea has opened his own studio named Left Foot Studio. On the Left Foot Studio website fans can purchase Shea's paintings which all benefit the FC Dallas Foundation.

Shea also helps young players in the Dallas area with their soccer skills in one-on-one sessions with the aspiring players.

On July 22, 2011, Shea and Bolton Wanderers defender Tim Ream rang the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange in New York City. While attending the stock exchange, Shea and Ream were accompanied by Chris Heck, who at the time was the New York Red Bulls President of Business Operations.

Brek Shea has said that his favorite TV shows are Rob & Big and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and that his favorite type of music is hip-hop and techno. Shea says that he is a big fan of Assassin’s Creed, FIFA, Call of Duty and Guitar Hero and that his favorite films are 300, Troy and Superbad. Shea has listed Lance Armstrong as a huge inspiration and is his favorite athlete. Brek Shea is also a fan of the Dallas Mavericks, Texas Rangers and Dallas Cowboys.

Career Statistics

Club

Club	Season	MLS Regular Season			U.S. Open Cup			MLS Cup Playoffs			CONCACAF			Total
		Apps	Goals	Assists	Apps	Goals	Assists	Apps	Goals	Assists	Apps	Goals	Assists	Apps	Goals	Assists
FC Dallas	2008	2	0	0	–			–			–			2	0	0
	2009	19	0	4	–			–			–			19	0	4
	2010	25	5	4	–			4	0	2	–			29	5	6
	2011	31	11	4	3	0	0	1	0	0	6	0	0	41	11	4
	2012	17	3	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	17	3	2
Total		94	19	14	3	0	0	5	0	2	6	0	0	108	19	16

Honors

FC Dallas

• Major League Soccer MLS Cup Runners-up: 2010
• Major League Soccer Western Conference Championship: 2010
• Major League Soccer All Star: 2011
• Major League Soccer Best XI: 2011

US Soccer

• U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year: 2011 Young Male Athete of the Year

See also

• List of current MLS players

External links

• MLS player profile
• Brek Shea at National-Football-Teams.com