Foster Langsdorf, a Mountain View High School graduate, signed a Homegrown Player contract with the Portland Timbers for the 2018 season on Friday, the team announced.
Langsdorf becomes the second Timbers Academy player to sign a Homegrown Player contract with the team. Gresham, Ore. native Marco Farfan, 19, was signed straight from the academy and was the club’s first homegrown signing.
Langsdorf, 22, just capped a four-year career at Stanford, helping the Cardinal to national titles in 2015, 2016 and 2017. He finished his career as the Pac-12’s career leader in points (86) and goals (37) and was named Pac-12 Player of the Year.
“Since joining our academy in 2012, Foster’s commitment and approach to the game have enabled him to excel, and coming off a very successful college career he deserves this opportunity to take the next step in his development with the Portland Timbers,” Timbers general manager and president of soccer Gavin Wilkinson said in a team release.
The Timbers called to express interest while Langsdorf was on the bus back to Stanford after Stanford beat Indiana 1-0 to win the national championship on Dec. 12. He was returning to campus take a final.
“I was like, ‘woah oh my gosh,’ ” Langsdorf said. “It was stressful, it was exciting, it was everything.”
Upon the team’s announcing his signing Friday, which was the same day as the MLS SuperDraft, Langsdorf said he was inundated with congratulatory messages.
“It’s been really nice to know how much I’m loved and supported by the Portland and Vancouver area,” Langsdorf said.
He played soccer for Mountain View for two seasons before joining the Timbers academy for his junior year of high school in 2012. There he connected with former Timbers development coach Rod Underwood, who he credits as one of the reasons Stanford first noticed him.
Even when he was playing for the Timbers academy in high school, Langsdorf tried not to think too far ahead.
“I was very near-sighted,” Langsdorf said. “So I just thought, ‘what am I doing tomorrow’ … That sort of planning is best, because it prepares you for the long term by thinking of getting better in the short-term.”
Langsdorf was a 2017 MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist after scoring 14 goals and adding six assists. He scored the go-ahead goal in Stanford’s 2-0 win over Akron in the NCAA semifinals.
The homegrown rule encourages teams to grow local talent through its youth academy by potentially excluding those contracts from the club’s salary budget.
“I’m most looking forward to improving my game and learning form the older guys, the veterans who are a part of the Timbers organization about how to be a better player,” Langsdorf said.
He said he will report to the Timbers Jan. 23 for the MLS preseason, then return to Stanford to finish out his degree by the end of the winter quarter. Between training and classes, he anticipates the next three months will be busy.
Langsdorf is the second Clark County native to sign with the Timbers. Camas High graduate Brett Richards was the first in 2012.
