Posted: 8/6/03

Morehead enjoying pro career

Joe Drennan
Sports Editor

Marshall Morehead may have moved away from Forest Lake when he was younger, but his family roots still remain in Forest Lake.

Morehead and his parents moved from Forest Lake to Stillwater when Marshall was still a youngster. He got his start in soccer playing in area youth leagues, just having fun.

While in high school, he was named Minnesota State Player of the year in 1996, and helped Stillwater to a 21-0-2 season that culminated with a state title. He finished his high school career as Stillwaterís all-time leader in goals with 74, and points with 198.

Morehead also played hockey for Stillwater. ìI just seemed to be most successful playing soccer,î Morehead said. ìI was pretty good playing hockey, but I just thought playing soccer would be a better fit for me.î

Morehead continued his soccer career in college when he went on to play at Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI. In his junior year, Morehead had a break-out season as he netted himself 28 points and All-Conference USA First Team honors in 1999.

After his four years of eligibility at Marquette were up, Morehead contacted Minnesota Thunder coach Phil Nell of whom he knew and had played for on the Twin Cities Tornado of the Premier Developmental League and asked him if he could come out and play. Nell told Morehead to come out for the 2002 preseason and see how things went. When the regular season came around, Morehead was on the team. ìI had a successful preseason so that helped,î Morehead said.

With only 226 minutes played in his rookie season, Morehead earned himself the team Rookie of the Year honors as he scored three goals. One of Moreheadís goals ended the Seattle Sounderís 12 game home winning streak after he scored the game-winning goal just two minutes after being subbed into the game.

So far this season, his second as a pro, Morehead has scored 4 goals and has two assists. ìThis year has been pretty fun, weíre doing well,î Morehead said. ìHopefully we can keep it up.î
With opposing teams spread across the country, and one in Vancouver, the Thunder spend a lot of time on the road killing time. Whether it is sitting on a bus to play in Milwaukee, or sitting in an airport waiting for a plane in El Paso, the players have to find something to amuse themselves.

ìCards...everybody plays cards,î Morehead said. ìI do a lot of reading too, anything to kill the time.î

Being on the road has its advantages though. ìThere is not as much pressure with family and friends, you can concentrate on your game better,î Morehead said. Morehead was quick to point out the downside of playing on the road as well saying, ìyou never know what kind of field you are going to be playing on, whereas at home we play on one of the better fields in the country.î

As in all sports, every team has their team joker and the Thunder is no different. ìJohnny Torres is always cracking jokes and being sarcastic so he always adds enjoyment to our practices and games,î Morehead said.

Like most professional sports, the players on the Thunder get a decent salary to play a kids game.

ìWe get paid to do what we like to do and not many people get a chance to do that,î Morehead said. ìItís a pretty nice job to have.î

The Thunder season is too short to supply the players for the whole year Morehead says, so most players have off-season jobs coaching or working in the Thunder offices.
Last off-season Morehead lived with a friend in Providence, RI. This off-season he is planning on traveling to Charleston, NC where he hopes to start his own business. Morehead recently purchased the zoning rights for the Charleston area for the Curves for Women chain.

ìI would like to do that for a while,î Morehead said. ìI hope it does well.î
As for life after soccer, Morehead is not sure what he may end up doing.

ìIím just kind of taking it as it comes, nothing is set in stone,î Morehead said.

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