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MLS D.C. United

D.C. United Academy goalkeeper Bill Hamid signs with first team

September 2, 2009 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
D.C. United News Release


Washington, D.C. (September 2, 2009) - D.C. United announced today the club has signed Academy goalkeeper Abdul "Bill" Hamid to a Generation adidas contract with the first team. Hamid is the first player to sign with the first team directly from United's academy youth system.

"We're excited to sign our first young professional out of the D.C. United Academy team," said D.C. United President and CEO Kevin Payne. "Bill has been in our system for several years, and has drawn a lot of attention nationally and internationally. We have high hopes for him to be a big part of D.C. United's future."

A native of Annandale, Virginia, Hamid has played with the D.C. United Academy since January of 2007. That year, he backstopped the team that won the U17 MLS/SUM Cup. In May 2008, he traveled to Madrid, Spain with the Black-and-Red youth to take part in the U17 Club World Cup. That same year the U.S. Soccer Development Academy named him to the U-17/18 Mid-Atlantic Starting XI. This past summer, Hamid was first choice in goal for the U-17/18 Academy team that compiled a 20-4-5 record and was a finalist in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy.

Hamid played high school soccer at Annandale High School and DeMatha High School. During the 2005-06 school year at DeMatha, he earned First-Team All-Maryland honors, First-Team All-Prince George's County, First-Team All-WCAC and Second-Team Washington Post All-Met honors. Every summer during high school, he also played with D.C. United's Super-Y team. Hamid started playing soccer at the Annandale Boys & Girls Club, and later played club soccer at Premier AC and McLean.

The goalkeeper also has Youth National Team experience, spending time with the United States U18 and U20 national teams. In 2008, he traveled to Portugal with the U20s to play in the Campos Verdes International Tournament and Mexico for the Copa Chivas.

In July 2009, the MLS Board of Governors approved an amendment to the rules governing the signing of youth academy players. MLS clubs will receive two additional roster slots that may be used to sign academy players, in accordance with current Home Grown Player rules, to Generation adidas or Developmental contracts during the 2009 season. These players will not count toward the 24-player roster limit in 2009. Additionally these players may not play in League games during the 2009 season, but can participate in training, exhibition games and CONCACAF Champions League games. These additional player signings will count toward a team's roster upon the commencement of the 2010 season.

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