Nearly a decade has passed, but Donovan Pines can still see the ball leaving Andy Najar’s foot. He may have had the best seat in the house, after all: The Clarksville, Md., native was a ball boy, stationed behind the goal at RFK Stadium, as Najar’s shot nestled in the back of the net and D.C. United flocked to the corner flag to celebrate.
“I was like, ‘Whoa, that was one of the greatest feelings ever,’” Pines says. “And I thought, ‘I really want to play for this team.’”
Nowadays, Pines has an even better view: The 21-year-old defender has made nine appearances for United this season since signing with the club out of Maryland last winter.