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The boy who left the circus and joined the Maryland soccer team

Had Gordon Wild gone into the family business, one that dates to the 19th century on his father’s side, he might have been riding a unicycle instead of attempting bicycle kicks or manning the midway instead of collecting passes from the University of Maryland’s midfield.

The sophomore striker on the top-ranked men’s soccer team in the country is the son of former acrobats – a German mother and Danish father who performed as a duo in traveling troupes before creating their own circus company.

Wild’s half-brother entertained on Royal Caribbean cruises for a dozen years.