Upon signing his first professional contract on Dec. 6, 2017, goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski became the third player to ink a Homegrown Player contract in San Jose Earthquakes history. Tommy Thompson and Nick Lima led the way, signing ahead of the 2014 and 2017 seasons, respectively.
Marcinkowski was raised in Alamo, Calif., about 40 miles from Avaya Stadium. He frequented Quakes matches as a child, going to games with his friends and family on the campuses of San Jose State and Santa Clara University.
“When they were at Spartan Stadium, I went to quite a few because I knew the backup keeper Jon Conway,” explained Marcinkowski. “He was actually my first goalie coach. It didn’t hurt that the team was also really good back then.”
Born roughly one year after Major League Soccer’s inaugural match in San Jose on April 2, 1996, Marcinkowski has always had a team and a dream to lean on. He ultimately competed for the Quakes Academy for four seasons, spending his high school years (2011-15) commuting to and from training sessions in San Jose.
“Having them right here in my backyard was an inspiration. Granted Major League Soccer wasn’t what it is now, but it was still a professional league and there were a few national team players with the Quakes. I definitely looked up to them.”
As the Earthquakes’ preseason ended and Andrew Tarbell continued on as starter from his late-season heroics in 2017, Marcinkowski was named Reno 1868 FC’s primary keeper. San Jose’s booming affiliation with Reno of the United Soccer League immediately paid dividends in Marcinkowski’s development. Rather than just serving as the Quakes third-string keeper on match day, a non-active one at that, he has an opportunity to garner consistent minutes and learn leadership qualities on the field every weekend in USL.
“It’s been massive. I think coming in, I didn’t really know what to expect. I came in kind of blind and hoped for the best, but when I met the Reno guys in person, I was really excited. Ian [Russell] is obviously a great coach. He’s played in MLS, he’s coached in MLS, so he’s been there and done that. The guys on the team were very welcoming from the beginning.
“Always learning and getting game time is so important for a keeper. Training sessions are really important, so you can hone your craft, but you can’t really simulate game experiences in a training environment no matter how hard you try. Getting games consistently has been great for me and my future. It’s definitely been a great segue from college to MLS.”
Marcinkowski, like some of his Quakes teammates, trains with the First Team in San Jose during the week and plays with Reno on the weekends. This obviously presented some complications with the team’s ability to jell.
“In the beginning, it was difficult to get the chemistry down. I think that’s why our results weren’t great at the start of the season because we had a lot of new faces coming in and out of the squad. Now that we’re halfway through the season and we’ve had an opportunity to train together roughly one or two days a week, we’ve gotten to know each other and get a feel for the team.”
In addition to being one of the USL’s top keepers and earning a nomination as a 2018 Fans' Choice Midseason Awards - Young Player of the Year, Marcinkowski also had an opportunity to represent the Earthquakes at the 2018 Homegrown Game in Atlanta, the day before the All-Star Game against Juventus. He made a few amazing saves against the Tigres U-20s, keeping a shutout in his 45 minutes of play and earning praise as Bobby Warshaw’s match MVP.
“It was pretty surreal to be honest. Being around the people that were there – the All-Stars, the other Homegrowns – it was more than I thought it would be. Atlanta is a great city and is definitely setting the standard for MLS. It just shows how far the sport has come in this country, for a city in the southeast to be so soccer-oriented is pretty incredible. The game itself was great. It was nice to get out there with a couple friends and the other guys I had just met. We all formed a bond really quickly.”
Now that Marcinkowski has more than six months of professional experience under his belt, he can begin to assess his long-term goals, which includes making his mark on the Earthquakes and U.S. National Team.
“I want to get better day-in and day-out. No matter what I’m doing, I always have soccer on my mind. I don’t like being content with where I’m at. I always want to push for more.
“And while those long-term goals are in the back of my mind, I think the main force that’s driving me is just being a better person on and off the field every day and working as hard as I can for the organization, as well as myself and my family.”
