Homecoming: Woodstock natives Lavery, Mizell catch on with Atlanta Silverbacks
Mark Lavery and Cody Mizell were at a bit of a crossroad. Searching for opportunities to keep their professional soccer dreams alive, the Woodstock natives needed a “right place at the right time” kind of break.
Fortunately for the pair, the Atlanta Silverbacks provided just that, signing both county standouts to contracts in May.
“The funny thing is, I felt like I went all over the world trying to find a team to sign me and I end up playing where I’m from,” said the former Etowah High star, Lavery, who started his college career at the University of Kentucky in 2008 before finishing as an NCAA Division III First Team All-American at Atlanta’s Oglethorpe University in 2011. “Last summer, I played with the Georgia Revolution, an Atlanta-based amateur team, but I didn’t have anywhere to play in the fall. In the spring, I went to Iceland and trained with a couple of teams. They had interest but could not sign me because of financial reasons, so I ended up just coming home. Then, just one day before they started their season, Atlanta signed me.”
While it took nearly a year-and-a-half to come wide open, the door to Atlanta for Lavery actually began to open just after college, when he attended the Info Sports Combine in Florida.
“We had a pretty successful season my senior year at Oglethorpe, going 17-4 and making it to the NCAA tournament for the first time, and I was told that I was going to be invited to the (Major League Soccer) Combine,” Lavery recalled. “But that fell through because MLS didn’t end up inviting any Division III guys.
“I was kind of left wondering what to do, so I went to the Info Sports Combine. I wasn’t a big fan of it because it was kind of crazy there. They had around 350 players. It went pretty well for me and I played in the all-star game at the end of the week, but nothing came out of it.”
Or so he thought.
Among the talent evaluators at the combine was Brian Haynes, a former player Trinidad and Tabago’s national team, who spent five seasons playing MLS. Several months after the combine, Haynes took over as Silverbacks’ head coach.
“I worked with him at the combine for three or four days and got to know him a little,” Lavery said. “It ended up that he played with my old club coach. So, I went out to work with them and things started to work out and fall into place.”
“People think that I’m just getting to know Mark, but I remembered him from the combine,” Haynes said. “When I saw him and found out he wasn’t playing for anybody, I told him he needed to come train with us. I knew what kind of player he was, and I’m glad he’s under contract with us.”
While Haynes was familiar with Lavery, Mizell fell into his lap by chance.
After starting keeper Joe Nasco received a red card and was suspended for a game, the Silverbacks were in need of a keeper to back up second-stringer Eric Ati for a game.
Mizell was there to answer the call.
“I had some pro options out of college,” said Mizell, who, after graduating Woodstock High School a year early, became an all-conference keeper at Clemson University, before turning pro following his junior year. “I went to Orlando City (of the United Soccer League) after Clemson for a bit, then got a call from the Philadelphia Union (of the MLS) asking me to come into their preseason. I made all the cuts, but, unfortunately, the organization had some financial issues and I ended up not getting a contract.
“After that, I got the call from Atlanta.”
Initially expected to be a temporary roster fill in for Nasco, Mizell stuck.
“It started off as someone getting a red card and needing a back up, but Cody is more than a back up,” said Haynes. “When evaluating a goal keeper, you look for two things: If they have good hands and if they’re a good shot blocker. Cody has soft hands and is a great shot blocker.
“He’s also a great young man, and I see great potential in him.”
Although they are still trying to work their way to a bench spot and eventually crack the lineup, both Lavery and Mizell said being able to work with the team daily is improving their games.
“It’s a huge thing for me to be out there every day,” said Lavery, who spent the early days of his career as a forward and midfielder but is playing as a defender for the Silverbacks. “Basically, I had a year off without playing at a high competitive level, so it’s been an adjustment. There’s a big difference in the speed of the game and the athleticism from playing DIII soccer. You have to think and react faster. But I’m paying my dues and starting to get comfortable.”
“I’m still young and trying to learn from the older, more experienced guys like Joe and Ati,” Mizell said. “I had a fortunate situation that got me in here, and everyone has taken me in and been nothing but professional. I couldn’t be in a better place right now. It’s awesome to be back in Atlanta.”
As for his position change, Lavery said he’s still learning.
“It’s been a transition because I’ve been so offensive-minded my whole career and always want to move forward,” he explained. “I played center back my senior year at Oglethorpe, and it’s one of those positions that you can only get better through experience. But I’ve worked hard to get myself to a respectable level. You just have to do things the right way and be fundamentally sound in the back.”
“The best place I see for him is in the back where the game is in front of him,” Haynes said of his decision to have Lavery as a defender. “At this level, I think the midfield may be a little too quick for him, but he’s done a great job in the back, and I’m not finding any faults in his game. I’ve very happy with him.”
With the spring half of the season coming to a close July 4, Haynes said he hopes to get both Lavery and Mizell into action during the second-half of the season, which begins Aug. 3 and runs into early November.
“I think they both have a good future in professional soccer,” Haynes said. “And as far as I’m concerned, I want to be able to move players up to the next level (MLS).”
“This is another step to get up the table in the U.S. soccer circuit,” Mizell said. “But you don’t focus on that. At the end of the day, you just want the club to do well, so you go out, work hard, wait for your opportunities and take them when they come.
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