As an All-American soccer player coming out of Alta Loma High School, Carlos Bocanegra says that when legendary Coach Sigi Schmid and UCLA came on strong in the recruiting process, it became a no-brainer to join the Bruin family. However, before committing to head to Westwood, the three-sport standout nearly considered following one of his offers to play American football at the next level.

Aside from staring on the pitch and in track and field, Bocanegra roamed the sidelines on the gridiron as a defensive back and wide receiver in addition to handling the kicking duties for the Braves. Yet, it would eventually be soccer where Bocanegra stamped his permanent mark at UCLA and later on in Major League Soccer, Europe, and with the U.S. Men’s National Team.

VIDEO: Bocanegra on being inducted into the UCLA Hall of Fame

Because of that indelible footprint and level of performance, UCLA called the celebrated defender in and inducted him into its Athletic Hall of Fame this past weekend. Bocanegra was inducted on Friday in a pair of intimate ceremonies on and off campus, and the following day he and the seven other inductees were honored at halftime at the Rose Bowl during the Bruins’ football game.

As arguably the top collegiate athletic institution across the board with the most NCAA titles, Bocanegra’s plaque will now dress the halls of the JD Morgan Center along legendary figures such as Jackie Robinson, John Wooden, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Troy Aikman, Arthur Ashe and countless others.

“It’s really cool,” said Bocanegra. “It’s a big honor for me, especially to be a part of the most successful school with athletic championships in the country. So knowing that me and my teammates contributed with winning a national title in ’97 and just being able to be a part of it and now being inducted into the hall of fame with all these great athletes that have gone through the set-up at UCLA is pretty amazing and I’m really honored.”

Bocanegra points to UCLA’s top-notch academics and athletics, as well as the input of his parents, who are both teachers, as the primary reasons why he chose to be a Bruin, as heenjoyed success immediately as a freshman. The defender established himself as a starter on a perennial contender and helped deliver the 1997 national title, which he says is his greatest collegiate accomplishment. Just as important, however, are the memories and friendships he gained while at Westwood from ’97-99, where he played alongside eventual MLS standouts such as Nick Rimando, Peter Vagenas, Matt Reis and a host of other teammates.

“We had a lot of friends on the team, it felt like we were just playing with our buddies out there and we worked hard and were able to go out there and get that championship and bring it back for the school. That was a pretty big honor. These guys were good players, good sportsmen, good leaders and good people and it was just a nice environment to be in and they really brought up the young guys and encouraged us.”

Likewise in his rookie campaign in MLS, Bocanegra broke into the starting 11 after being drafted fourth overall in the SuperDraft and helped the Chicago Fire reach the MLS Cup title match, only to fall short. Nevertheless, the defender earned Rookie of the Year honors and was a two-time Defender of the Year recipient. Bocanegra’s prowess on the backline gave him the chance to take his talents to European soccer, where he played for nearly a decade while playing in two consecutive World Cups before eventually returning to MLS with Chivas USA this season.

After nearly 14 years since the SoCal kid walked the campus of Westwood, Bocanegra says he was emotional and left in awe of the magnitude of the honor, while sharing it with family, friends and fellow alumni.

“Just looking around the halls at all the greatness in there, I’m so lucky to be able to have that platform and gone through there,” Bocanegra added. “It’s pretty awesome. I was just humbled and it feels really good.

“I know how many have gone before me through the program at UCLA and how many will go after. UCLA gave me a great opportunity, a great platform to play the game and be seen and be noticed at the highest level in college and then go on to the professional level. So I owe a lot to them. You’re name is etched in next to [legendary players], it’s a pretty amazing honor.”

Chivas USA participate in Generation adidas Cup

Hundreds of young players across the West Coast of the United States, and Mexico, took part of the 2013 Generation adidas Cup that took place last weekend. For the first time in its history, Chivas USA hosted the tournament in the soccer fields of the University of California, Irvine. Teams participating in the cup included fellow Major League Soccer teams San Jose Earthquakes, Portland Timbers, Seattle Sounders and the LA Galaxy, and also included the youth squads of Mexican team Club Tijuana.

On site for every game in the tournament was Chivas USA Youth Development Academy Director Sacha Van der Most, who explained the background of the tournament.

“We play two tournaments; one in the fall here in Irvine, the other in the winter in San Jose. The numbers one, two and three qualify for the national Generation adidas Cup that’ll be in the spring for the U16 and U17 age group,” Van der Most said about the tournament.

VIDEO: Generation adidas Cup Hosted by Chivas USA

All participating clubs introduced two teams; one team consisted of players from categories 1997/1998, while other team was category 1999/2000. With the tournament kicking off on Friday afternoon, Chivas USA’s older group took a scoreless draw with Club Tijuana while the younger group took a 5-2 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes. The only match-up on Saturday was between Chivas USA’s 1997/1998 group against the Portland Timbers. After 80 minutes of regulation time, the match ended scoreless, which led to both team’s taking penalty kicks, where the Red-and-White came out victorious.

In their final game, Chivas USA’s 1997/1998 Team fell 3-2 to San Jose Earthquakes in the last minute of the match. Meanwhile, the 1999/2000 squad earned a 0-0 draw with the Seattle Sounders. While the category 1997/1998 teams played to move on up in the tournament, the younger group used the tournament as a showcase and preparation for the upcoming YouthClásico scheduled for next Saturday, Oct. 19 at 8 p.m. (PT) at the StubHub Center.

The Generation adidas Cup is not over yet! Chivas USA will continue its participation as the second leg of the tournament is scheduled in February in San Jose. If the Red-and-White finishes among the top three spots, Chivas USA will be headed to the national tournament in a location to be determined. Follow us on Twitter to stay updated on the latest Chivas USA Youth Development news: @ChivasUSAYouth & @cdchivasusa.

Fondy delivers first two-goal performance in Reserve match

With Tuesday’s 3-2 win over the San Jose Earthquakes in their Reserve League finale, Chivas USA will look to use the positive result as a springboard heading into their last two matches of the campaign.

The Goats will have their second consecutive bye week from league action and return to the pitch in a mid-week showdown at Real Salt Lake on Oct. 23. Three days later, the Rojiblancos will close out their season when they host the Portland Timbers.

READ: Chivas USA downs Quakes 3-2

For Matthew Fondy, his two-goal performance will continue to build his confidence as the club’s newest striker. Fondy, who was signed on Aug. 30, grew up in Northern California and was able to collect his first professional brace in front of family and friends at the Nutrilite training facility.

«It was amazing,» said Fondy. «I love playing near my home town. Having them there supporting me there’s nothing better.»

A product of UC Santa Cruz, Fondy played for USL-PRO side the LA Blues the last two seasons and was invited to San Jose’s camp toward the end of the 2012 season. The 24-year-old participated in Reserve matches and friendlies for the Quakes but was not signed. Chivas discovered Fondy while playing for the Blues just a short drive away from the StubHub Center and the striker has made five appearances since joining the Rebaño.

Fondy has also tallied three goals in Reserve League play and recently made his first career start alongside Erick Torres, which the striker is excited about to display the continuity he and «Cubo» have developed up top. Moreover, Fondy and the Red-and-White are looking to close out the campaign in strong fashion and come away with a pair of wins against their Western Conference foes.