MLS Original Marsch honored by Chivas
Match against FC Dallas marked 300th league game for Red-and-White captain
Marsch reached the mark two weekends ago against FC Dallas, putting him in the elite company of Steve Ralston, Chris Henderson, Kevin Hartman, Cobi Jones and Jason Kreis as the only players to appear in 300 or more MLS league games.
"To be honest, I didn't even really know about the figure until a week beforehand," said Marsch with a smile on his face. "It does remind me that I've been around a long time."
Marsch's career began at D.C. United, where he played a small part in winning the first two MLS Cups (1996, 1997). He went on to Chicago, where his playing time increased significantly and he took home his third MLS Cup (1998), as well as three Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cups (1998, 2000, 2003). He arrived at Chivas USA early in 2006 after a trade with Chicago.
"I think when I break my career up into segments, it's almost perfect for me to go D.C., then Chicago, and then Chivas," said Marsch. "In D.C., I was a rookie and I came in off the bench and I was learning what it was about to be a pro. Then came Chicago and I was on the field all the time but I was still learning and developing. Then I come here and I'm the leader and the guy that sets the tone every day. It's a good breakdown for me in terms of the stages of my career."
At the start of his 14th season in MLS, Marsch continues to stay in good shape and has captained Chivas USA to a perfect 3-0 start.
"I've paid more attention to my nutrition and how I take care of myself on a daily basis," said Marsch of his impressive longevity. "I'm in the weight room more and I do yoga more, and I think they make a difference for me. I'll credit Preki for some of that because he's played a long time and he knows what it's like once you get older. He's made me do yoga and made me go to the gym and I've grown to really like it.
"Right now, I still feel good about what I can do on the field, and how I can help out. I'm still motivated by the every day business of being a professional soccer player."
In the few free moments he has away from the field, Marsch has taken time to consider his plans after his playing days have passed.
"I will coach. I made that decision maybe six or seven years ago," said Marsch. "The more I'm part of this, I can't imagine waking up in the morning and not coming out to the field and being around situations where it's perfect grass and a beautiful day and you're pushing guys and competing.
"Whether I'm doing that as a coach or as a player or whatever else down the line, I'm still inspired by what the game is like every day."
Given his reputation for tenacity, there might be a few more years yet before Marsch calls it quits, which is good news for anyone in a Chivas USA jersey.
"Three hundred games is a big milestone," said Jim Curtin, Marsch's teammate in Chicago for six seasons before coming to Chivas USA. "And if you look at Jesse's statistics, those 300 games; he wins a lot of them. His career has been a great one and I hope he keeps going."
Jeffrey King is a contributor to MLSnet.com.
