Acquired

RSL: Via selection in the Second Round (Fourteenth Overall) in the 2006 MLS Supplemental Draft on 01/26/06

Biography

How it all came to be…
Born in Monrovia, Liberia, Willis Forko moved to Houston, Texas when he was three years old. Living in Liberia, Forko played with his brother, Sam and the other children in his community in Monrovia. He quickly developed a passion and love for the sport of soccer.

His first organized soccer experience was in a Houston league at six-years old. Forko's skills increased rapidly in the youth system in Houston because of the amount of youth who play and compete in Houston. For most of his youth, Forko played with The Hurricanes, a club team in Houston. His coaches had played at the professional level, they supported Forko and pushed him to refine his skills. Forko also played on his high school team, Cypress Springs High, where he had a lot of success.

Forko's long-term experience at the club level helped him to advance to the collegiate level, which made for an easy transition. In the fall of 2002, he enrolled at South Carolina University. While a member of the Gamecocks, Forko started 16 of 20 games in the midfield position. After playing one season for SCU, he transferred to the University of Connecticut, where his brother had previously played. Forko had always wanted to play for the Huskies because of the diversity of players. In the three seasons that he played for Connecticut, Forko started and finished every game of the season. He was named Third team All Big-East and finished his career with three goals and 15 assists.

The Houston, Texas native felt he had the ability and skills to play soccer at the professional level and entered the 2006 MLS SuperDraft. He went unselected in the draft, but in the second round of the 2006 MLS Supplemental Draft, Forko was selected by Real Salt Lake as the fourteenth overall pick. Since the beginning of the pre-season, Forko has learned a lot from the veteran players of RSL and hopes to learn more from every player on the team.

Coach Ellinger's call…
"Willis is somebody I've followed throughout the year after hearing about from a couple of different people. We were looking for a left defender and that is his position and he was very successful in that role at the college level. He was a mainstay in that position for the University of Connecticut. He has been impressive during the preseason and we feel that he is more than capable to step in and play with the first team when needed."

College

Twice named Third team All-Big East (2004-05)…finished collegiate career with three goals and 15 assists

2005: : First team All-New England…Helped anchor defense that allowed an average of just 0.56 goals per game and 14 shutouts…Earned Third Team All-Big East accolades...Played and started in all 21 games in the Husky backfield…Huskies gave up just two goals at home during the regular season...Tallied a goal against Hartwick (9/4) and six assists on the season...Played an average of 91 minutes per game, seeing the second-most minutes of any field player.

2004: PSecond team All-New England Named third team All-Big East, as well as second team All-New England...Played and started in all 23 games...Averaged 81 minutes of action per game...netted first two career goals in back-to-back games against Pittsburgh (9/25) and Villanova (10/3).

2003: Transferred to Connecticut from University of South Carolina…Played and started in all 21 games…Averaged 91 minutes of playing time…Played in 17 complete games…Tied for first on the team with five assists…Had one multiple-point game notching two assists at Virginia Tech (10/8)…Named to the 2003 UConn/adidas All-Tournament Team.

2002: Played in 20 games for the Gamecocks, starting in 16…Had one assist and two shots on goal from the midfield position…USC went 11-8-1, falling in the NCAA First Round.

High school

Attended Cypress Springs High School...Four-year letter winner in soccer...Earned All-Region and All-District honors...Offensive Most Valuable Player in the district...Played in the district championships...Named as Soccer America's top 25 recruit.

Personal

Hobbies: Traveling, going to the movies…Major in College: Psychology…Favorite Music: R&B, Rap…Favorite Movie: The Sixth Sense, The Negotiator, Blow…Favorite Food: Mexican, Italian…Favorite Book: Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare…Favorite TV Show: Fresh Prince…Favorite athlete outside of soccer: Allen Iverson…Greatest Accomplishments: Graduating High School.