Bradley soccer head coach Jim DeRose is undergoing some office renovations.
In order to even have a sit-down with him, DeRose had to pull a chair from women’s golf head coach Mary Swanson’s office.
However, on top of a box of Bradley soccer apparel was one piece of memorabilia that remains undisturbed: A Los Angeles Galaxy jersey bearing the number 35 and the name “Gaul” plastered on the back.
“I’ve got all my guys that’ve played in the pros,” DeRose said. “I have jerseys from them and [this one] is signed from Bryan.”
The jersey belongs to former Bradley soccer player Bryan Gaul, who is one of the most accomplished players in program history.
“A lot of those really gifted players became pieces in a machine,” DeRose said. “Bryan was the engine of our machine that won tournaments and then championships and went to NCAA tournaments.”
Gaul was an offensive genius during his time as a Brave. He tallied 31 career goals, 75 career points and he was a leader of Bradley soccer teams that went to consecutive NCAA Tournaments in 2010 and 2011 and won a Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Tournament Championship in 2010.
“I would condense [my time at Bradley] with a lot of ups and downs,” Gaul said. “Getting through it and getting to the better side was just an unbelievable experience.”
The “downs” Gaul refers to are his first two seasons on the Hilltop, where Bradley soccer won a total of 12 games.
“The first two years I was there it was terrible, it was a nightmare in terms of how many times we lost,” Gaul said. “We really came together and really made it happen the last few years, and put Bradley on the map.”
However, the recipe for making Bradley into a relevant soccer program takes more than just a few conference tournament titles. It also requires breathtaking moments, superstar players and heart-stopping comebacks.
Gaul recalls the MVC tournament semi-final game in 2010 when the team faced off against No. 12 ranked Creighton for the right to play in the title game.
“We went down 2-0 to Creighton, and when you go down 2-0 to Creighton you’re generally going to lose,” Gaul said. “We ended up coming back on an unbelievable goal by Keith Mach in the final five minutes.”
Gaul assisted on the tying goal, which tallied his 28th point of the year.
“That put us in the final and gave us momentum to get to the NCAA Tournament,” Gaul said.
All of the stats Gaul accumulated stemmed from a goal he set out with when he began his Bradley career.
And that was to play professionally.
“Bryan had a mindset when we recruited him,” DeRose said. “If you asked Bryan during the recruiting process, ‘What do you want to do?’ It was, ‘Be a pro.’”
DeRose recruited Gaul as a left back due to his ability to kick extremely well with his left foot. However, Gaul was moved to forward in an effort to spark some offense for the Braves, and he ended up being an All-Midwest region player.
“Bryan understood college athletics,” DeRose said. “He was very resolute in developing his craft.”
Following his Bradley career, Gaul entered the Major League Soccer (MLS) SuperDraft, which enters collegiate players directly into the MLS.
But for Gaul, the SuperDraft didn’t have a very super ending.
“I was pretty bummed because I didn’t see my name come up,” Gaul said. “I really thought I was going to be drafted in the SuperDraft.”
However, he still had one more chance to make it professionally.
Gaul was in Peoria visiting teammates during the MLS Supplemental Draft, which is considered a four-round extension of the SuperDraft, and he received a call that made up for getting passed over in the original draft.
“I got a phone call from [LA Galaxy head coach] Bruce Arena,” Gaul said. “They called me and said, ‘Hey, we’re looking to draft you in the first round, would you want to play left back?’”
Gaul was a professional now and found himself on a team that featured three of the world’s biggest soccer superstars: Landon Donovan, Robbie Keane and David Beckham.
However, again he found himself changing positions. This time back from forward to left back, as the Galaxy had superstars filling Gaul’s usual position.
“At that time, I was like, ‘This is the Galaxy, I’ll play goalie if I have to,’” Gaul said. “I really don’t care… Training with those guys and learning from those guys was an unbelievable experience.”
His time at the MLS level reached its peak when the Galaxy won the MLS Cup in 2012, but in 2014 Gaul was waived by LA after trying him out as a forward, as Gaul wanted to play on offense again.
“Bryan could’ve stayed in MLS,” DeRose said. “Bryan wanted to be an attacking player. Give him credit. He did and he’s a pro. I would not be surprised to see Bryan back up in the MLS as an attacking player.”
Currently, Gaul is a forward for St. Louis FC, with whom he finished his first season for last September.
Gaul said a familiar face from St. Louis approached him with a chance to play forward again.
“I really wanted to get back into playing what I’m familiar with and what I’m comfortable with and that’s in the center of the field,” Gaul said. “Jeremy Alumbaugh was my club soccer coach when I was 13. He called my agent and he asked if I was interested … At that point in time, I really needed to get into a good environment.”
Gaul noted now his focus is on playing for as long as he possibly can, but he hasn’t left his future completely in the dark.
“[I want to] either coach or do something in sports, whether it be working for Adidas or Nike or something in the soccer area,” Gaul said. “Right now I’m focusing on trying to get to the highest level possible and play for as long as I can.”
In DeRose’s office, Gaul’s jersey used to hang up in between his windows. Soon, the jersey will find a way back up onto its drywall throne after renovations.
“[The jersey] I had to take down, just because I had to get some other stuff moving,” DeRose said. “He’s one of the best.”
