After making his first National Team appearance as a 33-year-old, Jay Heaps has ended an eventful 2009 by announcing his retirement. The 1999 MLS Rookie of the Year started his career with the Miami Fusion before moving to New England where he was a 2007 US Open Cup and 2008 SuperLiga winner. He was a member of the 2009 Gold Cup squad for the United States, appearing in four games.
“I can’t imagine writing out a team sheet next year without Jay’s name on it,” Revolution head coach Steve Nicol said. “As a coach, you can’t ask for a better all-around person than Jay. He leaves everything he has on the field every game and every training session, and then goes back in the locker room and is a stand-out leader. You want younger players to see the example Jay has set and follow it. He’s had an outstanding career for us, and we’ll miss his presence around the team.”
