Home is where Jeff Parke’s heart always has been—and where the rest of him is now, too.
In December, Major League Soccer’s Philadelphia Union acquired the 10-year veteran from the Seattle Sounders, allowing the Downingtown native to return to the East Coast. The good news just kept on coming for Parke, a college soccer star who studied business administration at Drexel between 2000 and 2003 before leaving to play in the pros, when in January he was named for a second time to the U.S. national team.
We caught up with the 31-year-old defender in late July to discuss his homecoming, his future and the latest addition to his family.
How did you find out you had been traded?
Our little daughter Camille was born (on Dec. 6), and I was taking a break from being in the hospital. I went out and spoke to our coach, and I got a text from our owner at Seattle wishing me luck, so I knew it went down. I was ecstatic and excited.
It was a good moment for me because I had just had a little daughter and was finding out that I was coming back home.
How has fatherhood changed your perspective on life and on soccer?
It’s pretty cool, man. At first it was very overwhelming; every day it’s something new and something more exciting and something you cherish more. You start to realize you have a little one who is depending on you and watching your every move.
Whatever’s going on in soccer is soccer. When I get home it doesn’t even matter. You see how she lights up and you kind of just separate everything. If you’re having a bad day, when you get home it’s a great day no matter what.
How has your experience with the national team impacted you?
Any time you can represent your country and get acknowledged that you’ve had a good season, it’s great. Going there gives you confidence to come back to your club and play well and draw from those experiences you’ve gathered from playing with some of the best players. It’s another personal stepping stone that you can check off.
Have you watched the national team lately? Why do you think they’re playing so well?
I haven’t watched much. That’s one thing about being a new parent—I don’t have much downtime. My time is with my wife and we spend it together watching something stupid like a reality show. I’m winding down and ready to close my eyes at 9:30 p.m. You get done training, then it’s non-stop with the little one. It’s a 24-hour job.
What’s the overall attitude or excitement level toward soccer in Philadelphia?
They’re building a great fan base here. That’s really important, to grab those 15,000 to 20,000 fans who want to come to every game. They’re the ones who help us keep doing what we’re doing. I think the Philly people love seeing guys who want to work hard and fight and scrap, and I think that we have that kind of team. It’s definitely gotten a little bit of buzz going on here in the city.
It’s not like we’re getting paid millions of dollars to do what we do, so I think the fans appreciate that as well.
How much longer do you plan on playing, and what’s in store when your playing days are over?
I’ve got another three years at least, I’d say. When I’m done, I’m done. I don’t think I want to coach, I don’t really see that in my future. I plan on working, hopefully, with my wife’s parents and doing real estate development. That excites me more—the possibility of doing something different.
Will we see you at any Drexel games this fall?
Now that I’m back, I hope to get out there and see what they’ve done to the complex and the program. I’ll definitely get a game in.