Sporting KC goalkeeper Jon Kempin might only be 21 years old, but the Leawood, Kansas native does not lack for experience. Kempin is entering his fifth full season with his hometown club and is the fourth longest tenured player on the roster. And coming off his first January camp with the U.S. Men's National Team, Kempin is looking to expand on his breakout 2014 that included debuts in Major League Soccer and the CONCACAF Champions League.
"I am definitely more confident coming out of the January camp," Kempin told reporters at Swope Soccer Village Friday afternoon. "I'm ready to come back here and be one of the leaders of this team."
Although Kempin has been a mainstay of the U.S. youth national team system since he was 14, last month was his first camp with the senior squad. Despite the fact that he was a new face in town, Kempin said the group was very welcoming.
"Everyone made me feel like I belonged," Kempin said. "They all made me feel comfortable. We all went to dinner together and hung out together. It was really cool because I started hanging out with some of the guys who I have really looked up to throughout my career."
One such player was Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando. Few American goalkeepers have a resume as long as Rimando. The California native has won two MLS Cups, been named an MLS All-Star four times and was on the roster for the USMNT at last year's FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
"The great thing about playing with Nick and [Chicago Fire goalkeeper] Sean [Johnson] is that I can ask them any question and they will answer," Kempin said. "We all want to play and are constantly pushing each other, but Nick was always giving me advice and telling me little things about my game that I had not seen before. It made a huge difference."
For Kempin, January camp was just the beginning. The Sporting KC goalkeeper hopes his performance will lead to more invitations with not only the senior national team, but with the U-23 team that will begin the Olympic qualification process in October.
"The Olympics are always in the back of my mind," he said. "[U-23 head coach] Andy Herzog was in camp and watching a lot of the Olympic-eligible players closely. This is something I have been thinking about for a couple years and is a huge goal for me. I'm just excited to even be in the mix."
But while Kempin lists making the Olympic squad as one of his main goals, his experience at last month's camp has him wanting more opportunities with the senior squad.
"I've got that taste," he said. "I know what the trainings are like and how fit I need to be. I can now take all of the experience I gained in the past few weeks and start working toward my next call-up."
