1. Jay Michael DeMerit was born on December 4,1979 and is an American former soccer player who played as a center back.
19 Facts About Jay DeMerit
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Jay DeMerit played college soccer for the UIC Flames and was in the Chicago Fire Premier development squad, but after not being drafted for Major League Soccer, he moved to look for a club in England.
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Jay DeMerit played for non-league sides Southall and Northwood before signing for Watford of the Championship in 2004.
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Jay DeMerit was first capped for the United States in March 2007, earning 25 caps up to 2011.
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Jay DeMerit was part of their squads that won the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup and came runners-up at the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, featuring at the 2007 Copa America and the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
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Jay DeMerit was a three-sport high school athlete in Wisconsin, where he participated in basketball and track in addition to soccer.
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Jay DeMerit attended Bay Port High School and graduated in 1998.
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Jay DeMerit played college soccer at the University of Illinois at Chicago, where he moved from playing forward to defender.
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In July 2004, Jay DeMerit joined Northwood, a seventh-tier side, to play in some of their pre-season matches.
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On December 15,2007, it was announced that Jay DeMerit had been named captain, replacing Mahon, whose contract was not being renewed.
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In later interviews, Jay DeMerit admitted that this placed strain on his relationship with manager Adrian Boothroyd.
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On November 18,2010, Jay DeMerit was announced as the first player signed by Vancouver Whitecaps FC in preparation for their entry into Major League Soccer in 2011.
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Jay DeMerit was named the captain right before the season started.
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In 2012, Jay DeMerit was healthy the whole year and led the team to a decent finish.
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Jay DeMerit was even named an MLS All-Star and played against Chelsea in the 2012 MLS All-Star Game.
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In July 2014, Jay DeMerit announced his retirement after a series of injuries.
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Jay DeMerit earned his first cap for the United States national team on March 28,2007, starting in a friendly against Guatemala.
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Jay DeMerit was a member of the US Men's National Team that won the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup, thus qualifying for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup.
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Jay DeMerit's career is the subject of the 2011 independent film, Rise and Shine: The Jay DeMerit Story, based on his rise from the ninth tier of soccer in England to the Premier League and FIFA World Cup.