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Peter Schwartz's Futbol Friday: Yonkers Native Meara Re-Signs With Red Bulls

By Peter Schwartz
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Growing up in the Yonkers neighborhood of Crestwood, Ryan Meara was a MetroStars/Red Bulls fan and spent plenty of time going to see his favorite team play at the Meadowlands. During one of those trips to New Jersey, Meara enjoyed a very special encounter with his favorite player.

Meara was 10 or 11 years old when he met Tim Howard in the Giants Stadium parking lot. Meara got an autograph from the future United States national team goalkeeper in a moment that would have a huge impact on Meara's future.

"Those are the things that really stuck with me and helped create my passion and love for the game," Meara said. "He was my hero, and I idolized him. To meet him, that really kind of lit a fire under me to really pursue soccer."

And pursue it he did, as Meara went on to play for Fordham Prep and then Fordham University before he was taken by his beloved Red Bulls in the second round (31st overall) of the 2012 MLS SuperDraft. As if that meeting in the parking lot years earlier wasn't enough, Howard reached out to Meara during his rookie season.

"When you get an email from Tim Howard, it's one of the coolest things ever, and now he's in the league, so I'm sure we'll cross paths next year," Meara said.

Meara will certainly have the Red Bulls' 2017 matches against the Colorado Rapids, Howard's team, circled on his calendar after re-signing with New York earlier this week. After five MLS seasons, four of them with the Red Bulls, Meara agreed to a multiyear contract with the team he rooted for as a kid.

"I couldn't be more excited about it," the 26-year-old goalkeeper said. "We have a great thing going right now, and each year we continue to head in the right direction with the goal of winning the MLS Cup."

Ryan Meara
New York Red Bulls goalkeeper Ryan Meara signs autographs for fans. (Photo courtesy of the New York Red Bulls)

In 2012, Meara had a strong first MLS season, as he played in and started 18 matches, compiling a record of 9-5-4 before undergoing surgery for a hip injury that ended his season. Luis Robles took over and became the starting goalkeeper, reducing Meara to backup duty and no game action in 2013 and 2014.

Even though Robles took his job, Meara is close with the MLS Best XI goalkeeper.

"We have a great relationship," Meara said. "We really compete and try to push each other. Off the field, he's a great guy, and I consider him a good friend. It's a good healthy working relationship."

MORE: Red Bulls Assistant Coach Armas Reflects, Looks Ahead

Before the 2015 season, Meara was loaned to expansion NYCFC in a trade that saw the Red Bulls acquire midfielder Sal Zizzo. Meara figured he was going to get plenty of playing time but a preseason knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus forced him to miss the first month of the season. Josh Saunders became NYCFC's starting keeper, and Meara was limited to just one game.

Meara was returned to the Red Bulls for the playoffs and then spent most of the 2016 season on loan to NYRB II, backstopping the club's developmental team to the United Soccer League championship.

"Red Bulls II was a great opportunity for myself and pretty much all of the guys on the team to just have a chance to show what we can do and just get that game experience," Meara said.

Meara played 21 regular season games for NYRB II and then played every minute of the playoffs, making huge saves in penalty kick shootouts of the conference semifinal and conference final. NYRB II beat the Swope Park Rangers 5-1 to win the USL Cup.

"It was a great year, and obviously winning a championship at the end of it really topped it off," Meara said.

After the season, Meara thought long and hard about his future. He could have gone elsewhere, especially with expansion teams Atlanta and Minnesota coming into the league in 2017. But at the end of the day, Meara re-upped with the Red Bulls because he decided that home is where the heart is.

"I want to play here," Meara said. "This is the club that I rooted for as a kid, that I was fortunate enough to get drafted by. I've already had a taste of what it's like to be a starter here and how great it is. I want that to happen again at some point."

Meara did get that chance during Champions League matches this past season, including a 3-0 shutout over Antigua GFC that helped the Red Bulls advance to the quarterfinals for the first time. For Meara and the Red Bulls, it was a landmark moment in franchise history.

"I think it's another notch on this club's belt," Meara said. "Right now, we're in good shape. We have a tough test coming up."

That will be Feb. 22, when the Red Bulls will play the first leg of the quarterfinals against the Vancouver Whitecaps at Red Bull Arena. After that, preseason will be in full force, as the Red Bulls get ready for the 2017 campaign and their continued quest for the MLS Cup.

Even as the backup to Robles, Meara is excited about what lies ahead for the franchise he once cheered on as a fan in the stands.

"The fact that I'm part of it now is surreal, even though I'm going into my sixth season," Meara said. "It's something that I definitely don't take for granted."

Nobody could have blamed Ryan Meara if he decided to go elsewhere for a chance to play this season. But at the end of the day, that kid who met Tim Howard in the Giants Stadium parking lot just couldn't envision himself putting on another jersey.

You can follow me on Twitter @pschwartzcbsfan. You can also follow @Rmeara18 and the @NewYorkRedBulls.

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