Junior Dino Becker breathed a sigh of relief as he hung up the phone with the head soccer coach at Dartmouth College. It was Nov. 14, not even halfway through his third year of high school, and he had just verbally committed to play Division I soccer in college.
“I’m excited about the opportunity to showcase my skills at Dartmouth,” Becker said. “Meeting new teammates, experiencing the college atmosphere and competing in matches every week are things I’m really looking forward to, and being committed is just so relieving and crazy, like a weight off my chest.”
Becker has always been passionate about soccer and he feels that the sport gives him an unique opportunity to push himself while building strong relationships with his teammates.
“I’ve liked [soccer] my whole life and there was never a point where I was like, ‘I don’t wanna do this.’ I’ve always wanted to do it,” Becker said. “I like the support from lots of teammates and just being in a comfortable place where we all know what we want, we’re in agreement towards our one goal [of winning] and I like the unity of it.”
Becker has been playing soccer for 12 years. He played on Bethesda Soccer for seven years, until age level U12, when he switched soccer teams to further improve his skills. Becker spent two years at Benfica Soccer School before returning to Bethesda Soccer for U15 and MLS in his freshman year of high school, a more intense and competitive league at Bethesda Soccer to play at a higher level.
Though the switch to a harder level was difficult, it helped Becker grow as a player and he finished his sophomore year as the top scorer of the East Coast with 37 goals. These accomplishments led Becker to join the D.C. United Academy, where he is now playing at his highest level of soccer yet.
“I coached Dino last year and he showed exceptional skills both on and off the ball,” Becker’s Bethesda coach Kert Mease said. “He demonstrated a profound understanding of the game, and his ball control and decision-making truly set him apart.”
Becker’s family has played a large role in his soccer career, whether it is cheering him on at games or driving him to practices and games, they are there to support him every step of the way.
“Kicking the ball from a young age, we could see that he had potential…,” Becker’s father Andres Becker said. “He started developing and he was very good for his level … I’m very proud of him and his accomplishments.”
Though universities were not allowed to officially reach out to Becker until June 15 of 2023, coaches scouted Becker out at his games and asked his coaches about his play. After June 15, schools like University of Pennsylvania, Wake Forest University, University of Maryland and others began reaching out to Becker to make offers.
After much deliberation, Becker ultimately decided to commit to Dartmouth as they expressed a strong desire to have him on their soccer team, as well as an opportunity to start as a freshman, something not common in college athletics.
In addition to his family, Becker’s teammates have also expressed immense pride in Dino for his hard work and dedication to soccer, including Patrick O’Conner from Bethesda Soccer.
“Dino worked day in and day out to get to where he is today, and he deserves every bit of success,” Becker’s O’Connor said. “I’ve known Dino for about two years now and I’m excited to see where Dino goes in life.”
Looking ahead, Becker aspires to make a name for himself in the professional soccer world, and hopes to win rookie of the year during his freshman year at Dartmouth. He intends to continue his passion in a professional setting, and maybe someday on a global scale.
“My goal is to first make a name for myself in the college world for soccer,” Becker said. “… I definitely need to improve at Dartmouth and I’m looking forward to it.”
