Rowdies' 17-year-old midfielder proving his 'Worth'

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Nate Worth is just like any other teenager.

"I'm still happy. I still hang out with my friends, play video games and all that kind of stuff," Worth said.

The 17-year-old New Jersey native happens to be pretty handy with a soccer ball, too.

"I have two older brothers who are twins and they played soccer," Worth said. "I've always had a soccer ball at my feet and was always competing with them."

But as someone that made their professional debut at just 15 years old, Worth may be like other normal teenagers, but he is anything but one.

"Everything changes. You can't really be the normal high school kid anymore," Worth said.

Back in May, however, the Rowdies signed Worth, who worked his way into playing first team minutes with Tampa Bay.

"When I look at him, yes, I see a younger kid, but he plays like a 23- or 24-year-old," said Rowdies head coach Robbie Neilson.

In fact, Worth has proven his to Neilson so much so that when it came time to take a free kick in Saturday's game against Charleston Battery with the score knotted at two, Neilson didn't hesitate to put the ball on the foot of the teenager.

"When the opportunity came in that area, I knew that if there was anyone on the team that was going to score the goal it was probably going to be him," said Neilson.

Call it a coach's intuition because on the resulting free kick from just outside the penalty area, Worth hooked the ball over the Charleston wall, ringing his shot off the crossbar and into the back of the net.

"I replay it every five minutes back in my head," joked Worth. "Being the game winner, 3-2, against the first-place team, it was honestly incredible. It couldn't have gone any better."

Worth's goal, his first with the Rowdies, helped the team en route to a 4-2 win over Charleston and simultaneously proved that the teenager belonged on the field.

"It gives me confidence and self belief, honestly," Worth said. "After doing that I feel like I can compete at this level."

It was a reminder to Nate, along with everyone watching, that age really is just a number. And Nate's worth to the Rowdies means more than his last name alone. 

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