COMMERCE CITY — A substitution made late in a soccer game usually elicits a polite applause from the crowd, but when Dillon Serna entered the Rapids’ season opener in the 79th minute last Saturday, the crowd erupted in cheers.
Serna, a crowd favorite and Brighton product, signed with the Rapids as a “home-grown” player four years ago, injured his right knee last June and was lost for the last five months of the season. The crowd knew the significance of his return, and when he came on for late in Colorado’s 1-0 win over New England, it looked as if the hug Powers gave him while coming off the field had extra emotion.
“It was a lot to take in, a lot of emotions that night,” Serna said. “Itap been a long eight months. To be able to get back for the first game, home opener, in front of the home crowd, in front of my family … It definitely was a special moment that I’ll never forget.”
His appearance, while only in a mop-up role, was huge because it proved he’s healthy. Serna said his knee felt fine in the game and, just as important, the next morning.
“It feels great,” Serna said. “It came as a little bit of a surprise to me and to everyone that I was able to get fit and get healthy by the first game, but I got cleared in time and I had a good week of training.”
Serna was injured June 29 in a loss at FC Dallas in U.S. Open Cup play. After receiving a ball he was tackled from behind. He felt “a crunch and a pop” in his knee and knew immediately it was a serious injury.
“The hardest part was the first couple months when I couldn’t really do much and I was just in the treatment room, not able to go outside with the guys when they were going out to training,” Serna said. “But once I was able to move around a bit more and do more, I was around the guys and was able to go out to the field and get my workout in there. The guys were great with me, kept me a part of the group. They were the ones pushing me as well.”
While rehabbing, Serna also went to work in the weight room, adding noticeable upper-body bulk to what used to be a frail frame. His legs feel more “explosive” from the rehab strength work, too. He and coach say his injury and comeback helped him mature.
“Going from a young man into the pros is always a big step,” Mastroeni said. “Every year he’s developed not only as a soccer player but as a young man, and I think this injury afforded him the opportunity to be a bit reflective of where he wants to go with his career, being able to take the adversity and use it as a place to bounce from, to grow from. He’s put on some good size, some good strength, mentally he’s a stronger individual. I think that bodes well for him as a soccer player as well.”
Serna first joined the organization through the Rapids youth system in 2009, playing for the under-16 and U-18 development teams. He turns 23 in two weeks, and this is a contract year for him. He’s feeling pressure to produce and prove is knee will not be a liability going forward.
“Honestly this injury helped me grow up and mature a bit,” Serna said. “It changed my attitude and my mentality. This (professional soccer) isn’t a given for anyone, and itap kind of scary that this is the last year of my contract. This is a big year for me and I really realize that. I’ve been here a long time. I’m kind of a veteran at this, even though I still have a lot to learn.”
