Louisville City FC Signs Defenders Sean Reynolds, Adam West

It’s been a few weeks since we’ve gotten any concrete news from Orlando City SC’s USL PRO affiliate, Louisville City FC, but this week brought the signings of defenders Sean Reynolds and Adam West. Here is the breakdown on Louisville’s two newest players.

Sean Reynolds (Highlights)

Bio: Reynolds is a 24-year-old American, originally from Florida. He has experience at multiple levels in the American soccer pyramid, including both in amateur and professional competition. He played three years in the USL Premier Developmental League before turning pro, where he played with the former USL PRO outfit VSI Tampa Bay and the Orlando City U-23 squad. He comes to Louisville after a stint with FH-Ingor of the Icelandic Premier League, where he played in Europa League qualifiers.

(Limited) Analysis: At 6-foot-1, Reynolds is a big enough defender to play as an effective center back, which is where it seems his last club in Iceland employed him most. Head Coach James O'Connor values him for his versatility, saying he can play all four positions along the back line, as well as some defensive midfield. Along with one of Louisville's first signings, Guy Abend, Reynolds figures to be a useful jack-of-all-trades defender that can be used in a variety of positions should the team's depth be tested via injuries or suspensions. He displays strong defensive instincts and he has the ability to use his height in the attacking end on set pieces. His talents and his European experience make him a valuable addition to Louisville's defense.

O'Connor on Reynolds: "Sean gained great experience while playing in the Premier League in Iceland and the Europa League. He can play a number of positions and will be a great asset that gives us flexibility in our first season."

Adam West (Highlights)

Bio: West (not to be confused with the former Batman actor-turned-Family Guy character) is a 28-year-old left back from Washington. He played college soccer at the University of Washington for two years before turning pro and playing for the old USL iteration of the Seattle Sounders, where he was a part of the team that won the 2007 USL First Division title. He has made stops at various levels on the North American soccer scene, including Edmonton, Ft. Lauderdale, Rochester and Tacoma. Besides Seattle, he was a part of two other championship squads, winning the NASL title with Ft. Lauderdale, and the regular season championship with the Rochester Rhinos. He comes to Louisville from the Sounders U-23 squad, where he temporarily played after he was dropped in Edmonton due to injuries. West has played with the US U-20 setup. (His actual highlights are included in the embedded video below.)

(Limited) Analysis: West has played primarily left back in his career, but O’Connor says he has the ability to play on the right as well. At 28, West should be able to bring some veteran leadership to the squad after playing on multiple championship teams, and dealing with personal adversity in his career at the University of Washington. On the field, however, it remains to be seen how significantly West will contribute to the Louisville cause. West has dealt with injuries, specifically a hamstring injury in Edmonton, and has yet to really ingratiate himself with any of the clubs which he has played for. West signed on with Louisville after impressing at the pro combine the club held in November, so perhaps the stars have aligned to give West the opportunity to become a key player as his career enters its later stages.

O'Connor on West: "Adam was without a doubt one of the best players at the professional combine we hosted in November. He will provide a great attacking threat for us from left fullback, and we are extremely pleased to have someone of Adam's ability on board for our inaugural season."

More from O'Connor on Reynolds and West:

The two new defenders join Kadeem Dacres, Juan Guzman, and Guy Abend, bcoming the fourth and fifth players in Louisville City history.

Will the newest Orlando City Lions come to Louisville?

Orlando City’s draft haul could be big for Louisville, as Orlando may look to unload its talented youngsters on its USL PRO affiliate as they transition to the professional game. Louisville City owner Wayne Estopinal, General Manager Amanda Duffy and O’Connor were in attendance at the MLS SuperDraft on Thursday, and there has been rampant speculation online that OCSC’s three draftees could be heading north to the Derby City. The question is…will they? Stay tuned to The Mane Land for all the updates on Orlando City’s young future stars.