When Wake Forest defender Jalen Robinson opted to sign with D.C. United in January, it wasn’t just the realization of a longtime dream for the youth standout.

It also reunited Robinson with a longtime teammate after only a brief separation.

Martin in action in 2013.

By making the jump to the pro ranks, Robinson became teammates with Collin Martin once again. The two have been teammates spanning through club and college levels over the past six years.

“It’s awesome of course,” Robinson said of rejoining Martin. “I love playing with Collin, have known him for the longest time. It’s an honor playing with him every time.” 

Martin was equally enthused at hearing news of the reunion.

“I was excited. I knew it was probably going to happen, I had heard some things, he had talked with me before,” he said. “So it wasn’t completely unexpected. I was happy for him, another Wake Forest friend [on the team].”

The pair last played together on Wake Forest for the 2012 season, before Martin opted to sign with D.C. United in the summer of 2013, skipping what would have been his sophomore season. 

They have been playing together for much longer, however. Originally at the same club, Bethesda SC, they made the jump to D.C. United’s Academy in 2009.

Their development continued with United, and each earned looks at various U.S. youth national team camps along the way. When they both enrolled at Wake Forest for the fall of 2012, they roomed together. 

Martin departed last summer, and as Robinson entered the 2013 college season, he had pro aspirations that he spelled out in a conversation with Wake Forest head coach Jay Vidovich. He realized that after that season, it would be time to make the jump.

“I talked to coach [Vidovich] at the beginning of the season because over the summer I trained with D.C.,” Robinson said. “I was like ‘I think I’m ready to make this jump,’ and I talked to some of the other guys on the team and they agreed, they helped me along the way. I worked this hard to get to this point and I can take this leap, I’m confident enough in my abilities and coach agreed.”

Now, after a long journey as club teammates, Robinson and Martin are in the middle of their first pro preseason together. The aim is to now impress D.C. head coach Ben Olsen and show that they deserve minutes in Major League Soccer. If not, the two might head down and play for D.C.’s USL Pro affiliate Richmond Kickers to get minutes somewhere.

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“I want to see them push starters,” Olsen said of the duo. “Try to get on the 18 as much as possible, and if they’re not able to do that, they’re going to get games at Richmond. They need to take advantage of those opportunities that are given to them in Richmond, because our relationship with them is only going to increase, in particular this year because on paper I think we’re a lot more deep, and we’re not going to have to rely necessarily on as many young guys.”

Each will have to make the acclimation to the pro game throughout preseason if they are to see significant time this season. Martin in particular is looking to be more consistent  as he enters this year with a head start on Robinson. But both want the same thing; to make the 18 on a regular basis and log minutes for United in 2014.

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