Terrell Lowe Blazes a Path to PDX FC
By Jeff Helfrich/NPSL.com
Growing up and playing soccer in Idaho wasn’t the tough part for Terrell Lowe and his brothers. Leaving it was.
Lowe left his home state to attend the Real Salt Lake Arizona academy at a young age with his older twin brothers. It was there that his soccer world was opened up.
“I thought we knew everything about soccer until we left the state of Idaho and realized we didn’t know anything about soccer,” Lowe said. “It was tough. But soccer was our dream, so we always went out and played no matter how much we knew about the game.”
Fast forward to Feb. 22, 2019. Lowe joined PDX FC of the National Premier Soccer League after time in the Portland Timbers organization, a year at University of Virginia and stints with the United States U14, U17, and U19 National Teams. During the 2014-15 Development Academy season, he was selected to the Western Conference U-15/16 Best XI. Lowe saw the pitch twice for the U-19 MNT in 2016 during the Copa del Atlantico tournament.
“We are thrilled to add a player of Terrell’s caliber to our 2019 team,” PDX FC Head Coach Luke Babson said. “He has really unique experience for a player of his age and he has so much upside to his playing career. He is going to be really exciting to watch in a PDX FC jersey this season.”
Lowe has played at nearly every level of the U.S. soccer system by the young age of 20. That’s been the norm for the defensive midfielder since he was selected from a regional camp in Oregon to go to the first U-14 national camp. The kid from Idaho played against and with kids from Los Angeles and New York.
“For a 14-year-old from Idaho, it was the most intimidating thing ever,” Lowe said.
From a young age, Lowe didn’t have a choice other than to be tough on the pitch. Growing up with twin older brothers will do that to you. He credits their relationship for the accolades he eventually found in the game of soccer. When one brother would go out to train, they all would. None of the three wanted to fall behind.
Lowe joined the Portland Timbers academy in 2013 and spent the better part of the next five years between the academy and USL squad Timbers 2. In late 2016, Lowe jumped at the chance to test himself at the college level at UVA.
“That was a school that had always been on my mind to go to,” Lowe said. “That was awesome to play a year of college soccer and I think I learned a lot and grew a lot there and had one of the best years of my life. I really enjoyed it. I think I matured a lot being there too.”
Lowe returned to Timbers 2 for another season and moved to Portland full-time after becoming fond of the area and its soccer culture. He still spends time with his brothers. Last summer, they took up the passion of making music. Lowe has become more passionate about the hobby. Getting to make music and play soccer in the city he enjoys is ideal for him.
As for the future, Lowe says that the PDX supporters will be getting a hard-working player and a defender that loves getting tackles. He’ll be a vocal leader. Lowe has the resume and demeanor of a seasoned veteran. Again, he’s just 20 years old.
“I’ll do anything I can to help the team win and be a leader and take this team as far as we can go in the NPSL,” Lowe said.
Photo Credit: U.S. Soccer and Portland Timbers 2
