Real Salt Lake’s most accomplished Homegrown player **Justen Glad** has inked a new, four-year contract with the Club, ensuring his presence and leadership on the field for the foreseeable future. Glad, who recently made his 200th appearance for the team, has become synonymous with the RSL franchise, and his decision to stay on board is a testament to his commitment and loyalty.
The 26-year-old began his career with RSL at the age of 15 with the Club’s Academy in Arizona. After two seasons and a U.S. Soccer Developmental Academy National Title under his belt, Glad signed his first professional contract in 2014.
“When I first signed I was a junior in high school, so there was a big question for me whether to go to college or not,” Glad said. “I wanted that extra year to develop and just be in the system, so I chose to sign.”
Rising through the Club’s ranks from Academy to Monarchs to the first team, Glad has become the first player in RSL history to reach a number of milestones.
“Looking back, I'm very proud of those accomplishments,” Glad said. “It just makes me excited for the future, hopefully there's still a couple more firsts out there. I definitely didn't think that any of those things were gonna happen, but you're living in the moment and it just worked out.”
When reflecting on over a decade with the Club, one memory stands out above the rest. To the surprise of many, the moment that Glad holds onto isn’t his first appearance or first goal scored, but an assist to a long-time friend.
“I had an assist to Jordan Allen against Houston in 2016 (April 30, 2-1 win). That was an incredible moment for both of us. We weren't the exact same age growing up in the Academy, but he was like the first guy, my best friend out here when we first came to Utah. So for him to score and me to get the assist when we were both so young, that was an incredible moment that I'll never forget.”
Allen, who now coaches the U-17s at the RSL Academy in Herriman, recognizes the importance of that moment as well.
“It was a really special moment,” Allen said. “At the time we’d only been playing with the first team for a couple of years, so just as academy alumni it was a moment we were proud to share together. We still talk about it today.”
As an academy coach, Allen is tasked with the responsibility of developing and assisting the young players of the Club. For him, there is no better example to use for his players than Glad.
“I get to show him as someone the kids can look to. When I reference him they can see someone who went through the same process as them, and is still having success with the Club and they can envision themselves in his spot 10 or 12 years from now.”
From his own days in the academy until captaining the first team today, Glad has shared the pitch with a number of RSL legends over the years, players he considers to be mentors and role models. Considering a hypothetical RSL Mount Rushmore, he was quick to list a number of worthy recipients from amongst his former teammates.
“Kyle and Nick for sure. Legends of the club. Obviously it was incredible playing with them and getting to know them just as people,” Glad said regarding his former teammates.
“Then the last two spots could go to a couple people, but I'll say Tony Beltran and Chris Wingert. Maybe I'm biased, because I really like those guys. They've been incredible mentors. Everything they’ve done for the club, and especially the ‘09 Championship. I feel like they deserve to be there on the RSL Mount Rushmore. I forgot Javi Morales as well. That's incredible. He's gotta be there. Maybe we'll do a Rushmore with five.”
Always an astute student, Glad has tried to mirror the professional attributes he learned from his mentors.
“Kyle always had that fight in him, that chip on his shoulder. Tony B and Wingert were incredible pros. They took care of their bodies at training, after training, at home, they ate well, they did everything. And the same thing for Nick. He was an incredible pro.”
Glad also credits his great relationship with RSL’s fans to those Club icons who went before him.
“How they interacted with the fans or with everyone around them was an example to me. I don't know if you'll find a person who has anything bad to say about any one of those guys, which is a testament to them.”
Already 200+ games into his career, Glad has established his presence both on and off the field as one of the pillars of the current roster. With his eyes set on bringing a trophy back to the Wasatch Front for the first time since 2009, who knows just how high his ceiling can be with the Claret-and-Cobalt moving forward. For some fans, the next four years could cement Glad’s status on the Club’s Mount Rushmore, amongst his mentors.
“Even just to be in the same conversation as those guys is a huge honor. The careers they've had, the caliber players they were, and the caliber of people they were, it would be an honor to even be mentioned with them. So if a fan wanted to throw me up there after I’m done, I'd be extremely humbled.”
And it’s not just fans who are putting him on that list, it’s his peers too.
“We had a generation of players who were here for a long time with Nick and Kyle and Tony, so he’s been the next guy to stay here for an extended period of time,” Allen said. “To have that be someone who came from the academy as well is important.”
As Justen Glad commits to more milestones and memories with Real Salt Lake, it's clear that his loyalty to the club is as solid as his defensive abilities. His contract not only gives him the opportunity to continue defending goals, but also to etch his name in RSL's history, making his case for a spot on the Club's Mount Rushmore alongside legends and teammates. For fans, these next four years promise to be a continuation of an exciting chapter in Claret-and-Cobalt history, with Glad leading the charge and adding his own touch to the story of RSL.
“Ever since I signed that first contract, I've just been really happy here and have really enjoyed my time. Whenever it was time to renegotiate, RSL and I both wanted me to stay and keep doing business with each other.”
The front office’s commitment and Glad’s eagerness to extend his stay suggests both sides hope that future business includes filling up the trophy cabinet.