Richmond Kickers sign 17-year-old Griffin Garnett to first pro contract

RICHMOND, Va. – The Richmond Kickers announced the signing of 17-year-old Richmond native Griffin Garnett to his first professional contract on a multi-year deal to represent his hometown club, pending league and federation approval.

The Kickers continue their construction of a modern player pathway under Chief Sporting Officer and Head Coach Darren Sawatzky with Garnett being the third Kickers player to sign professionally after previously featuring for the club on a USL Academy contract. He joins fellow teenagers and Richmond United alumni Landon Johnson and Beckett Howell who signed professional contracts in Fall 2023.

A local kid who used to ride his bike to watch matches at City Stadium when he was younger, Garnett took full advantage of his opportunity as a USL Academy contracted player and asserted himself as an integral member of the first team, starting 19 of 21 matches and playing 1,603 of a possible 1,890 minutes across all competitions while under an academy contract.

His first-ever start for the club was in the 2024 season opener on March 16 in front of over 5,000 fans at expansion-side Spokane Velocity FC. Embodying the mantra of “if you’re good enough, you’re old enough,” Garnett shined in his debut and earned Player of the Match as well as a second-straight start in the club’s Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup First Round match against Christos FC.

Garnett has proven to be one of the most versatile defenders in USL League One, pairing adept one-on-one defending with accurate distribution. One of the top distributors in all of USL League One, Garnett currently ranks sxith in the league in total volume of passes. In his 19 appearances across the regular season and league cup, he has won 73% of his tackles and 57 percent of his duels while recording an 86.1% passing accuracy along with 45 successful long passes.

Prior to joining the Kickers, Garnett enjoyed a standout season with the Richmond United U-17 Boys team in 2023, winning ECNL U-17 Player of the Year and finishing as an ECNL U-17 Boys National Champion.

“I’ve been watching this team since I was four years old. I would walk over to City Stadium with my family,” Garnett said. “To even think when I was that young that I would be on this field playing for this team, I’ never believe it. It really means a lot to me.

“I remember seeing them play teams like Swansea City and Crystal Palace and thought it was the coolest thing ever. Just being that close to the stadium, I’ve been around this culture my whole life and I think it’s really important for me to stay here. I’m really excited to now be a part of that team that I’ve been watching for so long.”

“We are all very happy for Griffin and his family,” Chief Sporting Officer and Head Coach Darren Sawatzky said. “We are working hard to develop a modern player pathway that allows younger players to train and play in a professional environment day in and day out, matching their counterparts around the world. Griffin has developed quickly, becoming a regular in our team, and his approach daily is already on a good professional trajectory. He takes information well, works to play through adversity, and he has had an impact in our games that we know will continue to escalate. The real work starts now and we know Griffin is ready for it.”

“This is an exciting day for us all, and I am delighted for Griffin and his family,” said Mika Elovaara, the Kickers’ Head Assistant Coach and Director of Player Development and Methodology said. “Earning a professional contract and taking this important step in his career not only speaks for Griffin’s tremendous potential but it also states his ambition. He is a humble, hard-working young man with a bright future ahead of him. As we strive to forge an increasingly stronger connection between the youth and the first team, Griffin continues to grow his influence on our team on and off the field. He is already a great role model for the young soccer players in our community and we all look forward to continuing to help him aspire even higher.”