Pierre Reedy is no stranger to playing in big games or winning trophies.
The 25-year-old Kutztown native and Eastern PA Olympic Development Program alumnus won an Eastern Pennsylvania state cup and a regional championship playing for Mike Gorni at Lehigh Valley United. He went on to win a pair of division titles and make it two league finals with Reading United and win the Big 10 double his last year at Penn State in 2021.
Already this year, Reedy has won a league championship playing for Dundee in the Scottish Premiership. This Sunday he’ll get a chance to lift another trophy as a professional when Charleston Battery hosts Phoenix Rising in the USL Championship final.
“I joined the team about halfway through the season but I can't say enough about the guys and the coaching staff for the way they brought me in and welcomed me to the squad,” Reedy said in a recent interview. “I was lucky enough to win a championship with Dundee but it didn’t work out for me to go back and the opportunity at Charleston opened up. I’m glad it all worked out and hopefully we get a dub on Sunday to cap off the year.”
Reedy started his professional career in 2022, signing with Real Salt Lake affiliate Real Monarchs. During his one season in Utah he was called up to Real Salt Lake and played in an MLS match against rivals Colorado and a U.S. Open Cup match against Northern Colorado Hailstorm. He went on trial at Dundee in March and joined the team, making four appearances there in the team’s title-winning stretch run. He’s made 13 appearances since joining the Battery in July.
Now with a chance to win a second division title back in the U.S., he’s approaching it like any other game.
“I’ve always been told to play the game, not the occasion,” Reedy said. “Just treat it like another game.”
Reedy was drawn to the sport from the time he was young in large part because of trips to visit his mom’s family in France. He started playing at Lehigh Valley United at a young age and said it was his time playing for Gorni when he started to see the possibility of one day becoming a pro.
“I think I probably owe him the most credit of any coach I’ve ever heard,” he said. "I don’t think I’d be where I am without the help he gave me throughout my youth career instilling values of that blue collar mentality he always stressed.”
While with Lehigh Valley United he also had a chance to participate with state and regional ODP teams.
“One thing I loved about ODP was it brought together all the best kids from the state, kids you were used to playing against at the club level you had the chance to play with,” he said. “It was always cool to compete with those guys and compete against the different states and then the regional tournament.”
Reedy said he’s still in touch with friends he made playing ODP and has closely tracked the careers of players like Auston Trusty, a defender for Sheffield United in the English Premier League, who he first met at ODP. Reedy spent his last year of high school playing for the New York Red Bulls Academy and has crossed paths with a lot of players he’s played with or against over the years in his two years as a pro.
“I always love seeing that my friends are doing well and it’s cool to be able to compete against some of them from time to time,” Reedy said.
Reedy will be flying the Pennsylvania flag on his own among the two teams in Sunday’s final but he’ll have family in the stands and a chance to play in front of a home crowd. One way or another a banner year for Reedy will come to an end on Sunday.
“I’m always grateful to be in this position where I get to play in these games and just hope that I can help the team in any way, shape or form,” Reedy said. “I’m just looking to cap off this season on a high and make another memory with all of my teammates.”
Sunday’s final kicks off at 7 p.m. and will be broadcast live on ESPN.