‘I’m still trying to show out’: Eastern Washington-born Michael Rojas ready to make impact on Spokane Velocity

Home game No. 1 for the Spokane Velocity means a homecoming for an Eastern Washington-born player.

It just so happens to also be his second professional game, after he was brought on as an 87th-minute substitute on Saturday.

Michael Rojas, or “Mikey,” as manager Leigh Veidman calls him, will be suited up for Spokane’s game at 2 p.m. Saturday at ONE Spokane Stadium.

Othello, Washington, is home for Rojas, who attended Royal High School, 25 miles away from his hometown.

Rojas was introduced to as a member of Velocity FC on March 1 after impressing at a local tryout in front of coaches at ONE Spokane Stadium.

He, along with Camron Miller – another Washington native – were the only two tryout players out of 127 participants to make the team

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“It’s incredible to have Mikey being from the local area and becoming a pro,” Veidman said. “It’s not just huge for Mikey, not just huge for his family, but it shows that there’s talent here, there’s talent around this area that we can, if we identify, give opportunities to and if they’re good enough, then they’ll earn a contract.”

Rojas heard about the tryouts while he was in Massachusetts. He attended the University of Massachusetts in 2023 after four seasons at the University of Washington.

The process was a little different for Rojas because he doesn’t have an agent. He spent his offseason reaching out to other tryouts around the country, searching for opportunities to continue playing the sport he has enjoyed since he could walk.

The biggest issue was Rojas not knowing how the process works or having anyone to rattle front-office cages about their client’s talent.

“If you don’t have an agent, they obviously assume that this guy is not a good player, but luckily, (Veidman) took a chance,” Rojas said.

After flying home 1½ weeks before the tryouts, Rojas had a few workouts before driving to Spokane from Othello for the event on Dec. 9.

“Well, to be quite candid, Mikey kind of went under the radar,” Veidman said.

Rojas didn’t have a standout performance during his trial with the squad, but he was consistently solid, even though the second day was snowed out.

He forced the hand of the coaching staff who wanted to see more of him.

“We brought him into training because we just wanted to see more of him, especially around higher-level pro players,” Veidman said. “And when he came in, he really started to show himself.”

After his tryout and between Dec. 15-17, Rojas was notified of the next steps by Spokane assistant Josh McAllister

He traveled with the team on its preseason tour to Tucson, Arizona, and Sacramento, California, scoring a goal in one of them and playing well in the other.

Spokane played USL Championship sides Sacramento Republic and 2023 champs Phoenix Rising.

“Mikey’s position is about producing … but it’s about the defensive work, too,” Veidman said. “We have to look at this game holistically and he works incredibly hard on the defensive side as well. And those are the types of players we want and need.

“That’s why he found himself with a contract.”

Rojas, who wears No. 7 , will have a handful of friends and family in the stands this weekend.

Jens Jensen, his high school coach who he hasn’t seen since he left Royal, will be there along with some of his high school teammates.

“It’s nice to see it come full circle, and Mikey gets a contract and his family now get to watch him here at ONE Spokane,” Veidman said. “Being our first home game, it’s going to create an overall cool environment for everybody.”

To find the 5-foot-8 player on the field isn’t easy, considering he doesn’t have a set position in his mind – he just loves being on the pitch.

Throughout high school, he operated in an offensive position and primarily does today. But he has played left back, everywhere in the midfield and in the attack.

He said his preference is the right side. As a lefty, it allows him to curl shots in from the right side of the opposing net.

Either way, he said he wants the ball – to possess it and be dangerous.

“I’m passionate,” Rojas said. “If I just stand around, I might feel like I’m not really doing much.”

He has the skill to dribble in small areas, beat defenders in a sprint or play it long – whatever keeps the defenders guessing and uncomfortable.

Over the past few weeks, Rojas has transitioned into more of a professional, being around other quality guys who have high expectations.

They expect the ball to be passed to their left foot. If it it’s passed to the right, they are sure to let the 24-year-old know.

“Those are simple challenges that you overcome and just become better day by day,” Rojas said.

Rojas had that same mindset as he grew up, turning that hard work into awards while in high school.

After his senior season at Royal, he earned the 2018 Gatorade Washington Soccer Player of the Year and 1A player of the year, scoring 19 goals with seven assists as the Knights advances to the State 1A semifinals. He led Royal to three state regional appearances.

In 2017, he helped his club team, Washington East B99, to nationals.

Those performances catapulted him to UW. According to Jensen, his high school coach, Rojas was the first athlete from Royal to play in the Pac-12.

Earlier this month, after the games against the USL Championship sides, Rojas returned to the Seattle area with Velocity FC to play the Tacoma Defiance in a preseason match.

Spokane lost 3-1, but Rojas recognized a few people from middle school who showed up to support him.

It was also the first time he felft like a pro, with kids wanting his autograph and to take a photo of him.

He used to be one of those kids, looking up to every player he came across.

When he was younger, his dad pushed him to be the best athlete he could be. That led to Rojas working out by himself and training as much as he could in his backyard.

“Having those extra reps by myself, just helped me to be where I’m at now,” he said.

Rojas and his father – who is a Club Deportivo Guadalajara or Chivas supporter – would play soccer in the house from a young age.

That led to a handful of broken windows, but it also meant Rojas always had a soccer ball at his feet.

Soccer was and always had been his passion, which led him to a college education. Rojas was the first person in his family to go to college, an achievement that he doesn’t take for granted.

Now that he has reached another level in his soccer career, he wants people to know he is more than just Michael Rojas who was born in Othello.

“I just want to prove to people in the area that I’m still trying to show out,” he said. “Obviously, I want to be more than just a local guy and, hopefully, after a couple games, I can show that.”