NorCal Native Found New Hometown in Texas

With the World Cup in full swing, football, or soccer as we call it here, takes center stage. But perhaps no one is watching the matches more than the members of FC Dallas and the team's defender Heath Pearce.

Pearce grew up in Modesto and has traveled the world since.  He played college soccer at the University of Portland. He started his professional career in Denmark, then went to Germany and signed with FC Dallas in Sept., 2009.

He was just one step away from being at the World Cup. He made the 30 man preliminary roster which was eventually narrowed down the 23 players. We were with Pearce when the announcement was made and while very excited he knew there was work to be done.

"It's been a dream as long as I can remember. I mean before I knew anything about club teams and all that stuff, I knew about the national team," said Pearce. "I knew about the World Cup, knowing that was the big stage, that was the big dance. It's all about making to there."

Pearce moved to North Texas just about a year ago and is quickly  making himself at home. He recently purchased a house, which for some may not seem like your regular bachelor pad, but it's a great place for the team to hang out.

"I wanted to get a place where, a lot of the guys could come over and we could have a good time," said Pearce. "I put a big emphasis on getting along with people, especially your teammates. Knowing them personally, not just on the field, I think that can reflect on the way you play on the field, is spending time  together off the field."

While taking us on a tour we learned quite a lot about the soccer player. He has played all over the world including Cuba where he brought home some prized pieces of artwork. The paintings catch your eye the minute you walk into his home. Pearce purchased much of his furniture in Europe when he played in Germany before he came home to the United States and has quite an eye for what works.

"I did part of the decorating. There was a decorator that helped me do the decorating, so I take credit for it in the sense it was my ideas, but I have a problem with taking my ideas from my head and putting them on paper so I had some help doing that," said Pearce.

"From my time of the start of this whole sort of quadrennium, I've played in three different countries, three different teams, really experienced three different lives,"  said Pearce. "From playing all the time and being the guy with a lot of attention, to the guy who has been blacklisted on a team. And now to be back in the U.S. and playing closer to my friends and family and being selected like this (to the National team) it makes it all worth while."

With his experience, Pearce is fast emerging as a team leader in Dallas but soccer isn't the only thing he has mastered. Pearce also plays drums, the guitar and piano. He is a avid DJ with a wide taste in music. And a little known fact, he loves to play shuffleboard, and has a custom made table in the gameroom in his house.

Check out Heath's playlist on his Ipod

1.  Jaydiohead - Song and cry - Radio Head, Jay Z mixtape
2.  Journey's - Faithfully -Journeys Greatest Hits
3.  DJ Chachi -Split Personalities
4.  Cool Kids- Black Mags
5.  Jack Johnson- Do You Remember
6.  Jurassic 5- Concrete Schoolyard
7.  Kid Cudi- Pursuit of Happiness
8.  Pearl Jam- Alive
9.  Kings of Leon- Revelry
10. Bob Marley- Three little Birds

To learn more about Last Call host James Chippendale and the Love, Hope, Strength foundation, click here.

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