AS ONE OF THE young American players trying to break through in England, Aidan Dausch has hit some key milestones last season in 2023/24. He settled in at Coventry City where he became one of the club’s top attacking players at the youth levels, he made his Championship debut in April at the age of 17, and he has trained with the first team.

This past summer, Dausch turned 18 and started his preparations for a 2024/25 season where he hoped to take even bigger steps in his development. It started in June when he announced that he signed a professional contract with Coventry City. But he is entering one of the most pivotal periods of his development as he is now looking to bridge the gap between youth and first-team soccer.

For the preseason, Dausch was invited to play with the club’s first team after they finished ninth in the Championship for 2023/24. The goal this season is to be in contention for at least a playoff spot. The Championship season is long, 46 games plus two cups and possible playoffs, and depth is critical. For Dausch, the preseason was important towards learning and challenging himself amongst experienced veterans while also preparing himself if he is needed during Coventry’s campaign.

Delighted to sign my first professional contract????? @Coventry_City pic.twitter.com/gJtYOAggok

— Aidan Dausch (@aidan_dausch) June 18, 2024

"It was great,” Dausch told American Soccer Now. “It was six weeks with the first team. It was just a great experience to be around all the first team players and coaches, getting some match minutes with them. I just learned a lot from it. And the first team coach obviously has a lot of experience. The gaffer, Mark Robins was a striker as well. There's so much to learn from him and his experience as a player as well."

At the end of the preseason, Dasuch returned to Coventry’s U-21 team and has continued to perform well, scoring two goals and adding three assist in his first three games. Last season he finished with 19 goals and five assists.

"I definitely want to keep scoring goals and honing my craft, improving my skills in every game with the U-21's and just getting prepared. It's a really long season. So, it is being prepared for any opportunity that may arise and being ready to take it."

Such was the case in April when Dausch was named to the first team roster for Championship for a pair of games. He featured as a late substitute in both games with his debut coming in a 0-0 draw away against Blackburn on April 27. Three days later, he was subbed into a 2-1 loss at home to Ipswich.

Making his first team debut was very important for Dausch in that it singled that he is on the right path towards being a first-team contributor.

Congratulations on making your senior debut, Aidan. ? pic.twitter.com/EqQ4kdbCTr

— Coventry City (@Coventry_City) April 27, 2024

"Obviously it was a great experience, to make my debut and Coventry is a really good club to be at,” Dausch said. “I just need to be ready for each opportunity and I am really grateful for every opportunity that may arise… I think Coventry is a really exciting team. There's a lot of positive energy and excitement."

Dausch is a center forward but is comfortable across the front line in attacking positions. In his words he likes “to use pace and power. I like to be direct and get at the other team - create havoc, score goals, and create chances."

At Coventry, he coincidentally shares a similar role with United States national team forward Haji Wright who floats between the wing and center forward. Together, they represent the club’s two American players.

"I spoke to him a few times during the preseason,” Dausch said. “He's obviously a really good player and someone who is American at the club, my position as well. So, I directly look up to him and it's good to watch him, in and around the building and on the field as well."

Delicious from Aidan Dausch. ????
Remarkable from Marco Rus. ????

Stunning goals from our youngsters! ???? pic.twitter.com/nwaiafUlb1

— Coventry City Academy (@SkyBluesAcademy) November 17, 2023

As one of the world’s great cities, London attracts a lot of people from across the globe to relocate there for work. Such was the case for the Dausch family.

Dausch was born in London in 2006. His has three siblings but his parents are both American. His mother is from Washington, DC and she also holds French citizenship through her father. His father, Andrew Dausch, is from Baltimore and played both lacrosse and football for the University of Virginia. Coincidentally, he attended UVA with Claudio Reyna and the two became good friends. Through them, both families are close.

"My parents both moved over for work and then decided to raise us here,” Dausch said. “I was born and raised in London. I've only ever lived here. But both my parents are American, and I have the eligibility to play for England, America and France."

"My dad went to college with Claudio Reyna,” he added. “My dad played football and lacrosse for UVA but they're really good friends. We're family friends with them. They've always been people that I can speak to about the game. Actually, I've grown up supporting Man City."

Dausch speaks English with mostly an American accent. And athletics are strong in his family. In addition to him and his father, his younger brother, Leo Dausch, 13, is showing a lot of promise at Fulham's academy – near where his family lives in London.

With all of his recent accomplishments at Coventry, it raises the question of another goal of his in the sport – the international game. Dausch is eligible to play for the national teams of t United States, England, and even France but has never been called.

His emergence at Coventry comes at an ideal time for the United States as their U-20 team recently qualified for the 2025 U-20 World Cup and the forward positions on the team remain unsettled and thin in depth.

In recent years while living in London, Dausch has attended Fulham games and watched U.S. World Cup veterans Tim Ream and Antonee Robinson play.

Now he is just hoping to follow in their footsteps, potentially soon at the U-20 level.

“I looked up to the US national team a lot, especially given the fact that my parents are American, and I feel American myself,” Dausch said. “It would be a great honor to play for the U.S.”