PHOENIX — Amidst injuries so early in the season, Phoenix Rising has called 17-year-old Braxton Montgomery to fill in.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Montgomery, an Arizona native who signed with Rising just last year, debuted on March 14 against FC Tulsa. Since then, the club has asked the youngster to play all around. Yesterday afternoon, he sat with the media to discuss how he prepares with Rising, even playing against players who were once on the U.S. National team.
“We watch film on everybody, so I come in prepared knowing what they’re going to do or knowing what they’re going to want to do,” he said. “It’s really just film and then my normal routine.”
Big shoutout to Academy player, Braxton Montgomery, for earning his first professional minutes with the team this past weekend – keep workin’????????#TodosRojos pic.twitter.com/51mNnV67ge
— Phoenix Rising FC (@PHXRisingFC) March 10, 2025
With graduation looming, Montgomery has already committed to Northern Illinois University. However, the more professional minutes he accumulates and a potential professional soccer contract offer, he’s not sure what decision he’ll make. Montogomery did confirm that, if allowed to stay with Rising a little longer, he would consider it.
Montgomery has been with Phoenix Rising Academy, the club’s youth development program, since he was 12. As the years pass, many players go on to play with Rising at the professional level, like Montgomery. He says that they all lift each other to see each other succeed.
“We love to mess with each other, but we want to progress and develop each other as much as we can.”
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Wendy Lopez is a reporter for Burn City Sports. You can follow her on her X account, @wlopezde
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