SAN JOSE — Eric Calvillo was only able to crawl when he was already reaching for the soccer ball as a toddler at his home in Palmdale, California.

As he got older and began to walk, dribbling and taking shots became an everyday thing for Calvillo, sending a message to his father that he was for real about the sport.

“He knew that I was gonna be a soccer player,” Calvillo said.

Related Articles Another rough night for Earthquakes in loss to Portland Timbers

Vako’s late equalizer salvages tie for Quakes, who remain winless since MLS is Back tournament

San Jose Earthquakes earn point against Galaxy, still looking for win

First pro sports event in Santa Clara County since March draws “crowd”

Game Changers: Four years after Kaepernick kneeled, a look at Bay Area sports leaders who stood before him From playing in the backyard to joining the American Youth Soccer Organization as a kid, Calvillo rapidly made his ascension.

Now, having just turned 20 earlier this month, Calvillo was back in California as one of the newest members of the Earthquakes and on hand for the club’s media day on Wednesday. But it’s the midfielder’s journey to San Jose, which featured a world tour that allowed him to compete with some of the best players in the sport, that made his arrival so impressive.

After developing his skills as a youth through the Real So Cal Academy in Los Angeles, Calvillo was invited to participate in the U.S. youth national team’s two-year residency program with the under-17 squad at the age of 15. At the end of the program, Calvillo had earned a spot on the U-17 roster that went to Chile for the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

The U.S. failed to make it out of the group stage. But Calvillo got to play alongside the likes of Tyler Adams and Christian Pulisic, two young stars who have now gone on to earn spots on the U.S. men’s national team.

“It was very exciting. A great experience,” Calvillo said. “We should have went farther with the team we had. But it was a good group of guys that you can tell are now making a huge impact in their own careers. It was also great to play in front of those crowds and that type of environment.”

After making 21 career appearances for the U-17 club, Calvillo signed his first professional contract in 2016 at 18 to play for the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League.

While playing for the U.S. youth squad and traveling abroad were brought some nervous times for Calvillo, nothing in his past experiences compared to the butterflies he felt before playing his first match with the same organization that soccer legends such as Giorgio Chinaglia and Pelé once played for.

“There were nerves, honestly. When I first got there, I was very shy and nervous,” Calvillo said. “But I just took it day by day. Knowing the names that played for them and wearing that same crest was truly an honor.”

After a quiet first year with the Cosmos, Calvillo flourished in year two. Scoring three goals along with an assist in 18 appearances, Calvillo finished second in 2017 NASL Young Player of the Year voting, the award given to the league’s top player that is 23 or younger.

Calvillo’s second year caught the eye of many executives in soccer, including Earthquakes general manager Jesse Fioranelli. It was enough for Fioranelli to offer Calvillo a multi-year deal, making him the second-youngest player on the roster.

“Eric is a player that we have identified as a highly talented prospect,” Fioranelli said after the signing. “With a significant amount of professional and youth national team experience at just 20 years old, we believe our club can support his development as he takes on MLS.”

With established midfield veterans in Anibal Godoy, Vako, and Jahmir Hyka, and promising youngsters in Tommy Thompson and Jackson Yueill, starting the year with Quakes affiliate may be an inevitability for Calvillo. But he isn’t going to go down without a fight.

“I’m here to prove to my coaching staff and teammates that I have some skills that can help make an impact with the team,” Calvillo said.

Calvillo played mostly on the right side of the field with the Cosmos. On the smaller side listed at 5-foot-7, 140 pounds, Calvillo feels speed will be his biggest attribute to the club.

“I like to play as quick as possible. One touch, two touch,” Calvillo said. “Try to keep possession as much as possible. Control the midfield with my passing and changing the point of attack. Hitting long balls forward. I’m a playmaker.”

In addition to battling for a spot on the Quakes roster, the move to Major League Soccer also means Calvillo is one step closer to another goal he has set for himself — Reuniting with old teammates Adams and Pulisic on the U.S. men’s national team.

“It’s another step in my career,” Calvillo said. “Hopefully I can continue what I started with the Cosmos. Playing more so the U.S. men’s national team can take a look at the impact I bring to the game and end up with some of the youngsters that are there right now.”