Getting an invitation to the MLS Combine was “pretty surreal” for Victoria midfielder Josh Heard.

Sadly the 21-year-old University of Washington senior didn’t get to experience it. An operation to repair an inguinal hernia kept Heard away from Florida this week as other Major League Soccer hopefuls showed off their skills.

While minor, the ailment was something that had to be corrected. An upbeat type, Heard sees the glass half-full — noting he had begun to train again.

“Feeling great, excited to get things moving forward again,” Heard said.

And making the jump to pro soccer remains the goal.

“That’s the dream, still hanging onto the dream,” he said.

The five-foot-nine winger played in 74 games for the Huskies with 50 starts, finishing his collegiate career with 13 goals and eight assists. He was an All-Pac-12 honourable mention.

He leaves Seattle with some terrific memories — and much gratitude.

“Washington totally made me into the player I am,” he said. “I was pretty under-recruited. I came to Washington and I just went leaps and bounds in my game.”

“I couldn’t have asked for a better place,” he added. “Great coaches, great players, great city.”

And thanks to the Victoria Clipper, just a three-hour ferry ride from Victoria.

Heard was recruited by several Canadian universities and drew attention from Washington coaches when he went down to the States with his Victoria Highlanders club team. Playing against a Seattle Sounders academy side that featured two centre backs who had committed to the Huskies, Heard scored twice and added an assist.

“I got a call (from Washington) the next week,” he said.

Growing up, Heard says he didn’t draw too much attention on the soccer field. The Vancouver Whitecaps invited him to train with their youngsters but he elected to go to Washington.

“I was always pretty good but I wasn’t like next-level good. I didn’t get tons of looks from the Whitecaps until later on in my career. I was kind of a late bloomer.”

Heard’s preferred position is the right side. He likes to motor up the flank and deliver the ball in.

Other Canadians at the MLS Combine were Akron midfielder Richie Laryea (Toronto), Kentucky goalkeeper Callum Irving (Vancouver), and Bowling Green midfielder Ryan James (Mississauga, Ont.).

University of Denver midfielder Jordan Schweitzer (born in Dallas to parents from Alberta) was also invited to the MLS Combine but withdrew after signing a homegrown player contract with the Seattle Sounders.

Heard was one of three Huskies — James Moberg and goalkeeper Ryan Herman were the others —invited to this year’s Combine. Washington’s Spencer Richey, Cristian Roldan and Andy Thoma took part in last year’s Combine with all three getting drafted (Richey went in the third round to Vancouver).

The six Combine invitations are the most for one school over the past two years, a feat matched by North Carolina.

Washington won the Pac 12 in 2013, when Heard and his second-seeded Huskies made it to the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament for the first time.

“That was a good year,” he said.

Hit hard by injuries, the Huskies went 8-5-6 this season but beat eventual NCAA champion Stanford during the campaign.

Born to a Canadian mother and Welsh father, Heard shares a birthday with former Manchester United star Ryan Giggs, his favourite player. His family moved to Canada when he was two.

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