But you can never quite escape your past when you're Ian Harkes. His coach in San Jose is none other than Bruce Arena, who coached his dad through four years of college play at the University of Virginia, to that 1996 Open Cup-winning run with D.C. United and, later, with the USMNT.
“He [Arena] lived really close to us in D.C. when I was a kid,” laughed Ian, now 30 and a solid veteran of the pro ranks. “I was so young, but there were a lot of stories and my dad told me a lot. I was really excited, buzzing about getting a chance to work with him.”
Arena first signed Ian for a stint at the New England Revolution (where his dad also played). When he started coaching in San Jose in 2024, Ian was one of Arena’s first signings there too. And while a run to the MLS playoffs is a distinct possibility for this talented San Jose side, with known attacking talent like Josef Martinez and Chicho Arango in the mix, the Open Cup offers the most direct route to a 2025 title.
“The Open Cup is magic – but you need a little bit of everything to happen for you,” said Ian, after his Quakes knocked out Cinderella Division II side Sacramento Republic and the Portland Timbers to reach the Last Eight. “It doesn’t have to be pretty, but you just have to give yourself a chance to move on.”
Open Cup Roots and Romance
It’s no surprise, given his personal history, that the Open Cup – with its unique format and underdog drama – holds a special place in Ian’s heart. “There’s romance – and you don’t get that with the Leagues Cup, or some of the more modern stuff,” said this son of a 1993 FA Cup Runner-up with Sheffield Wednesday. “You’ve got to fight against underdogs, and they’re so hungry and looking to knock you off. You’ve got to match them.
“You have to honor the traditions and the opportunities,” he added. “I love the Cup.”
“For some of the guys, the ones in the lower leagues, it’s the highlight of their career to play against a team from MLS,” said Ian, a reverent hush in his voice. “You need to know what that means.”
The desire to carve out your moment, to make your own memories, lives deep down in the marrow of the whole Harkes Family. And while Ian’s thousands of miles away from Kearny, New Jersey, the lessons learned and earned there live on. “That pride, when the old-timers would talk about their moment, the day they did it in the Cup, there’s nothing else like that,” said the latest in a long, proud line. “You’re lucky to be part of that.”
Fontela is editor-in-chief of ussoccer.com/us-open-cup. Follow him at @jonahfontela on X/Twitter.
