McGarry, the son of former All White Mike McGarry, has signed a three-year professional deal with the Wellington Phoenix and is a member of the 25-man A League squad.
Phoenix coach Ernie Merrick said McGarry would not have signed if he did not believe he could play in the A league this season.
The left-sided midfielder will be part of the Phoenix squad which will travel to Sydney next week for three warm-up games.
Mike McGarry, a teacher at Otago Boys' High School, said his son was thrilled with the contract and he had worked hard for the past few years to get the opportunity.
He had left school when in year nine at Otago Boy's High School and gone to the Asia Pacific Football Academy in Lincoln for a couple of years.
The academy had then moved to Wellington to link with the Phoenix a couple of years ago and McGarry had moved with it.
He was a pupil at St Patrick's College (town) in Wellington and would see out the school year before studying at polytechnic next year.
Mike McGarry said he and wife Robyn were very proud of their son and all the hard work he had done.
''He went to Christchurch when he was just a young fellow, about 12 coming up 13. Then, when the academy went to Wellington he went with it,'' he said.
''Since he was young, he has always wanted to be a professional footballer. He has always talked about doing that.''
Though he was not earning the wages to rival Wayne Rooney, he was earning enough to get by.
There was a temptation to go and play for a college in the United States, but he would have to wait another two years for that to happen and he had opted to sign with the Phoenix.
He boarded privately with a family in Wellington and would continue to do so.
McGarry was in line to selected for the New Zealand under-17 side to play in Chile in November.
The Phoenix also signed Hamilton teenager Logan Rogerson (also 17), who played for the senior All Whites last week in their draw with Burma.
