January 30, 2025 • 29 mins
Join us as we chat with Ryan Williams, an inspiring figure in the world of soccer coaching and development. Once a professional soccer player, Ryan now channels his passion for the sport into coaching, sharing insightful stories from his journey. He candidly discusses the transition from player to coach, highlighting the challenges and triumphs along the way. Ryan's experiences with college teams have shaped his philosophy, making him a strong advocate for skill development and player empowerment. With his natural gift for teaching, Ryan brings a fresh perspective on fostering growth and creativity among young athletes, transforming them into cohesive units on the field.
Ryan opens up about the intricacies of coaching at Ozark United FC's U20 Boys Academy, where nurturing talent and competitive success go hand in hand. The excitement of tryouts, the process of integrating players from rival teams, and the importance of building a strong soccer vocabulary are just a few topics covered. We delve into the delicate balance of creativity and structured play, particularly for midfielders, and how this balance is crucial for adapting to the ever-evolving game. Discover Ryan's insights on how fostering autonomy and individuality prepares players for future success, allowing them to excel across diverse playing styles and coaching philosophies.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 2 (00:05):
Pitch to Pro is the official podcast of Ozark United
FC.
This will be our platform totell our story about the club
and the special place that wecall home, Northwest Arkansas.
This is a journey we want tobring you along for the ride.
We'll share what's going onbehind the curtain, help educate
the community at large aboutsoccer, our league, and give
(00:25):
updates on the progress of theclub along the way.
Together, we'll explore andunpack our journey to
professional soccer, the magicthat is NWA, our community, and
talk all things soccer from onthe pitch to behind the scenes,
telling the story of our club.
Pitch to Pro Podcast is proudlysponsored by PodcastVideoscom.
(00:46):
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(01:07):
Hey everybody and welcome backto the Pitch to Pro podcast.
I'm your host, Wes Harris,Managing Director for Ozark
United FC, Northwest Arkansas'sprofessional soccer club,
playing in the United SoccerLeague.
Today I am very pleased towelcome back our amazing guest,
Mr Ryan Williams, for part twoof our convo.
(01:27):
He is the assistant director ofcoaching at Sporting Arkansas
and assistant head coach at ourOzark United FCU 20 Boys Academy
team.
And Ryan, we welcome back firstand foremost.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
Yeah, glad to be back most.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Yeah, I got to be back and you know, if you missed
it we'll give you a brief recap.
But if you missed it, ryan, uhtouched on a little bit of his
background and, in pathway topro uh, coming all the way from
uh Hawaii, uh tropical paradise,and playing soccer out there
and just dreaming of becoming apro and making it all the way to
the USL championship with NewMexico United.
So, ryan, thank you so much forjoining us again.
(02:07):
Man, and you know we talked alot last time about the playing
environment and your journey asa player and the adversity you
went through, and you know thethe triumphs that you got to
experience as a player that fewget to get to experience, right,
but a lot of that was down toyour hard work and determination
(02:27):
and being able to come back.
Talk a little bit now.
Where I want to pick us up isyour transition into kind of
coaching.
Did you know that?
you know you unfortunately hadyour playing career cut a little
bit short, right, but you knowand that you know to to your
point, um, you know you kind ofgot dealt cards right that some,
a lot of it was out of yourcontrol and um but did you, did
(02:52):
you know before then that youwanted to transition to coaching
after playing like?
When did that start to become,like uh, an option that you
wanted to pursue?
Speaker 3 (03:03):
You know, even when I was finishing up playing, I
just thought playing by choice,and when I was finishing up
playing, I didn't really want tobe a coach.
But you know, I'll be honest, Ithink I was good at teaching.
(03:25):
I did personal training.
I was doing personal training.
I worked with a lot of, a lotof teams, you know, on the side,
but like being a coach, Ididn't.
I didn't really know if thatwas like something I wanted to
do.
But again, like even in college, like I was, I was training
team, I was training players, Iwas training teammates.
You know, like I was, I wastraining players.
I was training teammates.
I was really on the teachingside of things, and in college
(03:51):
too, I was almost like I wasactually running some passing
activities in college.
So in a way I was coaching.
But did I want to do it?
I didn't really know.
And really when John Brownbrown, the assistant position
was offered to me, and well,when it was opened up it, you
know I was like, okay, well,let's see what this is about.
(04:12):
and so I pursued it and you knowI was at john brown for for
three seasons.
Um, and there's there's parts ofcoaching I just really, I just
really love, you know,especially that teaching side of
it.
Um, I I wanted to, when I was atjohn brown, bring what I knew
and bring it to players who youknow they're, they're top,
they're top athletes, you know,and see if I could boost their
(04:36):
playing right, because there'smoments as a coach where, when,
when, and these are reallymoments that I really that
really is, uh, the drive for mein what I do is when the light
bulb switches, when the switchturns on, I'm like, oh, when
things click, because you'recoaching, you're teaching,
you're engaging, and whenfinally something clicks and you
(04:57):
see the effect of it andeverything is going, you see it
in their eyes, their bodylanguage, their facial
expression, and then you see itin their play, their performance
and facial expression, and thenyou see it in their play, their
performance, and they gainsuccess there, like that is one
of the coolest things.
And so, like for me, like whenI getting into coaching, like
that was really something thatreally, I think, draws me in.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
so that's awesome.
And now you're you're gettingto do it at a bunch of different
levels and age groups and youknow, I think you you hit on
that.
You've obviously done it at ahigher level than I have, uh,
and then just likeseven-year-olds, but even to
watch at that level right, eveneven just to watch at that level
(05:40):
, you know, 4v4 scrum ball, likeseeing your team, by the end of
the season, connect threepasses in a row and like players
trying to open into space, is Iit to your point?
It was one of the mostfulfilling feelings and just
like joy, like wow, like so cool, um, yeah, and then you know it
(06:04):
, it obviously translates in amuch different way and manifests
in a much higher level,different way, at the college
level, like you talked about,and with the U-20 boys in Ozark.
But talk a little bit about thedifference between you know
what you're doing now with cluband kind of the youth.
There I think you have the 2010team, if I'm not mistaken.
(06:24):
Um 2012 team 2012 okay, yeah,and yeah you know that's, that's
a, that's a real critical agegroup.
Um, you know that 12, 13 yearold, that is like right on that
cusp, right of like how theirnext playing years are going to
shift right.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
Yeah, yeah.
So how my role kind of looksdifferent with the Ozark United,
with the 2012 boys and what itdoes in the college side.
For me it's just the teachinghas to meet the age, right.
So that's always a challengewhether bring it down, bring it
(07:05):
up, that's always a challenge.
But where I'm at is I take theplayers that I have and I have
to move them into players that,or get them to a certain spot,
right, and that's something Ilike doing.
I like taking players, I likehaving players and let me see
what I can, let's see where wecan go with those players.
(07:25):
And so it's with the ozarkunited.
I love that.
It's a it's a community of,it's our community of players
and I get to engage ourcommunity, you know, and um see
if I, if I can help theseplayers get to where they want
to go, because, at the end ofthe day, like you, reflect this
community right it's?
(07:47):
it's when you um, kind of tie itinto the last time or the last
episode, like in hawaii, whenyou're seeing players going and
you're seeing them doing goodstuff, while you're like, well,
if he can do it, I think I, Ican do it.
And same thing here when yousee players in northern Arkansas
(08:07):
start going places and they'redoing stuff and the community
gets smaller and smaller.
The soccer community getssmaller and smaller and you're
like, whoa, so-and-so did it.
But you have to know thatbecause that's inspiration,
that's motivating, it's tangible.
You're seeing it and it'salmost it's tangible, right,
like you're seeing it and you'relike I can get there too, um,
(08:29):
and so like that's what kind ofwhat I'm doing with the 2012s
and the, the ozark united.
Um, it obviously looks differentat the different ages.
The 2012 group is a interestingage because you know, like you
said, it's, it's huge in theirdevelopment, in the development
years, um, it's yeah, the forfor what?
(08:51):
I think the, the engagement onthe, on the intellectual side of
the game, is very important,right, because that, like how
they think through the game now,it kind of shapes how they're
going to think to the game asthey get older and as they get
older, it's really hard to kindof get out of those ways, right?
Um, it's hard to, it's hard tolearn, or or um, your, your
(09:14):
thought processes are reallyhard to change, like right now.
It's.
It's very valuable that.
How did I say that?
Right, yeah?
you can, you can really moldthose things um, yeah, so you
can really mold it now, um andso yeah, we'll talk.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
I mean, you've you've been in northwest Arkansas as a
player, a college student, um,and then now you know gone off
and continue to play at a highlevel as a pro and then come
back and been around in the areafor a while now.
You know started a family andnow in the coaching space, how
(09:51):
is the game like?
Talk about the growth of thegame in the area and what you've
seen in your experience, andthen you know kind of tie that
into then what you're nowgetting to do with the U20 boys
and how that's kind ofculminating.
Speaker 3 (10:06):
Yeah Well, I coached a player at JBU who is from this
area.
Good way, he was a top, topplayer, actually, did some
really good stuff like set somereally high records at JBU and,
as I've engaged, even with theyouth youth side of it, there's
(10:26):
talent.
There's talent here, you know,and I think what for me is is
really is really important, isto um is to meet meet talent
with content, right like to, to,to push, I think, um, the
talent, talents you're in as asuh things get again more
(10:48):
tangible and they say in thepathway, right, that that helps
Um.
But like any education, youhave to meet people where they
are and be able to get them towhere they're going.
And so it's as a coach it can be, and I kind of I wrestle with
this stuff because I'm fairlynew.
I'm fairly new into coaching.
I wrestle with man, I want towin, I want to win, I want to
(11:11):
win because that's how I was asa player and every coach is that
way.
That competitive drive.
Every parent is that way, every, I mean.
If you're in a competitiveenvironment, you probably want
to win, no doubt?
Like no one plays yeah, I don'tknow of anyone who plays soccer
or coaches soccer, and so Ilike losing you know, so it's
like you, you wrestle with thatpride a bit, but they to win at
(11:35):
the expense of development, likeI.
I don't know that's very good,it may be good feeling, but for
development's sake the player isnot getting anything Right.
And I can only say this becauseI was this way as a player.
You see through people, you seethrough stuff, even if you're
(11:57):
winning, you see through it, andso being able to receive that,
that content so important,because that if you're being
challenged and you're you, you,you see your learning going up
and up and up, well then yourhope and your dream almost seems
(12:19):
to be a bit more realized.
Right, like if I feel like I'mbeing pushed and I'm being
taught better and this is thesame thing in school Like if
you're, if you're gettingcontent that's challenging and
you're being engaged by aprofessor or a teacher that's,
you know, really pushing you andreally well, especially in the
(12:40):
college, and I think in thecollege environment, you have a
professor who's really pushingyou and engaging with your old,
say, papers or your own work andthey're able to get you to
where you want to go.
Well, that's very, actuallyencouraging, right and so, and
when that happens, you're like,okay, well, I think I can
actually, I can actually um,reach something that I want to
(13:00):
reach, um, but if I can't, thenwe'll, if, if, if I don't see
that, you know, that class isnot a fun class, in other words,
that class is a joke.
You don't take that classseriously, you don't take that
team seriously, you don't takethat season seriously.
So it's like I find that it isespecially at the higher levels
(13:24):
to you know, it's, I guess,guess, important, but like,
maybe there's a bit a betterword than important or vital.
It's vital that you get contentright, because the content is
like it's a kind of matches,that pathway right and so, yeah,
at the one is like the 2012,the new 13s, u14s, yeah, trying
(13:48):
to shape how they see the gameis very important, but once it's
shaped, you've got to be ableto continue to push and push um
so that's awesome.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
Well, I mean talk about you know transition a
little bit here and let's talkabout your experience.
Uh so far, right, uh stillongoing.
Uh with the u20 boys.
Uh academy program with uhozark united what did you see
from the response to tryouts andthe level and then how this
(14:22):
group that truly wasrepresentation of our community
at large from all corners andyou know a lot of and you know
I'll let you talk about it, butwe had players that were rivals
for the majority of theirplaying career now coming
(14:43):
together and getting the besttalent in the same place, under
the same badge and playingtogether and competing at really
, really high levels.
Speaker 3 (14:54):
Yeah, I don't really know where to start.
There's a lot to it, I think.
I guess tryouts, tryouts, theamount of players that that
showed up, that was that wasreally awesome.
And it you're seeing all theseplayers and as a coaching staff,
(15:14):
you're like, oh man, like wegotta sort through these players
, you know, um, and that was achallenge in itself.
But like just all those letterscoming out, it I think it showed
it showed something to thecommunity right about this.
Almost this.
I want to be a part of this.
There's togetherness, so tospeak.
All those letters coming out, Ithink it showed something to
(15:35):
the community right About this.
Almost this.
I want to be a part of this.
There's togetherness, so tospeak, and while they may not
think it at the time, like theseplayers that you were saying,
coming from different clubs inthis area, together and they're
playing, and not only justplaying together, but they
succeed together, right, andthat's shown in what we've done
in this fall season Experience.
Again, I think when I look atthe players who came in at this
(15:59):
tryouts, right, and you'reevaluating players, you know,
you're seeing, how do you saythat?
You see, like technique, yousee their feet right and some
are close.
Some are, you know, way higherthan others, but then on the
other side you're judging.
On the other side of it you'rejudging again like your
(16:22):
decision-making, and so thedecision-making processes of
what they're seeing in the games, what they're really trying to
create in the games, was verylittle.
You know how they connect withplayers or connect with
teammates, that their randomteammates, random kind of
they've played against eachother in the area but random
(16:44):
teammates and how they can makethose connections and then make
plays happen.
Um wasn't very high right theirvocab.
Their vocabulary wasn't veryhigh.
You know, um, and so, like youthink about content, into what
we've taken these playersthrough.
For me, vocables that's likethat's a huge thing if you can't
(17:05):
express yourself, if you can'texpress what's going, what's
going on in your mind, um, andthat's something that's.
That's a skill constantly youconstantly grow at.
It's a huge thing If you can'texpress yourself, if you can't
express what's going on in yourmind, and that's something
that's a skill you constantlygrow at, especially as you get
older and older.
You try to grow that ability toexpress yourself.
But if you can't expressyourself on the field, well,
you're limiting, right.
So one of the things that we'vedone with the team is just
(17:28):
Right.
So one of the things that we'vedone with with the team is just
vocab, vocab, vocab andconnecting that with experience,
right?
So experience, can you any?
Speaker 2 (17:42):
other questions.
I think I think one of thethings the other things, too
that I've heard from you bothyou and Scott one of the things,
the other things, too that I'veheard from you both you and
scott, um that I know you'veworked on with the u20 boys is
the concept of talk a little bitabout the concept of you know,
instead of system habits, yeah,and talk about talk about the
(18:04):
difference there and why and Ithink you're starting to see it
too in other areas of the game,at at other levels, with other
teams, especially at the highestlevel you talk about habits and
then the system follows.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
So talk a little bit about that yeah, you know, I I I
think what I talk with skyabout this.
As a player, I never thought ina system.
I never thought in the system,like I mentioned in the last
episode, the game justconstantly going on in my mind.
I mean, whether I'm playingFIFA, whether I'm watching the
(18:39):
camera, whether I'm watchinghighlights like I'm watching
highlights, jobby highlights,you score highlights, whatever
it is as a midfielder, I'mseeing those moments that
they're in in the game and I'mseeing it on the field, but
those are.
I'm envisioning that I'm inthose scenarios.
I never see those scenarios assystems.
I see those scenarios asmoments in a game, and this is
(19:01):
what I'm going to do.
When Thiago Alcantara does anelastical between two players,
and he'll do it in differentmoments of the field, for me
it's just an action, that's justa moment in the game.
I do think there's benefits toboth of them.
(19:23):
I think there's benefits toboth of them Because when I was
a pro, it was very much verysystematic in that way, which is
okay.
Know, um, because when I was apro, it was very much like very
systematic in that way, which isokay, because that actually
helped me as a pro.
Um, it helped me in certainmoments as a pro, but this idea
of like actions, it's likeeverything is linked to decision
, decision making and being ableto recognize moments in the
(19:45):
game right, like a 2v2 willalways be a 2v2, 2v2 will always
be a 2v2, a 3v3 will always bea 3v3, no matter what, what
system you decide to play.
You know an overlap is adecision you can use to, is a
decision you can make.
it can be an underlap, itdoesn't always have to be um if
it's for me, I think, especiallyat the youth levels, like and
(20:09):
with a really really younglevels system, system can be
black and white and once it'sblack and white, it's
predictable and it's.
It's not about being black andwhite, but it's about creativity
.
Creativity is gray.
Creativity is I get to decidewhat to do, I can I get to
(20:29):
create what I want to create, um.
So for me it's um and that'sthat's what ultimately.
I think changes changes the gamelike this game this game is
constantly changing, likethere's there's things that are
being done in the prank that youdon't, you never see done, like
the one that comes to my mindis arm slot or, uh, pochettino,
(20:51):
the way they use the outsidebacks.
I've seen runs by the outsidebacks and, like I've never heard
of that run in my life.
But again, like you talk about,like the creativity, like a
player to to be creative and tolike a player can think that,
like, like these kids can thinkthat they can come up with those
runs on their own.
If you allow them to come upwith those runs on their own
(21:13):
right, and it's like my way ofthinking is it can be very
limiting.
You know, and the whole thingis, I'm not playing If these
kids are playing.
These kids have to be creative,these kids have to make the
decisions, these kids have tosee creative, these kids have to
make the decisions, these kidshave to have to see the moments
right.
And so for me, like um theactions, it's like a, it's a,
(21:34):
it's a tool set.
Like you have all.
You have all these actions, allthese um things that you can do
in a game and for for, like, atraining session or for a game.
It's my job to facilitate, like, can you see the variety of
tools that you can use in agiven moment?
Right, because it's not alwaysone thing, one thing doesn't
always work.
(21:54):
One by one guy's body shape,maybe slightly turned, that
actually several other optionsyou can do, right, and that that
high level detail, well, thatcomes from just playing um,
someone's the distance of adefender may be a yard, a yard
different from the last scenario.
Well, that calls for a wholedifferent thing.
Right, and at the end of theday, it's um, we're trying to
(22:18):
create um autonomy, we're tryingto create individuality.
Right, we're not trying tocreate players who, because in
five years the game will bedifferent.
The us national team will beplaying different soccer.
The prim you'll national teamwill be playing different soccer
.
The Prem you'll be seeingdifferent soccer.
In the Prem.
You know La Liga you'll beseeing different styles of
soccer.
So it's like you're not tryingto create a player who fits the
(22:39):
time right now, but you'retrying to create a player who,
when their opportunity comes, ifthey get an opportunity, wow,
coach, looks at them and say Ilike what they have, I can bring
them into what I'm doing, youknow um yeah, so like for me
it's like I think, well, my lastthing, I think on the actions
piece and actually like theactions focused open to the
(23:03):
player for a future opportunity,right to fit anywhere, instead
of like a very system like 433,4231, you're going to play, uh,
this type of a midfielder,you're going to make these kind
of runs, you're going to beshowing up in these spots.
You're very limiting.
Like a 12 year old, a 10 yearold, a 10 year old, you're
(23:23):
telling a 10 year old to be inthis one spot.
Well, you do that for a while.
You get around a their nextopportunity.
Say they're trying out for acollege sorry, they can only go
to a college that tells thatcoach tells them to go into this
one spot.
It's very limiting, I think.
I think it's very limiting.
You know it's very restricting.
But if you, if I can, give aplayer who is playing a 10 and
(23:46):
saying hey, like, look at allthese different movements, that
10, that the number 10s in inliga mx, look at what these 10s
in the hey, look at all thesedifferent movements that the
number 10s in Liga MX.
Look at what these 10s in MLS.
Look at this number 10, honeyMokhtar.
Look at what he's doing andlook at what these 10s in
Liverpool are doing Like, takethat, take it and run, go do it,
go do your thing in the gameand you'll find this kid is
(24:07):
going to be doing all differentactions and like things that you
didn't even think of and theygo in.
I think later on they go into acoach, a coach, a coach, their
college coach, wherever it isthe next level, whatever it is
goes and sees this player andlike Whoa, that's a, that's an
individual right there, that's athinker.
You know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (24:27):
Like that's a thinker I can reason.
Speaker 3 (24:27):
I can reason with a thinkerer, you know what I mean.
Like that's a thinker, I canreason.
I can reason with a thinker,you know what?
Speaker 1 (24:33):
I mean.
Speaker 3 (24:34):
And so I think that, just like opportunity, wise like
you, it's anywhere, like ifyou're a thinker, if you're a
thinker of this game.
Speaker 2 (24:50):
So, yeah, to your point.
I think it's an interesting wayto put it where you know,
habits and actions are tools inyour toolbox that, when
presented with, you know soccer,to your point.
In my opinion, soccer is allabout situational decision
(25:11):
making.
100%, 100%, like at the highestlevel, right, and what
separates and how to, how doteams win is, you know, it's
about scoring goals, but it'sit's situational decision making
throughout the game, um,because everybody can execute,
everybody has a good touch,everybody right, it's here and
it's situational decision making.
(25:32):
It and the chess match, that isthe ninth minute, um, and so
your your concept of focusing on.
You know, obviously you gottatalk about system, but you focus
more on building actions andhabits that allow players
toolbox to go here that fillsthis with very quick in the game
(25:57):
in the moment.
How do I attack, how do Imanipulate, how do I do those
things based upon those habitsand activities that have been
drilled into me over and, overand over and over, no matter
what the system is or thesituation is within the game.
And that's such an interestingdifferent, you know dynamic to
to start to play around what youthink about, um, yeah, and that
(26:18):
builds and that and that buildson.
You know, we, you talked aboutvocab with the u20s, like some
of that is vocab about actionsand habits, right, and yeah,
what does this mean if I callout, if I call this out to a
player on my team?
Right, and how do wecommunicate and talk through
that?
So, really, really interestingstuff, man.
Well, I'll end with this.
(26:39):
What are you and you touched alittle bit about this as a
player um, when you were at newmexico united what are you most
excited for with professionalmen's and women's soccer coming
to Arkansas?
Speaker 3 (26:59):
Well, for me, I have a son and a daughter.
My daughter was just born andso it's like for me, it's like
both games, to take my family tothese games that are around
this community.
Like man, I think that's soawesome.
I saw it in New Mexico United.
I saw it with New Mexico UnitedTo be like I don't have to go
(27:23):
to KC for a game.
You know, like I can go and bepart of my community here.
You know, pathways is one thingyeah, it's great, but I think
for me it's like I get to dosomething.
I get to go watch high-levelgames right in northwest
Arkansas.
I find that I get to bring myfamily, I get to experience with
(27:45):
my family what I got toexperience as a player with the
Mexican United.
I get to take them to a gameand watch our team.
It's our team.
Watch our community's team.
You know I can support thisteam.
You know I love like the like.
I love like towns.
(28:06):
Like in England.
It's like towns, they havetheir team.
I love that.
You know it's like for me, it'stowns they have their team.
I love that, you know it's likefor me.
Northwest Arkansas.
That's our team, it's our town.
Like, yeah, region town, it'sour town's team.
You know what I mean.
So I think for me that's thepiece where I look forward to
the most, Like it gets to be ourteam.
Speaker 2 (28:29):
That's cool.
That's cool Well, Ryan.
Thank you so much, man.
It's been another insightfuland just really fun combo and
appreciate everything thatyou're doing with our youth in
the area, again instilling thatpassion Beautiful game On to the
next generation.
Appreciate everything you'redoing with our U20 Boys Academy
(28:50):
and can't wait to continue tosee the success there with those
boys.
And just all the best to you.
Really appreciate you joiningme.
Speaker 3 (28:59):
Yeah, wes.
Thank you for this.
This was good.
Speaker 2 (29:01):
Thank you for catching this episode of Pitch
to Pro.
Remember to follow us on allsocials at Pitch to Pro and
visit pitchtoprocom or YouTubeand Apple or Spotify wherever
you get your podcasts for moregreat content.
Until next time.
Northwest Arkansas cheers.
Speaker 1 (29:19):
Thanks for joining us on this episode of the Pitcher
Pro podcast.
Be sure to tune in again in twoweeks for the next installment
and check out the Stoppage Timeseries for a recap of today's
episode.
Be sure to find us at Pitch toPro on YouTube, instagram and
everywhere you get your podcasts.
Until next time, northwestArkansas cheers.
Pitch to Pro is the official podcast of Ozark United
FC.
This will be our platform totell our story about the club
and the special place that wecall home, Northwest Arkansas.
This is a journey we want tobring you along for the ride.
We'll share what's going onbehind the curtain, help educate
the community at large aboutsoccer, our league, and give
(00:25):
updates on the progress of theclub along the way.
Together, we'll explore andunpack our journey to
professional soccer, the magicthat is NWA, our community, and
talk all things soccer from onthe pitch to behind the scenes,
telling the story of our club.
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(00:46):
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(01:07):
Hey everybody and welcome backto the Pitch to Pro podcast.
I'm your host, Wes Harris,Managing Director for Ozark
United FC, Northwest Arkansas'sprofessional soccer club,
playing in the United SoccerLeague.
Today I am very pleased towelcome back our amazing guest,
Mr Ryan Williams, for part twoof our convo.
(01:27):
He is the assistant director ofcoaching at Sporting Arkansas
and assistant head coach at ourOzark United FCU 20 Boys Academy
team.
And Ryan, we welcome back firstand foremost.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
Yeah, glad to be back most.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Yeah, I got to be back and you know, if you missed
it we'll give you a brief recap.
But if you missed it, ryan, uhtouched on a little bit of his
background and, in pathway topro uh, coming all the way from
uh Hawaii, uh tropical paradise,and playing soccer out there
and just dreaming of becoming apro and making it all the way to
the USL championship with NewMexico United.
So, ryan, thank you so much forjoining us again.
(02:07):
Man, and you know we talked alot last time about the playing
environment and your journey asa player and the adversity you
went through, and you know thethe triumphs that you got to
experience as a player that fewget to get to experience, right,
but a lot of that was down toyour hard work and determination
(02:27):
and being able to come back.
Talk a little bit now.
Where I want to pick us up isyour transition into kind of
coaching.
Did you know that?
you know you unfortunately hadyour playing career cut a little
bit short, right, but you knowand that you know to to your
point, um, you know you kind ofgot dealt cards right that some,
a lot of it was out of yourcontrol and um but did you, did
(02:52):
you know before then that youwanted to transition to coaching
after playing like?
When did that start to become,like uh, an option that you
wanted to pursue?
Speaker 3 (03:03):
You know, even when I was finishing up playing, I
just thought playing by choice,and when I was finishing up
playing, I didn't really want tobe a coach.
But you know, I'll be honest, Ithink I was good at teaching.
(03:25):
I did personal training.
I was doing personal training.
I worked with a lot of, a lotof teams, you know, on the side,
but like being a coach, Ididn't.
I didn't really know if thatwas like something I wanted to
do.
But again, like even in college, like I was, I was training
team, I was training players, Iwas training teammates.
You know, like I was, I wastraining players.
I was training teammates.
I was really on the teachingside of things, and in college
(03:51):
too, I was almost like I wasactually running some passing
activities in college.
So in a way I was coaching.
But did I want to do it?
I didn't really know.
And really when John Brownbrown, the assistant position
was offered to me, and well,when it was opened up it, you
know I was like, okay, well,let's see what this is about.
(04:12):
and so I pursued it and you knowI was at john brown for for
three seasons.
Um, and there's there's parts ofcoaching I just really, I just
really love, you know,especially that teaching side of
it.
Um, I I wanted to, when I was atjohn brown, bring what I knew
and bring it to players who youknow they're, they're top,
they're top athletes, you know,and see if I could boost their
(04:36):
playing right, because there'smoments as a coach where, when,
when, and these are reallymoments that I really that
really is, uh, the drive for mein what I do is when the light
bulb switches, when the switchturns on, I'm like, oh, when
things click, because you'recoaching, you're teaching,
you're engaging, and whenfinally something clicks and you
(04:57):
see the effect of it andeverything is going, you see it
in their eyes, their bodylanguage, their facial
expression, and then you see itin their play, their performance
and facial expression, and thenyou see it in their play, their
performance, and they gainsuccess there, like that is one
of the coolest things.
And so, like for me, like whenI getting into coaching, like
that was really something thatreally, I think, draws me in.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
so that's awesome.
And now you're you're gettingto do it at a bunch of different
levels and age groups and youknow, I think you you hit on
that.
You've obviously done it at ahigher level than I have, uh,
and then just likeseven-year-olds, but even to
watch at that level right, eveneven just to watch at that level
(05:40):
, you know, 4v4 scrum ball, likeseeing your team, by the end of
the season, connect threepasses in a row and like players
trying to open into space, is Iit to your point?
It was one of the mostfulfilling feelings and just
like joy, like wow, like so cool, um, yeah, and then you know it
(06:04):
, it obviously translates in amuch different way and manifests
in a much higher level,different way, at the college
level, like you talked about,and with the U-20 boys in Ozark.
But talk a little bit about thedifference between you know
what you're doing now with cluband kind of the youth.
There I think you have the 2010team, if I'm not mistaken.
(06:24):
Um 2012 team 2012 okay, yeah,and yeah you know that's, that's
a, that's a real critical agegroup.
Um, you know that 12, 13 yearold, that is like right on that
cusp, right of like how theirnext playing years are going to
shift right.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
Yeah, yeah.
So how my role kind of looksdifferent with the Ozark United,
with the 2012 boys and what itdoes in the college side.
For me it's just the teachinghas to meet the age, right.
So that's always a challengewhether bring it down, bring it
(07:05):
up, that's always a challenge.
But where I'm at is I take theplayers that I have and I have
to move them into players that,or get them to a certain spot,
right, and that's something Ilike doing.
I like taking players, I likehaving players and let me see
what I can, let's see where wecan go with those players.
(07:25):
And so it's with the ozarkunited.
I love that.
It's a it's a community of,it's our community of players
and I get to engage ourcommunity, you know, and um see
if I, if I can help theseplayers get to where they want
to go, because, at the end ofthe day, like you, reflect this
community right it's?
(07:47):
it's when you um, kind of tie itinto the last time or the last
episode, like in hawaii, whenyou're seeing players going and
you're seeing them doing goodstuff, while you're like, well,
if he can do it, I think I, Ican do it.
And same thing here when yousee players in northern Arkansas
(08:07):
start going places and they'redoing stuff and the community
gets smaller and smaller.
The soccer community getssmaller and smaller and you're
like, whoa, so-and-so did it.
But you have to know thatbecause that's inspiration,
that's motivating, it's tangible.
You're seeing it and it'salmost it's tangible, right,
like you're seeing it and you'relike I can get there too, um,
(08:29):
and so like that's what kind ofwhat I'm doing with the 2012s
and the, the ozark united.
Um, it obviously looks differentat the different ages.
The 2012 group is a interestingage because you know, like you
said, it's, it's huge in theirdevelopment, in the development
years, um, it's yeah, the forfor what?
(08:51):
I think the, the engagement onthe, on the intellectual side of
the game, is very important,right, because that, like how
they think through the game now,it kind of shapes how they're
going to think to the game asthey get older and as they get
older, it's really hard to kindof get out of those ways, right?
Um, it's hard to, it's hard tolearn, or or um, your, your
(09:14):
thought processes are reallyhard to change, like right now.
It's.
It's very valuable that.
How did I say that?
Right, yeah?
you can, you can really moldthose things um, yeah, so you
can really mold it now, um andso yeah, we'll talk.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
I mean, you've you've been in northwest Arkansas as a
player, a college student, um,and then now you know gone off
and continue to play at a highlevel as a pro and then come
back and been around in the areafor a while now.
You know started a family andnow in the coaching space, how
(09:51):
is the game like?
Talk about the growth of thegame in the area and what you've
seen in your experience, andthen you know kind of tie that
into then what you're nowgetting to do with the U20 boys
and how that's kind ofculminating.
Speaker 3 (10:06):
Yeah Well, I coached a player at JBU who is from this
area.
Good way, he was a top, topplayer, actually, did some
really good stuff like set somereally high records at JBU and,
as I've engaged, even with theyouth youth side of it, there's
(10:26):
talent.
There's talent here, you know,and I think what for me is is
really is really important, isto um is to meet meet talent
with content, right like to, to,to push, I think, um, the
talent, talents you're in as asuh things get again more
(10:48):
tangible and they say in thepathway, right, that that helps
Um.
But like any education, youhave to meet people where they
are and be able to get them towhere they're going.
And so it's as a coach it can be, and I kind of I wrestle with
this stuff because I'm fairlynew.
I'm fairly new into coaching.
I wrestle with man, I want towin, I want to win, I want to
(11:11):
win because that's how I was asa player and every coach is that
way.
That competitive drive.
Every parent is that way, every, I mean.
If you're in a competitiveenvironment, you probably want
to win, no doubt?
Like no one plays yeah, I don'tknow of anyone who plays soccer
or coaches soccer, and so Ilike losing you know, so it's
like you, you wrestle with thatpride a bit, but they to win at
(11:35):
the expense of development, likeI.
I don't know that's very good,it may be good feeling, but for
development's sake the player isnot getting anything Right.
And I can only say this becauseI was this way as a player.
You see through people, you seethrough stuff, even if you're
(11:57):
winning, you see through it, andso being able to receive that,
that content so important,because that if you're being
challenged and you're you, you,you see your learning going up
and up and up, well then yourhope and your dream almost seems
(12:19):
to be a bit more realized.
Right, like if I feel like I'mbeing pushed and I'm being
taught better and this is thesame thing in school Like if
you're, if you're gettingcontent that's challenging and
you're being engaged by aprofessor or a teacher that's,
you know, really pushing you andreally well, especially in the
(12:40):
college, and I think in thecollege environment, you have a
professor who's really pushingyou and engaging with your old,
say, papers or your own work andthey're able to get you to
where you want to go.
Well, that's very, actuallyencouraging, right and so, and
when that happens, you're like,okay, well, I think I can
actually, I can actually um,reach something that I want to
(13:00):
reach, um, but if I can't, thenwe'll, if, if, if I don't see
that, you know, that class isnot a fun class, in other words,
that class is a joke.
You don't take that classseriously, you don't take that
team seriously, you don't takethat season seriously.
So it's like I find that it isespecially at the higher levels
(13:24):
to you know, it's, I guess,guess, important, but like,
maybe there's a bit a betterword than important or vital.
It's vital that you get contentright, because the content is
like it's a kind of matches,that pathway right and so, yeah,
at the one is like the 2012,the new 13s, u14s, yeah, trying
(13:48):
to shape how they see the gameis very important, but once it's
shaped, you've got to be ableto continue to push and push um
so that's awesome.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
Well, I mean talk about you know transition a
little bit here and let's talkabout your experience.
Uh so far, right, uh stillongoing.
Uh with the u20 boys.
Uh academy program with uhozark united what did you see
from the response to tryouts andthe level and then how this
(14:22):
group that truly wasrepresentation of our community
at large from all corners andyou know a lot of and you know
I'll let you talk about it, butwe had players that were rivals
for the majority of theirplaying career now coming
(14:43):
together and getting the besttalent in the same place, under
the same badge and playingtogether and competing at really
, really high levels.
Speaker 3 (14:54):
Yeah, I don't really know where to start.
There's a lot to it, I think.
I guess tryouts, tryouts, theamount of players that that
showed up, that was that wasreally awesome.
And it you're seeing all theseplayers and as a coaching staff,
(15:14):
you're like, oh man, like wegotta sort through these players
, you know, um, and that was achallenge in itself.
But like just all those letterscoming out, it I think it showed
it showed something to thecommunity right about this.
Almost this.
I want to be a part of this.
There's togetherness, so tospeak.
All those letters coming out, Ithink it showed something to
(15:35):
the community right About this.
Almost this.
I want to be a part of this.
There's togetherness, so tospeak, and while they may not
think it at the time, like theseplayers that you were saying,
coming from different clubs inthis area, together and they're
playing, and not only justplaying together, but they
succeed together, right, andthat's shown in what we've done
in this fall season Experience.
Again, I think when I look atthe players who came in at this
(15:59):
tryouts, right, and you'reevaluating players, you know,
you're seeing, how do you saythat?
You see, like technique, yousee their feet right and some
are close.
Some are, you know, way higherthan others, but then on the
other side you're judging.
On the other side of it you'rejudging again like your
(16:22):
decision-making, and so thedecision-making processes of
what they're seeing in the games, what they're really trying to
create in the games, was verylittle.
You know how they connect withplayers or connect with
teammates, that their randomteammates, random kind of
they've played against eachother in the area but random
(16:44):
teammates and how they can makethose connections and then make
plays happen.
Um wasn't very high right theirvocab.
Their vocabulary wasn't veryhigh.
You know, um, and so, like youthink about content, into what
we've taken these playersthrough.
For me, vocables that's likethat's a huge thing if you can't
(17:05):
express yourself, if you can'texpress what's going, what's
going on in your mind, um, andthat's something that's.
That's a skill constantly youconstantly grow at.
It's a huge thing If you can'texpress yourself, if you can't
express what's going on in yourmind, and that's something
that's a skill you constantlygrow at, especially as you get
older and older.
You try to grow that ability toexpress yourself.
But if you can't expressyourself on the field, well,
you're limiting, right.
So one of the things that we'vedone with the team is just
(17:28):
Right.
So one of the things that we'vedone with with the team is just
vocab, vocab, vocab andconnecting that with experience,
right?
So experience, can you any?
Speaker 2 (17:42):
other questions.
I think I think one of thethings the other things, too
that I've heard from you bothyou and Scott one of the things,
the other things, too that I'veheard from you both you and
scott, um that I know you'veworked on with the u20 boys is
the concept of talk a little bitabout the concept of you know,
instead of system habits, yeah,and talk about talk about the
(18:04):
difference there and why and Ithink you're starting to see it
too in other areas of the game,at at other levels, with other
teams, especially at the highestlevel you talk about habits and
then the system follows.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
So talk a little bit about that yeah, you know, I I I
think what I talk with skyabout this.
As a player, I never thought ina system.
I never thought in the system,like I mentioned in the last
episode, the game justconstantly going on in my mind.
I mean, whether I'm playingFIFA, whether I'm watching the
(18:39):
camera, whether I'm watchinghighlights like I'm watching
highlights, jobby highlights,you score highlights, whatever
it is as a midfielder, I'mseeing those moments that
they're in in the game and I'mseeing it on the field, but
those are.
I'm envisioning that I'm inthose scenarios.
I never see those scenarios assystems.
I see those scenarios asmoments in a game, and this is
(19:01):
what I'm going to do.
When Thiago Alcantara does anelastical between two players,
and he'll do it in differentmoments of the field, for me
it's just an action, that's justa moment in the game.
I do think there's benefits toboth of them.
(19:23):
I think there's benefits toboth of them Because when I was
a pro, it was very much verysystematic in that way, which is
okay.
Know, um, because when I was apro, it was very much like very
systematic in that way, which isokay, because that actually
helped me as a pro.
Um, it helped me in certainmoments as a pro, but this idea
of like actions, it's likeeverything is linked to decision
, decision making and being ableto recognize moments in the
(19:45):
game right, like a 2v2 willalways be a 2v2, 2v2 will always
be a 2v2, a 3v3 will always bea 3v3, no matter what, what
system you decide to play.
You know an overlap is adecision you can use to, is a
decision you can make.
it can be an underlap, itdoesn't always have to be um if
it's for me, I think, especiallyat the youth levels, like and
(20:09):
with a really really younglevels system, system can be
black and white and once it'sblack and white, it's
predictable and it's.
It's not about being black andwhite, but it's about creativity
.
Creativity is gray.
Creativity is I get to decidewhat to do, I can I get to
(20:29):
create what I want to create, um.
So for me it's um and that'sthat's what ultimately.
I think changes changes the gamelike this game this game is
constantly changing, likethere's there's things that are
being done in the prank that youdon't, you never see done, like
the one that comes to my mindis arm slot or, uh, pochettino,
(20:51):
the way they use the outsidebacks.
I've seen runs by the outsidebacks and, like I've never heard
of that run in my life.
But again, like you talk about,like the creativity, like a
player to to be creative and tolike a player can think that,
like, like these kids can thinkthat they can come up with those
runs on their own.
If you allow them to come upwith those runs on their own
(21:13):
right, and it's like my way ofthinking is it can be very
limiting.
You know, and the whole thingis, I'm not playing If these
kids are playing.
These kids have to be creative,these kids have to make the
decisions, these kids have tosee creative, these kids have to
make the decisions, these kidshave to have to see the moments
right.
And so for me, like um theactions, it's like a, it's a,
(21:34):
it's a tool set.
Like you have all.
You have all these actions, allthese um things that you can do
in a game and for for, like, atraining session or for a game.
It's my job to facilitate, like, can you see the variety of
tools that you can use in agiven moment?
Right, because it's not alwaysone thing, one thing doesn't
always work.
(21:54):
One by one guy's body shape,maybe slightly turned, that
actually several other optionsyou can do, right, and that that
high level detail, well, thatcomes from just playing um,
someone's the distance of adefender may be a yard, a yard
different from the last scenario.
Well, that calls for a wholedifferent thing.
Right, and at the end of theday, it's um, we're trying to
(22:18):
create um autonomy, we're tryingto create individuality.
Right, we're not trying tocreate players who, because in
five years the game will bedifferent.
The us national team will beplaying different soccer.
The prim you'll national teamwill be playing different soccer
.
The Prem you'll be seeingdifferent soccer.
In the Prem.
You know La Liga you'll beseeing different styles of
soccer.
So it's like you're not tryingto create a player who fits the
(22:39):
time right now, but you'retrying to create a player who,
when their opportunity comes, ifthey get an opportunity, wow,
coach, looks at them and say Ilike what they have, I can bring
them into what I'm doing, youknow um yeah, so like for me
it's like I think, well, my lastthing, I think on the actions
piece and actually like theactions focused open to the
(23:03):
player for a future opportunity,right to fit anywhere, instead
of like a very system like 433,4231, you're going to play, uh,
this type of a midfielder,you're going to make these kind
of runs, you're going to beshowing up in these spots.
You're very limiting.
Like a 12 year old, a 10 yearold, a 10 year old, you're
(23:23):
telling a 10 year old to be inthis one spot.
Well, you do that for a while.
You get around a their nextopportunity.
Say they're trying out for acollege sorry, they can only go
to a college that tells thatcoach tells them to go into this
one spot.
It's very limiting, I think.
I think it's very limiting.
You know it's very restricting.
But if you, if I can, give aplayer who is playing a 10 and
(23:46):
saying hey, like, look at allthese different movements, that
10, that the number 10s in inliga mx, look at what these 10s
in the hey, look at all thesedifferent movements that the
number 10s in Liga MX.
Look at what these 10s in MLS.
Look at this number 10, honeyMokhtar.
Look at what he's doing andlook at what these 10s in
Liverpool are doing Like, takethat, take it and run, go do it,
go do your thing in the gameand you'll find this kid is
(24:07):
going to be doing all differentactions and like things that you
didn't even think of and theygo in.
I think later on they go into acoach, a coach, a coach, their
college coach, wherever it isthe next level, whatever it is
goes and sees this player andlike Whoa, that's a, that's an
individual right there, that's athinker.
You know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (24:27):
Like that's a thinker I can reason.
Speaker 3 (24:27):
I can reason with a thinkerer, you know what I mean.
Like that's a thinker, I canreason.
I can reason with a thinker,you know what?
Speaker 1 (24:33):
I mean.
Speaker 3 (24:34):
And so I think that, just like opportunity, wise like
you, it's anywhere, like ifyou're a thinker, if you're a
thinker of this game.
Speaker 2 (24:50):
So, yeah, to your point.
I think it's an interesting wayto put it where you know,
habits and actions are tools inyour toolbox that, when
presented with, you know soccer,to your point.
In my opinion, soccer is allabout situational decision
(25:11):
making.
100%, 100%, like at the highestlevel, right, and what
separates and how to, how doteams win is, you know, it's
about scoring goals, but it'sit's situational decision making
throughout the game, um,because everybody can execute,
everybody has a good touch,everybody right, it's here and
it's situational decision making.
(25:32):
It and the chess match, that isthe ninth minute, um, and so
your your concept of focusing on.
You know, obviously you gottatalk about system, but you focus
more on building actions andhabits that allow players
toolbox to go here that fillsthis with very quick in the game
(25:57):
in the moment.
How do I attack, how do Imanipulate, how do I do those
things based upon those habitsand activities that have been
drilled into me over and, overand over and over, no matter
what the system is or thesituation is within the game.
And that's such an interestingdifferent, you know dynamic to
to start to play around what youthink about, um, yeah, and that
(26:18):
builds and that and that buildson.
You know, we, you talked aboutvocab with the u20s, like some
of that is vocab about actionsand habits, right, and yeah,
what does this mean if I callout, if I call this out to a
player on my team?
Right, and how do wecommunicate and talk through
that?
So, really, really interestingstuff, man.
Well, I'll end with this.
(26:39):
What are you and you touched alittle bit about this as a
player um, when you were at newmexico united what are you most
excited for with professionalmen's and women's soccer coming
to Arkansas?
Speaker 3 (26:59):
Well, for me, I have a son and a daughter.
My daughter was just born andso it's like for me, it's like
both games, to take my family tothese games that are around
this community.
Like man, I think that's soawesome.
I saw it in New Mexico United.
I saw it with New Mexico UnitedTo be like I don't have to go
(27:23):
to KC for a game.
You know, like I can go and bepart of my community here.
You know, pathways is one thingyeah, it's great, but I think
for me it's like I get to dosomething.
I get to go watch high-levelgames right in northwest
Arkansas.
I find that I get to bring myfamily, I get to experience with
(27:45):
my family what I got toexperience as a player with the
Mexican United.
I get to take them to a gameand watch our team.
It's our team.
Watch our community's team.
You know I can support thisteam.
You know I love like the like.
I love like towns.
(28:06):
Like in England.
It's like towns, they havetheir team.
I love that.
You know it's like for me, it'stowns they have their team.
I love that, you know it's likefor me.
Northwest Arkansas.
That's our team, it's our town.
Like, yeah, region town, it'sour town's team.
You know what I mean.
So I think for me that's thepiece where I look forward to
the most, Like it gets to be ourteam.
Speaker 2 (28:29):
That's cool.
That's cool Well, Ryan.
Thank you so much, man.
It's been another insightfuland just really fun combo and
appreciate everything thatyou're doing with our youth in
the area, again instilling thatpassion Beautiful game On to the
next generation.
Appreciate everything you'redoing with our U20 Boys Academy
(28:50):
and can't wait to continue tosee the success there with those
boys.
And just all the best to you.
Really appreciate you joiningme.
Speaker 3 (28:59):
Yeah, wes.
Thank you for this.
This was good.
Speaker 2 (29:01):
Thank you for catching this episode of Pitch
to Pro.
Remember to follow us on allsocials at Pitch to Pro and
visit pitchtoprocom or YouTubeand Apple or Spotify wherever
you get your podcasts for moregreat content.
Until next time.
Northwest Arkansas cheers.
Speaker 1 (29:19):
Thanks for joining us on this episode of the Pitcher
Pro podcast.
Be sure to tune in again in twoweeks for the next installment
and check out the Stoppage Timeseries for a recap of today's
episode.
Be sure to find us at Pitch toPro on YouTube, instagram and
everywhere you get your podcasts.
Until next time, northwestArkansas cheers.
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