December 4, 2025 • 38 mins
What does it really take for a young player to chase a professional dream beyond their hometown club scene?
Wes sits down with Ozark United FC Academy goalkeeper Zach Taylor and his parents, Beth and Joel, to unpack the family, sacrifice, and belief behind a 14 year old’s journey from Olive Branch, Mississippi, to MLS NEXT soccer in Northwest Arkansas.
Zach shares how his life has been “soccer, soccer, soccer” for as long as he can remember, from pounding the ball off the wall in the backyard to treating the garage as his best teammate. He talks about the standard at Ozark United, what it felt like stepping into his first MLS NEXT match in Louisiana, and why the playing style, speed of play, and role of the goalkeeper made him feel like he had finally found “home” with his new teammates.
Beth and Joel pull back the curtain on the commitment behind that dream. They talk about balancing work, school, and travel, what it is like to have dad as both airline pilot and full-time “Taylor transportation coordinator,” and how owning a small plane turns a 5-hour drive into a 1-hour flight to train in Bentonville. They share honestly about finances, time, and why the level of buy-in from parents and players matters just as much as the letters on the league.
Zach then looks ahead and gets real about his goals. From earning a spot in Division 1 college soccer, to breaking into the US Youth National Team pool, to one day playing professionally in Germany for clubs like Wolfsburg or Dortmund, he shares how he pairs big dreams with daily work, no off days, and a mindset that “if your dreams do not scare you, they are not big enough.”
If you are a parent, player, or coach trying to figure out the “right path” in youth soccer, this conversation gives you a relatable, behind-the-scenes look at one family’s route, the decisions along the way, and what they are learning about joy, pressure, and keeping the game fun.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_04 (00:04):
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 to bring you along forthe 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 PodcastVideos.com.
(00:46):
Podcastvideos.com is NorthwestArkansas's premier podcast
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Equipped with industry-leadingequipment, the recording studio
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SPEAKER_03 (00:57):
They are dedicated to helping you create, record,
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Be sure to check them out todayat podcastvideos.com.
SPEAKER_04 (01:07):
Hello, everybody, and welcome back to the Pitch
the Pro Podcast.
I'm your host, Wes Harris,Managing Director for Ozark
United FC, Northwest Arkansas'sprofessional soccer club,
playing in the United SoccerLeague.
I'm really excited for thisdiscussion today, guys.
Joining me, I've got Mr.
Zach Taylor, Mom, Beth, and DadJoel, all the way here from
Memphis, Tennessee, but playingfor our Ozark United FC Academy.
(01:30):
Zach, Mom and Dad, welcome toNWA for the weekend.
And thank you guys for joiningme.
SPEAKER_00 (01:35):
Thanks for having us.
SPEAKER_04 (01:36):
It's fabulous.
Awesome.
Well, Zach and Mom and Dad,let's let's let everybody get to
know you first before we getinto Mr.
Zach and his playing and youknow OZFC Academy experience and
all that.
I want everybody to just get toknow you guys a little bit.
So who are you?
Where are you guys from?
And and kind of how did you findyour way here?
SPEAKER_02 (01:55):
Well, basically, I grew up playing soccer.
It was always every single day.
It was soccer, soccer, soccer,and everything.
And like that's how like I'vealways like dreamt of being MLS
next.
I have a little joke that Ihave.
I don't like I don't try and gofind a bunch of friends.
(02:15):
I my friend is the ball.
My friend is that little wallthat'll just ping against bang,
bang, bang, just pass againstall the time.
SPEAKER_04 (02:26):
A wall is a soccer player's best friend.
I try to tell people all thetime.
Yeah, well, as long as dad canfix it.
We gotta holy hell.
Yeah, yeah, that's okay.
SPEAKER_00 (02:43):
Um I'm an accountant, so work for the
power company for almost 20years now, and yeah, try to
support him as much as possible.
So years and years ago, that's Iused to play soccer, and so I
was the crazy goalkeeper, andyes, I used to ping the wall off
the my garage floor.
I'd had went through multipleboards.
(03:06):
And so, you know, sports wasalways a thing for me.
I made friends through it andgot to go all kinds of different
places, and you know, that wasme and my parents' best time.
So just trying to give him agood experience with sports.
So and get take him differentplaces and have a good, you
know, experience as a kid that Idid.
SPEAKER_01 (03:25):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_04 (03:25):
No, that's great.
SPEAKER_01 (03:26):
What about you, Dad?
Uh I'm a airline pilot for acargo company.
Okay.
And uh been there eight years,but I've been flying for all my
life, but um 30 plus um has acertificated pilot.
Um, which helps with this, but Imy main job is to Taylor
(03:48):
Transportation Coordinator.
My soccer experience isabsolutely zero, uh, but I know
how to set up a VO or find a afield.
Yeah.
And uh I'm happy on the day thatI can figure out what an offside
position hit.
I like that.
SPEAKER_04 (04:07):
I like that.
Yeah.
Important uh with the goalie andfiguring out if the goal stands
or not.
But that's great.
I mean, and you guys are fromMemphis, right?
If I'm not correct, just notmistaken.
Just South Office Branch,Mississippi.
Olive Branch, Mississippi.
Okay.
Yep.
Um total sidebar.
I used to work for uh, well, aclient of mine had a
(04:28):
manufacturing plant rightoutside of it was like an hour
and a half south of uh Memphisand Mississippi.
Um and I will I'll remember thename after we get done recording
and tell you guys later, but Ican't I for the life of me I
can't remember the name of themanufacturing plant, but um I
know the area is what I'msaying.
Uh but you guys play for OzarkUnited FC on the U-15s, but you
(04:54):
live in Memphis.
So let's talk about thatcommute.
SPEAKER_00 (05:01):
Five-hour drive when we make it.
So, but luckily um we've been apartner in a Bonanza airplane
for going on about 10 years now.
Okay.
So it's about a little over anhour flight that we fly in to
Bentonville, and you know,they've got they've been great
with us.
We can usually use one of the uhcars that they have.
(05:21):
Like the other day we flew in,they have the car for us, jump
out of the airplane, take themstraight, practice, practice for
an hour and a half to two hoursand fly home at night.
SPEAKER_04 (05:32):
Just for listeners jumping out of the airplane when
it's on the ground.
I have done that a couple times,but when it's in the air, but on
the ground for you guys.
SPEAKER_01 (05:42):
That's one of the big questions I'm always asked.
Have you ever been in aparachute like no?
Pilot's in a parachute.
That's a bad day.
SPEAKER_04 (05:51):
That's a bad day.
That's a bad day.
Well, I mean, that's uh youknow, fortunate to to have a
nice uh pilot in the family andand dad and be able to cut that
uh commute in you know almost afifth.
SPEAKER_01 (06:06):
Well, it helps definitely with with the
educational piece to where it'sminor disruptions to where maybe
we pull him an hour, you know,before, you know, during study
hall time for that last period,and we'll have him home by 10
o'clock.
Yeah.
So he can go to bed and do itall again the next day.
It's it's a grind, but it'sworth it and it and it happened.
(06:27):
And it it it's helpful.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (06:29):
Yeah.
And then like sometimes on likethe commutes and everything,
I'll just be like, sometimes I'mlike trying to watch film or
anything, but don't really getmuch self-service up there,
sadly.
SPEAKER_04 (06:39):
Yeah, yeah.
I mean, it's also a time whereyou can I don't even know what
homework looks like these days,but uh if it doesn't if it
doesn't require uh uh internet,uh at least some reading maybe
um or something like that, youcan get that done on the
community.
SPEAKER_00 (06:54):
I'm done with a passenger pertinentist.
I sit in the back and usuallysleep and chill.
SPEAKER_04 (06:58):
Yeah.
No, that's great.
That's great.
SPEAKER_02 (07:00):
Sometimes I need a power knob because I know I got
training that night.
SPEAKER_04 (07:03):
I'm like, yeah, as well get some rest and be ready.
Yeah.
Okay.
So how did how did you guys findOzark United?
Coach Kevin Tego.
Mr.
Coach.
SPEAKER_01 (07:16):
We met Kevin uh over four years ago.
SPEAKER_02 (07:21):
Four years ago through a I was 10.
Yes.
I was 10 years old, and it wasbasically this training company.
My friend, his parents actuallytold them about this.
It was called Magis.
Basically, they would doone-on-one sessions.
It was like the best trainingyou can get.
And we went over to them and wewere going to do it.
(07:42):
We told them, would y'all beable to get a keeper coach soon?
And they said they'd work on it.
And about, I think it was aboutlike two months later, two or
three months later, after weasked that, they said, Hey, we
got a keeper coach.
His name's Kevin Teller.
He's the goalkeeper coach atMemphis.
And during that time, I workedwith him about two years
associated with matches.
(08:03):
But then he got the assistantcoach job at Memphis and he said
he couldn't coach at matchesanymore.
And I was like really destroyedabout that.
And then he told me um we canprobably still get some sessions
in while I'm at the campus inMemphis during the offseason, we
can work one-on-one.
So I did that for about I thinkabout three more years.
SPEAKER_01 (08:25):
Two degree.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (08:29):
And then like when we um heard about him going to
Ozark, I was destroyed.
Yeah.
Because I would never have acoach that would make me succeed
like that again.
Because he taught me absolutelyeverything.
SPEAKER_04 (08:42):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (08:43):
Every single thing of my technique, distribution,
power, strength, everything.
SPEAKER_04 (08:48):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (08:49):
And he suggested Ozark at that time for me to
come with him.
Yeah.
But at that time we weren'treally in the position.
So I had to stay back while hewas up there.
SPEAKER_01 (09:02):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (09:03):
And then about two months ago.
SPEAKER_01 (09:06):
It's been worldwide.
SPEAKER_02 (09:07):
Two two months ago, he uh gave us a call and said,
Hey, uh, we think you'd be agreat fit with our team.
Come try out, we'll come take alook at you.
Yeah.
And uh first session, I fell inlove with the team.
SPEAKER_01 (09:23):
Again, yes, yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_04 (09:25):
Jumped out of the airplane onto the airplane.
SPEAKER_01 (09:28):
Went to the first training side.
Yeah.
unknown (09:30):
Right.
SPEAKER_02 (09:30):
That's why I stepped on that field.
I fell in love with the team.
I did not want to go back home.
Yeah.
I loved every single one of myteammates because the trainings
were amazing, the coaching wasamazing.
I just was like, this is my homethat I've been longing for for
so long.
SPEAKER_04 (09:47):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (09:48):
And when Coach Thomas pulled me off to the
side, it was after the session,and he said he would take me on
the team when we got in the car.
I screamed my head off.
I was so excited.
SPEAKER_04 (09:59):
Oh, that's awesome.
SPEAKER_02 (09:59):
That I got on the team.
SPEAKER_04 (10:00):
That's awesome.
SPEAKER_02 (10:01):
Because I was like, finally, yeah, my people, my
family, yeah, I can go to them,I can play with them.
And it's just always like everysingle day.
It's been like more strength tome.
Yeah.
Power.
I've been like waking up.
I'm like, I gotta do these forthese guys.
Yeah.
These guys have been, they tookme in on the first session.
(10:21):
Like, that's why I say aboutBentonville.
SPEAKER_04 (10:23):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (10:24):
The city that gave me a chance.
SPEAKER_04 (10:25):
Yeah.
That's awesome.
Well, that's great.
I mean, mom, dad, talk aboutwhat that meant for you guys to
kind of get that call and thensee kind of see the experience
with the team and the setup andjust have have that experience
of of coming and being able toto watch him kind of assimilate
(10:46):
and and find a home.
SPEAKER_00 (10:47):
Yeah.
I mean, honestly, it's um he'sbeen wanting to play MLS next
for a while.
We've had the opportunity toplay ECNL E C R L and he's done
great with it um with the teamsback home.
But um all these differentalphabet suit things that are
all trying to push you todifferent organizations and MLS
(11:09):
next seems to be a goodopportunity to be seen.
So we're trying to, you know,okay, let's let's try this
opportunity.
Let's let's see where we can beseen with it.
Because like he said, he wantsto go play, he wants to go pro,
he wants to go play at a D1 or aD2.
He's trying his best, he worksout.
(11:30):
He I mean haven't had a singleoff day in about like most I
mean, all summer long we'redoing practices, going here,
going there.
So it's it's what he wants todo.
So as a parent, he's our onlykid.
Yeah, we're gonna try.
SPEAKER_01 (11:45):
Yeah.
I mean as far as you know thewhat would impress me uh uh a
lot.
Um I mean, I enjoyed theenthusiasm and the coaching in
the first um in the firstsession when he came to try out
the the the enthusiasm and thecoaching and on the part of the
player, coming they were seriousyet having fun.
(12:07):
Yes.
And it was one of those thingsto where, okay, because we've
been on teams where there's beenfun, no serious.
Um never really had a team thatwas all serious and no fun, but
this one seemed like okay,they're they're not it's not so
overbearing that they're stillnot having a good time, but they
are playing at a very high leveland being held to a high
(12:28):
standard.
And I think that was the otherthing that really impressed me
is I'm an analytical guy, I'm ayou know, 25-year military guy,
retired.
And the the structure, diggingit.
I love it.
I mean, you know, when you showup from away an away game and
you've got an itinerary anditinerary to where even the
warmups is not just warmups,it's warm-ups consisting of X,
(12:52):
Y, C, and the whole breakdown.
Um, and I mean, I was reallyimpressed with week we had
Houston.
Uh yeah.
The Friday, Saturday, Sunday,the Saturday cancels for
weather.
And traditionally, you know,we're I'm talking about all
right, well, I might get withsome of the parents and figure
out something to do.
Nope.
The new schedule pops out onSaturdays, even though we're
not, you know, obligated to agame, the coach has already put
(13:15):
out a new itinerary.
The kids are accounted for, youknow, and and so it's it's very
regimental D1 soccer like.
And I like that.
I like the the structure.
SPEAKER_02 (13:30):
Yes, it's because like if I do go to like a D1
school or professional team,I've already like experienced
it.
It's exactly like that.
SPEAKER_00 (13:38):
It's just uh the team building is very nice.
That he's the coaching andstuff, and they try to get the
boys together to work together,no matter if it's having game
night in the conference room atthe hotel, playing dodgeball at
you know, a bounce place, youknow.
It's you know, they're they trythey try to and honestly that
team environment makes them playbetter because they got their
(14:01):
back on the field.
SPEAKER_04 (14:02):
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I mean, you have to you have tohave some level of that to be
able to to gel together on afield, right?
They're you can't just show up.
They're not robots.
You know, they can't just showup and perform and expect that
to happen.
SPEAKER_00 (14:18):
So they're still kids.
SPEAKER_04 (14:19):
They are kids.
They were.
Absolutely.
SPEAKER_00 (14:21):
And that's one thing we figured out is that sometimes
they show up at a soccer fieldand they know how to kick a
soccer ball.
And sometimes they show up andthey're like, what type of kid
do we have today?
It's all these differenthormones and stuff they got
going when they're 14, 15 yearsold.
SPEAKER_04 (14:37):
It's so true.
I mean, we talked a little bitabout it, but I mean, you guys
have obviously stuck with it atleast for a few months.
Um, so you know, why I guess youyou talked about it a little
bit, but I mean why was it Iwant to hear from like mom and
dad, why was it so important foryou guys?
And and I'll come back to youtoo, on finding, you know,
(15:01):
Memphis has got a good soccerscene, right?
Why was it important for youguys to explore this?
And you know, that's a bigcommitment to make to come up
here and play for OZFC whilestill living in Memphis.
Why is that like how did youguys, I guess, uh come to that
(15:24):
decision with as a family?
SPEAKER_01 (15:26):
Um, well, a lot of trust in Kevin for sure.
I mean, he he's not steered usthe wrong way.
I mean, it one of the otherbenefits of having him as a as a
one-on-one coach is you know,anytime you got a camp invite,
anytime anything like that, youcould run it through a D1 soccer
and see them lay D1 soccer coachwho does their recruiting and he
could do it.
Well, yeah, that's that's amoney grabber.
(15:48):
Or this one, that's a good one.
I know these guys, that's a goodone.
Right.
So we really trust his judgment.
And um the you know, the thename MLS Next, that's kind of a
big ticket item too, because weyou know, if we're we're kind of
a geographic anomaly in the towhere we have, yeah, we have MLS
Next.
It's four and a half hours thisway, it's five hours this way,
(16:09):
it's four and a half hours thisway, it's six hours this way.
So in any case, we're going forplus hours of a drive.
And, you know, like Beth said,that there is some alphabet
soup, but when you're talking toa lot of college recruiters and
you're hearing, well, yeah, wego to to ECNL events, but if
there's an ECNL event and itoverlaps with an MLS next fest
(16:33):
or come up, we're not goingthere, we're going probably MLS
next.
So that that's where the namebecame important.
But Ozark specifically, um, youknow, we trusted, you know,
Kevin's judgment and honestly, II started looking at the
organization, and you know,there's not any other
(16:53):
organizations I've seen thathave this much infrastructure
already, you know, and and thenand then hopefully the the
future really, really bright aswell.
Um I'm working on it.
That that and just coming in onthe ground floor of it, it was
kind of cool too.
Yeah, was a thought.
I mean, that that was that wasthe more chancy part to where
it's okay, yeah, this is we'retaking a chance here, but you
(17:16):
know, there's not much loss thathappens if we go here.
And uh it's it's just beenreally, really joining in the
area, love the area.
I mean, yeah.
MLS next in Bentonville,Arkansas, MLS next, Hattiesburg,
Mississippi.
Yeah.
You know, I uh Bentonville hasyou know a little bit more to
offer, I think.
Yeah.
(17:36):
Um as far as an area isconcerned.
I as a kid, I they you know wedid our vacations at and you
know, those arcs at you know,Buffalo and stuff like that.
So familiar with the area.
So that one too.
Gotcha.
SPEAKER_00 (17:52):
I mean, just honestly just trying to help
him.
I mean, um with ECNL and ECRL,you know, that's mainly what's
in the Memphis area.
Um we even did the E64 stuff.
So um, yeah, he's he's get lethim experience all of it as much
as we can.
Um so when this opportunity cameup, because yeah, we you you see
(18:15):
MLS stuff on TV all the time.
And yeah, let's let's see whatit let's see where it goes.
I mean, you know, now there's alot of USL stuff popping up.
SPEAKER_04 (18:26):
Yeah.
You guys had it in yourbackyard.
Uh R R I P R I P.
Well, it's coming back,apparently.
USL two team.
Okay, yeah.
Yeah, USL two, there you go.
SPEAKER_00 (18:37):
Yeah, so we're just kind of seeing where it goes.
SPEAKER_04 (18:39):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (18:40):
You know, and kind of like I told you before, is
that you know, when it's whenit's not fun anymore, it's time
to quit.
So um let him enjoy it as longas he wants to, and when he gets
tired of it or see where itleads us.
So just enjoy being a kid aslong as you can.
SPEAKER_04 (18:54):
Yeah.
What about you, Zach?
What why was it important foryou to explore outside of what
you had uh on offer for you inMemphis?
SPEAKER_02 (19:02):
Basically, from what people told me in that area is
like you can be ECNO, you can beECRL, but like I had one coach
tell me, Division I schools, ifyou want to go straight to D1,
you have to be out on this nextbecause it's so heavily
(19:22):
recruited by Division I schools.
Like there is something Kevintold me, D two and D3 schools,
they go to ECN Elements, they goto the ECR Elements, D one
schools, they go to the Fest,they go to the Cup, they go to
Flex, they go to GA Cup.
That's all that like that's whyI was like, I'm gonna have to
(19:42):
explore outside of it.
Because no matter what, if Iwant to get to the highest
level, highest potential I canhave, I'm gonna have to go
somewhere else.
Because I knew with the work Iput in, with all the work that I
did, I knew that it would payoff.
Yeah, definitely.
Um basically I saw like theclubs like that were in our area
(20:03):
where like we had to decide.
SPEAKER_05 (20:05):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (20:06):
Because like there was actually a little while ago,
we were figuring out everysingle trial date for all MLSX
teams in the area.
There's that time, and thenKevin shoots us that text.
I'm I'm going nuts in thebackyard.
SPEAKER_01 (20:21):
It it literally was, you know, we're we're we're
trying to map out our future,and as we're trying to, you
know, look at these, you know,okay, Hansville has their trial
dates at this, but I don't knowif they're doing a U14 team
trial right now or blah, blah,blah, blah, blah.
And then, you know, I get atext.
Yeah.
Hey, what age group is that?
(20:43):
You know, it's from Keppel.
And then, you know, and that'sanother thing.
Is it's it's kind of, I don'tknow, you know, one of those
things where you do you pass upon something as you're thinking
about it, and then all of asudden, you know, dynamically it
you know, it just shows up.
Right.
That's something that's like,yeah, maybe this maybe we're
(21:05):
being pointed towards adirection.
Yeah.
And let's take it for the theride and see.
SPEAKER_02 (21:10):
And then like we trust Kevin.
Yeah.
No matter what.
To be honest, I would go into aburning building for him,
definitely.
Because basically, every singlecamp he's told me to go to.
I went, it was great.
Every single one.
Yeah.
And every single thing he's toldme to do, every single thing he
told me to work on, every singlething.
(21:31):
Yeah.
It's just once I get all that,I'm like I can trust him.
SPEAKER_04 (21:37):
Build the trust over time.
And yeah.
Well, that's good to hear.
SPEAKER_00 (21:41):
I mean, we obviously one thing he does, he does um
coaches, he's always taking itto heart.
SPEAKER_04 (21:49):
So No, I mean coaches are um some of the most
and can be some of the mostinfluential adults in children's
lives.
Um whether that's sports orteachers, um I coach and I take
(22:09):
that role very seriously.
Um because I know what type ofenvironment and a coach that I
would want for my kids.
It's good to hear from um folksthat even knew him well before
we did, um just about it.
It just we know we have a goodone in in Coach Tao.
(22:31):
Uh, but it's good to hear, youknow, that was long before uh he
ever got here, which of coursewe knew, but it's fun to hear.
SPEAKER_01 (22:41):
Coaching is important because mom and dad
can say the exact same thing thecoach says, and we are
absolutely wrong.
But if the coach says what thecoach says, yeah, then we're
right.
So I know.
SPEAKER_04 (22:52):
At some point I'm gonna need to stop coaching my
kids' teams because I am coachand dad, and so dad is saying it
and coach is saying it.
And so that like at some pointI'm gonna need to hop off and
and just no, your coach said it.
SPEAKER_01 (23:03):
See I'm gonna go with 10 plus, pretty much eight
to ten and all no week, nothinguntil probably about 30.
SPEAKER_04 (23:10):
Yeah, exactly.
Yeah, exactly.
Yeah, no, that's great.
So, what has the experience beenlike for you playing uh in the
league?
Do you notice a difference?
Definitely 100% in who you'replaying, how you're playing with
the team, the coaching, eitheron our staff or others, mom dad
(23:32):
experiences like from otherleagues, and those other
leagues, by the way, I just Iwant to be really clear because
there's some great leagues in inthis in it, you know, this is
not the only path uh by anymeans.
Um, I think that it's importantto call that out too, because
everybody's journey isdifferent.
And what works for you know,Zach and you guys may not work
(23:56):
for for other folks, but um itcertainly is becoming more uh
talked about and and things thatwe're hearing, and we felt like
that was the right platform uhto bring into the area.
But I just wanted to level setthat piece of it.
But I want to hear from you guyson like experience, and you guys
(24:17):
have experienced both, right?
And we we, you know, Ipersonally haven't.
So I would love to hear some ofthe differences, kind of what
you're what you're seeing outthere, feeling, playing.
SPEAKER_02 (24:26):
Basically, I like to describe it by this because my
first game, Louisiana Elite.
I get there and I'm still likein shell shot because I'm like,
am I really doing this?
Am I really playing at thislevel with these type of guys?
And then like first kicking theball, and I'm like, they can do
that, yeah.
(24:47):
And because like the level isjust so high, yeah.
And like the passing, thedribbling the shots, everything.
I'm like, wow, yeah, and then Iget on to close out the game,
and I'm like, this is like thestyle, this is the style I want
(25:09):
to play all the time becauseit's so fast, involves the
keeper a lot with his feet.
Good.
And I love just distributing theball at the back, and like I
have guys checking in and outevery single time.
I don't have to like tell themto, they're just doing it no
matter what.
SPEAKER_04 (25:25):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (25:26):
And I'm like, wow, yeah, these guys truly are some
of the best of the best.
SPEAKER_04 (25:32):
Yeah.
Well, it's good to haveeverybody kind of bought into
the system and and you know,when you get to that certain
level, I mean it it it's second.
I mean, you guys have been howlong have you been playing?
SPEAKER_02 (25:43):
I've been playing since I was like five.
SPEAKER_04 (25:46):
You know, and that's a lot of these guys, right?
Um, maybe not five, but seven,eight, you know.
And so at this point, especiallywhen you start getting to this
level, a lot of that stuff isjust understanding the system
from the coach and how they wantto play, and then it becomes not
automatic, but gets close to it.
SPEAKER_00 (26:04):
Well, especially like at this age.
So um teenagers are starting tochoose different sports.
They're track starting tochoose, you know, maybe girls,
stuff, you know, want to stayhome, want to date, stuff like
that.
So um every level has adifferent commitment based on
parents, income, stuff likethat.
(26:24):
Um and everything is, you know,sometimes maybe your kid is on
this one team and well, you cankind of tell the kids that are
like, okay, yeah, I I think I'mgonna play school sports and at
home and enjoy it.
I mean, because playing schoolsports, you know, it's it's
great walking down the hall withthat letter jacket and all that
stuff, but and then butsometimes, you know, when you're
(26:46):
playing the competitive andyou're going out and stuff like
that, you can he he likes that.
He wants them the competitiveand traveling and seeing the
different parts of this UnitedStates and stuff.
So it's he likes it.
So and we're just trying toreally help him.
I mean, competition level,sometimes we show up and you
(27:06):
know, they're you know, it itdoesn't matter what alphabet
they are.
It's mean I mean they're someteams are just really, really
good.
SPEAKER_04 (27:13):
Really, really good.
SPEAKER_00 (27:14):
And some teams, you know, like oh we're kinda you
know, matter what team we're on,it's we're gonna we're gonna
win.
SPEAKER_05 (27:20):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (27:21):
So it's it's all about, you know, where we're
going and stuff like that.
So it's it's it's nice to seeall the different levels and so
but just give an opportunity toyour kid on on the level they
want to play.
SPEAKER_01 (27:34):
For me, I think a lot of it is I mean it I know we
get wrapped up in the alphabetsuit, but yeah, if you look at
NL, MLS next, eventually the theprice tag goes up to where
there's more buy-in by theparents.
So, you know, when we talk aboutthe seriousness of the the kids,
(27:58):
which they're kids, yeah, toshow up on time and to play.
Well, that that goes up a fewnotches.
And uh, you know, it's a wholelot as you know, you play with
my money or play with myemotions where when you're on
some teams and the parentsaren't holding a standard and
the kid just kind of shows upand then you could they disrupt
training or something like that.
I don't I feel like I'm like,wait a minute, you're you're
(28:19):
kind of picking my pocket alittle bit here.
I you know, this guy is reallyhe wants to come have fun, but
he wants to come and play hardand have a good training
session.
We're we're we're sacrificing,you know, money and time to for
this to happen.
And when you don't have a goodsession, you feel, I mean, come
on.
Yeah.
So I think the level of buy-in,I mean, the the parents are
(28:41):
serious on the sideline to wherethere's you know, you know, it
it's there's not a lot ofchatter across the board.
I mean, even the officiating, itit seemed I mean, we've played
our first game, the the the Hun,the crew with the the ref crew
was micing up.
Yeah.
Really?
All right.
So it's not been that way everygame, but I mean it was very
impressive for that one.
(29:03):
Um so yeah, uh just just the Ithink you can tell the level at
least is dictating the amount ofbuy-in for the parents.
Yeah.
And that translates all the waydown to the to the kid.
SPEAKER_04 (29:16):
I think that's a really important factor too, is
kind of club culture.
Um and that also doesn'tnecessarily have um that can
that is very true no matter whatalphabet soup you play in.
Is do you feel like you're inthe spot for you?
SPEAKER_02 (29:34):
And then like when I got to the first training
session in Coach Thomas, I fellin love with the style of
coaching.
I loved how he did thingsbecause he has he has all these
crazy sayings that I love.
SPEAKER_04 (29:46):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (29:47):
He has K O B K, which is all the time, which is
killer be killed.
SPEAKER_04 (29:51):
Okay.
SPEAKER_02 (29:51):
And then like practice, during he says killer
be killed in practice because hehas to say K O B Kames.
SPEAKER_04 (29:57):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (29:58):
And then like our themes for Houston, we had
defend like Vikings, yeah, burnthe boats, yeah, all these
sayings, and then like all of uskeep saying them all the time
during the games, and that's howI just fell in love with it.
SPEAKER_04 (30:10):
Yeah.
I heard I I was watching one ofyou guys' games at uh Hebron a
couple weeks ago, and uh youguys scored, and at the kickoff
he was screaming Fortress.
Yeah, which I know what he'strying to say, but uh I don't
know if people know this.
Most goals in soccer are scoredwithin two minutes of a stoppage
(30:32):
of play.
So whether that's a free kick, agoal being scored, uh it could
be the same team scoring again,but a lot of times it's the
other way.
Uh and either even things out orpulling one back or whatever it
is.
So I know that I know why he'ssaying it right after you guys
scored, like Fortress whereFortress we can't let up.
SPEAKER_02 (30:51):
Yep, and that's what we did during our first Dallas
Hornets game.
It was against Dallas HornetsEast.
And our call-up was Fortress onB Fortress on three before the
game started because we wanted acomplete clean sheet that game.
Yeah, because that's what hechallenged us to do, because we
always have like challengesbefore games.
Yeah.
Like our challenge for thatfirst game was it was three
goals in 10 minutes in six andtwenty, I think.
SPEAKER_04 (31:18):
Wow.
SPEAKER_00 (31:19):
That's yeah, he has to be challenges for the boys
each game, like we're gonna dothis much.
That's pretty cool.
SPEAKER_04 (31:27):
Gives them something to focus on.
SPEAKER_00 (31:28):
Right.
So, you know, and he he's a he'sa really good coach.
We're really getting to know himand stuff like that.
So every coach is great.
SPEAKER_04 (31:37):
All the coaching staff are great.
Thomas Thomas is great.
Um, we're very, very fortunateto have the coaching staff that
we do uh across the board.
We we hear it from parents, wehear it from other coaches, um,
and we're just we're veryfortunate to have be able to put
the type of program that we haveum right from the get-go.
And I'd be very remiss not tomention uh sporting and
(32:00):
everything that they do on theadmin side and making sure that
things run smoothly.
So big shout out to them andScott and and and Jen and and
Kevin for for overseeing theprogram.
SPEAKER_00 (32:11):
Um definitely make or break the CNOs, yes, their
future, where they want to play,where they want to go.
Well just like their attitudeoff the field too.
SPEAKER_01 (32:20):
Yeah, the opportunity.
Um we came up for fall break fortraining and wound up guest
playing with sporting for one oftheir tournaments.
So we actually got to enjoy theexperience with just sporting as
well.
SPEAKER_02 (32:33):
Funny part was basically that Sunday we came in
and then Kevin shot the textthat night and was like, Can you
are you free tomorrow?
Yeah.
Are you playing in thetournament tomorrow?
Yeah.
He's like, You come play for theU-16s, we're playing in the U17
division.
I'm like, I can do that for you,coach.
And I come in, play thatmorning, we win.
(32:55):
He's like 4-0.
Yeah.
I sprint over for the final twominutes of the U-15 game.
Yeah, they stick me in, and Imake like a really pretty good
save.
SPEAKER_01 (33:05):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (33:06):
And all of us are laughing.
SPEAKER_01 (33:07):
They're like, How did you get in for two minutes?
He originally just went over tosee how the game was going, and
the coach said, Hey, get yourcleat on.
SPEAKER_04 (33:14):
Oh, that's too funny.
That's it.
No, no, you're going in.
That's too funny.
Okay, okay.
SPEAKER_02 (33:20):
And the funny part was at the end of the day, we
won with the U 16s and the U15s.
SPEAKER_04 (33:28):
Oh, that's great.
It's a lot of fun.
That's good.
I I mean, I'm I'm super happy tohear about, you know, the
experience um from you knowparents' perspective as well.
Um, obviously for you, and andI'm glad, especially with the
type of commitment that you guyshave made.
So um just thank you forbelieving in in Coach Kevin.
(33:52):
And you know, it's it's amazingto see.
I hope you know how lucky youare to have parents that are
willing to make that type ofsacrifice and commitment.
Um I'm sure he does, but fromsomebody not mom and dad, right,
right, that say things, umthat's pretty darn special.
(34:15):
So um, you know, kudos to you,mom and dad.
I uh I was the oldest of four.
And for one season, my dad droveme two hours one way to train up
in uh it was just south ofPhiladelphia.
I grew up in Maryland uh for aclub and it just got to the
(34:39):
point where it was like I'mmissing too much at home with
the other kids and mom can'thandle, and nobody else lives by
us.
We can't carpool.
So I ended up being just fineand found another really good
opportunity.
But um, you know, everybody'ssituation is different, and
you're very fortunate to have uhsuch supportive parents that are
(34:59):
just like, hey, let's let'ssupport them however we can and
and figure it out.
So that's awesome.
Um well Zach, what what do youwhat what is your best case
scenario?
What's your dream, man?
What do you are you I I want togo to college and get an
education play, I want to go allthe way to pro.
I want to play Champions League.
Like, what are we what are wedoing?
SPEAKER_02 (35:19):
I've always wanted to go pro.
Like, you know, I always likework out scenarios in my mind,
like in my head.
I'm like, I always like Ithought to myself, when Ozark
was probably not having a club,I was like, you know, I could
get signed.
Yeah.
So I wanted to like maybe stickaround and then maybe get
signed.
Yeah.
(35:40):
And then start playing USL2,maybe get scattered by MLS.
Yeah.
And I wanted to always play forthe US youth national team.
Yeah.
And like my overall biggestdream, I wanted to go to Germany
and play like Wolfsburg,Dortmund, yeah, all the big
German clubs because you used tofly the National Guard to
Germany.
SPEAKER_04 (36:00):
I've always just had this.
I was gonna say, where's theGerman connection?
Yeah, grandmother's maiden namewas Kopf.
So turbulence.
Gotcha.
SPEAKER_02 (36:10):
So and then like I've always wanted to like make
a start of national teams.
It's just always been like, I'malways looking to the best.
I've always wanted to be thebest.
Because like he's a dreamer.
The reason the reason, like Itold myself was basically if
your dreams don't scare you,they're not good enough.
(36:32):
Yeah, they're not gonna make youwork hard enough.
Because if you really, reallywant it, yeah, you dream that
big, you'll work and you'll workand you'll work till you get it.
SPEAKER_04 (36:42):
Yeah.
I was gonna say it's one thingto be a dreamer, it's another to
be a dreamer and a worker.
And it sounds like you're theone that puts the work in.
So uh just keep doing that andhead down and surround yourself
with good people and you'll bein a good place.
SPEAKER_02 (36:57):
Yep.
Solid awesome.
SPEAKER_04 (37:01):
Well, guys, thank you.
I will let you get to uh I guessthe pre-match uh for the game
here.
Uh so I won't keep you too muchlonger.
But I just want to really saythank you guys so much for
believing in in the club and andCoach Kevin and you know, at
least coming to explore theopportunity and then leaning in
and and seeing what it wasabout.
(37:22):
And it sounds like you know,we've found a nice mutual fit
here.
So uh just congrats oneverything so far, Mr.
Taylor, there, and uh keepworking.
And mom and dad, keep doing whatyou're doing.
You guys are awesome.
I appreciate it.
SPEAKER_00 (37:36):
Well, thanks for having.
SPEAKER_04 (37:37):
Thanks for having us.
Awesome.
Well, that's it for this episodeof Pitch the Pro.
We hope you guys enjoyed it.
Uh be sure to catch all of ourepisodes on pitchthepro.com or
look for pitch the pro onYouTube, Spotify, Apple,
wherever you get your podcastfor more content.
Until next time, cheers,Northwest Arkansas.
SPEAKER_03 (37:53):
Thanks for joining us on this episode of the Pitch
the 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 thePro on YouTube, Instagram, and
everywhere you get yourpodcasts.
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 to bring you along forthe 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 PodcastVideos.com.
(00:46):
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SPEAKER_04 (01:07):
Hello, everybody, and welcome back to the Pitch
the Pro Podcast.
I'm your host, Wes Harris,Managing Director for Ozark
United FC, Northwest Arkansas'sprofessional soccer club,
playing in the United SoccerLeague.
I'm really excited for thisdiscussion today, guys.
Joining me, I've got Mr.
Zach Taylor, Mom, Beth, and DadJoel, all the way here from
Memphis, Tennessee, but playingfor our Ozark United FC Academy.
(01:30):
Zach, Mom and Dad, welcome toNWA for the weekend.
And thank you guys for joiningme.
SPEAKER_00 (01:35):
Thanks for having us.
SPEAKER_04 (01:36):
It's fabulous.
Awesome.
Well, Zach and Mom and Dad,let's let's let everybody get to
know you first before we getinto Mr.
Zach and his playing and youknow OZFC Academy experience and
all that.
I want everybody to just get toknow you guys a little bit.
So who are you?
Where are you guys from?
And and kind of how did you findyour way here?
SPEAKER_02 (01:55):
Well, basically, I grew up playing soccer.
It was always every single day.
It was soccer, soccer, soccer,and everything.
And like that's how like I'vealways like dreamt of being MLS
next.
I have a little joke that Ihave.
I don't like I don't try and gofind a bunch of friends.
(02:15):
I my friend is the ball.
My friend is that little wallthat'll just ping against bang,
bang, bang, just pass againstall the time.
SPEAKER_04 (02:26):
A wall is a soccer player's best friend.
I try to tell people all thetime.
Yeah, well, as long as dad canfix it.
We gotta holy hell.
Yeah, yeah, that's okay.
SPEAKER_00 (02:43):
Um I'm an accountant, so work for the
power company for almost 20years now, and yeah, try to
support him as much as possible.
So years and years ago, that's Iused to play soccer, and so I
was the crazy goalkeeper, andyes, I used to ping the wall off
the my garage floor.
I'd had went through multipleboards.
(03:06):
And so, you know, sports wasalways a thing for me.
I made friends through it andgot to go all kinds of different
places, and you know, that wasme and my parents' best time.
So just trying to give him agood experience with sports.
So and get take him differentplaces and have a good, you
know, experience as a kid that Idid.
SPEAKER_01 (03:25):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_04 (03:25):
No, that's great.
SPEAKER_01 (03:26):
What about you, Dad?
Uh I'm a airline pilot for acargo company.
Okay.
And uh been there eight years,but I've been flying for all my
life, but um 30 plus um has acertificated pilot.
Um, which helps with this, but Imy main job is to Taylor
(03:48):
Transportation Coordinator.
My soccer experience isabsolutely zero, uh, but I know
how to set up a VO or find a afield.
Yeah.
And uh I'm happy on the day thatI can figure out what an offside
position hit.
I like that.
SPEAKER_04 (04:07):
I like that.
Yeah.
Important uh with the goalie andfiguring out if the goal stands
or not.
But that's great.
I mean, and you guys are fromMemphis, right?
If I'm not correct, just notmistaken.
Just South Office Branch,Mississippi.
Olive Branch, Mississippi.
Okay.
Yep.
Um total sidebar.
I used to work for uh, well, aclient of mine had a
(04:28):
manufacturing plant rightoutside of it was like an hour
and a half south of uh Memphisand Mississippi.
Um and I will I'll remember thename after we get done recording
and tell you guys later, but Ican't I for the life of me I
can't remember the name of themanufacturing plant, but um I
know the area is what I'msaying.
Uh but you guys play for OzarkUnited FC on the U-15s, but you
(04:54):
live in Memphis.
So let's talk about thatcommute.
SPEAKER_00 (05:01):
Five-hour drive when we make it.
So, but luckily um we've been apartner in a Bonanza airplane
for going on about 10 years now.
Okay.
So it's about a little over anhour flight that we fly in to
Bentonville, and you know,they've got they've been great
with us.
We can usually use one of the uhcars that they have.
(05:21):
Like the other day we flew in,they have the car for us, jump
out of the airplane, take themstraight, practice, practice for
an hour and a half to two hoursand fly home at night.
SPEAKER_04 (05:32):
Just for listeners jumping out of the airplane when
it's on the ground.
I have done that a couple times,but when it's in the air, but on
the ground for you guys.
SPEAKER_01 (05:42):
That's one of the big questions I'm always asked.
Have you ever been in aparachute like no?
Pilot's in a parachute.
That's a bad day.
SPEAKER_04 (05:51):
That's a bad day.
That's a bad day.
Well, I mean, that's uh youknow, fortunate to to have a
nice uh pilot in the family andand dad and be able to cut that
uh commute in you know almost afifth.
SPEAKER_01 (06:06):
Well, it helps definitely with with the
educational piece to where it'sminor disruptions to where maybe
we pull him an hour, you know,before, you know, during study
hall time for that last period,and we'll have him home by 10
o'clock.
Yeah.
So he can go to bed and do itall again the next day.
It's it's a grind, but it'sworth it and it and it happened.
(06:27):
And it it it's helpful.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (06:29):
Yeah.
And then like sometimes on likethe commutes and everything,
I'll just be like, sometimes I'mlike trying to watch film or
anything, but don't really getmuch self-service up there,
sadly.
SPEAKER_04 (06:39):
Yeah, yeah.
I mean, it's also a time whereyou can I don't even know what
homework looks like these days,but uh if it doesn't if it
doesn't require uh uh internet,uh at least some reading maybe
um or something like that, youcan get that done on the
community.
SPEAKER_00 (06:54):
I'm done with a passenger pertinentist.
I sit in the back and usuallysleep and chill.
SPEAKER_04 (06:58):
Yeah.
No, that's great.
That's great.
SPEAKER_02 (07:00):
Sometimes I need a power knob because I know I got
training that night.
SPEAKER_04 (07:03):
I'm like, yeah, as well get some rest and be ready.
Yeah.
Okay.
So how did how did you guys findOzark United?
Coach Kevin Tego.
Mr.
Coach.
SPEAKER_01 (07:16):
We met Kevin uh over four years ago.
SPEAKER_02 (07:21):
Four years ago through a I was 10.
Yes.
I was 10 years old, and it wasbasically this training company.
My friend, his parents actuallytold them about this.
It was called Magis.
Basically, they would doone-on-one sessions.
It was like the best trainingyou can get.
And we went over to them and wewere going to do it.
(07:42):
We told them, would y'all beable to get a keeper coach soon?
And they said they'd work on it.
And about, I think it was aboutlike two months later, two or
three months later, after weasked that, they said, Hey, we
got a keeper coach.
His name's Kevin Teller.
He's the goalkeeper coach atMemphis.
And during that time, I workedwith him about two years
associated with matches.
(08:03):
But then he got the assistantcoach job at Memphis and he said
he couldn't coach at matchesanymore.
And I was like really destroyedabout that.
And then he told me um we canprobably still get some sessions
in while I'm at the campus inMemphis during the offseason, we
can work one-on-one.
So I did that for about I thinkabout three more years.
SPEAKER_01 (08:25):
Two degree.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (08:29):
And then like when we um heard about him going to
Ozark, I was destroyed.
Yeah.
Because I would never have acoach that would make me succeed
like that again.
Because he taught me absolutelyeverything.
SPEAKER_04 (08:42):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (08:43):
Every single thing of my technique, distribution,
power, strength, everything.
SPEAKER_04 (08:48):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (08:49):
And he suggested Ozark at that time for me to
come with him.
Yeah.
But at that time we weren'treally in the position.
So I had to stay back while hewas up there.
SPEAKER_01 (09:02):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (09:03):
And then about two months ago.
SPEAKER_01 (09:06):
It's been worldwide.
SPEAKER_02 (09:07):
Two two months ago, he uh gave us a call and said,
Hey, uh, we think you'd be agreat fit with our team.
Come try out, we'll come take alook at you.
Yeah.
And uh first session, I fell inlove with the team.
SPEAKER_01 (09:23):
Again, yes, yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_04 (09:25):
Jumped out of the airplane onto the airplane.
SPEAKER_01 (09:28):
Went to the first training side.
Yeah.
unknown (09:30):
Right.
SPEAKER_02 (09:30):
That's why I stepped on that field.
I fell in love with the team.
I did not want to go back home.
Yeah.
I loved every single one of myteammates because the trainings
were amazing, the coaching wasamazing.
I just was like, this is my homethat I've been longing for for
so long.
SPEAKER_04 (09:47):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (09:48):
And when Coach Thomas pulled me off to the
side, it was after the session,and he said he would take me on
the team when we got in the car.
I screamed my head off.
I was so excited.
SPEAKER_04 (09:59):
Oh, that's awesome.
SPEAKER_02 (09:59):
That I got on the team.
SPEAKER_04 (10:00):
That's awesome.
SPEAKER_02 (10:01):
Because I was like, finally, yeah, my people, my
family, yeah, I can go to them,I can play with them.
And it's just always like everysingle day.
It's been like more strength tome.
Yeah.
Power.
I've been like waking up.
I'm like, I gotta do these forthese guys.
Yeah.
These guys have been, they tookme in on the first session.
(10:21):
Like, that's why I say aboutBentonville.
SPEAKER_04 (10:23):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (10:24):
The city that gave me a chance.
SPEAKER_04 (10:25):
Yeah.
That's awesome.
Well, that's great.
I mean, mom, dad, talk aboutwhat that meant for you guys to
kind of get that call and thensee kind of see the experience
with the team and the setup andjust have have that experience
of of coming and being able toto watch him kind of assimilate
(10:46):
and and find a home.
SPEAKER_00 (10:47):
Yeah.
I mean, honestly, it's um he'sbeen wanting to play MLS next
for a while.
We've had the opportunity toplay ECNL E C R L and he's done
great with it um with the teamsback home.
But um all these differentalphabet suit things that are
all trying to push you todifferent organizations and MLS
(11:09):
next seems to be a goodopportunity to be seen.
So we're trying to, you know,okay, let's let's try this
opportunity.
Let's let's see where we can beseen with it.
Because like he said, he wantsto go play, he wants to go pro,
he wants to go play at a D1 or aD2.
He's trying his best, he worksout.
(11:30):
He I mean haven't had a singleoff day in about like most I
mean, all summer long we'redoing practices, going here,
going there.
So it's it's what he wants todo.
So as a parent, he's our onlykid.
Yeah, we're gonna try.
SPEAKER_01 (11:45):
Yeah.
I mean as far as you know thewhat would impress me uh uh a
lot.
Um I mean, I enjoyed theenthusiasm and the coaching in
the first um in the firstsession when he came to try out
the the the enthusiasm and thecoaching and on the part of the
player, coming they were seriousyet having fun.
(12:07):
Yes.
And it was one of those thingsto where, okay, because we've
been on teams where there's beenfun, no serious.
Um never really had a team thatwas all serious and no fun, but
this one seemed like okay,they're they're not it's not so
overbearing that they're stillnot having a good time, but they
are playing at a very high leveland being held to a high
(12:28):
standard.
And I think that was the otherthing that really impressed me
is I'm an analytical guy, I'm ayou know, 25-year military guy,
retired.
And the the structure, diggingit.
I love it.
I mean, you know, when you showup from away an away game and
you've got an itinerary anditinerary to where even the
warmups is not just warmups,it's warm-ups consisting of X,
(12:52):
Y, C, and the whole breakdown.
Um, and I mean, I was reallyimpressed with week we had
Houston.
Uh yeah.
The Friday, Saturday, Sunday,the Saturday cancels for
weather.
And traditionally, you know,we're I'm talking about all
right, well, I might get withsome of the parents and figure
out something to do.
Nope.
The new schedule pops out onSaturdays, even though we're
not, you know, obligated to agame, the coach has already put
(13:15):
out a new itinerary.
The kids are accounted for, youknow, and and so it's it's very
regimental D1 soccer like.
And I like that.
I like the the structure.
SPEAKER_02 (13:30):
Yes, it's because like if I do go to like a D1
school or professional team,I've already like experienced
it.
It's exactly like that.
SPEAKER_00 (13:38):
It's just uh the team building is very nice.
That he's the coaching andstuff, and they try to get the
boys together to work together,no matter if it's having game
night in the conference room atthe hotel, playing dodgeball at
you know, a bounce place, youknow.
It's you know, they're they trythey try to and honestly that
team environment makes them playbetter because they got their
(14:01):
back on the field.
SPEAKER_04 (14:02):
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I mean, you have to you have tohave some level of that to be
able to to gel together on afield, right?
They're you can't just show up.
They're not robots.
You know, they can't just showup and perform and expect that
to happen.
SPEAKER_00 (14:18):
So they're still kids.
SPEAKER_04 (14:19):
They are kids.
They were.
Absolutely.
SPEAKER_00 (14:21):
And that's one thing we figured out is that sometimes
they show up at a soccer fieldand they know how to kick a
soccer ball.
And sometimes they show up andthey're like, what type of kid
do we have today?
It's all these differenthormones and stuff they got
going when they're 14, 15 yearsold.
SPEAKER_04 (14:37):
It's so true.
I mean, we talked a little bitabout it, but I mean, you guys
have obviously stuck with it atleast for a few months.
Um, so you know, why I guess youyou talked about it a little
bit, but I mean why was it Iwant to hear from like mom and
dad, why was it so important foryou guys?
And and I'll come back to youtoo, on finding, you know,
(15:01):
Memphis has got a good soccerscene, right?
Why was it important for youguys to explore this?
And you know, that's a bigcommitment to make to come up
here and play for OZFC whilestill living in Memphis.
Why is that like how did youguys, I guess, uh come to that
(15:24):
decision with as a family?
SPEAKER_01 (15:26):
Um, well, a lot of trust in Kevin for sure.
I mean, he he's not steered usthe wrong way.
I mean, it one of the otherbenefits of having him as a as a
one-on-one coach is you know,anytime you got a camp invite,
anytime anything like that, youcould run it through a D1 soccer
and see them lay D1 soccer coachwho does their recruiting and he
could do it.
Well, yeah, that's that's amoney grabber.
(15:48):
Or this one, that's a good one.
I know these guys, that's a goodone.
Right.
So we really trust his judgment.
And um the you know, the thename MLS Next, that's kind of a
big ticket item too, because weyou know, if we're we're kind of
a geographic anomaly in the towhere we have, yeah, we have MLS
Next.
It's four and a half hours thisway, it's five hours this way,
(16:09):
it's four and a half hours thisway, it's six hours this way.
So in any case, we're going forplus hours of a drive.
And, you know, like Beth said,that there is some alphabet
soup, but when you're talking toa lot of college recruiters and
you're hearing, well, yeah, wego to to ECNL events, but if
there's an ECNL event and itoverlaps with an MLS next fest
(16:33):
or come up, we're not goingthere, we're going probably MLS
next.
So that that's where the namebecame important.
But Ozark specifically, um, youknow, we trusted, you know,
Kevin's judgment and honestly, II started looking at the
organization, and you know,there's not any other
(16:53):
organizations I've seen thathave this much infrastructure
already, you know, and and thenand then hopefully the the
future really, really bright aswell.
Um I'm working on it.
That that and just coming in onthe ground floor of it, it was
kind of cool too.
Yeah, was a thought.
I mean, that that was that wasthe more chancy part to where
it's okay, yeah, this is we'retaking a chance here, but you
(17:16):
know, there's not much loss thathappens if we go here.
And uh it's it's just beenreally, really joining in the
area, love the area.
I mean, yeah.
MLS next in Bentonville,Arkansas, MLS next, Hattiesburg,
Mississippi.
Yeah.
You know, I uh Bentonville hasyou know a little bit more to
offer, I think.
Yeah.
(17:36):
Um as far as an area isconcerned.
I as a kid, I they you know wedid our vacations at and you
know, those arcs at you know,Buffalo and stuff like that.
So familiar with the area.
So that one too.
Gotcha.
SPEAKER_00 (17:52):
I mean, just honestly just trying to help
him.
I mean, um with ECNL and ECRL,you know, that's mainly what's
in the Memphis area.
Um we even did the E64 stuff.
So um, yeah, he's he's get lethim experience all of it as much
as we can.
Um so when this opportunity cameup, because yeah, we you you see
(18:15):
MLS stuff on TV all the time.
And yeah, let's let's see whatit let's see where it goes.
I mean, you know, now there's alot of USL stuff popping up.
SPEAKER_04 (18:26):
Yeah.
You guys had it in yourbackyard.
Uh R R I P R I P.
Well, it's coming back,apparently.
USL two team.
Okay, yeah.
Yeah, USL two, there you go.
SPEAKER_00 (18:37):
Yeah, so we're just kind of seeing where it goes.
SPEAKER_04 (18:39):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (18:40):
You know, and kind of like I told you before, is
that you know, when it's whenit's not fun anymore, it's time
to quit.
So um let him enjoy it as longas he wants to, and when he gets
tired of it or see where itleads us.
So just enjoy being a kid aslong as you can.
SPEAKER_04 (18:54):
Yeah.
What about you, Zach?
What why was it important foryou to explore outside of what
you had uh on offer for you inMemphis?
SPEAKER_02 (19:02):
Basically, from what people told me in that area is
like you can be ECNO, you can beECRL, but like I had one coach
tell me, Division I schools, ifyou want to go straight to D1,
you have to be out on this nextbecause it's so heavily
(19:22):
recruited by Division I schools.
Like there is something Kevintold me, D two and D3 schools,
they go to ECN Elements, they goto the ECR Elements, D one
schools, they go to the Fest,they go to the Cup, they go to
Flex, they go to GA Cup.
That's all that like that's whyI was like, I'm gonna have to
(19:42):
explore outside of it.
Because no matter what, if Iwant to get to the highest
level, highest potential I canhave, I'm gonna have to go
somewhere else.
Because I knew with the work Iput in, with all the work that I
did, I knew that it would payoff.
Yeah, definitely.
Um basically I saw like theclubs like that were in our area
(20:03):
where like we had to decide.
SPEAKER_05 (20:05):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (20:06):
Because like there was actually a little while ago,
we were figuring out everysingle trial date for all MLSX
teams in the area.
There's that time, and thenKevin shoots us that text.
I'm I'm going nuts in thebackyard.
SPEAKER_01 (20:21):
It it literally was, you know, we're we're we're
trying to map out our future,and as we're trying to, you
know, look at these, you know,okay, Hansville has their trial
dates at this, but I don't knowif they're doing a U14 team
trial right now or blah, blah,blah, blah, blah.
And then, you know, I get atext.
Yeah.
Hey, what age group is that?
(20:43):
You know, it's from Keppel.
And then, you know, and that'sanother thing.
Is it's it's kind of, I don'tknow, you know, one of those
things where you do you pass upon something as you're thinking
about it, and then all of asudden, you know, dynamically it
you know, it just shows up.
Right.
That's something that's like,yeah, maybe this maybe we're
(21:05):
being pointed towards adirection.
Yeah.
And let's take it for the theride and see.
SPEAKER_02 (21:10):
And then like we trust Kevin.
Yeah.
No matter what.
To be honest, I would go into aburning building for him,
definitely.
Because basically, every singlecamp he's told me to go to.
I went, it was great.
Every single one.
Yeah.
And every single thing he's toldme to do, every single thing he
told me to work on, every singlething.
(21:31):
Yeah.
It's just once I get all that,I'm like I can trust him.
SPEAKER_04 (21:37):
Build the trust over time.
And yeah.
Well, that's good to hear.
SPEAKER_00 (21:41):
I mean, we obviously one thing he does, he does um
coaches, he's always taking itto heart.
SPEAKER_04 (21:49):
So No, I mean coaches are um some of the most
and can be some of the mostinfluential adults in children's
lives.
Um whether that's sports orteachers, um I coach and I take
(22:09):
that role very seriously.
Um because I know what type ofenvironment and a coach that I
would want for my kids.
It's good to hear from um folksthat even knew him well before
we did, um just about it.
It just we know we have a goodone in in Coach Tao.
(22:31):
Uh, but it's good to hear, youknow, that was long before uh he
ever got here, which of coursewe knew, but it's fun to hear.
SPEAKER_01 (22:41):
Coaching is important because mom and dad
can say the exact same thing thecoach says, and we are
absolutely wrong.
But if the coach says what thecoach says, yeah, then we're
right.
So I know.
SPEAKER_04 (22:52):
At some point I'm gonna need to stop coaching my
kids' teams because I am coachand dad, and so dad is saying it
and coach is saying it.
And so that like at some pointI'm gonna need to hop off and
and just no, your coach said it.
SPEAKER_01 (23:03):
See I'm gonna go with 10 plus, pretty much eight
to ten and all no week, nothinguntil probably about 30.
SPEAKER_04 (23:10):
Yeah, exactly.
Yeah, exactly.
Yeah, no, that's great.
So, what has the experience beenlike for you playing uh in the
league?
Do you notice a difference?
Definitely 100% in who you'replaying, how you're playing with
the team, the coaching, eitheron our staff or others, mom dad
(23:32):
experiences like from otherleagues, and those other
leagues, by the way, I just Iwant to be really clear because
there's some great leagues in inthis in it, you know, this is
not the only path uh by anymeans.
Um, I think that it's importantto call that out too, because
everybody's journey isdifferent.
And what works for you know,Zach and you guys may not work
(23:56):
for for other folks, but um itcertainly is becoming more uh
talked about and and things thatwe're hearing, and we felt like
that was the right platform uhto bring into the area.
But I just wanted to level setthat piece of it.
But I want to hear from you guyson like experience, and you guys
(24:17):
have experienced both, right?
And we we, you know, Ipersonally haven't.
So I would love to hear some ofthe differences, kind of what
you're what you're seeing outthere, feeling, playing.
SPEAKER_02 (24:26):
Basically, I like to describe it by this because my
first game, Louisiana Elite.
I get there and I'm still likein shell shot because I'm like,
am I really doing this?
Am I really playing at thislevel with these type of guys?
And then like first kicking theball, and I'm like, they can do
that, yeah.
(24:47):
And because like the level isjust so high, yeah.
And like the passing, thedribbling the shots, everything.
I'm like, wow, yeah, and then Iget on to close out the game,
and I'm like, this is like thestyle, this is the style I want
(25:09):
to play all the time becauseit's so fast, involves the
keeper a lot with his feet.
Good.
And I love just distributing theball at the back, and like I
have guys checking in and outevery single time.
I don't have to like tell themto, they're just doing it no
matter what.
SPEAKER_04 (25:25):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (25:26):
And I'm like, wow, yeah, these guys truly are some
of the best of the best.
SPEAKER_04 (25:32):
Yeah.
Well, it's good to haveeverybody kind of bought into
the system and and you know,when you get to that certain
level, I mean it it it's second.
I mean, you guys have been howlong have you been playing?
SPEAKER_02 (25:43):
I've been playing since I was like five.
SPEAKER_04 (25:46):
You know, and that's a lot of these guys, right?
Um, maybe not five, but seven,eight, you know.
And so at this point, especiallywhen you start getting to this
level, a lot of that stuff isjust understanding the system
from the coach and how they wantto play, and then it becomes not
automatic, but gets close to it.
SPEAKER_00 (26:04):
Well, especially like at this age.
So um teenagers are starting tochoose different sports.
They're track starting tochoose, you know, maybe girls,
stuff, you know, want to stayhome, want to date, stuff like
that.
So um every level has adifferent commitment based on
parents, income, stuff likethat.
(26:24):
Um and everything is, you know,sometimes maybe your kid is on
this one team and well, you cankind of tell the kids that are
like, okay, yeah, I I think I'mgonna play school sports and at
home and enjoy it.
I mean, because playing schoolsports, you know, it's it's
great walking down the hall withthat letter jacket and all that
stuff, but and then butsometimes, you know, when you're
(26:46):
playing the competitive andyou're going out and stuff like
that, you can he he likes that.
He wants them the competitiveand traveling and seeing the
different parts of this UnitedStates and stuff.
So it's he likes it.
So and we're just trying toreally help him.
I mean, competition level,sometimes we show up and you
(27:06):
know, they're you know, it itdoesn't matter what alphabet
they are.
It's mean I mean they're someteams are just really, really
good.
SPEAKER_04 (27:13):
Really, really good.
SPEAKER_00 (27:14):
And some teams, you know, like oh we're kinda you
know, matter what team we're on,it's we're gonna we're gonna
win.
SPEAKER_05 (27:20):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (27:21):
So it's it's all about, you know, where we're
going and stuff like that.
So it's it's it's nice to seeall the different levels and so
but just give an opportunity toyour kid on on the level they
want to play.
SPEAKER_01 (27:34):
For me, I think a lot of it is I mean it I know we
get wrapped up in the alphabetsuit, but yeah, if you look at
NL, MLS next, eventually the theprice tag goes up to where
there's more buy-in by theparents.
So, you know, when we talk aboutthe seriousness of the the kids,
(27:58):
which they're kids, yeah, toshow up on time and to play.
Well, that that goes up a fewnotches.
And uh, you know, it's a wholelot as you know, you play with
my money or play with myemotions where when you're on
some teams and the parentsaren't holding a standard and
the kid just kind of shows upand then you could they disrupt
training or something like that.
I don't I feel like I'm like,wait a minute, you're you're
(28:19):
kind of picking my pocket alittle bit here.
I you know, this guy is reallyhe wants to come have fun, but
he wants to come and play hardand have a good training
session.
We're we're we're sacrificing,you know, money and time to for
this to happen.
And when you don't have a goodsession, you feel, I mean, come
on.
Yeah.
So I think the level of buy-in,I mean, the the parents are
(28:41):
serious on the sideline to wherethere's you know, you know, it
it's there's not a lot ofchatter across the board.
I mean, even the officiating, itit seemed I mean, we've played
our first game, the the the Hun,the crew with the the ref crew
was micing up.
Yeah.
Really?
All right.
So it's not been that way everygame, but I mean it was very
impressive for that one.
(29:03):
Um so yeah, uh just just the Ithink you can tell the level at
least is dictating the amount ofbuy-in for the parents.
Yeah.
And that translates all the waydown to the to the kid.
SPEAKER_04 (29:16):
I think that's a really important factor too, is
kind of club culture.
Um and that also doesn'tnecessarily have um that can
that is very true no matter whatalphabet soup you play in.
Is do you feel like you're inthe spot for you?
SPEAKER_02 (29:34):
And then like when I got to the first training
session in Coach Thomas, I fellin love with the style of
coaching.
I loved how he did thingsbecause he has he has all these
crazy sayings that I love.
SPEAKER_04 (29:46):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (29:47):
He has K O B K, which is all the time, which is
killer be killed.
SPEAKER_04 (29:51):
Okay.
SPEAKER_02 (29:51):
And then like practice, during he says killer
be killed in practice because hehas to say K O B Kames.
SPEAKER_04 (29:57):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (29:58):
And then like our themes for Houston, we had
defend like Vikings, yeah, burnthe boats, yeah, all these
sayings, and then like all of uskeep saying them all the time
during the games, and that's howI just fell in love with it.
SPEAKER_04 (30:10):
Yeah.
I heard I I was watching one ofyou guys' games at uh Hebron a
couple weeks ago, and uh youguys scored, and at the kickoff
he was screaming Fortress.
Yeah, which I know what he'strying to say, but uh I don't
know if people know this.
Most goals in soccer are scoredwithin two minutes of a stoppage
(30:32):
of play.
So whether that's a free kick, agoal being scored, uh it could
be the same team scoring again,but a lot of times it's the
other way.
Uh and either even things out orpulling one back or whatever it
is.
So I know that I know why he'ssaying it right after you guys
scored, like Fortress whereFortress we can't let up.
SPEAKER_02 (30:51):
Yep, and that's what we did during our first Dallas
Hornets game.
It was against Dallas HornetsEast.
And our call-up was Fortress onB Fortress on three before the
game started because we wanted acomplete clean sheet that game.
Yeah, because that's what hechallenged us to do, because we
always have like challengesbefore games.
Yeah.
Like our challenge for thatfirst game was it was three
goals in 10 minutes in six andtwenty, I think.
SPEAKER_04 (31:18):
Wow.
SPEAKER_00 (31:19):
That's yeah, he has to be challenges for the boys
each game, like we're gonna dothis much.
That's pretty cool.
SPEAKER_04 (31:27):
Gives them something to focus on.
SPEAKER_00 (31:28):
Right.
So, you know, and he he's a he'sa really good coach.
We're really getting to know himand stuff like that.
So every coach is great.
SPEAKER_04 (31:37):
All the coaching staff are great.
Thomas Thomas is great.
Um, we're very, very fortunateto have the coaching staff that
we do uh across the board.
We we hear it from parents, wehear it from other coaches, um,
and we're just we're veryfortunate to have be able to put
the type of program that we haveum right from the get-go.
And I'd be very remiss not tomention uh sporting and
(32:00):
everything that they do on theadmin side and making sure that
things run smoothly.
So big shout out to them andScott and and and Jen and and
Kevin for for overseeing theprogram.
SPEAKER_00 (32:11):
Um definitely make or break the CNOs, yes, their
future, where they want to play,where they want to go.
Well just like their attitudeoff the field too.
SPEAKER_01 (32:20):
Yeah, the opportunity.
Um we came up for fall break fortraining and wound up guest
playing with sporting for one oftheir tournaments.
So we actually got to enjoy theexperience with just sporting as
well.
SPEAKER_02 (32:33):
Funny part was basically that Sunday we came in
and then Kevin shot the textthat night and was like, Can you
are you free tomorrow?
Yeah.
Are you playing in thetournament tomorrow?
Yeah.
He's like, You come play for theU-16s, we're playing in the U17
division.
I'm like, I can do that for you,coach.
And I come in, play thatmorning, we win.
(32:55):
He's like 4-0.
Yeah.
I sprint over for the final twominutes of the U-15 game.
Yeah, they stick me in, and Imake like a really pretty good
save.
SPEAKER_01 (33:05):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (33:06):
And all of us are laughing.
SPEAKER_01 (33:07):
They're like, How did you get in for two minutes?
He originally just went over tosee how the game was going, and
the coach said, Hey, get yourcleat on.
SPEAKER_04 (33:14):
Oh, that's too funny.
That's it.
No, no, you're going in.
That's too funny.
Okay, okay.
SPEAKER_02 (33:20):
And the funny part was at the end of the day, we
won with the U 16s and the U15s.
SPEAKER_04 (33:28):
Oh, that's great.
It's a lot of fun.
That's good.
I I mean, I'm I'm super happy tohear about, you know, the
experience um from you knowparents' perspective as well.
Um, obviously for you, and andI'm glad, especially with the
type of commitment that you guyshave made.
So um just thank you forbelieving in in Coach Kevin.
(33:52):
And you know, it's it's amazingto see.
I hope you know how lucky youare to have parents that are
willing to make that type ofsacrifice and commitment.
Um I'm sure he does, but fromsomebody not mom and dad, right,
right, that say things, umthat's pretty darn special.
(34:15):
So um, you know, kudos to you,mom and dad.
I uh I was the oldest of four.
And for one season, my dad droveme two hours one way to train up
in uh it was just south ofPhiladelphia.
I grew up in Maryland uh for aclub and it just got to the
(34:39):
point where it was like I'mmissing too much at home with
the other kids and mom can'thandle, and nobody else lives by
us.
We can't carpool.
So I ended up being just fineand found another really good
opportunity.
But um, you know, everybody'ssituation is different, and
you're very fortunate to have uhsuch supportive parents that are
(34:59):
just like, hey, let's let'ssupport them however we can and
and figure it out.
So that's awesome.
Um well Zach, what what do youwhat what is your best case
scenario?
What's your dream, man?
What do you are you I I want togo to college and get an
education play, I want to go allthe way to pro.
I want to play Champions League.
Like, what are we what are wedoing?
SPEAKER_02 (35:19):
I've always wanted to go pro.
Like, you know, I always likework out scenarios in my mind,
like in my head.
I'm like, I always like Ithought to myself, when Ozark
was probably not having a club,I was like, you know, I could
get signed.
Yeah.
So I wanted to like maybe stickaround and then maybe get
signed.
Yeah.
(35:40):
And then start playing USL2,maybe get scattered by MLS.
Yeah.
And I wanted to always play forthe US youth national team.
Yeah.
And like my overall biggestdream, I wanted to go to Germany
and play like Wolfsburg,Dortmund, yeah, all the big
German clubs because you used tofly the National Guard to
Germany.
SPEAKER_04 (36:00):
I've always just had this.
I was gonna say, where's theGerman connection?
Yeah, grandmother's maiden namewas Kopf.
So turbulence.
Gotcha.
SPEAKER_02 (36:10):
So and then like I've always wanted to like make
a start of national teams.
It's just always been like, I'malways looking to the best.
I've always wanted to be thebest.
Because like he's a dreamer.
The reason the reason, like Itold myself was basically if
your dreams don't scare you,they're not good enough.
(36:32):
Yeah, they're not gonna make youwork hard enough.
Because if you really, reallywant it, yeah, you dream that
big, you'll work and you'll workand you'll work till you get it.
SPEAKER_04 (36:42):
Yeah.
I was gonna say it's one thingto be a dreamer, it's another to
be a dreamer and a worker.
And it sounds like you're theone that puts the work in.
So uh just keep doing that andhead down and surround yourself
with good people and you'll bein a good place.
SPEAKER_02 (36:57):
Yep.
Solid awesome.
SPEAKER_04 (37:01):
Well, guys, thank you.
I will let you get to uh I guessthe pre-match uh for the game
here.
Uh so I won't keep you too muchlonger.
But I just want to really saythank you guys so much for
believing in in the club and andCoach Kevin and you know, at
least coming to explore theopportunity and then leaning in
and and seeing what it wasabout.
(37:22):
And it sounds like you know,we've found a nice mutual fit
here.
So uh just congrats oneverything so far, Mr.
Taylor, there, and uh keepworking.
And mom and dad, keep doing whatyou're doing.
You guys are awesome.
I appreciate it.
SPEAKER_00 (37:36):
Well, thanks for having.
SPEAKER_04 (37:37):
Thanks for having us.
Awesome.
Well, that's it for this episodeof Pitch the Pro.
We hope you guys enjoyed it.
Uh be sure to catch all of ourepisodes on pitchthepro.com or
look for pitch the pro onYouTube, Spotify, Apple,
wherever you get your podcastfor more content.
Until next time, cheers,Northwest Arkansas.
SPEAKER_03 (37:53):
Thanks for joining us on this episode of the Pitch
the 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 thePro on YouTube, Instagram, and
everywhere you get yourpodcasts.
Until next time, NorthwestArkansas, cheers.
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