Stoppage Time Special: What Makes Great Players Stand Out

Ever wondered what truly separates exceptional soccer players from the rest? The answer might surprise you. 

In this Stoppage Time edition of the Pitch to Pro podcast, we dive deep into player development, purpose, and the exciting soccer landscape emerging in Northwest Arkansas. The conversation explores how finding meaning beyond your career creates a foundation for success, not just in soccer, but in life. When you're self-aware enough to identify what truly matters, you can align your career path accordingly.

The spotlight then turns to the groundbreaking MLS Next program in Northwest Arkansas, an initiative creating unprecedented opportunities for local talent. "We want people to know, man, Arkansas has good soccer players," says Kevin Tello, highlighting how this program bridges the exposure gap that many talented players face in the region. For families considering this path, the program promises committed coaches, structured development, and potential pathways to collegiate and professional opportunities.

Most fascinating is the discussion about what elite coaches actually look for in players. While technical skills and athleticism matter, the distinguishing factors are often intangible: how players approach training, their intensity even in simple drills, and whether they push teammates to excel. Division I coaches increasingly evaluate prospects based on preparation habits, post-practice dedication, and interpersonal interactions, recognizing that in today's landscape, culture can be as important as talent.

Ready to discover more insights that could transform your understanding of player development? Subscribe to the Pitch to Pro podcast, the official podcast of Ozark United FC, available every Thursday on YouTube, Instagram, and wherever you get your podcasts.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
Welcome to the Stoppage Time edition of the
Pitch to Pro podcast.
This is a highlight reel ofsome of the best moments from
the show so far, and every otherweek we will be bringing you a
special five to seven minutesegment featuring the best
stories, tales and moments ofthe podcast.

Speaker 2 (00:19):
I think it's a great way to think about things and
very refreshing for anyone inany career pass is to take a
step back and identify to youwhat's important, and not just

(00:39):
in your career, but importantthat, first and foremost,
outside of just your career,you're not defined by your
career.
Um, some people are and that'swhat they choose and that's fine
, um, but being self-awareenough and confident in yourself
to be able to take a step backfor a second and talk about and
think about what's important andthen that, if that's the thing

(01:03):
that's important to me, then howdo I then coordinate that
within my career pathing andjourney and and find a, an
opportunity that allows me to,you know, fulfill that and that
that's there and so that's.
That's really, really cool andrefreshing, man, and I'm I'm
just excited to to hear thatpassion come from you and know

(01:27):
that you're going to absolutelyset these guys up for success
and the coaches, uh, and the andthe program, so really excited.
But talk a little bit moreabout the program.
And what does this mean if I'ma player in Northwest Arkansas?
What does this mean for for thegame in Northwest Arkansas as a
player?

Speaker 3 (01:47):
Yeah, I think, yeah, the biggest thing obviously I
started talking to other MLSnext technical directors,
whether it's within MLS Academy.
They're kind of like usnon-affiliates the biggest thing
for me.
Obviously, growing up in thearea, it's something different,
right.
It's something that's notaround, right.
There's other things going onwithin the state that are super

(02:08):
exciting, but this is settingitself apart because we want
players that are committed.
We want families that arecommitted.
You know you want to have somesort of seriousness within club
soccer and that's why you'regoing to choose to come to our
MLS next program For players.
What they'll expect is, youknow you're going to have
coaches that are committed toyou.

(02:28):
Obviously, you can hear metalking, but I'm committed to
this program.
You know I'm not kind of pulledaway by different things.
This is what I want to do, thisis what I'm committed for, and
we expect the same from ourplayers and from our families.
You'll get that exposure that Iknow a lot of arkansas players
struggle with, you know, whetherit's college or whether it's,
you know, making that jump intoan mls academy that's one of the

(02:51):
biggest things that I'm I wantto work on is like how can we
get these players that exposureto then make the jump.
You know, we want people toknow, man, arkansas has good
soccer players and not justarkansas general, the north of
Stratford, and then trickle downOzark to United.
Mls next program had greatsoccer players.
That's kind of what families,parents, players can expect with

(03:14):
this MLS next program.

Speaker 2 (03:16):
That's awesome.
I mean.
There are some amazing players.
We have a lot of talent here inNorthwest Arkansas, and what's
really exciting for me aboutthis is being able to provide
opportunities and having peoplelike yourself involved with that
passion, to be able to helpfacilitate that and foster that

(03:39):
environment and, um, you know,continue to elevate the game.
Is is just what it's all aboutfor me, um, and so that's that's
really exciting for me, uh,personally, um, but also for the
club.
I mean, that's what we're hereto do.
We're here to elevate and growthe game and use, use the power

(04:01):
of sport to make northwestarkansas a better place to live,
work and play, and part of thatis allowing, uh, for, you know,
growth of the game andelevation of the game within the
area and providingopportunities to to players, so,
um, or to fall in love with itand and continue to pursue their
journey, whatever level thatmay be.

Speaker 3 (04:23):
So yeah, exactly, it's like it's a Mitsujiko if it
ends with us, but we gave themthe best experience of it's.
A Divinity One if it's pro, butthey know that the best
experience possible withinarmless and instruction?

Speaker 2 (04:35):
Yeah, no, absolutely.
I mean, you talked a little bitabout it.
But what are coaches lookingfor in players?
So we talked a little bit aboutwhat it means, right,
opportunity, you know a certainlevel and commitment,
expectation.
But, like, what are you lookingfor in players?
And I think you kind of seethis too.

(04:57):
You've coached at a bunch ofdifferent levels.
What, in your mind, separates agood from a great player?

Speaker 3 (05:06):
so I've had the privilege of coaching, you know,
two mls track picks.
You know they they developedthrough us and then they decided
they wanted a differentexperience for senior year and
then that upchanged them, right,but we still developed them to
become that all-American playerand you could tell right.
When I got here I could tellthose players are special, right
, or our guys are, now they'replaying pro.

(05:27):
We could tell those guys are alittle bit different.
I think the biggest thing youknow obviously they're
technically good enough, they'reathletically good enough, but
it's the way that they approachthe game that's different.
You know it's the way that theycome into training, it's the
way that they train.
You know not necessarily thatthey have the best training or
that they have the besttechnique, it's how intense are
they seeing this activity?

(05:48):
You know, if it's a passingpattern, that's unopposed.
They are still trying to do itat the best of their ability and
they're pushing their teammatesto do it at the best of their
ability.
And those and those are littlethings that you know.
We see when you're talking nowfrom a division one coach going
out to recruit, you know you'llsee them go and set up their
chairs early to watch more.
How's the player doing?
Well, you'll see a lot of themstay after.

(06:10):
How does how do they shakehands?
How do they approach theopposing team.
You know, those are the littlethings that coaches now are
starting to look at, becauseculture is such a big part of
not when you talk about.
You know, obviously in the prolevel you're selling players and
you have a new roster every nowand then, but in the transfer
portal within division one,culture is such a big part of it
thank you for joining us forthis stoppage time special of

(06:33):
the pitch to pro podcast.

Speaker 1 (06:35):
if you've enjoyed the conversation, you can click
watch the full episode here.
Be sure to tune in nextThursday for a new episode of
the Pitch to Pro podcast, theofficial podcast of Ozark United
FC, available on YouTube,instagram and everywhere you get
your podcasts.