Pitch to Pro
Pitch to Pro is the official podcast of Ozark United FC. This will be our platform to tell our story about the club and the special place that we call home, Northwest Arkansas. This is a journey. We want to bring you along for the ride. We'll share what's going on behind the curtain, help educate the community at large about soccer, Our league, and give updates on the progress of the club along the way.
Together, we'll explore and unpack our journey to professional soccer, the magic that is NWA, our community, and talk all things soccer from on the pitch to behind the scenes, telling the story of our club.
Episodes
92 episodes
Stoppage Time Special: Building Soccer Leagues from Scratch
This Stoppage Time release brings you an excerpt from Episode 6 where we traced the unlikely rise of Arkansas adult soccer. In this segment, we spotlight how late-80s street games grew into a full league by the early 90s, weathered disputes and...
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7:46
Stoppage Time Special: Mindset Over Matchday
Mental health has finally entered the sports conversation, but how much progress have we really made? Our latest Stoppage Time episode brings you powerful insights from sports psychology experts who are transforming how we think about the menta...
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8:18
Stoppage Time Special: Building Soccer Dreams in NWA
Soccer history unfolded right in our backyard as the Marshall Islands national team made its international debut at Springdale High School in Northwest Arkansas. What makes this story extraordinary isn't just the debut itself, but the remarkabl...
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7:54
Ep. 50 - Building the U19s from Scratch
Dean Johnson is transforming soccer in Northwest Arkansas through a remarkable dual role that few coaches would dare attempt. With one foot firmly planted in the OZFC Academy as U19 boys head coach and the other pioneering Northwest Arkansas Co...
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Episode 50
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30:29
Stoppage Time Special: Kicking Off a Legacy in Springdale
This Stoppage Time release features a powerful excerpt from our earlier conversation with Woody Watson. In this segment, we spotlight the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) Soccer Tournament — an event that made history by hosting the first...
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8:07
Ep. 49 - Outrigger Cup Brings Island Nations to NWA
Soccer history is coming to Northwest Arkansas! The Ozark United FC team reveals exclusive details about the upcoming Outrigger Challenge Cup, a groundbreaking international soccer tournament featuring teams from the US Virgin Islands, Turks an...
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Season 1
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Episode 49
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16:35
Ep. 48 - NWA to FIFA: Where Local Met Global
Soccer history unfolded right here in Northwest Arkansas as the Outrigger Challenge Cup brought FIFA-sanctioned international matches to Springdale. Kevin Tello, Ozark United FC MLS Next Technical Director, joins host Wes Harris to break down t...
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37:28
Stoppage Time Special: How a Jersey Told the Marshall Islands’ Story
Our latest Stoppage Time episode reveals the extraordinary efforts of a volunteer team spanning three continents who are determined to ensure the Marshall Islands' place in football history.The urgency is palpable as Woody Watson explai...
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6:00
Ep. 47 - Marshall Islands’ First Match: History in NWA
The beautiful game of soccer has reached nearly every corner of the globe, but until now, one nation has remained on the sidelines. The Marshall Islands stands as the last UN-recognized country never to have played a match, a distinction about ...
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Season 1
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Episode 47
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20:54
Stoppage Time Special: The Next Generation of Fans
In this special Stoppage Time edition of the Pitch to Pro podcast, we dive into one of the show’s most personal and vivid storytelling moments: a heartfelt memory about watching MLS veteran Jack Jewsbury in action. The segment...
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7:27
Ep. 46 - KC and Portland Showed Ross Cully What NWA Soccer Could Be
What happens when passion for soccer meets the explosive growth of Northwest Arkansas? Ross Cully, founder and CEO of Harvest Group and early investor in Ozark United FC, reveals the powerful vision behind bringing professional soccer to this d...
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Season 1
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Episode 46
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37:35
Stoppage Time Special: When Growth Changes the Game
This Stoppage Time edition of the Pitch to Pro podcast features a focused look at the role of vision in entrepreneurship, regional development, and professional sports ownership, all through the lens of Northwest Arkansas’ rap...
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5:12
Ep. 45 - An Investor’s Vision for NWA
Ever wonder what happens when entrepreneurial vision meets professional sports? Join us for an engaging conversation with Ross Cully, founder and CEO of Harvest Group and investor in Ozark United FC, as he shares his two-decade journey in North...
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Season 1
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Episode 45
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25:22
Stoppage Time Special: MLS, USL, and Beyond: Making Sense of American Soccer
As the FIFA Club World Cup captivates soccer fans around the globe, it feels like the perfect time to take a step back and revisit one of the most confusing—and often misunderstood—aspects of the beautiful game: how soccer is structured here in...
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7:16
Stoppage Time Special: Growth Beyond the Giants
Welcome to this week’s Stoppage Time edition of the Pitch to Pro podcast, where we feature a powerful five-minute excerpt from one of our previous full-length conversations. In this episode, we take you deep into the economic transform...
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5:56
Stoppage Time Special: How Soccer is Changing Northwest Arkansas
This Stoppage Time Episode pulls a powerful snippet from one of our earliest Pitch to Pro conversations - Ep. 16 - From Local Chambers to Soccer Fields: Pioneering Progress in Northwest Arkansas.Soccer isn't just a sport; it's ...
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6:44
Stoppage Time Special: How Sports Teams Became Gold Mines
Welcome to this Stoppage Time edition of the Pitch to Pro Podcast — a fast-paced highlight from last week’s full episode. In this five-minute segment, we explore how professional sports have transformed into one of the most lucr...
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5:52
Ep. 44 - What Makes Northwest Arkansas Ripe for Pro Soccer?
Ever wonder how waste management and professional soccer intersect? Andy McNeil, a successful Arkansas entrepreneur who built multi-million dollar environmental service companies, takes us on an unexpected journey through both worlds in this ca...
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Season 1
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Episode 44
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43:51
Stoppage Time Special: The Magic of Community Through Soccer
In this special Stoppage Time edition of The Pitch to Pro Podcast, we revisit one of the most heartfelt and powerful moments from a past episode—an honest reflection on the indescribable magic of Northwest Arkansas and the uni...
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8:37
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 ...
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6:50
Ep. 43 - MLS Next is Coming to NWA: What It Means for Players
Kevin Tello is coming home to Northwest Arkansas with a mission. The newly appointed Director of Ozark United FC's MLS Next Academy joins us to share his journey from LA transplant to rising Division I coach, and why he's passionate about build...
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Season 1
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Episode 43
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28:15
Stoppage Time Special: The Search for Investors
Money makes the beautiful game possible, but what happens behind the scenes to fund a professional soccer franchise? This revealing Stoppage Time edition of Pitch to Pro pulls back the curtain on the complex investment structures that can make ...
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8:24
Ep. 42 - Inside the Pivot: How Land Deals Shaped Ozark United’s Stadium Plans
The seed for Ozark United FC was planted as "a crazy thought" in co-founder Chris Martinovic's mind years ago, and today, that seedling has grown into a full-fledged plan to bring professional soccer to Northwest Arkansas. In this candid conver...
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Season 1
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Episode 42
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49:26