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.
Pitch to Pro
Stoppage Time Special: Exploring Modern Football Dynamics and Mentorship
What does it take to leave a lasting legacy in the world of soccer? In this episode, we feature the extraordinary journey of a former professional soccer player who has seamlessly transitioned into media and coaching. Hear firsthand how the threads of family and community support have woven a tapestry of character and humility throughout his career. Experience the warmth of a soccer family—where not only did he shine on the field, but his wife also played professionally, and their children are now carving their own paths in the sport. We share touching anecdotes that capture the essence of mentorship, especially through the unforgettable influence of Manny Schellscheidt, a pioneering coach whose wisdom continues to inspire.
Our Stoppage Time segment takes listeners into the strategic heart of modern football. Join the conversation as we dissect the evolving dynamics of the game, unpacking the intricacies of player development, tactical game plans, and influential managerial decisions. We'll highlight key moments from recent matches that have shaped the current soccer landscape, linking these insights back to our guest's lifelong devotion to the sport and the community that nurtures it. This episode is a must-listen for fans eager to gain a deeper understanding of the beautiful game and the stories that enrich it.
Welcome to the Stoppage Time edition of the Pitch to Pro podcast. This is a highlight reel of some of the best moments from the show so far, and every other week we will be bringing you a special five to seven minute segment featuring the best stories, tales and moments of the podcast.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's a long journey but I had a lot of people supporting me along that and a lot of people that, um, through my ups and downs and my childhood you know immaturity and mistakes and everything else, they still believed in me and gave me love and so that helped push me on to the next levels and, uh yeah. So when I retired from playing, it was more like I was involved in media. I loved commentating on the game, I loved bringing a different perspective and from my experience for six years playing overseas in the UK and England and the Premier League and everything and working at Sky Sports over there, it seemed natural for me, but I was always coaching guy sports over there. It seemed natural for me, but I was always coaching and I was always coaching youth and my son and my two daughters and my wife's a footballer as well. She played pro overseas when I was playing in England, which was kind of unheard of at that time. So it's ingrained in us in our family.
Speaker 2:I never forced my kids to play, it was just always there. Ingrained in us in our family. I I never forced my kids to play, it was just always there. And, um, you know, the number one thing for us is like do they have good character? Are they humble and are they, you know, nice people? Uh, as they grow up and then the sport and everything else is bonuses, you know. And so my son ian's playing, he's a pro, he's going into his ninth year, um, he'll be with san Jose Earthquakes this year. My daughter Lauren, she went to Clemson University under Eddie Radwanski, great coach, and she learned a lot and played really well there. And then she went to Creighton and did a master's program there and played under Ross Pollock, another great coach, another great leader and she went over to Denmark and played pro and enjoyed that. And now she's back here working for US Club Soccer down in Charleston. We just moved her down there last weekend.
Speaker 2:And my youngest daughter went to Elon University, played D1 there as well, and then she went overseas and got a master's program at Oxford University a smart cookie and she graduated there and is working for a company in London and so you know, my wife's a Catholic school principal and has been a coach, you know, and a former player. She's a great leader, a great mentor for kids and yeah, that's kind a great mentor for kids and yeah, that's kind of a nutshell where we are.
Speaker 3:I love that man. All right man.
Speaker 2:I rambled the whole first section, sorry about that Never apologize, john.
Speaker 3:I mean, those are the great episodes, right, when you get to really know people and I love this medium for that. But you know you talked a lot about you know you and your family and your town and the engagement within the game, um, and how you know it's. It's good to hear around the, the, the help that that, yeah, and, to use your word, the love that you had surrounding you on your journey through it. Chris Martinovich, our co-founder, has a great saying from his coach, manny Shelschei. In college, first A-licensed coach, I in the in the us, but he, um, he, uh, he used to say if you love the game, it'll love you back.
Speaker 2:Um, yeah, very true, and I was very fortunate to know manny shellshey and uh got a great story about him. Actually, he was, uh, the rival team in Union New Jersey and it was my dad. We were playing with my dad's team and then my dad was probably looking at me from a perspective of like how can I push John? And he asked me to guest play for Manny, which was, you know, the Union Lancers were like the rival to Arnie Thistle FC and I was like I'm not playing for them and he was like, oh yes, you are this weekend. I was like what, I wasn't playing for Manny and I don't know if you want to hear the story, but I learned great lessons from Manny Shelstein.
Speaker 3:Let's hear it, man, I'm all about it.
Speaker 2:So, manny, you know, just for a lot of people listening out, there was the old school, like you said, the first A-licensed coach, I believe, in this country. But he, you know German backgrounds, his influence was caring about the people, such a great manager of people, and he was kind of like, you know you're always. You were in awe of him. Almost you were scared of him, you feared him because of the way his stature was, you know. But we knew he was such a great manager and my dad wanted to get me a new edge to myself. I guess I went and guest played with Manny in a tournament on the weekend. It was just a one-day thing because he had two games already, and then it was the third day I was going there. I started for his team, which was great, and I ended up scoring. We were up 1-0. Right towards the end of the first half we were up 1-0.
Speaker 2:In the beginning of the game One of their players equalized Manny. At halftime there was one line we were talking and he was asking players' accountability, what do you think about this play and stuff like that? And then, as we came back out, um, I didn't, I wasn't selected to go back in. I thought I'm a guest player, that's fine, I'll just take what I get. But then the rest of the game I didn't play at all and I was wondering, wow man, what the heck happened there.
Speaker 2:And I think it was about 14 at the time and I couldn't understand why. I'm like Dad, how come you didn't let me play? I guess that's a question for Manny, not me and I was like, oh, I'm not calling the coach, you know. So there's no way. And it just kept troubling me because I was like I want to compete with this group. It was so good. And I said, okay, no matter what. And I waited and waited, but it was about two in the morning and I couldn't sleep and I finally woke up and I went through the other room and I shook my dad. I go, dad.
Speaker 2:I know why and my dad knew why it was because I let the guy run through and I didn't transition to fend in the midfield and that was my player and he wanted to give me a chance to speak out and say that. But maybe I was too immature or young at that time and I didn't. But I said can I call Coach Shellshite in the morning? And he's like my dad's, like yes, you can, he goes, good for you. Go back to bed.
Speaker 1:So I did.
Speaker 2:I called him and I said you know we had a long talk. And when I said you know we had a long talk, and when I said I think I understand why I didn't get a chance to play second half, and I presented it to him and he goes aha, so you've been thinking about the game, he goes. That's what I was trying to get you to do at half time and I'm like, sorry, I'm just so competitive, I couldn't think about it. But ever since then he made me change the way I play in the midfield and I became a more true number eight, box and box midfielder, not just attacking and creating. I was at that age. I started adding defensive to me posture, grittiness and coming out of New Jersey, out of Kearney, I had to do that to survive, and so he pushed me to add that even more, made me focus on it. So he changed me as a player, without a doubt.
Speaker 1:Thank you for joining us for this stoppage time special of the Pitch to Pro podcast. If you've enjoyed the conversation, you can click watch the full episode here. Be sure to tune in next Thursday for a new episode of the Pitch to Pro podcast, the official podcast of Ozark United FC, Available on YouTube, Instagram and everywhere you get your podcasts.