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Chasing the Game: Youth Soccer in America is a weekly podcast for soccer parents, coaches, and players who want to understand how youth soccer development really works in the United States.
Hosted by two dads, filmmaker Liron Unreich and investor Matt Tartaglia, the show covers everything from grassroots soccer to elite pathways like MLS NEXT and ECNL. Combining data, real experience, and expert insights from academy directors, college coaches, and former pros, each episode explains what families truly need to know.
Weekly episodes focus on the core aspects of youth soccer: player development, coaching culture, college recruiting, tryouts, travel costs, and the challenges of parenting in youth sports in today’s competitive environment.
For families navigating youth soccer’s complex system, Chasing the Game offers practical advice, credible voices, and relatable stories from two dads working to make sense of American player development, one episode at a time.
Okay, I think I'm
getting the hang of these hooks.
So your kid gets into Stanford University for soccer.
You throw a party, invite everybody, and before the first semester's
even done, he says, you know, mom, dad, I actually don't want to go to school.
I want to go pro.
If you've done the drive, spent the
money, lost to sleep, organized the entire family life
around youth soccer.
This moment is just the one we were scared
of and we're dreaming of.
This episode is not really about the highlights, is what
comes after the decisions
The pressure, the instability, the injuries in the routine.
And what it really takes to survive, once soccer becomes your job.
Today, we're joined by Alex Rondo.
And here's what matters about his path.
He's a New York City kid who climbed the ladder,
the way a lot of families here and elsewhere, think
about and dream about.
He starts grassroots.
Then he moves over to Manhattan Soccer Club.
The next leap to PDA
is a big one and one of the most important elite MLS
next academies in the tri-state area.
From there, it's the Academy pathways,
Red Bull and then NYC of C's Academy.
And then it's time for college,
a commitment to Stanford.
And before even playing at Stanford,
because of a whole bunch of different circumstances,
which we'll get into, Alex transfers to
the University of Virginia, one of the top, if not the top
college soccer programs in the country.
But even with that, the
dream of being a pro couldn't be
contained within him.
So he goes back to the grind, and he leaves school
to join a USL Championship team, and
then MLS Next Pro, eventually,
working his way to NYCFC's first
team environment.ment.
I mean, on one hand, as a parent, we want our kids
to have the easier of choices.
And I'm going, come on, man, are you kidding me?
I'd probably be furious.
But on the other hand
Alex is easier to root for.
He's done the hard work, stayed humble, can't help but love this guy.
Liron: Okay, Alex, welcome
to chasing the Game.
in a nutshell, where
does this story start?
You know, where does soccer become a plan?
Alex: You know.
Everyone, every kid's got a dream, right?
So, um, I mean, mine started when I
was four, uh, just playing soccer.
I think it was like a O
league or something like that.
West Side Soccer League.
Um, I grew up in
Manhattan, upper West Side.
It was just my local league.
Uh, really, really liked the sport.
Um, when I was seven,
I got thrown in goal.
I think it conceded like 11
goals or something like that.
But I like, uh, I ended up like coming
out and just like taking out four words,
like fully penalties and everything.
Um, but I really liked like the,
the, the aggressive, you know, the
aggressiveness of the position.
Um, and some, uh, I, I don't remember
who it was, but someone was like,
went to one of my, to one of my
parents and was like, Hey, like
you should get some real training.
Um, and so you can make the argument
that, that like around seven, that's
when I really, really wanted to do it.
I mean, I always had
the dream to play pro.
Um, the.
You know, I'm kind of jumping ship a
little bit here, but the decision I
made when I left University of Virginia,
which is where I went to school, um,
to then play pro, that's kind of when
I realized it could be a reality.
Um, so probably when I was
around 18, 19 was when I realized
it could really be a reality.
Um, but yeah, going back to my
story, like I met a guy named Memo
Valencia, who's, uh, the Portland
Timbers goalkeeper coach now.
I started at was a team
called Super Soccer Stars.
So I went from a o to super soccer
stars, which I don't even know if that
exists anymore to be honest with you.
And then.
Went to Manhattan Soccer Club,
which is kind of like one of
the big three, you know, non
academies in, in, in New York City.
Um, and then from there we would get, we
would win state cub, we win everything,
but then when we'd go to regionals,
we would get beat by PDA, which is
Jersey Player Development Academy.
Matt: How, how old were you at that point?
Alex: at this point I had just
started middle school, so I was, I 11.
11 to 13.
Yeah.
Liron: gonna say, and at this point
your parents are driving you to Jersey.
You're like,
Alex: So they, they made the commitment?
Yeah.
Liron: We're driving to Jersey
and you were the one who
was the driving force here.
Alex: uh, I always wanted to
play and I told them like.
I want to go here, I wanna play.
And I think what happened was, is
that they had people and parents
talking to them and were like, Hey,
you know, this kid's got a little
talent, you should push this.
And so they were, they,
they bit the bullet.
They, they drove me.
I mean, I used to, I went to a
middle school called Delta Middle
School on the Upper West side.
Um, I used to walk out at two 20.
And then we had a, like,
so our building was here.
We had a garage that was adjacent, and
then my house was about two blocks down.
And so I would either go right to the
garage or I'd go to the, my house,
then I'd go straight to the garage.
But I was leaving at three on the
dot, because that's when like, you
know, rush hour started and we had
to get down to the Lincoln Tunnel
or the George Washington Bridge.
Um, this was like freeways too.
So this is like, you know, you
gotta kind of gamble a little bit.
Like Google masks got terrible,
GTS traffic, everything.
So we, we, we ended up figuring
something out with, um.
One of the, the, the people at
PDA and they got access to a
church that was near the fields.
And basically no one was using
the church except there was like
some, I guess a pastor or some
like church people that were there.
And they were like, you can come
and take your classes and use our
like kitchenette that we have.
So I would like, or my mom, it wasn't be
me, but my mom would like pack me like
a pre-match meal or pre-training meal.
And then we would heat
it up in the microwave.
I'd do all my homework.
I would train probably starting
at 6 30, 7, finish at nine.
We'd get back in the car at that point,
like the drive of traffic's, about an
hour and a half, closer to two hours.
And then without traffic you
can do it in not an hour 15.
Um, so then we were straight
back in the car and it was
like that four times a week.
Um, and then while that was all going
on, I had an opportunity to go to
Ven Bulls, um, with their pre academy
system, not even their academy.
Um, and.
This was U 13 year PDA.
Like, we're like, Hey, we're
gonna give you a lot of playing
time this following year.
And PDA is very much of a family.
And so I was like, I'm
gonna stay one more year.
And the subsequent year when I
actually did turn 13, um, so my
u 14 year I went to Red Bulls.
Um, so I spent one season with
Red Bulls in their academy.
Um, that was actually really, really good.
Um, we got a lot of playing time.
Ended up playing up a
few years here and there.
Uh, and then, uh, 2015 N-Y-C-F-C was
formed and their academy was formed.
Um, and you know, our actually
really our main reason why go we
went to N-Y-C-F-C was the commute,
Liron: Yeah, tell me about it.
Alex: it ended up being really funny
because, you know, when I was going
to whippany in PDA, that's like,
that's an hour, an hour and 30, but
the distance is like 40 miles, right?
So.
It ended up being an hour, an
hour and 30, but the distance
was six miles to N-Y-C-F-C.
'cause like you, you didn't want
to get on the Triborough or the
Grand Central during rush hour.
It was, it was a disaster.
And then God forbid you took the,
like the E to the F to the Q 46
and then you like did that whole
thing you're looking at still,
you're looking at it like two hours.
But yeah, long story short,
ended up at N-Y-C-F-C was there
for four and a half years.
Um, and I would say towards the end
of my last year, that's really when
I was like, I can, I can do this.
Like I can, I can play.
And I always, you know, I never
questioned that I, that I could, it
was more that I just didn't realize it
could be a reality, if that made sense.
So, yeah.
Matt: know, we, we had, uh, one of our
questions here was can you talk a little
bit about the, the, the New York City?
Youth soccer culture, and I think you just
summed it up, which is like, you know,
the cards are so stacked against us in so
many ways from a logistics perspective.
And, uh, the decisions that, that
are made often have to do with
what is possible and what isn't.
Um, uh, but it sounds like you
made your family sacrifice so
much to make, to, to give you the
opportunity to live out your dream.
And you think, when you think back on it
now, you know, what was the most taxing or
how taxing was it on not just you, but on
your family as you were both transitioning
clubs, but also the commitment and
the dedication that went into it.
Alex: Yeah.
I mean, honestly, like without my parents,
I wouldn't be playing pro without doubt.
Um, more so that, I mean, my mom had a re
so my mom is a, a psychologist, still is.
She had a private practice, still
does have her private practice, but
she had to basically restructure.
Her entire schedule when she was
taking me to training, and then
my dad would restructure his.
Um, but you know, he was
doing a lot of theater work.
My dad, my dad's a theater director,
like he, he was, he ended up going, like
overseas and working for months on end.
Um, really since I was like six.
So, you know, there was times
where it was mostly just my mom.
Um, and then when he would come back, then
my mom would like go on the back burner
and then it would just be my dad taking
me to training and doing everything.
Um, and then, but there
one, this is really funny.
Like, I remember talking to my dad
'cause they had just gotten the car.
'cause that was a year I decided to
go to PDA and they're like, their
um, basically their agreement was
that like, Hey, we got this car.
We actually do, they, they, they had a car
before me, but like, this was the first
car they had that since I'd been alive.
And they were like, we want, we
want you to drive when you turn 16.
Like, like once you turn 16, we're
not taking your training anymore.
Like, we, like, that's the idea.
And I think I was maybe 11 at
the time, or 10 at the time.
But then once I turned
16, I got my license.
And that was that.
So like they, they stopped,
um, I mean like I was driving
on my permit at some point.
Matt: Yeah, I'm sure that desperate
times to call for desperate measures.
Alex: was on my junior's
license when I wasn't allowed.
Like they give you an an hour like, or
certain hours that you can drive from,
and I was just fully past those, but yeah.
Matt: Can, can you talk a little bit
about the transitions from club to club
and, uh, how difficult were they on you?
it sounds like you followed the right
path to get to where you are today, but
how difficult was that and, uh, what
often drove those decisions for you?
Alex: um, The only one that maybe
was a little heartfelt was going
from Red Bulls to N-Y-C-F-C.
'cause they were like, this new MLS team,
like Red Bulls had actually at the time,
I got an opportunity to play with our
under 16 team, and I was, you, I was 13.
And, and they were like, we want you
to be with the under 16 team full time.
I ended up going with the
under 16 team to Salzburg.
Like we played Werder Bremen, we
played Meisterschale played Benfica.
Like it was really, really cool.
And they, they like, they
believed a lot in me as well.
And then N-Y-C-F-C was just like,
honestly on paper it didn't really
seem that much more attractive.
Like, we get a Red Bull has
a whole facility, you know,
they got everything going on.
They got Red Bull Arena.
N-Y-C-F-C.
Didn't even have St. John's at this point.
Like this was, this was N-Y-C-F-C
training at College Point in Queens.
Like, that's like, there's guys drinking
beer and playing pickup next to us.
And like, you know, it's, it's, but
Liron: Not, not much has changed.
Alex: Good point, but like, you know, I,
I think what, you know, what, what ended
up happening was is that N-Y-C-F-C felt
like a club that was really for the city.
I remember when, like they brought me,
they walked me through the whole first
team facility, um, to kind of show off.
I, I think they still do this kind
of thing, but like, just to show
off like what their whole idea is.
You know, Claudia Reno was the
sporting director at the time,
and, you know, he was like, we've
got big, big plans for this club.
There's a couple guys I knew
from like, US Youth National
team, stuff that were there.
There's guys I played against from
the city that I knew were going there.
Like Justin Hack, like, him and I,
we weren't like, we were friendly,
but like, we were playing against
each other since we were 10 or 11.
Like, he was always on Med Oval and I was
either on MSC or PDA or then Red Bull.
So like, we would always play against him.
And I remember, like, I went to one of
their, they had a little trial thing.
I went there and they were, I could see
that like, all right, this is, this is
actually gonna be a really good team.
Um.
Yeah, to answer your question, I think,
um, there was no, there was no step down.
I think everything was a step up.
Um, I think just every situation
was a little bit different.
And then on top of that you got a brand
new MLS team that are putting a lot of
investment in and really in New York City.
So that was kind of the, the reason why.
Um, and then I ended up going
for one semester to Stanford.
Um, uh, I got into like a massive fight
with the head coach at the time and
that, that was really when I realized I
wanted to play professionally actually.
So, um.
And so while this was all going
on, I was still in high school.
'cause New York City public schools
don't end until end of June.
And this was June 1st, so I
had an entire month of high
school I still had to deal with.
So I had all that work, the finals
coming up, all that kind of stuff.
On top of that, I had NY CFCs
second National Championship run.
So I was a part of the first one.
I've, I've played a lot of games,
like in the league stuff, but.
Like, I got injured and you know, this guy
Johan Peñaranda plays at, uh, Tulsa now.
Like he beat me out.
He was flying, doing really, really well,
but I was a part of that group, right?
So we had already won one national
championship and I'm like now, like
I've played almost every game with
this, with this national championship.
The U 19 team was U 18, now it's the U 19.
We got a really good team.
We're gonna be like the only team
besides I think Atlanta United and
maybe FC Dallas to go back to back.
Um, and I was like, I
wanna be a part of that.
Like, I wanna play.
And so I basically went, I couldn't get, I
couldn't get the head coach's permission.
He denied everything.
So I was like, okay, you know, with all
Matt: Oh, this the, this is
the guy who recruited you?
Alex: This is the guy that recruited me.
And so I was like, there was
no soccer training at all.
It was just like, it was just running.
And like, to be honest with you, like the
runs they would have you do were absurd.
I had never, I was lose like N-Y-C-F-C
put me on a plan my last year to gain
weight and I had gained probably about.
Six or seven pounds of muscle.
I was feeling good.
That entire thing was just gone out the
window as soon as I stepped into Stanford.
'cause they, the, the, they just
having you run like two miles under
12, having been like, I'm a goalkeeper.
I don't run like this is like, I've
never heard of this, but I, but I did
run and I tried doing it best as I could.
And while that all happened, I went to
my, my professors and I was like, Hey,
you know, um, this is kinda the situation.
Like I got classes to
do Tuesday, Thursday.
I gotta be in New York taking
high school classes and
training with my New York team.
Um, I'm gonna come in
in these office hours.
And they were so cool with it.
They were like, you can do this.
Like, we've had people
with even worse schedules.
Like, so, like, this is, this
makes a lot of sense to us.
So I ended up doing that behind
the head, coach's back, um, just
'cause he didn't gimme permission
and N-Y-C-F-C helped out a lot.
Um, they covered some of the flights.
Um, they like were basically, they told
me what trainees I needed to show up to.
And then.
You know, we ended up going to Dallas
for the first round and then ended
up going to San Diego and then ended
up going to LA for the final and
ended up winning the whole thing.
And it's the funniest situation
ever because we win the whole thing.
Right.
And like at all these academy games,
like you still see it, like you got
all these college coaches like kind
of like lining up the, and to be fair,
like N-Y-C-F-C, the team before that
is probably the best academy team
that have ever existed in the us.
Like just statistically it is
with the amount of pro players.
I think it was 17 professionals, first
division professional players out of 22.
And like, those are numbers
that like IX puts out, right?
Or like Lanta puts out like
there's, there's been no
better Academy team since then.
But then that carryover
was the following year.
There were still like 12 of
those guys, 13 of those guys.
So you still got all these like college
coaches scouting and everything.
'cause a lot of us are, we're
we're all playing up still and.
We win, we win two one Beat FFC Dallas.
Um, I fly back.
I like all my, you know, all my
academy guys, they go out like
they, they have a fun time.
Like they're hanging out
in la have a great night.
I like to go straight to the airport
and I fly right back to, to Palo Alto.
And like the next morning, Stanford
men's soccer has like a tea,
like a, a meeting and everything.
And we talk a little bit and he is like,
we have another national championship
in our midst and like, you know, gives
me a shout out, which is very nice.
Then everyone leaves and he asks
to talk to me and he's like, we're
putting you on academic probation
for the like 2019 and 2020 season.
And at this point I was
like, all right dude.
Like, you know, you you, you're
just trying to send a message.
Um, and I, you know, I, I like, you
know, he was yelling at me for a while.
'cause like I, I wasn't really
biting into the whole situation.
I was just, just guessing him to death.
And what ended up happening was is
I was like, look like dude, with
all due respect, I'll leave then.
And he is like, you're gonna
walk away from a Stanford degree.
And I was like, cool.
Like I, you know, this soccer
is more important to me.
I just threw myself in the transfer
portal, went to UVA, um, but UVA
couldn't get me until the spring
because literally I joined the portal
on like August 20th and the, like, their
fall admission closed on August 19th.
Like, it was just, I missed it by a day.
What actually, what ended up
happening was really nice was
like, I called N-Y-C-F-C and I was
like, Hey, this is the situation.
Like it was a disaster at Stanford.
And they're like, just come back,
like, you're still eligible,
eligible for the academy.
So I played the rest of the academy
time there, um, from like September,
October, November, December.
So four more months of the academy.
I worked as a design intern in New York,
Um, and then in Jan, January
1st, 2020, I went to UVA.
Um, and then I was there at UVA.
All through 2020 and then
halfway through 2021.
So technically I did four
semesters of college.
Liron: Well, pretty ordinary, uh, story
for a, a young soccer player, right?
Not nothing, uh, nothing
extraordinary here.
Do do you get anybody consulting you at,
at that time when you're in this kind
of delicate, giant life decision stage?
I mean, are, are your parents involved?
Do you have agents?
Do you have people in the middle?
Like how, how do you make these,
what you just described as these
kind of enormous decisions?
Or is this just who you are, Alex?
Alex: I'd say a lot of
'em are like me driven.
Um, but at the same time, it's
not like I'm making a decision
and without consulting anyone.
Um, so I mean, yes, my parents,
I would talk to my parents.
I talk to my dad a lot.
Liron: So you go to your dad after
all the driving, all the effort.
You, you know, you know that school I
got into, it's not working out for me.
And he is like, cool.
No problem son.
Follow your dreams.
Alex: Well, to be fair.
Yeah.
And, and the thing is, is that I
actually, I, I ended up saving them money.
Like they still, they've got that
5 29 still running right now.
Like they, they haven't pulled
anything from it to be honest.
Um, because I, I, I had a bit
of a scholarship at Stanford.
And it didn't go into effect or
actually no, it went into effect.
It covered the, the summer term,
so it covered that, but it wouldn't
have covered when I was in school,
like if I was in the fall term.
Um, and then the, at UVA, they
were able to gimme some money and
then my last semester they again
ended up giving me a full ride.
Um, UVA is top class in everything like.
Matter of fact, I actually,
I loved my UVA experience
considerably more than Stanford.
and, you know, when I ended, actually
ended up leaving, um, when ended
up like walking away from UVA to
then go play with, with l AFC slash
Las Vegas Lights, um, they, 'cause
it was COVID, I had a conversation
with my, like my academic advisor.
Because I told him, he was the only
one I knew that I was like, that had I
had a professional offer on the table.
And because I hadn't told any of
the coaches, and the coaches all
knew that I wanted to play pro
because I was very open about that.
Like I had gone pretty much
every, like the end of our first
spring season, like on Zoom.
'cause COVID had just hit, I was
saying like, Hey, like I wanna play.
And then like end of 2020 I get a random
trial in like Dundalk in Ireland and
I'm like, Hey, I'm gonna go try this.
And they were, you know, they
were like, okay, you're our number
one, like, we want you to play.
And like, no, it's gonna be crazy, but we
want, we want you still to try this out.
Um, so they were very, very supportive.
like, you know, I still wanna
finish this degree at some point.
'cause I made a promise to
my mom that I would finish it
or just get a college degree.
Liron: but I'm trying to kind of figure
out how it is that you get to a point
where you, obviously you're an exceptional
athlete and, and you were in the, in
the top environments, but you get to
a point where it all comes a la carte.
Like the best schools are
knocking at your door.
Uh, professional team wants you to play.
I mean, it's just, it's just how it comes.
I mean, it's, it's being exceptional,
of course, but it, that's what
this is all about at the end.
It's that easy.
Matt: Then just let me, one other
question before you answer that.
Um, how much did you have to
do to get yourself out there?
Or was it really just all
inbound as far as the college
process or pro opportunities?
'cause we hear a lot about the fact
that, uh, it's so, so incredibly
competitive and probably even more so
now than when you were going through
the process looking at schools.
Just given the amount of international,
the international influx, which seems
to get greater and greater every
year, um, how much effort did you
have to put into putting yourself out
there versus them all coming to you?
Alex: Um, for the college
process to completely honest
with you, was mostly inbound.
Um, I, that being said, I
had to maintain a 4.0 at, at.
Like Stanford didn't really
drop the requirements at all.
In fact, like it was 3.9, that
was the minimum GPAI needed.
Um, and over a 32 on the A CTI
ended up getting over that, but I,
I, I took the A CT, so I don't know
where that translated that SAT.
Um, but in terms of actually getting
recruited, you know, I mean, just to
go back to like that, that 2018, like
academy team, like that team was so good
that we would be playing Seacoast United
and like that's up in New Hampshire.
And we would have co, we would
have College Scouts at those games.
So like, I mean, uh, when we, when we hit,
when we hit about 15 six, we hit about 16,
really towards the latter half of our 16.
So like towards the end of our sophomore
year, it, there were coaches everywhere.
Matt: who?
Who, who are some of the kids on the team?
Alex: uh, I give you the whole lineup,
like, I mean like the biggest names
would be Gio Rena, Joe Scally, James
Sands, Justin Hack, Dante Polvara.
Um.
Will Sands.
So these are all MLS, Bundesliga,
Matt: so you grew up with those kids
you played for multiple years with them.
Alex: Yeah.
Matt: were any of their paths
completely linear and, and, and how,
when did you guys, as a group or as
individuals realize how special this
group was and that there were a lot
of pros coming out of that team?
Alex: I think we always knew it.
I think like in the back of our
mind, but we used to, we used to
like go into our huddles before
games be like, oh, we fucking suck.
Oh, we're so shit.
Matt: I.
Alex: I just wanna go home and play
like Fortnite or I wanna go home.
Like, it was like very nonchalant.
And that was kinda the whole approach that
we had, like, honestly, and, and like,
there's, there's a video clip in, in 2019
where we won the national championship
where it's, um, like, uh, like Andres
Jason, who now plays in Denmark, you
know, played in the MLS for years, like
him and Veljko Petković was like one of
our attacking midfielders and wingers.
Like, we're in the huddle and we're
kind of trying to focus and everything.
And they just realized
there's a jumbotron.
Like, they're like, yo,
there's a jumbotron.
So they turn around and they're like
holding their, their arms like this,
and they're trying to find where the
camera is, and they spend like 15
seconds trying to find where the camera.
But meanwhile, FC Dallas is all lined
up just like waiting for us, and
we're just fucking taking the piss.
So,
Matt: As, as my, as my son
would say, that there's a lot
of aura farming going on there.
Liron: So did you find that at, at that
stage when you already are a mature
academy player and you can see the,
the goals in front of you, do you, do
you see the college's, uh, was a less
pressured entry point post academy?
Okay.
Can you, can you talk
about that a little bit?
Alex: gotten, I gotten the Stanford,
like I had verbally committed.
I pretty much got there,
signed off my sophomore year.
So, and like I was, I
Liron: Your sophomore year of high school.
Alex: Yeah, and like halfway through
my sophomore year as well, like,
it wasn't like towards the end,
um, a lot of guys were like that.
I remember some guys waited, some
guys had a lot, a lot of offers, and
they just waited and took their time.
Um, I think maybe to get
more money or something.
Um, but yeah, no, it, it, it,
there was not a lot of pressure
on the college side, um, side.
And then, like, like I said,
so that was mostly inbound, but
outbound has been my professional
career, I definitely have to say.
Um, and that like, you know, I, I
go to go to LA after college, I sign
with LAFC SEC or LAFC on a second
team contract, and they, you know,
they're owners of Las Vegas lights.
So I spent my first season living in
LA and then commuting to Las Vegas,
um, which was a crazy experience.
USL championship was also crazy.
Experience being like a
19-year-old in that situation.
Um, it was great.
I really loved it.
I had to really put myself
out there to be honest.
Like I, I. I knew that this was my,
you know, shot at, at playing pro.
It was a good situation.
I had a lot of games lined up.
Um, and, you know, I ended up getting
a call from my old academy coach at
N-Y-C-F-C and he was like, you know, I
wanna bring you in for the second team.
But at the time, like, I did not
have a good relationship with
the first team goalkeeper coach.
Um, so the second team goalkeeper coach
were like, I wanna bring you in though,
because I know you can prove to him
that you, you can be something good.
So, uh, I spent basically two years at
the second team level just grinding.
I tore my adductor
completely off the bone.
Like it was like, there was months
that it were just depressing.
And to be honest with you, like second
team league, like the first year, 2022.
It was, it was good.
It was solid.
You had a lot of, you had,
like, you had like John Duran
playing in that league, right?
Because he wasn't playing on Chicago fire.
So like, I mean, you had some big
name players playing in it and
it, it was more of like an under
23 league, less than it is now.
And now it's just a full
blown academy thing.
Um, but
Matt: talking, you're, you're
talking about next Pro as a
Alex: next pro, yeah, it's
a, it's full blown academy.
It's, it's not professional.
And then, um,
Matt: Can you, can you talk
about that a little bit?
Alex: yeah, I mean the
biggest thing is crowds.
Like how can you play a professional
game with 50 people in the crowd?
That's not, that's not entertainment.
Like we play a sport for fun.
Right.
But it's entertainment
as you think about it.
So it's not entertainment at that
point, you know, like, it, it's just
academy, it, it, it's, it's kind
of like a testing ground for MLS.
They try these new rules like penalty,
shootouts, straight after games.
You know, if you don't get off the field
in 10 seconds, you, you have a two minute,
like you are off the field for, I'd
never heard of these rules in my life.
It was absurd.
Matt: Sounds great.
O, o, o, uh, only in America we're gonna
Alex: yeah, exactly.
And, and,
Matt: change, change the world sport.
Alex: I mean, dude, in my last year,
like I, I played only 10 games in
the NEXT Pro last year, like, it,
it, it, it's not professional at all.
And it, it's so funny, like, I, I didn't
like my first year at at Vegas, I was
like, it can't get worse than this.
Right?
Like conceding 60 goals in a
season, busting six hours one
way and like the blazing heat.
Like in the middle of the desert.
And then like, as soon as I went
to Next Pro, I was like, oh,
I really miss that actually.
Like, I really like, you know, that's
really professional soccer, that this
is not, this is not professional.
Um, yeah.
I spent two years at the next pro
level on an NEXT Pro contract, and
I had to like, absolutely grind.
Like I think the one thing that New
York taught me was, or coming back to
New York, was that like work ethic.
Like I always had a lot of natural talent.
My work ethic wasn't there all the time.
But I think since I've been back, like I
try to be the first one in the facility.
I'm trying to be the last one out.
I'll watch film before training,
I'll lift before training.
I'm stretching for almost an
hour and a half before training.
Like I'm talking to all the strength
and conditioning guys, trying
to figure out how, how I need it
faster, how I can get quicker.
Um, I think that's what
New York taught me.
And then that's what taught
me like, okay, this is, this
is the standard that you need.
At the MLS level, this is the minimum.
And there's guys that get away with
it because they're very, very good.
But like, I'm all right and I need
my work ethic to kind of help my,
Liron: But, but you're saying,
you're saying that this strict work
ethic was developed later on in your
profession, in your soccer life.
Not, not, not when you were a teenager.
Mm-hmm.
Alex: say the soccer aspects of like me
wanting to go to the park by myself and
kick a ball against the wall or practice
different things that never changed.
I'm talking about like your
discipline, your eating habits.
Are you watching film, all these
kind of things like that, like
those, those little details, you
know, how you handle yourself.
How do you, like, are you remembering
like even things like are you remembering
the conversation that you had with
so-and-so player a couple weeks ago about
like, what's going on with his family?
You know, he, maybe he's struggling
with something or, and so then,
you know, in training, like you
don't have to scream at him or like
you can dial it back a little bit.
So there's like, there's a lot
of really nuanced things that I
don't think I would've noticed.
Matt: it's maturity and it's, and it's
ultimately, it's, it's being a pro,
Alex: Exactly.
Yeah.
Yeah, yeah.
No, that's, that's the
easiest way to put it.
Liron: But, but as parents, it's very
easy to sit here and say, of course
you gotta be disciplined with your
diet and your lifestyle, and you
have a lot of opportunities coming.
Matt and I just spoke earlier exactly
about your story, and I was saying that
if, if only my son understood the position
he's in, in life in his young age, and
he did this and this and this, his life
would be much easier later on, let's
say his college process or whatever.
That's why I was asking
you these questions.
Alex: the one thing that, you know,
the one thing that that really
helps me now as an adult and get
my work ethic right, and get me
regimented, is this idea of routines.
Um, and that having a good routine
can change any outcome for the better.
I mean for the worse as well.
But like, you know.
Mostly for the better.
Um, I had a guy named Jake Roswell,
who's still at New York City fc, but he's
like the strength and conditioning guy.
And he was like, I just told him one
day in like 2022, like, hey, like,
you know, I'm gonna show up at the
gym really early and I'm gonna show up
to the gym after and I'm gonna work,
just work my ass off, essentially.
Um, and he was like, I'm gonna
put together a program and
this is gonna make you better.
This is gonna make you quicker.
And that sort of got my like, love for
the gym and the gym really helped me.
That was sort of the, like the start,
like that helped me put in place.
Okay, when am I gonna go to sleep?
Okay, what am I gonna eat here?
Okay, what am I gonna watch, tape?
okay, when am I, the gym was kind of
that thing that got my routine down.
Um, and that really made me realize how
I can get better as an athlete, but also
how I can get better as a human as well.
Like, you know, when I was, when I was
locked in on the gym, it helped me sort
of get my mind right, that it sounds
super cliche, but that's really like
the one advice I would give to you is
like the gym is what pushed me that
direction to figuring out routines.
Um, and I'm not saying like you
should go and tell your kids, go
like start lifting dumbbells or
Matt: No.
No, but I, but I think that, but I
think the takeaway for you, it's the
gym, but I think the takeaway is that
each kid has to find that thing for
Alex: Yeah, exactly.
Matt: which, which, which
gets them to a place where.
Their passion aligns to reality, right?
Uh, and, uh, that's hard.
That's hard for kids to figure out.
It's hard for adults to figure
out, let alone for kids.
Um, but we put so much pressure, and these
kids, in some cases, put so much pressure
on themselves to figure it all out by
the time they're 13 or 14 years old.
Uh, you know, like there's only one
Lamine Yamal in the world, right?
Like the, we don't see a whole,
a whole, a whole lot of 17
year olds destroying la Liga.
So why, why do we think that?
Uh, the next one is, is right
around the corner all the time.
Alex: No, I think you're, I
think you're totally right.
It's all just what can kind
of put that in place for them?
What can, and and honestly,
like when I was younger, like I
was not a social person at all.
Like, I went to two parties
my entire time in high school,
and I almost never went out.
Like I had girlfriends and,
and everything like that, but I
never was really a social person.
My, my bread and butter
was soccer and video games.
Matt: W were, were there periods of
time where you almost quit, where you
lost the fire, the passion, and if so.
Like, do you remember those?
Do you specifically remember
those times and what caused
it and how you got out of it?
Alex: There were, I've
never wanted to quit.
Like, I've never wanted to
flat out be like, this is it.
And, and in fact, like that
realization came when I, when I
ended up walking away from Stanford.
I was like, I saw how depressed I was,
knowing that I wasn't gonna be able
to play soccer for an entire year.
I. I was like, this is
more important than school.
Like, that's, that's what occurred to me.
And then in 2023 when I tore my adductor,
um, I was, I was playing really well.
I was doing really well and I just
was honestly overworking myself.
And I just hit a goal kick
and it popped off the bone.
And that like, was probably the most
emotional I'd ever been because I
was still on a second team contract.
I was pushing every day
with the first team.
'cause I was with the first team
full time and then just train
playing games with the second team.
And I was like, oh my God, that's it.
Like, I'm not gonna get this contract.
And so that, that was one moment where I
was like, I never thought I would quit.
But what I always thought to myself is
like, and I still do this when I was
younger, was like, what, what would
I say to my like, 6-year-old self?
Or like, what would he say to me
if he saw me, like trying to walk
away from the game right now?
You know, he would be
sad, he would be upset.
So I could never do that.
I could never, the the, I
could never stop playing.
I mean, at some point I will, right?
But you know, I. That was always what I
thought, that there was like a younger
version of me somewhere behind me
being like, no, you gotta keep playing.
So,
Matt: How, let me ask you, I was
curious about, mean, UVA is arguably
the best college soccer program
in the history of this country.
Um, Harvard has an amazing school,
has an amazing soccer program,
and obviously it's Harvard.
What are you getting in a pro
environment, even if it's a USL
environment that's different than you're
getting in the college environment.
Alex: it's like, you got bills.
That's really the, the difference bills.
Then you gotta, uh, like a, a crowd,
like people gotta pay pay bills,
people gotta put food on the table.
Um, it comes way more of a reality.
there was a quote that I, it might have
been like Patrick Vieira or something
like that, but it was basically that
like you learn everything in soccer
by the time you're like 16 or like 15.
And the only difference between like
a 16-year-old and like a 24-year-old
professional in the Premier League is
like, he can do everything significantly
faster and significantly more consistent.
That's like the biggest difference.
So, um, I would say that
sort of translates to
college to USL to USL to MLS.
Like I, I would say that, you know,
I haven't played in any other the
leagues, but I would say like MLS to,
you know, the Prem, MLS to, you know,
La Liga, like as a goalkeeper, I can
hit like a 70 yard side volley, right?
And like, I can put it
right on a guy's foot.
But maybe I can do that like
one out of 20 times, right?
Or, and even as like a pro, maybe they
can do that one outta 20 time, but
then you go and you watch like Allison,
like he can do it 15 outta 20 times,
or he can do it 12 outta 20 times.
So like, that's, that's,
that's the only difference.
Liron: But thi this is a, is a great
point that, that Matt brought up because,
You're at N-Y-C-F-C, Matt Freeze.
I, I, I know you guys have camaraderie
between you, obviously his teammates and
on a personal level, but you're talking
about the a, a rising star goalie.
National team, and you're a goalie.
There's only one can play a game.
There's no subs, you're
not gonna be a defender.
They can't put you on the wing.
No formation's gonna change the fact
that you cannot play on that team.
So where, where does that put you mentally
as a, as a young player after this,
this enormous journey that you've taken?
Alex: I mean, you know, I would
say I was lying If I say that it,
you know, it didn't suck, right?
Like, it, it definitely sucks and it,
and it took a toll, but at the same
time, you, you realize you're in a
really good goalkeeping situation.
You're probably in the best
goalkeeping core in the league at
the time, especially last year and
the year before that, you know, like.
I mean, like we, know, you wanna
play and I wanna play every game,
but at the same time, that's not
realistic, you know, with, with
the guys that I had in front of me.
Um, and I knew that, and I mean, you
know, the coach said that, you know, I
was well aware of that, but, but once
you come to that realization that,
you know, you're not gonna play, you
just gotta deal with it, that's life.
I can't, I can't show
up and train like shit.
Just because I'm not playing
like that, that makes no sense.
You know?
I gotta show up and train
and keep doing my job.
It's my job at the end of the day.
right?
You're getting paid to play
something that, you know, people
watch and, and that's entertainment.
And, and yes, you wanna, you
know, push and you wanna become.
The eventual one, but at the
same time, it's not linear.
Especially not linear for a goalkeeper.
Um, yeah, so at the same time, you've
learned so much, even as like a third
or a fourth, like, it, it, it, it's
not a bad situation yes, it's a bad
situation where I'm not playing right,
and that sucks and I hated that.
But at the same time, I'm knowing, like I
got like USA's number one in front of me.
I got, you know, El Salvador national
team goalkeeper in front of me.
And also, you know, a guy I grew up
playing with, like Toma Romero I grew
up playing with since I was like 12.
And then Greg Ranjitsingh Rob Vartughian,
who, who is our goalkeeper coach.
Like, he's like, you know, one
of the biggest American soccer
goalkeeper coaches of all time.
Like, you, you've learned
so much from that situation.
So I mean, it, it, you know, it sucked.
Yes.
But at the same time I
was, it, it was great.
I really enjoyed it and
I learned a ton, so.
Matt: How, can you talk a little bit,
Alex, about what is, what exactly is
a, so you signed a homegrown contract.
How does that work for young players?
And when we've got 15 year olds or
16 year olds and their families who
listen to this and they're starting
to get presented with Homegrowns,
is there any advice in that process?
Alex: I would say they need
to go to college first.
Just try it.
That's, that's the biggest
advice I would give.
Um, because a lot of
these schools do offer.
Situations, especially post COVID, where
even if you just get accepted and you
do a semester and you pass, you can
return to the school at a later point.
You won't be able to play soccer there.
Don't get me wrong, but you
can always keep that door open.
I think there's this idea that like,
you know, you should rush into it
if they present you with a contract.
And I, I think, no, you gotta take a
step back and kinda look at everything
and look at the bigger picture.
It's like, you know, there's not
many professional MLS players
out there, but at the same time.
There's even fewer professional
MLS players that are
playing in the MLS, right?
So, you know, do you wanna become a
player and are you faced with the fact
that you know, you're not gonna play,
you're not gonna play for a while.
Or maybe, maybe, you know,
maybe there is a situation.
'cause you know, every
situation is different.
But maybe there is a situation
where someone gets hurt, someone
gets into a fight with the sporting
director, you know, someone gets,
gets sick and is out for a while.
And so now like, you know, people start
dropping and so then you move your way up.
But, you know, for like 17, 16 year
olds that are being presented with, and
some of these are guys aren't even being
presented with upfront homegrown deals.
They're being presented now with
like two years, second team,
two years, first team deals.
I would say no off the bat,
I would say no right away.
I would, I would definitely, you
know, maybe if it's a full homegrown
deal, I would consider it a little
more, but I would not go into the
next pro situation unless you can.
You can, unless you have.
school in, in that you still wanna go to,
Liron: you were talking about
relationship, a good relationship you
had with the second team coach, for
example, versus a non good relationship
you had with the first team coach.
Can you explain that a little bit
to our listeners, what that means?
Alex: I mean like the, I just
had, basically, I just had one
person that believed in me and one
person that needed to be persuaded
that he could believe in me.
That was basically the whole picture,
you know, like, uh, you know, the second
team goalkeeper coach was like, you got
a lot of talent, but we gotta like, you
know, sharpen this up a little better.
To make you a real pro.
Um, and the first thing goalkeeper
coach was like, you know, if he's
sharp and if he shows that he really
wants it, and this is like what he
wants to do for his job, and I can
see that on, you know, in person,
then, you know, he is got my backing.
Because what ended up happening, actually
when I signed my homeroom deal was
that, that the first team goalkeeper
coach went to the sporting director
and was like, let's sign this guy.
So eventually like, you know, he, he
was on my, on my side and in, in my
instance, every instance is difference.
But in my instance it was work ethic.
You know, my, was my work ethic there,
you know, did I really wanna do this?
That was, that was the only difference.
Matt: Did you, did you ever question
your work ethic or did that come
later where you realized, you know
what it, it could have been stronger?
Like in the moment did you realize?
Alex: I did, you know, you
know, at first I took offense.
I was like, in my work ethic, I'm
like, what the fuck does this mean?
You know, like, and then I realized,
I was like, I was like, hold on.
What, what I saw him was I
saw like Cody Meel, who was
the third string at the time.
I was like, oh, hey, but he's
getting it at seven 30 and like,
I'm strolling in at like nine.
I was like, okay, what am I doing?
Like, you know, this guy's got
two kids, he's gotta put food
Matt: you to pros.
Yeah.
Alex: And I was like,
all right, all right.
You know, I'm gonna beat him out.
And I remember going to the second
team, head coach and being like,
asking him, what time does he show up?
And he was like, oh, like around
7 45, 7 30, something like that.
I was like, okay.
So then after that I just started
showing up beforehand and I never,
honestly, I never competed with him.
Like I, it was never like that.
It was never like, you know, we
were really competing, but I was
like, if this is what it takes to
just even be the third string, like,
you know, this is what I gotta do.
So that was kind of the
Kickstarter with all that.
Um, and like I said, the
gym, the gym really got, you
know, got my head screwed on.
Right.
Um, so.
Liron: So you really had to prove
yourself to, initially what you said,
not a good relationship, but you had to
prove yourself to a more senior coach.
Hey coach, look at me.
Or you had, you had to put, you
had to kind of up your game, right?
As both in dedication and, I mean, not
just your skillset, which you already had.
Alex: Yeah, and I think to like relate
it to a young player's perspective, I
think, you know, I had coaches growing
up that like weren't the biggest fans
of me, but if you, if you're open and
honest with them and you're like, Hey,
you know, maybe don't say like, Hey,
like I know you don't like me, but be
like, Hey, you know, I wanna play for
you and I wanna show you that I'm good.
What does that take?
What?
Like they, most coaches, unless
they were total assholes, will
tell you exactly what you need.
Right?
That's what I did.
And he told me, he was like,
you need better work ethic.
Like, do you really, do you
wanna play fucking soccer?
That's literally what he asked me and I
thought to myself, do I wanna play soccer?
I was like, yeah dude.
And I thought about more, I. I do.
Okay, what does this take now?
Right?
So like if, if you know a young
player's got an academy coach coming
up to them or got like a, a club
soccer coach coming up to them and
you're not really playing, ask him why.
Firstly, he should tell you.
And then basically make
a plan around that.
So if, if he's telling you, okay,
you're not playing 'cause you're
not fit, well then get fit.
You know, ask him how can you get fit?
Uh, you gotta kind of go above and
beyond a little bit to get their eye.
And you'll also notice that when you do
that, like when you start going above and
beyond you, one, you feel better mentally,
but two, you also like, you're gonna
get fit or you're gonna get stronger.
Or if, if maybe, maybe, you know,
the coach's critique is like watching
video and everything, you know,
maybe you start learning more.
You just start learning
more about like, you know.
What happens when the six drops in and
now you're building in the back three.
Okay.
Oh wait, the fullbacks are now going high.
Like you start learning
about that kind of stuff.
So, I, I think it's just to be open
and honest and just, you know, my,
my work, my thing was always like,
you know, I'm gonna shut up and work.
That was really it.
So,
Liron: That's excellent advice.
Uh, Yeah, let's do, uh,
some parent questions.
Matt: yeah.
What, what, um, what should a parent
do when their kid is talented but
confidence starts to collapse.
Alex: I would say, um, to tap, to
tap the network that's around them.
So I would say as a parent, you
obviously know your child better
than anyone else, but you maybe don't
know them at that soccer level that
a coach would know them or maybe
even another parent would know them.
Because I often found that like
I opened up to other parents
more than to my own parents.
Like I was too scared to open to them.
So if there was a guy that I was
carpooling with, like maybe I was
opening up to his dad a little more
and it was good for his dad because
his son wouldn't open up to him.
So then there's kind of like
this relationship there.
and then if, you know, you, you'd
also have, you know, have an open
conversation with, with, with your kid.
But, but don't, don't push them.
That's the one thing I would say.
You really don't want to push them.
Um, and I, I would, I also wouldn't
say, I'd be like, Hey, like, you know,
what's going on with your confidence?
Like, don't say like, don't,
don't preface it like that.
Like just, you know, maybe, maybe
it's like an activity that you're
doing with your son or your
daughter that you typically do.
Maybe like on Thursdays you go to
the movies or something like that.
Like it in there when you're,
when you're having like a,
you know, a good conversation.
You know, just maybe ask
it a little bit there.
That's what I would say.
Like my, my, my mom and my dad, if
they had to ask me about something,
you know, they, they would like.
They would let me play video games
and depending on how well I was
doing, like if I was happy, like then
they would start asking me questions
coming back from that, and then I'd
be like, oh, I'll be answering the
Liron: Well, it's not fair.
Your mom's a psychologist
so that this is not fair.
Matt: she, she, she's
starting on third base.
Yeah.
Liron: Uh, Alex, just for you, is we,
we touched about it a little bit but
you're a goalie, uh, and especially in
the academy level, you just don't start a
lot of games or there's that competition
that's there is, uh, were there ever tense
moments between you and your parents in
that sense, where you were kind of, you
know, head down saying you could have done
better, should have done better, or you
never interacted with them on that level?
Alex: Um.
I mean, there was games where I played
terribly if I gave a shit goal or you
know, maybe I gave the ball away too many
times or, or like, and there's moments
where I'm just dead silent in the car.
Um, and you know, I think when
that, when that happens, kind of
let the silence run its course.
Um, obviously you wanna be there to
support your kid and you wanna, you
know, help them out any way that you can.
But just know that anything that
you'll say in that moment might be,
you know, poking the bear a little bit.
Um, and so, know, when I was dead
silent in the car, it would often
just be dead silent in the car, or,
or the, the music, there'd be some
music on in the background, right?
And maybe the only conversation
that we'd be having is like,
alright, what, what, what do you
want to eat and talk about dinner?
And that's it.
Because I think you gotta kind
of let it cool down a little bit.
You can't, you can't go like,
unless I played absolutely horribly
in a professional game, I'm
not going right under my phone
and watching the clips, right?
Like, you know, like, I'm
gonna cool down a little bit.
Like I'm gonna, you know, I'll throw
my, my headphones in, I'll listen
to some music, maybe I'll watch
some tv, I'll chill and the next
day I'll look back on the stuff.
Okay, what could I have done better?
You know?
So definitely don't rush into like, post
game analysis or post training analysis.
And if it's recurring, you know,
and like maybe you know someone's,
you know, you're on the bench,
that's a very good experience.
I mean, it's not good because you're
not playing, but that's, that's, it's
a, it's a different experience because
you, one, you know how much it sucks.
But two, you also start to learn
how it is to be a good teammate.
Like, I, I was never benched till
probably my u 16 year, and then I
started getting benched and I was
like, I was fucking pissed off.
And then over time, and I
started realizing like, you know.
I can, I can beat out this guy, but
I can also make it a very positive
environment at the same time.
Like, when you realize that, that
there will be opportunities to play,
but there'll also be opportunities
to like grow as a person and as
a goalkeeper, you know, when that
realization hits it, it, it's, it's big.
Like, it, it's, it's such
a good learning experience.
Now, if your child is not playing over
a year's worth of games, okay, that's
when maybe you can, you know, raise
the red flags or maybe even six months
games, seven months games, you have a
conversation with the coach or just be
like, Hey, you know, like he's gotta
find a place to play because you,
yes, game time is important, but at
the, at the same time, know that, you
know, being on the bench will, it'll,
it'll teach your child something.
So.
Matt: Yeah.
You know, you just touched on a couple
of really, really important things
and one of them I just wanted to pull
out, which is something that's come
up on, I think every single one of our
discussions so far, which is patience.
And we just don't have enough of it.
Uh, as parents, as, as, as, as parents.
Uh, I, you know, I look, I think
even as kids, and, but I do think
a lot of that starts with parents.
And I've, uh, I've mentioned this a few
times on the show, like I, I certainly
have been guilty of that and I've
recognized, you know, where I've been
too impatient in certain situations.
And it is unfortunately, like
it negatively impacted my kid.
Um, but it's really hard to be patient
when we all know that the window, I
guess the window is actually bigger
than we think it is, but in our
minds it feels much, much smaller.
Right.
And especially living in this surround
sound world that we live in, which I
think has just accelerated, uh, you
know, the, the impatience around us
because everything seems perfect in
everybody's little Instagram world.
And it's not quite that case.
Alex: I totally agree, but
I, but I do agree that the
window is a little bit bigger.
I, I do agree with that, and I, and
I understand like parents all will
also get very stressed out, especially
with like college around the corner,
you know, things coming up that
are absolutely monumental and, and
you know, your, your child's path.
So I, I think the window's bigger.
I think really the only time you
absolutely have to raise a red flag is
if you're hitting kind of that like half
a year, not really playing situation.
Matt: Mm-hmm.
what's, what's one thing that you've
consistently seen pro players do
that can be, that youth players
are capable of doing as well?
Alex: uh, I would say discipline,
you know, not all pro pro players are
disciplined, to be honest with you.
I would say, I would say, I
would say most of them are, um.
Matt: The best ones certainly are,
Alex: There's some that get
Matt: maybe not.
Yeah.
Just talent.
Talent,
Alex: but I would say unless
you're in that like 3%, 4%
Matt: Mm-hmm.
Alex: away with it, with their talent,
you gotta be disciplined and, and you
know, like, you know, I go back to the gym
again, but like, it also stems with like,
being attentive, you know, listening.
You know, it, it also, it, it stems
with being a good teammate, like
listening to your teammates, you
know, you know, talking to them.
But it also stems with knowing
your team's perception too.
That's one thing I will say is like,
you don't want to, like, as a player,
you don't wanna go up to your coach
and then constantly like, repeat
back what your coach is saying.
You know, like, kind of like a
know-it-all, like a teacher's pet.
Like all your, all your,
your teammates gonna be like,
what the fuck are you doing?
Like, like, like, shut up.
You know?
So it would happen at the
professional level too
Like, you know, he is just.
Just, you know, do your work.
Matt: Especially if he can't play.
Alex: Yeah, exactly.
That's true.
just put your hands behind your
back and, and yeah, just listen
to listen to your coach speaking.
That's, that's what I would say.
Liron: you know, I mean,
we're, we're gonna wrap up.
But, um, f first of all, I mean, in,
in the few months that we've been
doing this, I've just learned about the
enormous amount of mistakes I've been
making as a dad, uh, with, uh, Lavie.
And it's fine.
I'm, I'm learning.
But, uh, one thing is, uh, uh.
I, and most people don't know, but Lavie
has your shirt hanging in his room,
Alex, it's kind of, and I view, I told
you that before I sent you a picture.
It's like a really touching moment.
I know even he met you at the
stadium and it was, it was a, it
was an inspiring moment for him.
But you know, I look at goalkeepers
are, are a strange breed.
We all know they are the most
talented, greatest, smartest, you
know, most handsome on, on the field.
That goes without saying.
But when they make a mistake,
it's, it's, it's a on and off.
I mean, it is an absolute disaster.
So what advice do you have for a
young goalkeeper that just was in a
game and just made that big mistake
and everybody's looking at that kid?
Alex: be a goldfish.
Like goldfish have terrible
memories, so like the.
Something will happen and like
five seconds later, they have
no idea that that happened.
So that's kind of the, the approach
you need to have, you know, you'll
be able when the game is done to
go back and look at all that stuff.
Um, if I make a mistake, like I'll analyze
the situation and I'll know, probably I'll
know probably in the moment what I could
have done better, and I'll tell myself
that, but then after 10 seconds, I'm like,
I'm not thinking about anything else.
You know, you've got a whole, you
know, whole rest of the game to play.
You gotta focus.
And, you know, as soon as the team like
realizes that, okay, maybe that a, that
goalkeeper's not really in the game,
you know, next thing you know, maybe
they're dropping a corner kick on your
head and you're not focused and like,
they're like, you know, they, they
start to play those games a little bit.
So yeah, just forget about it, you
know, if you, if you want to get your
confidence back up again, you know,
maybe play, you're a goalkeeper that
builds out, maybe play a couple simple
passes in the center back, just get
your mojo getting, uh, up again.
You know, or someone shoots a
ball at you, you know, just.
Make the save.
And that'll, that'll keep
your confidence going.
Um, you know, if you're a goalkeeper
that doesn't build outta the back,
you know, maybe put the ball down and
just hit it up to the nine, hit it
past the nine, you know, get, just get
the blood flowing a little bit again.
Um, but you're right.
You, you, you, there's a lot of
pressure in goalkeeping, probably
the most pressurized position
maybe behind being a forward, or
I would say more so to be honest.
Um, but um, yeah, you need to,
you just kinda move on from that,
Liron: So make a mistake
and forget quickly.
So that is why there's not a lot of great,
uh, Ashkenazi Jews, uh, goalkeepers.
I get it.
Okay.
Well, another thing learned check that
goes in the summary of season two.
Alex, that was worth the
whole a hundred minutes.
Matt: I'm gonna have to make
sure I, I'm gonna have to,
Alex: that in the
Liron: no, I'm only doing that.
That's actually the only line
Matt: gonna learn
Liron: I didn't press record.
Uh, I just started to
Matt: I'm gonna learn, I'm
gonna learn how to edit now.
Oh man.
Uh,
Alex: And And
Matt: Bravo brother.
Thanks
Liron: Thanks.
We are just all behind you, man.
More than wow here, this is like a opa.
Wow.
You know, they think
I'm going to run out of these to say.
The thing thing I keep coming back from this conversation
is the word routine.
Motivation, okay, talent, okay, obvious, but routine.
Alex says it really plainly.
The one thing that really helps me now as an adult to
get my work ethic done is the idea of routine.
He breaks it down to practical stuff, sleep, food, and even film
And he says, okay, when am I going to go to sleep?
And what am I going to eat today?
And when am I going to watch tape?
As a parent, that's the hard part, right?
We want to keep our kids locked into healthy routine for the rewards to come.
And what's important is this isn't
some extreme mindset.
Alex is very clear about the standard.
I try to be the first one in the facility.
I'm trying to be the last one out.
I'll watch film before training.
I'll lift before training
And then he says it's straight.
And then he says it's straight.
At the MLS level, this is the bare minimum.
Yeah, and then he adds another line about
going pro, which you and I really never thought about in that
sense, you got bills.
That's when's when soccer stops being
That's when's when soccer stops being
a dream and it starts becoming a job.
And that's what we hope parents and players take away from this episode.
you know, a math, after hearing all day this, I just want to be clear.
This is probably exactly why this podcast will never be super successful
because there's no work ethic around here.
NONE, none, zero.
This is chasing the game.
See you next time.