How long have you been a part of Fort Wayne United?

I've personally been a part of the club, Fort Wayne United, for 2 years now. So our daughter has been a part of the club for 2 years. However, I personally am a product of this club. Over a decade ago, I was a part of what was formerly known as Fort Wayne Fever Academy, and I came up through the academy and earned an athletic scholarship to play Division One soccer. So what initially attracted me back to the club is the quality of the coaching and the strength of the training and the competition. The skills and the core pillars that have not only translated to my athletic career collegiately, at a high level, also they translated professionally. So for me, I loved where I came from, what I went through, what I was able to pull from the club and apply to this day in my personal life, my professional life, and it's helped propel and do a lot for me personally that I wanted [for] my daughter. In and around like-minded individuals and challenged and was just constantly around proper coaching, training, everything that this club stands for.

What has been your favorite experience at Fort Wayne United?

My favorite experience at the club, for me personally, when I came through was just the opportunity that I created myself in that environment to play at the next level. But as a parent with my daughter now, I think so far, being 2 years in, my favorite experience is watching her build friendships with her teammates. And also being around other players on her team that are better than her at certain elements of their game. And it's been really enjoyable for me to watch her game just elevate literally weekly, because she's around other talented players and she's around coaches that know the game at a high level and are developing these young kids. Another favorite experience just being a parent taking my daughter to these tournaments. And we've got one or two a season at this age, where there's some overnight stay or whatever, and it's really fun to see the friendships that she's making with her teammates. Because when my wife and I are at the team hotel, her teammates, they all kind of get together and have the team dinners and run around the hotel together, and those are some of my favorite memories when I was her age playing. And those relationships that get fostered, that play out in your life later on too. Some of my lifelong friends I've met through this club and this platform and have added to my life, not only at the personal level, but as well as the professional level. So, it's really cool, kind of a full circle moment to see from that perspective. Her having the opportunity to do that as well.

What are your thoughts on the club's day-to-day environment?

My thoughts on the day to day environment, I think is great. I think, now mind you, my daughter's 10, so she's been a part of the program since she was 8-9, 10. At this age and at this rate, it's really about working on your game, learning the game, growing technically as well as athletically. And I feel like our coaches that are handling our specific division, they just do a really good job of getting the repetition on what these girls need to be focusing on at this age, but not burning the kids out and taking away the joy of the game that it provides. I really wanted my daughter to be in a competitive environment. I just feel like today it's OK to want to win. It's OK to be competitive and in a society where that begins to almost become demonized, it seems. This club does a really good job of making it fun, competitive, and it's just an upper level. It's a higher level of play than your standard rec and for kids who want to play at the next level, or just improve their game, it's these kind of environments that they need to be in and doing all these training sessions and all these little drills within the sessions themselves and the amount of games. That's what the kids need.

Would you recommend Fort Wayne United to a friend, colleague, or another soccer family? Why?

Would I recommend this club to a friend, colleague, or another soccer family and why? Yes, I already have. Time and time again. I'll echo what I mentioned previously. It's a higher level of play. We're building skill sets and core pillars that these kids can take with them later on in life, not just athletically, but also in their personal relationships, their professional lives down the road. I believe, the team building aspect, the discipline, the patience, all the things that come with excelling athletically, challenging yourself, facing adversity. These are all positive things in my opinion. So I think you'd be foolish to not want to expose your children to a program like this. We highly recommend the club. We think it's the best club in the area, which is why we're here. And to become the best or compete with the best, you have to be around the best, and I firmly believe this club has the best coaching, training facility, in this area to provide these kids an opportunity to excel and learn and love this game, like I have throughout my whole life to date.