The 2022 Union Omaha season had ended and players were having their individual end-of-season recap meetings with the technical staff. Players entered and players exited, all receiving their offseason assignments. Some players left the clubhouse with a sense of uncertainty, not knowing if they were going to wear the crest again next season. One player, in particular, left with a sense of renewed determination and resolve that 2023 would be his season to make a big impact on the club: Yoskar Galván.
“[Assistant Coach] Bobby [Murphy] said it best, ‘There’s 18 and 19 year olds doing the same thing you’re doing right now and it’s possible for you to do it,’” Galván said. “‘It’s possible for you to be playing at a high level, even at the age you are because people do it. There’s a lot of people doing it.’”
Galván’s road to success was filled with more potholes than an Omaha street in the springtime. Unlike the literal potholes, the young midfielder’s hazards were created in his mind. With the support of those around him, coupled with his courage to battle that inner monologue, Galván was able to experience success and have fun along the way.
Growing up in Lexington, Nebraska (population: 10,360), Galván didn’t have a lot of options in the way of club soccer, so his dad opened that door for him. “When I was younger, he started the first club team…” Galván explained. “…the whole reason why I started playing was because of my dad,” he said. “I didn’t feel like I had enough in me.” Despite that, and his dad’s busy work schedule, the two found time every day to train. “He didn’t have enough time to take me to train or do anything, but he’d always make that little hour or two a day to take me out and train on the field,” he stated. Their shared love of the game and devotion to training allowed young Galván to gain exposure, but adolescent growth spurts would soon become his next road hazard.
Even while playing at Lexington High School, Galván could see how the pile was stacked against him. “I was never the tallest, I was never the strongest and so I had a lot of problems,” Galván revealed. “I hadn’t grown into my body enough at the time.” Instead of focusing on the disadvantages, Galván began to think of ways around his new obstacles. “I was able to use those first two years of high school to really see that I can actually play with people that are stronger and faster than me because I can read the game a little better,” he explained. “I took that time because when you’re short and not really physically capable of doing that, you have to figure out a little cheat code to help you out on the field.” His new mindset and physical abilities began to turn heads, including that of former Union Omaha Head Coach Jay Mims.
During Galván’s junior year of high school, he was invited to a trial by Mims. “He asked a lot of players to go and trial,” Galván said. “I did really well with a friend of mine. We were two of the chosen ones on the team to go and that’s where he started noticing me a little bit.” Soon, a collection of players were taken to a tournament in San Antonio. “I did pretty much everything I was supposed to do in that game,” he revealed. “At the end of the whole tournament, he told me, ‘Yeah, we should keep in contact.’” Over the next two years, Galván would continue to play with his club team in Gretna, as well as his high school team, and waited for the opportunity to play for Mims again.
Out of the blue, Galván received a text from Mims. “He texted me and asked if I wanted to train with him,” Galván explained. “I trained with him for three days and then he asked me if I really wanted to play and if I wanted to do something like this.” It didn’t take long for him to respond to the question. “I told him that, yeah, it’s been something I’ve been wanting to do since I was a little kid, so he offered me an academy contract and that’s when I signed it.” As he signed the contract, Galván became the first academy signing for Union Omaha.
When asked how it felt to have the contract placed in front of him, a giant smile appeared along with a deep breath. “It was crazy,” Galván recollected. “I wasn’t working at the time, so I just had $20. I went, sat down…and called my parents.” The reaction to the news from his parents was understandably positive, mixed with a dose of realism. “My dad was super happy and he was like, ‘Yeah, you have to take this,’” Galván said. “My mom, on the other hand, asked, ‘Does this mean you’re going to quit school?’” Luckily, Union Omaha’s partnership with Bellevue University allowed him to pursue an education while competing as a professional athlete.
His first season with the Owls was in 2021 and his first days in the locker room at Werner Park were in wonderment. “At first, it was nerve-wracking, obviously, because I didn’t know what I was signing up for,” Galván explained. “I had so much pressure on myself.” He also elaborated on what it felt like to be in the professional environment as a new player. “I was kind of star struck because I’ve seen a lot of pro teams train, but I’ve never been a part of that environment,” he confided. “I met a lot of the players and they were really nice people…and they’ve been a big help.” Being a part of the new environment pulled back the curtain on the industry, as well. “It kind of woke me up and told me, ‘Yeah, this is not something we just come to do.” Even the acclimation to his new career was a process for Galván, though.
In the beginning, he admitted to playing it safe. “The first few training sessions, I didn’t really try to do too much,” Galván confessed. “I wouldn’t try to keep the ball at my feet because I just felt, ‘Oh my God. If I do, they’re going to get mad at me.’” The other players on the team noticed and encouraged him to play with more confidence. “It wasn’t until three or four weeks in that some of my teammates told me, ‘You should take more chances.’” He explained that “…at the end of the day, you have to take risks to get a reward.”
Even socially, Galván revealed that he played it safe in his first year with the club. “In the mornings, I just kind of sat in my locker and didn’t talk to anyone,” Galván said. “That’s not really me. I like to talk to everyone, but I just didn’t feel comfortable.” With the help of teammates, like John Murphy, Ricky Rivera, Damià Viader, and Greg Hurst, he was able to come out of his shell. “Greg talked to me a lot and I think, from everyone who was there, he was the person that kind of got me into the group,” he said. “Fast forward to this past year, I would always get [to the locker room] and I’d always be the one talking…”
The 2021 League One season ended on a high note for Union Omaha, capturing the regular season title and defeating Greenville Triumph in the Championship. Galván shared a funny story from the celebrations that night.
After the trophy had been lifted in front of the fans, the team took their celebrations to the locker room. “Everyone was partying and I was just sitting there. Obviously I’m too young to do any of the alcohol,” Galván said. When the players embraced the public for more celebration, Galván finally remembered an important detail to the day: an upcoming deadline for homework. “I was chilling and then I remembered midway through the whole thing, like ‘Oh my God! I have an essay due,’” he revealed. “I sprinted into my apartment, got on my computer and started typing right away.”
Fast forward to the end of the 2022 season, Galván confessed to still struggling with hyper-focusing on his faults. “I was too focused on all of my weaknesses,” Galván revealed. “I was really hammering that into my head.” In that end-of-season individual meeting with the coach staff, they redirected his thinking to a more positive tone. “[Head Coach Jay Mims] asked me, ‘What do you think your strengths are?’ I told him my strengths and he said, ‘I completely agree.’” He elaborated more on what Mims told him in the meeting. “‘You used them against some teams, but you didn’t use them against all of them. You have to be more confident in yourself’.” Despite not playing as many minutes as he would’ve liked, Galván revealed a special message from the coaching staff. “[Mims] said they kept me here because they know I have the potential to reach the level they think I should reach.”
Being such a young player within the club, Galván recognized that many see him as the future of the club, but he showed how he’s able to temper those expectations with his own desires. “I’ve always envisioned myself going farther than I possibly can and just push the team forward,” Galván revealed. “I’ve never looked at myself and been like, ‘I’m going to be a star.’ No, I’ve always looked at myself and been like, ‘I’m going to play and I’m going to have fun.’” He extended this vision out far enough to include the fans, as well. “I hope that while they see me play, that everyone that’s watching is having fun, too.”
As for the 2023 season, Galván isn’t holding back on his goals for the season. When asked if he sees himself contending for Young Player of the Year, he didn’t stop there. “Yeah, that’s always a goal of mine, if not Player of the Year,” Galván added. “If I have the opportunity to contend for the MVP every year, then I’ll contend for it.” He also revealed a few other goals for the upcoming season. “I want to start as many matches as I can, first of all,” Galván began. “…to score my first professional goal…and even my first assist, too.” As for the team goals, he said, “Just to go back to [my] first year…and win a championship with the team.” He then quickly added, “…and just enjoy every second of it.”
Just after this, the discussion turned toward the possibility of getting called up to the U-20 Guatemala National Team leading up to the U-20 World Cup this summer. “No, it’s not my main goal, but it’s one of my biggest goals.” Galván has been in contact with the Guatemalan soccer federation, so it’s entirely possible he’ll be called up again and Union Omaha fans could cheer him on as he competes in Indonesia this summer.
Galván couldn’t hold back talking about the 2023 season without talking about the fans. “The thing that resides in my heart is that the fans are pretty much what push me and give me that fighting spirit.” He even reflected on past matches involving poor performances. “We didn’t play very well sometimes, but because of the fans, we had the burst of energy and opportunities that we scored and scored and scored.” He summed up the support by saying, “It’s the best feeling you can have during a game.”
Despite playing at a high level of soccer, his biggest opponent seems to be his own criticism. Even then, he seems to be vanquishing those thoughts, as well. His teammates have established a healthy environment for him to grow as a player, he’s maturing as a person, and he has the support of his club and it’s fanbase. The future is bright for Galván and he knows it:
“I actually have a lot of good things going for me.”
Who Gives A Hoot? 