Author’s Note: I finished writing this piece on the 25th of January and finished editing it on the 1st of February. It still feels overly self-indulgent, but at least one person in the last 2 months asked me about my 2023 plans and this answers that question so I’m going for it before the season starts and it is no longer relevant. Once again I want to reiterate how grateful I am for Luke for letting me explore podcasting, long-form journalism, and data-driven sports writing. I still give a hoot!

Sometime immediately after the final whistle of Union Omaha’s historic win against Minnesota United in the Open Cup my mother-in-law died for the first time. They managed to successfully revive her, but not before they’d told my wife she was dead. What followed was one of the worst nights of my life, as I dozed fitfully between updates from the hospital. Around 5:30a in the morning, after several more resuscitations, my mother in law died. My wife and I were stuck in our house with COVID at the time.

I had a complicated relationship with my mother-in-law, but soccer was something we bonded over. She was immuno-comprised and in physical decline and never made it to a Union Omaha game. The local team was not what we bonded over. But this isn’t a story about my mother-in-law and me, it’s about me and Union Omaha.

In the days after the game I managed to do an episode of Who Gives a Hoot? and it was a blessed escape from the pain that filled my heart and my house. But that was the last Union Omaha thing I had the heart and spirit to participate in. 

I gave up my tickets to the Open Cup game against KC because it was the same day as my mother-in-law’s funeral. By the time I got home from all the family activities, I’d watched us give up two goals as I followed along on ESPN+ on my phone. As the next four goals went in I spent the rest of the game joking about sitting through my second funeral of the day. 

As the season went on, I struggled to remain connected to the team in the way I had been before. I spent a lot of time asking myself why and during that reflection I came up with two distinct answers. 

One, I’d been carrying around a lot of anger and resentment toward the team for the way I was treated at the start of the pandemic and around the start of the inaugural season. I’d wanted soccer in Omaha for so long that nothing, literally nothing, was going to stop me from being a part of it as much as I could. Accordingly, I kept myself pretty close to a number of people who hurt me deeply and prevented me from achieving something I’d dreamt about for years. I came to realize as long as I was deep inside the ecosystem the fans have created around this team, I was never going to heal those wounds. I needed more distance in my life. I watched two the biggest games in club history from my couch and missing out on the camaraderie of the Cup run inserted some distance. The process of disentangling had started inadvertently but I made a choice to continue it and let myself heal. 

Two, sports are really unfair. This should not be news. But I found it very difficult in the face of a life event that felt very unfair, the passing of my mother-in-law, to be deeply emotionally invested in a team whose fate was in the hands of League One referees. This was no shower realization, this I found out the hard way. Do you remember the night of September 14th? It was a Wednesday night and the Owls were playing the Kickers; a midweek, top of the table clash at Werner Park. Dozens (hundreds?) of folks turned out expecting to watch UO reclaim its rightful place at the top of the table. 

I was so optimistic. The funk of the summer was wearing off, and I was ready to fully invest in this team again. Instead, we watched the referees hand a 90+5 penalty to the opposing team. To me this felt deeply unfair and I felt helpless. Walking to the car that night, I realized that the feelings I was consumed with were an echo, a faint one, but an echo of how I felt at the end of May when my mother-in-law passed.  I finally accepted that I needed to be less emotionally invested in Union Omaha. 

Now, I picked a good time to bail emotionally because it’s been a rough ride for UO fans since then. We went draw, loss, draw, draw, loss, playoff loss. For me I was so relieved the season was over. I started to formulate this piece in my head as a way to process my thoughts on the season and my involvement in it.

As I did this other things happened in the world. The World Cup reignited my love of soccer. Jay left the team. Joy appeared in other places in my life. And I healed. I found myself starting to think it was a good thing I got laid off because I got to spend such incredible time with my family in a way that never would have been allowed otherwise. Found myself grateful for all the things that brought me to the place I am right now. We still miss my mother-in-law, we are still processing that trauma. I especially missed her in the build up to the France-England game in the World Cup. She would have been so fired up for that game. In short, the world went on and I realized I needed to put a period at the end of the sentence here.

I am always going to root for this team. And likely they will be the team I follow most closely in the world. But the reality is, I am not in a place to offer any unique insight to the Who Gives a Hoot? media empire. I appreciate the forum that Luke et al have given me here to share my voice and to be an outlet for my passions around this team. Maybe there will be something that compels me to do something here in the future, but it seems unlikely. If you’ve read or listened to my self-indulgent dreck in the past, thank you, it meant everything to me. And if you’ve made it this far in this piece, thanks for listening to me again. Viva Buhos!

Union Omaha Begins a New Era

Union Omaha’s 2023 season begins on Sunday, and opposing side Forward Madison are one of the few elements that fans will be familiar with while taking in this opening match (though Madison will look very different from last season, but more on that later). There are so many things that are different since Omaha’s last regular season game, that we have enough to include the bullet points below:

• Jay Mims is out as manager, replaced by Dominic Casciato
• The match will be played at UNO’s Caniglia Field (not a permanent change, but a regular season first)
• Possibly more than half of our starting XI will be new faces, including potentially the entire backline

With all of the above changes, previewing a match with so many unknowns can be rather difficult. Let’s look at what we can assume from some of the bigger changes and see what we can figure out. First and foremost, new coach Dominic Casciato. Casciato’s background from El Paso Locomotive, where he was assigned as an attacking specialist, suggests he’d introduce a more up-tempo style of play. I don’t think we can necessarily assume that’s going to be true, but I think it’s likely we can assume our attacking style will be quite different. Likely gone are the days of outside backs like Damià Viader, Ryen Jiba and Ferrety Sousa flexing up in the counterattack to contribute with crosses. Instead, we’re likely to see a team that values possession, moves the ball from station to station, and focuses on the attack from the center of the field while allowing outside players to be more creative off the ball.

So, which players did we add to contribute to this style? Start at the top with Steevan Dos Santos, a forward brought in from Tampa Bay Rowdies. He’s unlike any forward that’s ever played for Union Omaha, a taller player that is more accustomed to playing as a center forward, either as a lone-attacker or part of a formation with 3 forwards. This type of player wouldn’t be accustomed to playing in the 4-4-2 formation that we’ve grown accustomed to seeing from Jay Mims’ coached teams. Noe Meza is the only player returning to the squad this year that played regular minutes as a forward, and he’s surely not going to be seeing much of the bench this season. So what kind of formation do we see and how does he fit into it?

Let’s go all the way back to the backline, where there are a lot more unknowns when it comes to personnel. Omaha are replacing their five most frequently used defenders from last season, but they’re mostly being replaced by known commodities; Stefan Mueller from RGV Toros, formerly of South Georgia Tormenta, Luca Mastrantonio from FC Tucson, Alexis Souahy from New Mexico United and Junior Palacios of Miami FC. Did I just name the starting four in the back? That depends on whether or not we’re playing four at the back, but for the sake of this exercise let’s assume that we are, because it also assumes Palacios being slotted at RB, while also capable of playing as a CDM. Palacios at CDM would open up the RB position for Omaha’s lone returning defender, Shaft Brewer Jr., who excited many at the end of last season when he started seeing more of the pitch.

So if Palacios plays as a CDM in a formation with four in the back, it’s very possible it would be part of a five-player midfield. Maybe something like a 4-2-3-1 where he plays besides Conor Doyle, with Joe Brito, JP Scearce and Meza in front of him from left to right, with Dos Santos alone up top. If you take the roster page on the Union Omaha website as canon, this would mean Meza and Palacios would both be playing out of position, but this is a formation I believe their playing styles would fit in nicely. It would look something like this:

As for Forward Madison, it’s year two for manager Matt Glaeser but it might as well be year one as a significant amount of roster turnover has led to only four players from last year’s squad returning. The new players are a hodgepodge of players with varying levels of experience, and whose most recent teams spans four continents. Leading scorer Jeremiah Streng is gone, having returned to Finland after the end of his loan spell. So has exciting midfielder Matheus Cassini, who ended up with South Georgia Tormenta. However, Forward Madison did bring in Christian Chaney, Fuego FC’s leading scorer last year that ended his season scoring in five of his last seven games. He’ll possibly pair with returning Nazeem Bartman, but as he was used as both a forward and attacking-midfielder whether or not they’ll play beside each other remains to be seen.

Their defense will be much more recognizable amongst USL League One circles. Stephen Payne joins from Richmond Kickers, Timmy Mehl comes in following two separate loan stints with Chattanooga Red Wolves, and of course former Union Omaha defender Jacob Crull signed with Madison after his lone season with FC Tucson. However with New Zealand international Sam Brotherton also joining the ranks, and USL veteran Mitch Osmond starting his second season in Madison, it’s very possible that not all three of these before mentioned newcomers will see the pitch Sunday, at least as starters.

Opening matches don’t only bring with them the unpredictable, as I mentioned above, but also of course bring with them hope and excitement. That should not only give both teams additional motivation, but both sets of fans as well. Look for this game to be an emotional one, as both sides start their journey towards lifting the USL League One trophy next fall.

In his first professional season, Noe Meza had a banner year with Union Omaha.  Not only did he lead the club in goals, but he also led the way in assists, shots and shots on target.  He was also a key contributor to the club’s historic US Open Cup campaign, scoring against MLS side Chicago Fire and fellow USL League One club Northern Colorado Hailstorm.  His name was also found on the Team of the Week list three times, as well as Player of the Week on one occasion.  With all of the statistics, film and accolades pushing him into the limelight, you might think his attitude would be affected.  Not even in the slightest.  After sitting down with Meza, as well as supporting interviews with both of his college coaches, I learned of the incredibly humble human being that is Noe Meza.  The stories I heard shifted the entire angle of this story because Union Omaha fans deserve to know about the special presence within the locker room.

From the beginning, Seattle University men’s soccer Head Coach Pete Fewing knew Meza was a special recruit.  “He’s incredibly humble,” Coach Fewing recalled.  “…that here’s a great one.”  After listing off Meza’s athletic qualities, Fewing immediately jumped into one of his favorite stories.

“We had end-of-the-year meetings with players and we asked the players, ‘Who do you admire on the team?’  Five guys had Noe Meza and he was a redshirt freshman.  He wasn’t playing on the team.  He was training with the team, but he wasn’t playing in games and we’ve never had that before.”  Even while recovering from an injury and not seeing any playing time during what became his redshirt freshman year, Meza still found a way to make an immediate impact on his team.  “That’s the character and the class and quality of Noe Meza,” Fewing said.

When Meza was asked when that mindfulness and perseverance began, he mentioned his high school years.  “I guess…starting with high school I was not putting too much pressure on myself,” Meza began.  “I guess the mentality going into it was making the most of the situation I found myself in and then doing everything on my part that I could control.  After that, just seeing what would happen.  I guess ever since I’ve implemented that way of approaching goal setting, it’s been working out.”

Once Meza was healthy enough to take the field, Seattle University Assistant Coach Nate Daligcon noticed his swift ability to lead the team on the field, as well.  “He kind of just kept improving, kept improving,” Daligcon said.  “He was improving each year in terms of either getting stronger, better on the ball and more confidence in finishing.”  His year-by-year statistics support this, as well.  By the time Meza graduated from Seattle University, he was exponentially better in shots, shots on goal, goals and assists.

Coach Fewing also mentioned how Meza’s leadership was taking shape as he advanced through the program.  “He and I became sort of partners,” Fewing revealed.  “He’d been here long enough that he knew what we were expecting and knew what we wanted out of players.”  Meza lived up to Fewing’s initial impression of being “a great one,” stating that “he was a pro before he got to Omaha, for sure.”  This led to another interesting development about Meza.

While other college students may be getting summer jobs, internships or vacationing between academic years, Coach Fewing revealed how Meza spent his summer months.  “His mom cleans houses and when he goes home, he helps his mom clean houses,” Fewing said.  “He’s not afraid of doing any kind of work.”  In that same line of questioning, Fewing praised the Meza household.  “His parents are really terrific, good-hearted, kind people.”

Meza’s offseason plans after the 2022 season weren’t far off from his previous seasons.  “When I’m back home, definitely just hanging around with family,” Meza said.  “And then on the weekends, I’ll go to church, too.”  Noe said his church is important to him.  It’s where he’s able to express himself musically, as well.  According to his bio on the Seattle University website, Meza plays bass, guitar, piano, and drums for his church.

Outside of his family, church, and music, Meza has a few plans for his downtime in the coming season.  He likes listening to podcasts and is trying to read more books.  “I was in school for so long, it’s just something that I’m used to – reading and stuff,” Meza said.  Right after saying that, he also said that psychology is a particular interest to him.  There was also the  mention of experimenting with artificial intelligence in the offseason, allowing him to put his engineering degree to good use.  “[It’s] blowing my mind.”

There was virtually no effort needed in discovering the kind of leader Meza was while at Seattle University.  Both Head Coach Fewing and Assistant Coach Daligcon were more than happy to praise Meza on his leadership skills.  

“He’s going to do anything to help the team and help his teammates,” Daligcon said.  “He’s a guy that everyone wants in their team and on their team.  The coaches, as well.  And we loved him because he was always a great example for not only what the program stands for, but also for the younger guys coming through…”  Daligcon went on to describe even more of Meza’s leadership traits.  “He was one of those guys where everyone looked at not as a captain, but looked at as a leader.”

Fewing had similar sentiments of Meza.  “He led by example and he led quietly.  He would take the players aside and chat with them.  He was very aware of his teammates around him.  If somebody’s struggling or somebody needs a lift, he got along with everybody on the team.  He treated every one of the team with the same respect as you would a star player.  He didn’t care if you were starting or if you were the last guy on the roster.  Everybody got your respect.”

And apparently Meza has a hidden skill that finally came to light during the conversation with Fewing.  During his years at Seattle University, Meza would even give his teammates haircuts.  Fewing remembers that he charged his teammates in the neighborhood of $15, but jokingly guessed that the price tag has doubled since his ascent to the professional ranks.  “Noe is one of those guys that will help anybody out.”

Before ending the interview with Fewing, he wanted to stress the kind of human being that fans see in Meza.  “He is the epitome of a Seattle University student athlete,” Fewing said.  “He is what we want our Seattle University student athletes to be: focused in the classroom, focused on the field, kind, generous, high character and thoughtful.”  He ended the thought saying, “He’s got a good mind and [is] a guy who will give back to the community.”

Just like any other season, there will be trials and tribulations in the coming months, but the ebbs and flows of the season are less severe when you have someone like Meza on your side.  Even the younger players who have been signed to the roster this season will benefit from having Meza nearby to act as a mentor and counselor.

At one point in the conversation with Daligcon, he summed up his feelings about Meza by saying, “…he’s one of the guys that is a great, great human being.  Really.  You know, if we could have more Noes on the team, I’d love that.”

On February 18th, Union Omaha fans were intrigued to see a trialist listed among the goalscorers in the 3-2 preseason victory over Sporting Kansas City II.  Less than a month later, fans have learned his name and can soon buy his jersey.  On Tuesday, March 7th, Union Omaha signed forward Alex Steinwascher ahead of the 2023 season.

Steinwascher initially stepped into the limelight while playing collegiate soccer at the University of Indianapolis.  As a true freshman, he scored a goal in each of his first three games.  By the end of the season, he had amassed eight goals and five assists.  Of those eight goals, four were game-winners.  That trend continued throughout his time with the Greyhounds.  After four years with the university, he scored 38 goals, 13 of which were game-winners, and earned 25 assists.  Spanning across four years, Steinwascher started every match for the Greyhounds, except for one.  Among the plethora of awards and recognition he received were 2018 GLVC Co-Freshman of the Year, 2-time Academic All-GLVC, and 2-time GLVC Offensive Player of the Year.

After graduating from University of Indianapolis, Steinwascher played a year of collegiate soccer at Xavier while in graduate school.  He was able to start all 18 matches for the Musketeers, score 3 goals, and add 2 assists. 

Next up, Steinwascher took his talents to the Major Arena Soccer League, playing for the Milwaukee Wave.  In the 20 games that he played, he found the net 8 times and assisted his teammates on 7 other goals.

In Union Omaha’s press release, both Head Coach Dominic Casciato and General Manager Peter Marlette cited his work ethic in their quotes.

“Alex is a hard-working forward with a nose for goal,” Union Omaha Head Coach Dominic Casciato said. “He’s bought into our culture of putting the team first and impressed throughout our pre-season in both training and games. I’m delighted to add him to the group and watch him grow in his first professional season.”

“Alex is a hard-working forward,” Union Omaha General Manager Peter Marlette said. “I expect him to bring his teammates into the game and allow those around him to excel offensively, while also causing defenders problems himself. He had a great college career at Indianapolis and Xavier, and I’m looking forward to seeing him at this level.”

Steinwascher added his own quote to the press release, saying, “Union Omaha has been a very welcoming place, and I’m looking forward to my time here.  Let’s make this year a long and enjoyable year!”

With his addition to the roster, Union Omaha has 21 players, 4 of which are forwards.  The 2023 season is less than three weeks away, so make sure you have your season tickets purchased and don’t miss out on any of the action.  There are still a few signings remaining for this season’s roster, so make sure you like, subscribe, and follow Who Gives A Hoot for all of the latest Union Omaha content.  You can find those links below.  As always…¡Viva Búhos!

In his rookie season with Union Omaha, Joe Brito had finally achieved his goal of playing soccer at the professional level.  He dazzled fans with his footwork, scared defenders with his unpredictability and awed everyone watching his attempts on goal.  To Joe, this was nothing new.  Since he was 12 years old, he knew he wanted to be a professional soccer player.  No, not like the rest of the kids in the classroom who announced their dreams as if it was the flavor of the week.  Brito could see the future.  He knew what he wanted, he had a plan to make it happen and he simply took the steps needed to make it happen.  Even today, Brito speaks with the certainty of a man who has it all figured out.  And to think, all it took was one massive loss in a youth soccer match to jumpstart his success story.

Brito grew up in Bolton, Connecticut, a town with less than 5,000 people and about a 15-minute drive east of Hartford.  Soccer wasn’t big there and development wasn’t taken as seriously at the time, but he still signed up to play with his local program, Oakwood Soccer Club.  Even then, Brito wanted to play professionally.  It was a seed planted in the dark recesses of his mind, waiting for the right moment to sprout.  That seed lay dormant until the fateful day when his club team lined up against the New York Red Bulls academy team.  “They destroyed us 10-0 or something like that,” Brito said.  “And that’s when I knew I had to move on to an MLS academy,” he continued. “And that’s where I wanted to be: playing professional soccer.”

After seeing him play a few times, the New England Revolution invited him to be a part of their Under-14 squad.  Brito was brought in as a midfielder, well within his wheelhouse, but then he received the surprising news.  “I was a lot smaller than everybody, so I played a lot of left wing and right wing,” Brito revealed.  “Once I became around Under-16, I started getting shots inside the middle.”  It should come as no surprise that his successes improved after that move.  “They started giving me chances there and I started to succeed.”  Even in his adolescence, Brito’s ambitions were well ahead of his physical development.  Once the pieces started falling into place, so did Brito’s rate of success.

During his time with the Under-18 squad, Brito was invited to travel with the Revolution’s first team to Arizona for preseason training.  “That was a great experience because playing with [the first team], there’s nothing like it,” Brito recalled.  “The speed of play, the physicality and everyone’s soccer IQ is really high.”  He followed that up by saying, “That’s something you can’t really replicate playing against kids your age, obviously.  That helped me to take a lot of valuable steps forward and prepare me for college and so forth.”

Upon his return to the east coast, it wasn’t long before he was traveling with other Revolution academy players to showcases in Florida and Texas, where plenty of college scouts were watching intently.  “You’d see basically the whole sideline filled with college scouts,” Brito said.  “After that, you get coaches interested in you and they reach out to you,” he added.  Luckily, the Revolution academy coaches helped him find the right fit:

“I would have college coaches reach out to me and I would reach out to the academy director and ask him, ‘Is this a good school?  What do you think of this coach and would it fit me?’  And he was good about telling me, ‘You don’t want to go here. This isn’t going to suit you. This isn’t going to push you to the next level.’ And he would tell me when it would be a good fit for me.”  One of those schools that turned out to be a great fit for him was the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and Head Coach Kevin Langan acted quickly to sign Brito.

“We spoke to his coaches up there and spoke with US Soccer folks, as well,” Langan said.   “They all had incredible things to say about him.”  Langan elaborated on some of those initial attributes that caught his attention, “The main thing was his level-headedness.  He wants to influence and impact the games.”  He could tell that Brito didn’t bring a disruptive ego with him, either.  Even better – he brought a passion for the game.  “He’s such a quiet guy, but as soon as the ball rolls out, he just comes to life,” Langan added.  “His eyes spark up and he just lets his play do the talking for him.”

Head Coach Langan knew he was adding a special player to his roster, but what followed was a page taken directly from a book that Brito was altogether too familiar with: switching from a central midfielder to a winger.  “When he first joined, I think physically, and I think Joe would admit that as well, he had the aerobic capacity to keep running,” Langan expressed.  “Physically – maybe not quite ready for the college to Under-23 level.  But again, he’s such a good player.”  That was the issue, though: giving him minutes and developing him while not jeopardizing his career with injuries.  “We wanted to get him on the field, so we played him on the left side of the midfield and allowed him to cut in on a more favored right.”  That decision paid dividends for the Forty Niners, as Brito would go on to score 4 goals and earn 16 assists in his freshman year.

Brito’s first two years were spent as a fixture on the left flank.  In those two years, he was able to tally 7 goals and 22 assists.  Those were his best statistical years while at UNC-Charlotte, as far as scoring goals and earning assists, but Brito will tell you those weren’t even his best years.  During his junior year, he was moved to the middle and this is where he felt his level of play excelled.  “My stats weren’t the greatest because I was playing more of a six [central defensive midfielder], but I was just playing the best soccer I played and consistently.”  From his junior year through his COVID senior year, Brito would continue to pad his stat sheet, scoring 9 goals and adding 13 assists.  This was also the same time that Brito was gaining even more confidence in his chances to play professionally.

Head Coach Langan felt confident in Brito’s playing abilities, even while recruiting him, and could tell he had the qualities to make him fit in amongst the professional ranks.  “We know he’s going to work hard,” Langan said.  “We know he’s going to work at his game. He was humble enough to take on information and work on it. He didn’t have this huge ego that was going to be a barrier to him learning and he also had that deep passion to be a pro, as well.”  Being that Brito has a Portuguese lineage, Langan even urged Brito to get his Portuguese passport.  “We told him to go get his Portuguese passport,” he advised.  “That way he could open up avenues for him to go play in Portugal and Europe, where there’s just obviously more soccer opportunities at any level.”  Langan added, “So get a degree and then put your cleats in the trunk and go anywhere in the world.”

After graduating from UNC-Charlotte, Brito set his sights on invitationals and combines, whatever would allow him to get more eyes on himself.  He knew he was a good player and he knew that he could play against professionals, but the very nature of those combines was tough.  “You’re going and playing with players you don’t know and you don’t know what the coaches are looking for,” Brito expressed.  He even told a story about the combine at which he met former Union Omaha Head Coach Jay Mims:

“On the third day, I had a really good game. I scored a couple goals and had some assists and after that I talked to Jay and then we kept in contact.  But actually, at that combine, I became really good friends with Eddie Gordon. That’s where I first met him. He was there, so I met him. He introduced me to Jay and then he took my phone number and then later that week he called me and invited me to their combine and then the rest was kind of history.”

Coach Langan helped spread the word about Brito to any professional coaches that would listen and he had one message that he wanted to get across the most.  “Joe grows on you. You see him every single day at continuity in his game – that consistency.  He’s extremely robust. I literally can remember, I think, one injury in four and a half years that kept him out for two weeks and that’s because I made him stop,” Langan professed.  “At his worst, he’s a 7 out of 10. At his best, he’s a 10 out of 10. So, for the pro coaches, you’re not going to see the best Joe Brito in a combine. He’s not the biggest, strongest, or fastest player, but I guarantee – let him come into preseason and by the fourth day, you’re signing.”  Those words fell onto the ears of Jay Mims, too.  Mims brought Brito in for preseason and he was signed shortly afterwards.

Even as Brito was suiting up and playing as a professional, he showed no signs of intimidation in that moment.  “I felt pretty comfortable with it, to be honest,” Brito disclosed.  “I think going from playing college to that next level, just in training, helps you adapt to the speed of play.”  In his opinion, taking the step into playing college soccer was a more difficult process.  “I felt like I needed a bigger adjustment going from academy to college.  I remember my first college preseason game. I was like, ‘Wow, this is tough.  I don’t have much time on the ball and everyone’s very physical and really athletic.’”

As Brito reminisced about his first year as a professional soccer player, he was secure in his contributions.  “I felt very comfortable on the ball and I had the ability to make game-changing plays out there,” Brito asserted.  Even while discussing his first year, he quickly turned his attention toward areas of improvement for himself, already devising a plan to address those perceived weaknesses.  He’s not a player that dwells on the past.  He even recognized the fact that he’s working in the entertainment industry and feeds off the energy from the crowd.  As he described his first match in front of Union Omaha fans, he said, “…that was my first time playing with a professional fan atmosphere, so it’s almost like an entertainment mindset.  While you’re playing, you’re not just playing to win, but you’re playing to entertain the fans, so they carried me through the game and I think that was probably one of my best games last season.”

It’s clear that Brito has big expectations for himself, too.  Listening to his off-season and preseason preparations is like listening to someone list off a never-ending to-do list, except his items aren’t overly self-critical.  He knows his limits, he knows his weaknesses, and he knows exactly how he’s going to go about addressing them in such a way that he’ll experience more success in the coming season.  He fully admits he’s not done and not settling.  He’s focused on the future, improving his play and setting himself up to climb the next rung on that ladder of success.  That’s the kind of leadership he brings.  Coach Langan noticed it, too.  “…such a serious young man.  So serious about his soccer.”  He followed that statement with, “Joe just led by example.  Just a role model for everyone to follow.”

Outside of helping the team win this year, Brito has a similar, yet slightly different motivation for this season.  “I think just going out there and proving myself, again,” Brito said.  “Because I feel like last year, I was out there to prove myself that I can play at this level and I think going back there and having to do it again just shows that you belong and that you can keep moving up and playing at higher levels.”  That seriousness and businesslike manner in Brito’s statements shows his focus and determination ahead of the 2023 season.  Coach Langan wants to see a different angle to Brito’s play this season.  “He doesn’t need to be out there with something to prove.  He needs to be out there just loving the game.  Just having fun, a smile on his face, just trying things. That’s when you see the best Joe.”

Even now, Brito is looking into the future is prepping for his next step. In this case, that next step involves coaching. “When I’m in Omaha, I do it as a side gig,” Brito began. “I coach kids from the local area to Omaha and I’ll do one-on-one training sessions.” This was the first time in our chat where he seemed to put a limit on these expectations. “I can see it one day, but it’s hard to think that far in advance when I’m trying to focus on my soccer playing career because it just began.” He didn’t remove it from becoming a possibility. At one point in discussing this topic, he even mentioned a particular enjoyment in coaching youth players. “I enjoy it and I think I’m pretty good at it.” Until he revisits that sense of purpose, he’ll direct his entire focus on his playing career.

The opening whistle to the 2023 season will be sounding soon and with it, we’ll see the fruits of those off-season labors. With the full faith and confidence of his teammates, his coaching staff, and his fans, Brito will be ready. That’s a certainty. His 12-year-old self knew he would be. The only uncertainty in this situation is how bright he’ll shine. Preparation is about to meet opportunity (again), so sit back and enjoy the show.

It was another exciting Tuesday for Union Omaha, as the club announced the signing of 18-year-old defender Anderson Holt.  His signing is the third as a club academy player, following Yoskar Galván and Jaime Ponce ahead of the 2021 season.

Holt started his pursuit for the professional ranks at the age of 15 years old, where he trekked across the Atlantic and joined Talent Projekt in Germany.  The program is an all-inclusive, year-long immersive experience for young players to contend with elite squads and increase the intensity of their development.  During his time in the program, Holt was able to take the field against top Bundesliga academy squads.  Last season, Holt played for Queensboro FC II and helped the squad reach the USL Academy Cup.

In the club’s press release, Union Omaha Head Coach Dominic Casciato, General Manager Peter Marlette, and Anderson Holt all contributed quotes.

“Anderson is a talented young player that could go on to have a great career in the game if he continues to focus on the key things he needs to do to improve,” Union Omaha Head Coach Dominic Casciato said. “It’s tough to find young left footed center backs with his quality and desire to learn, so I’m looking forward to helping him develop as he takes his first steps in the professional game.”

“Anderson is exactly the type of player we hope to sign to an academy contract,” Union Omaha General Manager Peter Marlette said. “He has all the tools to become a successful professional and the ability to contribute to our team this season. I can’t wait to see him develop over the course of this season and am excited for his future.”

“I am delighted to sign here at Union Omaha and continue my journey with this team,” Holt said. “It’s exciting to join a team with such a strong fan base and rich history.”

Holt’s signing brings the 2023 Union Omaha roster up to 20 players, with a total of 8 players contending for starting positions on the defensive side.  The season is less than a month away, so stay tuned for all of the latest Union Omaha content.  Whether it’s the latest podcast episode, data dives, or other articles, Who Gives A Hoot has you covered.  Make sure to like, follow, and subscribe to all of our social media accounts listed below:

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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.”

Union Omaha continued its ownership of Tuesday announcements, releasing the news of two more signings – midfielder Joe Gallardo and defender Alexis Souahy.  Both players bring experience from abroad, as well as years within the USL umbrella.

Joe Gallardo started his pro soccer career in 2012 with Mexican club Monterrey’s youth program and quickly gained enough attention to be called up to the US U-17 Youth National Team the very next year.  Within five years, Gallardo was back in America and playing for Orlando City B.  His biggest break came in 2019, playing for USL League One club Richmond Kickers, where he earned a spot on the League One First Team at the end of the season.  The San Diego native has over 50 league appearances in his senior career, with 7 goals to his name in league play and over 20 goals if you include his international career.

“Joe’s a talented player that’s gained some great experience here and in Mexico over the last few years,” Union Omaha Head Coach Dominic Casciato said. “He’s versatile, has good technical quality and is eager to make his mark again in League One after being named an All-League selection back in 2019 with Richmond. He’s young enough to still have room to grow and improve before he reaches his peak, so I’m excited to see what he brings to our team this season.”

“Joe is a creative player who is so dangerous when running with the ball,” Union Omaha General Manager Peter Marlette said. “He’s going to be a constant threat and I think our fans will love what he brings to our game.”

“I’m super excited to be joining this organization, and I’m ready to give it all for the crest of this team,” Gallardo said.

The Owls also announced the signing of Alexis Souahy on Tuesday.  The Comoran international made 18 appearances with Notre Dame College before finishing his college career at Bowling Green with over 50 appearances with the Falcons.  Souahy’s pro career has taken him from Le Havre, France to Flint, Michigan before earning a roster spot with USL Championship club Louisville City FC.  While with the club from 2018-2021, he was able to amass 82 appearances and won the USL Championship trophy in 2018.  Souahy is no stranger to winning championships, as he also won the USL League Two Championship with Flint City in 2016.  Last season, Souahy played in 24 matches with New Mexico United, losing to Sacramento Republic in the Western Conference Quarterfinals.

“Alexis is a player that I’ve seen a lot of over the last few of years, playing at Louisville under John Hackworth and Danny Cruz, and then with New Mexico United last season,” Union Omaha Head Coach Dominic Casciato said. “He’s an experienced defender that’s won the USL Championship, and he brings great leadership qualities to our locker room. I’m looking forward to seeing the impact he makes both on the field and in our community this season.”

“Alexis is a proven winner and an experienced pro in USL,” Union Omaha General Manager Peter Marlette said. “On the field, in the locker room and in the community, he makes us a better team. I’m excited we were able to get this deal done.”

“I’m very excited to join the club and the team!” Souahy said. “I’m looking forward to meeting the fans, teammates and coaches and to have a great season!”

Union Omaha’s 2023 roster is now up to 19 players.  The roster is generating a lot of excitement and the hype is building.  Don’t miss out on any content from Who Gives A Hoot.  Whether it’s new articles or podcast episodes, we’ll keep you up to date on all of the latest Union Omaha news.  Make sure to “like”, “follow”, and “subscribe” to all of the links below for all of the latest content.  As always…¡Viva Búhos!

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On Tuesday afternoon, Union Omaha continued to excite fans by announcing the signing of two players for the upcoming 2023 season.  Center forward Steevan Dos Santos and defender Sebastian Sanchez were revealed as new members of the roster.  Both announcements give Búhos Nation reason to celebrate, one for an established history of excellence and the other with a very promising future ahead of him.

Steevan Dos Santos is a proven competitor in the USL Championship landscape, with stops at Rochester Rhinos, Ottawa Fury FC, Pittsburgh Riverhounds, and Tampa Bay Rowdies.  Each club allowed Dos Santos to experience both personal and club success, as he was a part of the 2015 Rochester Rhinos who won the regular season and playoff title.  At Ottawa, Dos Santos was regularly recognized as a top offensive threat in the Eastern Conference.  In the combined 85 appearances between Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay, Dos Santos scored 31 goals and earned 4 assists.  The 6’4” Cape Verdean terrorized defenses with his aerial challenges.

In the club’s press release, Head Coach Dominic Casciato and General Manager Peter Marlette offered their excitement for the signing.

“I’m delighted to have brought in a proven goal scorer like Steevan,” Union Omaha Head Coach Dominic Casciato said. “His record speaks for itself. He’s a player I’ve tracked for a long time and comes highly recommended from Neil Collins at the Tampa Bay Rowdies, where he has been competing at a high-level day-in and day-out for the last couple of seasons. I am sure our fans will love the impact he will make on our front line, and I’m looking forward to seeing his experience and quality come into our locker room as we build a united group this pre-season.”

“Steevan is exactly the type of player we set out to find at the beginning of the offseason,” Union Omaha General Manager Peter Marlette said. “He’s an experienced goal scorer with the physicality and ability to give League One defenders serious problems. I expect him to not only score goals himself but also allow the players around him to find the net often.”

Steevan Dos Santos even included a short, but enthusiastic quote to the press release.  “I’m very excited to be a part of the team!” Dos Santos said.

The second signing of the day included Sebastian Sanchez, a 19 year old defender from Akron, Ohio.  While still signed on with USL Championship club Louisville City FC, he’s being loaned to Union Omaha for the 2023 season, with his home club retaining the rights to recall.  After having spent time in Louisville City’s academy program, Sanchez was loaned out to South Georgia Tormenta last season.  Sanchez returned from his loan just in time to make his professional debut in a USL Championship match against Rio Grande Valley FC.  In 2022, Sanchez was named to the USL Academy League Finals All-Tournament Team.  Just a year before that, he was named as a Kentucky All-State selection while at Ballard High School.

Head Coach Dominic Casciato was appreciative of the loan spell from Louisville City FC.  “Sebastian is a talented young player that joins us on loan for the season from a top USL Championship club in Louisville City,” Union Omaha Head Coach Dominic Casciato said. “Seb has been in a changing room that knows how to win, and he has a great mentality, so I’m looking forward to seeing him compete with our more experienced center backs over the course of the year. We’re thankful to Danny Cruz at Louisville for sending Sebastian to us as he enters an important phase of his career.”

General Manager Peter Marlette expressed his excitement for the loan this season.  “Sebastian has incredible pedigree as a young player,” Union Omaha General Manager Peter Marlette said. “He’s coming to us from one of the best clubs in all of USL, and like them, we see a lot of potential in him.”

Sanchez recognized Union Omaha’s championship-winning history in his quote for the press release.  “I am super excited to get started with Union Omaha!” Sanchez said. “I can’t wait to help the Owls fight for another championship!”

Union Omaha’s preseason schedule kicks off in less than two weeks, which can only mean more announcements to come.  With each update from the club comes more content from Who Gives A Hoot, so like, follow, and subscribe for more content straight to your inbox and homescreen.  Check out all of the links to our social media accounts below to make sure you’re caught up on all of the latest content from Who Gives A Hoot.  As always…¡Viva Búhos!

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