Who Gives A Hoot?

Off Topic with Ben Turner

Welcome to Off Topic with Ben Turner. On semi-regular intervals I am going to sit down with someone associated with Union Omaha and do a deep dive into their passions outside of soccer and of course, cover a little soccer as well. Our first guest is Union Omaha defender Jake Crull, #16. We cover growing up in Austria, playing for Nate Miller in college, the role of faith in his life, Settlers of Catan, cooking, and what it has been like to play at center back for the first time in his career.

Ben Turner: Let’s start at the very beginning for you. How did you end up being born in Austria?

Jake Crull: So, both my parents moved to Austria before I was born. After they got married, they moved to Austria to do mission work there for an organization called TCM International, and they lived there for 18 years of their life and had my two brothers and I there just a few years after they moved.

BT: Nice, so that answers a couple of my next questions as well:. Do you have any siblings and were they born in Austria? So what was it like growing up in Austria?

JC: It was awesome. I liked it a lot. I think that’s one of the big reasons why I play soccer. My brothers and I often talk about if we were born here would we have played soccer because my dad played tennis, my mom played volleyball. And so there’s like this discussion- we’re born in Austria and soccer is the main sport there. That’s probably a big reason why we play it and so it was cool.

Soccer was involved at school at a very young age. So in middle school I got to play soccer for a school team, got to play club, got to play with both of my brothers, which is the blessing of being the middle child. And then, in terms of just regular day life, we went to German schools. We lived just down the road from where my dad worked, and he worked on a campus so it was a good environment for us to go hang out there with people who came in to study. We made friends at the schools that we went to; got to hang out with guys we play soccer with and the outdoors. Austria is a very good place to live, if you like the outdoors. So, my parents just allowed us to kind of roam free almost, that also made some great memories just hanging out outside.

BT: Where exactly in Austria were you guys living?.

JC: So, we lived just about 20 minutes outside of Vienna, which is the capital of Austria.

BT: When you were growing up, did you come to the States at all to visit?

JC: All the time actually. So all of our extended family is in America, mostly Indiana, which is where my parents were raised. And so we would come almost every summer for about a month at a time. So, very familiar with that area.

BT:I heard you did some bike touring as a kid in Austria. Tell me about that!

JC: Yeah, so that was a tradition that we had as a family was to do this bike ride every summer which was about 35 K. And it was just great because there’s a lot of variety, we would park our car at a certain location, and we’d ride along the river, go through super old towns, past mountains and stuff like that. We’d have some good meals, and then we’d hop on a ferry boat with our bikes that would take us back up to the car. It was one of my favorite memories, great family vacation. I’m sure you would have loved it.

BT: Yeah, that sounds amazing. Did you learn how to change a flat bike tire during those trips?

JC: No, I didn’t.

BT: Did you ski in Austria?

JC: Yeah that was big time. So I started skiing, and then switched to snowboarding at a pretty young age. And so it was great. I mean the Alps, you have the Alps there. Every winter we would do multiple trips to the mountain. A lot of times we would spend Christmas at the hotel. Yeah, great memories from that.

BT: [Pointless anecdote about the only time Ben tried snowboarding.] Sounds fantastic, any other memorable Austria stories to share?

JC: I think one of the biggest memories I have is that, at a young age, I played for the school team. It was middle school, and you look at the United States-there aren’t really school teams here at all. And so it was very different in that sense. It was cool to see the whole school support a middle school soccer team, you know. So just some of my best memories were going to tournaments with them, hosting tournaments at my school. Yeah from a young age I have really good soccer memories.

BT: That’s a high level soccer experience in middle school. So you moved here when you were 12; what was that transition like?

JC: It was tough. I mean, overall, we have family here, which helped the move a lot. We moved here not knowing anyone besides family. Me and my brothers went to English speaking schools. Now this sounds super simple but you write in print here in America and in Austria you grew up writing cursive. It sounds simple, but it’s not and so it took me like three weeks to figure out how to write print. Reading in English was something that I had to learn and get better at. I think that the hardest thing for me personally was just that school environment, you know, getting into an English schooling and trying to thrive here and do well.

BT: What grade level were you going into?

JC: Seventh grade.

BT: That’s a tough time. My least favorite academic year was seventh grade. So where did your family end up living here in America?

JC: Carmel, Indiana.

BT: Okay. And that’s like 20 minutes north of Indianapolis. [Tells an inaccurate bike share anecdote.]

JC: Yeah, that’s like spot on.

BT: [Unnecessary anecdote about the trip to Indianapolis that never happened]. Okay, so you’re in Carmel, Indiana. Are there any high school stories that we should cover right now?

JC: Yeah, in high school I played my freshman year for the school team and then transitioned to play Academy, which is where I played with a guy who committed (to Spring Arbor University for college) the year before I went. He kind of recommended me to the coach who’s Nate Miller…

BT: I’ve got a bunch of Nate Miller questions.

JC: And so he brought me in for a visit, you know, talked to me. He’s really good at recruiting you know and I really liked him as a coach, obviously, and then also really liked the team culture. And so, I chose Spring Arbor for soccer. I liked the small community…

BT: So they’re a powerhouse soccer school or was that just because you were there?

JC: Yeah, I mean, overall, you know that the program has been doing really well over the past few years. And so, I think, Nate as a coach, showed me how well the program was developing as I was coming in, and how much success we could have throughout my time there.

BT: So when you played at Goshen College. Did they play the national anthem?

JC: That’s funny. Not that I remember. So it’s not something that clearly sticks out in my head like “oh my gosh they didn’t play the national anthem.” But I think after the game someone pointed out to me, “hey they didn’t play the national anthem what’s deal with that” and we played them twice and I think both times they didn’t play it.

BT: [Very long anecdote about Goshen College and the national anthem (https://www.goshen.edu/news/anthem/), and Ben’s Mennonite friends]

So we covered Nate Miller, Nate Miller personally recruited you. So, he’s had a pretty crazy rise from coaching at an NAIA school to being the lead assistant for San Diego Loyal, in the last two years. Are you guys still in touch?

JC: Yeah, we are. Not like super often, but he called me about a month ago just to talk. We text sometimes but it’s, it’s not like you know like a weekly thing, but he is a very influential person in my life.

BT: That’s awesome. What was it like playing for him?

JC: It was great. Like I said it was one of the big reasons why I went to Spring Arbor because I knew he’s a great coach. I personally believe if I went to a different college I wouldn’t have developed as much, even if it was maybe a D-I college, I don’t think I would have developed as much as a player under a different coach than I did under him. He does a great job at personal development, and that was just something I appreciate a lot: he invested into me. And then also I think he knows how to lead a team. I think it shows just with our success in Spring Arbor.

BT: Yeah absolutely. I know a few other people who’ve made similar meteoric rises in such a short period of time but you have to be exceptional to be able to make that several level jump in such a short period of time. So you played USL Two with the Charlotte Eagles, did you play any other summer leagues?

JC: No, I spent two summers down there (with Charlotte).

BT: So how did you get connected with them?

JC: So after my first year, Nate connects me with Dave Dixon who was leaving at the time. So he was never my coach down there but he connected me there. Sent in some film and they were interested in bringing me down; they brought me down for my first summer. Just was able to develop a great community down there while being a part of a very close knit family as a team. The next summer, Garrett Bireline was coming as the head coach, and he knew that I came down the summer before, and was interested in bringing me down again.

BT: My understanding is that the Charlotte Eagles are slightly different from your traditional USL Two program. You want to talk through some of those differences and let us know what makes Charlotte Eagles a unique program in USL Two?

JC: So Charlotte Eagles is a Christian based organization. They’re mission based so a lot of the people who work on staff for the Charlotte Eagles are coaches but are placed. So for example, a lot of them are placed in a refugee neighborhood down in Charlotte, where they have the opportunity to go and evangelize and spread the good news of the gospel. And then all the coaches who coach the youth teams down there, have the opportunity to pour into kids outside of the soccer field. Their goal is to develop them as soccer players, but their goal is also to share what the gospel is.

For me, the USL Two (side) was a lot of: bringing people in to develop them. Developing them as soccer players, but then developing them as young men, and also sharing the gospel with them and that was very cool for me. You know Spring Arbor is a Christian school as well. I had the opportunity to grow in my faith, but going down there is a little bit different. I think it was more intentional. And I had a coach over me but also players around me who really wanted to grow in that, while also growing in soccer and trying to get to that next pro level.

BT: Yeah, it is a cool concept. I didn’t know much about it until I was researching either you or Joel…

JC: Joel spent some time down there.

BT: Yeah so how did you meet Joel (Delass, Union Omaha assistant coach)?

JC: Yeah, Nate connected me with him and he got to come out and watch me at the Midwest Combine in Michigan. And that was December (2019), and he was able to just watch me and he knew a lot about me just through coaching with Nate. And so that’s kind of how I knew him before we actually came out here.

BT: So there’s been a story which I’ve heard and believed, until we were setting this up, that you had done a training session with the Lansing Ignite, but that never happened?

JC: No, I don’t know where that got started, honestly.

BT: I do, but I’m not gonna name names.

JC: Okay, maybe you could tell me after this. Yeah, I don’t know, I think at one time I was asked to join and decided not to. But yeah, I don’t know.

BT: Yeah, it is fine. You’ll be off the hook, we’re gonna set the record straight with his interview. So I’m sitting in the trailer, doing my research for player announcements and I’m like,”oh man, this is obviously a Joel Delass signing,” so it’s interesting that you guys actually hadn’t met before the combine.

JC: Yeah, he called me after Nate had made that introduction. And he wanted to bring me out for the trial [Union Omaha combine] that was happening out here. I remember that. And that was during finals week and I was like “I’m sorry I just can’t”. Like this is like the last thing in senior year you just got to get it done. I think I probably could have made it if the Midwest Combine wasn’t a thing.

BT: Yeah. Fair enough. It wasn’t your only chance.

JC: Yeah, so I was, I was just trying to be smart about that and I thought the (Midwest) Combine would be a good opportunity.

BT: Well, you’re not the only player who no-showed on that event, who’s now on the team. So you sign for the team, you show up in Omaha. On that particular day I met you and my stomach dropped when I realized all the pictures that we posted on signing day you were in the rain, and your normally very stylish hair was matted down, sloppy, and wet. So I apologized and you were very graceful about it, but did you feel like the club did you dirty by using those pictures of your wet hair?

JC: That’s funny. So the one that they used for the…

BT: You can just say my name, I picked the pictures…

JC: Okay, just for the initial posts: “This is Jake we signed him.” Yeah, I was kind of bummed, just because I wasn’t a huge fan of the picture.

BT: I’m glad to know because I was like, “I don’t believe that it didn’t bother him.”

JC: So I will say this though. You did a great job with making me look good in that picture.

BT: Okay, well, that would be Jack (Yates, Union Omaha graphic designer). I just picked the pictures and sent them on to Jack, but yeah I met you and I was like this guy doesn’t look at all like the picture we used. What have we done?

Alright, so how have you settled into Omaha?

JC: So far so good. It has been great. The city is awesome. The team hooked us up with some amazing apartments. As you see there’s a new food court in the lobby. Yeah, so it’s been really good. There’s really nothing to complain about, you know, COVID hit, and that’s obviously a bummer you know with a delayed season and stuff.

But with that I think that it allowed us to spend more time together, maybe not more time together, but just a different kind of time than you actually would in season, which is great. I’ve also gotten to know some awesome people from the city from the church I go to, from in town and team connections and stuff like that and so it’s been great. It almost feels like home; I haven’t missed home a lot in Indiana. So, I really like this place and a lot of it is because of the people. I think the people make a place so yeah.

BT: Absolutely. So that answers my next question. Have you found a church in town?

JC: Yeah, it has been amazing. The church I go to is called Coram Deo. It is on Pacific Street, a little bit west of here. But it’s been great, it’s led me to have a lot of connections just here in town and get me plugged into, you know, a church and just that allows me to grow.

I will say this: when COVID hit, you know, while taking precautions, it still allowed me to have life outside of this building. You know things to do, people to see, and just be in relationships. I think that it’s so important and it’s hit a lot of people hard. I think not being able to see very many people or go places in a new place was tough, and it (Church) just allowed me to have another connection here in a new city.

BT: Yeah, I can’t imagine being in a building with my coworkers for 24 hours a day for three months…

JC: Lots of (Settlers of) Catan.

BT: That’s awesome. As you said you get to build those work relationships in a way you wouldn’t otherwise, but definitely having other connections gives you that oxygen to live.

People may not know that you filmed a cooking show pilot at the start of lockdown, Cooking with Crull. We even got the league announcer to record an intro for it. For me looking at what the club missed out on during that time, it is right at the top. What started your passion for cooking?

JC: I think from a young age, my mom just made us all different kinds of meals, and it just led my curiosity on for me. I think also she kind of taught, not purposefully, the skills in the kitchen, you know. There’s also that huge reward of cooking: the fact that you get to eat it. I think just having parents and a family who values having meals together and stuff like that… it’s also a great skill to have people over you know we just create that environment, Yeah…

BT: Yeah it’s a very useful skill, I enjoy the ability I have to cook. So there’s a word for eating together that I learned recently. It’s called Commensality, I may have said it wrong, but, I’ll spell it correctly though. It’s basically the idea that eating together brings people together. [Google says: “eating and drinking at the same table is a fundamental social activity, which creates and cements relationships.”] [Another bike share anecdote].

So you get the reward of eating it but there’s also the reward of taking a picture of what you cooked. Did you have a cooking Instagram in college?

JC: Yes, that started towards the latter end of my college career. Three of my buddies and I started a cooking page on Instagram called “College Cooking Sensation” so go give us a follow if you haven’t checked us out yet. But we would just cook different meals, lots of desserts, and just kind of show off our skills. Actually, we started a delivery system on campus for the last semester that I was there. Just a good way to spend time.

BT: That’s a good side hustle. So no one has had the privilege of seeing the Cooking with Crull show, which I will remind everyone is filmed in its entirety right now. You made crepes.

JC: Yes.

BT: What else can you make besides crepes?

JC: So, one of my favorite things to make is schnitzel, which is the national dish of Austria. It’s a breaded pork with lemon squeezed on top, flat, very tenderized and that’s one of my favorite meals. I like tacos a lot. Stir fry, pastas, I like grilling out a lot. That’s for sure a big one just burger, brats. And it’s nice, I mean these apartments have great grills for it. So, I want to grow in the variety of cooking, I think most of the things that are decently basic, there’s some things that are kind of out there, but definitely trying to grow in that.

BT: When there were no sports on, I started watching cooking competitions a lot more. [Ben explains that he LOVES Guy’s Grocery Games (GGG) and watches Beat Bobby Flay a lot, and then talks more about Beat Bobby Flay.] So, how often do you cook?

JC: So, with what the team provides in terms of meals, I cook pretty much every dinner, I don’t eat out a ton. So, every night almost I’ll cook here at the apartments and it’ll be kind of like what I said: pasta, stir fry. You know, the variety of veggies, carbs and stuff like that.

BT: For your cooking inspirations we kind of covered this, but who do you look to the most for inspiration?

JC: Yeah, I mean, a lot of it comes from people who are close to me, so like my mom is a big one and my grandma is a big one who inspired me to get the crepe maker. I recently made these ribs with a guy here in town, his name is JJ, and they were unbelievable. I’ll send you the recipe.

BT: Yeah, it wasn’t JJ [last name of a JJ that Ben knows] was it?

JC: It was JJ [last name of JJ that Jake knows which is actually pretty similar to the one Ben knows].

BT: I’ve met two JJ’s in my whole life and one of them lives here so I figured I’d at least ask. But tell me more about these ribs, what did you guys do?

JC: So I mean, they were unbelievable like fall-off-the-bone ribs. You throw all these spices together and you mix them up and you really just lather it on there. And then you wrap them in tin foil real tight, good tin foil, you throw them in the oven for five to six hours. Let them sit in there, bring them out, you throw them in the fridge overnight. And then the next day, you’ll bring them out to the grill and, making sure the ribs don’t fall through the grill, you just heat them up and lather it with barbecue sauce. And they’re amazing. They’re seriously some of the best ribs I’ve ever had.

BT: I like the cooling down and then heating back up.

JC: Yeah, I’m gonna send you the recipe.

BT: Yeah, please do. Speaking of recipes you want to just give us a little taste of your crepe recipe? Specifically, your secret ingredient?

JC: So, the regular crepe recipe tells you to use normal milk. I like to use chocolate protein almond milk, which gives it more of a sweet taste and also helps with the taste of Nutella in it. And the fruit on top so it gives more of a sweet taste to that sweet crepe.

BT: Love it. I had your crepes; they were amazing. Do you have any short or long term cooking goals?

JC: I’ve actually always, always thought of opening up a food truck and traveling the country, but beyond thinking of it I haven’t done much for it.

BT: That’s fair. I feel the barrier to entry for food is lower than it’s ever been with food trucks and virtual kitchens and the like; it’s an exciting time. Anything else that fills your downtime that we should talk about before we talk soccer?

JC: I mean, I talked about (Settlers of) Catan earlier, it’s been a huge COVID thing, we’ve gotten some guys together and just played Catan.

BT: And you guys are all still friends?

JC: Yeah, we are all still friends. Yeah, it does get pretty heated sometimes. And don’t ask me about my winning record…

BT: I’m not sure I’ve ever played a game that has made me so angry at people I care about.

JC: Yup, yup, yup that is right on.

BT: Nice. I think that’s a perfect activity for you guys, it’s good, it’s social, it’s competitive…

JC: Makes you think too.

BT: Oh yeah, you’ve gotta figure out all the wood-to-sheep ratios and there’s so much going on.

BT: So just to wrap it up, I want to ask a few questions about the upcoming season. Are you naturally left footed?

JC: (Laughs) Yes. Very.

BT: What position did you play in college?

JC: I played two years at left mid and two years at left wingback.

BT: When you were a wingback, what formation were you guys playing?

JC: Let’s say 3-4-2-1.

BT: Okay, okay. So early in the Union Omaha preseason you’re playing left back.

JC: Yes.

BT: Yeah, but there was a scrimmage recently [July 11th scrimmage at Papillion Landing] and you were definitely playing center back. So, first question in this center back line of questioning: have you ever played center back before?

JC: So the only center back I’ve ever played was done in Charlotte for three or four games, and it wasn’t a true center back, it was the left spot in a back three. So besides those four games I’ve never played center back.

BT: Have you been practicing at center back?

JC: Yes, trying to think when I started….

BT :I don’t want to spill the beans on Jay’s secrets here but we all saw you at the scrimmage…

JC: Yeah, so right before COVID hit, up in Minnesota, I played center back for 20 minutes against Minnesota United…

BT: That was the dominant victory for Union Omaha.

JC: Yeah. That was the first time he put me there. Since then he’s had me in between left and center back. More recently, he’s mostly had me at left center back.

BT: Okay. It seems to be a position of need on that roster. What have the challenges been to adapt?

JC: I’ll say this: there’s just been a lot of new things, detailed things, very small things, that I’ve had to pick up since I’ve gone into that position. Some of it has been the positioning of my body off the ball. Some of it has been bumping runners or just checking shoulders all the time, which is not like you don’t do that in other positions, but you’re in a different place on the field. Yeah, I have enjoyed it.

BT: When was the last time you played anywhere in the middle of the field?

JC: I mean, besides here for games and in Charlotte, not since the beginning of high school. Usually I’m way…

BT: [Interrupts to claim he understands youth soccer.] I interrupted you though. Sorry.

JC: No, you’re good. I mean, it’s been a good transition. I think Jay’s helped me a lot with it, Joel’s helped me a lot with it, of just working on little things that can improve my game in that position. It’s not like I don’t enjoy it, I actually really like it.

I think I’m learning a lot in that position and think that I’m growing in that position. Just continuing to pick up little things that I can improve on every practice that will allow me to be a better player in that position. I mean you know as a soccer player it’s important to be able to play multiple positions on the field. So I’m glad that I could be left back if he needs me to be, or be a center back.

BT: Yeah. Well, as you know, right now we only have three center backs on the roster [long winded excuse to talk about the time that Didier Drogba played center back for Chelsea] so I was happy to see you out there and it seemed to make sense to me. But I wanted to get your opinion on it.

Do you have any predictions for the season ?

JC: I predict that we win it all.

BT: Nice, nice. I mean I’m just here for the championship ring myself.

JC: Yeah. I’m super pumped. It was cool to see in the preseason back in February and March how well the team was working together; how chemistry was building and every guy on the team was excited to get the season started. Unfortunately it was cut short, we were playing super well.

BT: I remember.

JC: And so now that we’re back in it, I think everyone’s just excited for the first game this weekend, and everyone’s ready to go. I think the team is looking good. And we have a lot of guys on our team who are just really committed to doing what it takes to win games.

BT: Awesome. Do you have any personal goals for the season?

JC: Yeah, so I’ve thought about that a bit.

BT: You knew the question was coming.

JC: Yeah, so I’m always hesitant to set results-driven goals. But for me a lot of it is learning. Am I succeeding through learning? Am I taking that on to the field and implementing it? In terms of actual goals, the goal is to get a shutout every game, you know as a defender the goal is to get a shutout every game. And so, whatever we can do as defenders to do that, that’s going to be the goal.

BT: Love it, love it. Where can people find you on the internet? Or in real life if you want…

JC: You can find me on my Instagram account, @Jakecrull_11. In public, you can find me down at Turner Park slacklining.

BT: Oh, fantastic. Love it. Thank you so much Jake.

I really appreciate Jake for taking the time to sit down and talk with me for my first column for Who Gives a Hoot. Find Jake on instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/jakecrull_11/

USL One Week 2 Roundup

USL One’s first full slate of games began this past weekend. Week two provided action across the country which showcased new players, beautiful goals and a nine man squad.

Here is League One’s roundup from week 2:

Greenville Triumph 3-2 Richmond Kickers

Triumph continue their perfect season with two wins inside their first two games. The first goal came from a cluster in the middle of the box that was credited as an own goal to the Kickers’ Scott Thomsen, but Triumph Twitter would disagree.

Wasn’t an own goal pic.twitter.com/PfiFsWrdy3
— Blake Schultz (@BlakeSchltz) July 25, 2020

The best attack from the Triumph came from left back Tyler Polak who sprinted down the length of the pitch then found striker Jake Keegan who finished around the Kickers’ keeper.

Triumph Next Game: 7/31 @ Forward Madison FC

Kickers Next Game: 7/28 vs South Georgia Tormenta FC

FC Tucson 2-1 Fort Lauderdale CF

Tucson opened their campaign with a win against the Florida club who has started with two straight loses. Lauderdale manager, Jason Kries has a lot of work to do if he wants get his club back in the League One mix.

Former Creighton striker, Ricky Lopez-Espin opened the scoring for the Inter Miami affiliate in the 8’ for the first goal in Inter Miami Stadium history. Before halftime, two Lauderdale players were sent off with red cards as Tucson played with a two man advantage for the rest of the game.

Tucson struggled to find a breakthrough until the 87’ when Azaad Liadi scored to equalize the game. Tucson would find the winner in 90+’ which gave the Arizona club three points to start the season.

Tucson Next Game: 7/1 @ Red Wolves

Lauderdale Next Game: 7/1 @ Kickers

South Georgia Tormenta 2-2 Chattanooga Red Wolves SC

A draw between the two southern clubs was anything but boring as Tormenta’s Marco Micaletto scored the opening goal in style. Michaletto received a beautiful through pass on the right half of the box. Michaletto used his footwork to cut back the ball and slotting it home for the Georgia club.

Redwolves’ Greg Hurst earned a brace when his first goal came from a great combination play at the top of the box. He received the ball with his right foot and fired it in the back of the net during the 52’. Hurst’s second goal came 10 minutes later to give the Redwolves a 2-1 lead.

A late goal by Tormenta in the 90+’ saw the honors go to both teams in an equal affair at Erik Russell Park home of the Tormenta.

Tormenta Next Game: 7/28 @ Richmond Kickers

Red Wolves Next Game:

North Texas SC 2-1 Forward Madison

The 2019 champions picked up right where they left off using their possession style of football which helped them score two goals and secure three points. Beni Redzic scored the opening goal for North Texas after a good cut back at the top of the box. Redzic’s shot was deflected by a Madison defender which was put into the back of the net.

Madison scored their first goal of 2020 against the run of play. A North Texas turnover in their own third led to Wojciech Wojcik equalizing for the Flamingos.

North Texas would find the winner in the 59’ by Ronaldo Damus. After the goal, North Texas looked comfortable in possession. They rarely looked to languish the lead in the final 30 minutes of play.

North Texas Next Game: 8/1 @ Omaha

Forward Madison Next Game: 7/31 vs Triumph

Union Omaha 0-0 New England Revolution II

Two of League One’s newest clubs came to a scoreless draw. Union Omaha goalkeeper, Rashid Nuhu, had little work to do, but when he was called upon, he delivered. Nuhu saved the Revs’ only shot on target in the 82’ when Ryo Shimazaki blasted a shot from 30 yards away. The shot was on a rope towards the back of the net when Nuhu made an impressive save to push the ball over the bar.

Union Omaha forward, Juan Ignacio Mare had the best offensive chance for the Owls in the 70’. He received the ball in transition and hit a shot on the right edge of the box towards the near post. Revs’ keeper, Joe Rice, parried it away with a gorgeous save.

Omaha Next Game: 7/1 vs North Texas

Revolution Next Game: Bye Week

Bye Week: Orlando City B

Orlando Next Game: 7/1 @ Tormenta

USL One Table

	Club	MP	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS	FORM
1	Greenville Triumph SC	2	2	0	0	5	2	3	6	W W
2	FC Tucson	1	1	0	0	2	1	1	3	W
3	North Texas SC	1	1	0	0	2	1	1	3	W
4	South Georgia Tormenta FC	1	0	1	0	2	2	0	1	D
5	Chattanooga Red Wolves SC	1	0	1	0	2	2	0	1	D
6	Union Omaha	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	D
7	New England Revolution II	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	D
8	Orlando City B	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
9	Richmond Kickers	1	0	0	1	2	3	-1	0	L
10	Forward Madison FC	1	0	0	1	1	2	-1	0	L
11	Fort Lauderdale CF	2	0	0	2	1	4	-3		L L

Postgame: Three things from Union Omaha vs New England Revolution II

Union Omaha drew 0-0 to MLS II side, New England Revolution on Saturday, July 25 in Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The inaugural game for both clubs in USL One ended scoreless as both teams are granted a point.

Here are three things from Union Omaha’s match against the Revs.

Strong Backline

Anchored by starting goalkeeper, Rashid Nuhu, the Owls were able to keep a clean sheet. Nuhu delivered a crucial save in the 82’ when Ryo Shimazaki of the Revolution fired a shot from 35 yards away.

Centerback Daltyn Knutson was a stalwart for the Owls. He provided four clearances and three tackles which led the Union Omaha backline. Defenders Abdul Illal Osumanu and Luke Hauswirth were also strong. Both players made crucial tackles and clearances when called upon.

The trios communication with Nuhu created a tidy backline that was no nonsense at times, clearing the ball to the opposite side of the pitch. The defense was the star of the show for the Owls in their opening game.

Viader’s Crossing Ability

Damia Viader’s quality in crossing the ball was evident for Union Omaha. Viader completed 60% of his passes while completing four successful crosses. The Spaniard created the most chances for the Owls with three.

He whipped over seven long balls into the box which was one of the few effective ways to get the ball forward for Union Omaha. Viader was one of the more quality players in Gillette Stadium due to his ability to cross the ball including set pieces.

Viader sizzled a long shot from outside the box just over the bar in the 16’ off of a set piece. That was one of the lone attacks that troubled the Revolution in the first half.

Cohesion

One of the main struggles for Union Omaha in their first game was their cohesion and spacing especially in the first half. Many passes were off the mark in the opposite direction of the intended target. The Owls were credited for 72% pass accuracy in the game, but it slid to 55% when in the Revolution’s half of the field.

The Owls struggled with cohesion, but do not expect that often. The team will only get better as the squad trains and performs with each other more and more throughout the year. This negative will not be as evident as the year rolls on.

Next Week

Union Omaha takes on 2019 USL One Champions, North Texas SC, at 7PM CT at Werner Park next Saturday.

Preview: Union Omaha vs New England Revolution II

The first game of the USL One season is finally here. Two brand new teams face off to begin their inaugural campaigns, Union Omaha and the New England Revolution II. The Owls head to Foxborough, Massachusetts to face the MLS reserve side at Gillette Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 4pm CST on Saturday, July 25th.

Union Omaha

The Owls are led by a duo of Argentines, forward Juan Ignacio Mare and midfielder Sebastian Contreras. Both men have had a strong preseason run up with the owls. The wing will be dominated by the speedy Spaniard Damia Viader who is no stranger to the Omaha area. The former Iowa Western player is going to help the Owls from box-to-box. Between the sticks is the biggest question heading into the game. Head Coach Jay Mims has a tough decision between Rashid Nuhu and Sam Howard. Both keepers are highly talented and will prove to be a fortress to get past. The manager will have a hard decision on his hands before he hands in the team sheet.

New England Revolution II

The Revs are another brand new team to the League One fold. Just like the Owls, New England is coached by a first year head coach. They are led by Clint Peay who previously coached as an assistant for one year with USL Championship side, North Carolina FC. Prior to his year with Carolina, he spent three years with USMNT U14 and U15 squads. Peay’s knowledge of football dates back to his playing career as a Virginia Cavalier in college as well as a D.C. United player for a couple years in his professional days.

New England’s defense will be anchored by a rookie straight from the college ranks. Simon Lekressner is expected to play as center backs for the Revs. Lekressner was the Revolution’s second round draft pick in the 2020 MLS Super Draft, he played his college soccer for the Bears of Cal Berkley earning a spot on the All-Pac 12 First Team. Also, forward Many Silva could take the pitch for the Revs. The 17-year-old homegrown player signed a New England Revolution II contract in January. Silva scored 9 goals for the Revs while playing for the U-17 and U-19 teams the past two years. Theses young players have a bright future ahead of them, but will need to contain the Owls first.

Lastly, the game will be played in one of North America’s signature stadiums, Gillette Stadium; home to the MLS club and the New England Patriots. Fans will not be allowed in the 66,000 plus stadium so crowd noise will not be a factor for Union Omaha. But, it’s doubtful that fans would have been a factor anyways against the MLS II side. In 2019, MLS II teams averaged 900 fans per game which is just low enough to hear Jay Mims yell from the sideline to Fenway Park 30 miles away.

When

Saturday, July 25th, 4pm CST

Where

Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts

Watch

ESPN+

Owl Props 7/23/2020

As you all have recently learned, we at Who Gives a Hoot have recently partnered with ThriveFantasy for the upcoming Union Omaha season in the USL League One. (If you’d like to learn more please click here.)

With the new announcement of this partnership, we are also announcing a new segment to the podcast and the blog, Owl props! Before each game I am going to announce my favorite prop bets of the week and share what I believe you all should want to look for if you were me.

Now that being said, I want to make it very clear, and remind everyone that Who Gives a Hoot is an independent podcast, and we have no affiliation with Union Omaha. I know just as much information about players as you all do: Zero. Zip. Nada. So when you read this article please only read this article coming from somebody who has gambling experience. No bets are guaranteed. That also being said, both Pierce and Luke, cohosts from the podcast, will not participate in any of this section, I am the only one who will give you tips on what to expect for each game.

Now lets get down to the nitty gritty. Union Omaha’s FIRST EVER GAME is going to be this Saturday on the road at Foxborough, Massachusetts as they go up against New England Revolution II (NER2). Now I don’t think its crazy to think that Union Omaha is going to be HUNGRY for goals given they are going to be playing their ever game.

There is not a lot I can say about NER2 considering they are joining USL League One along with us this year, but if they are anything like their MLS side who conceded 57 goals in the 2019 season, we can expect the League One side to be no different.

The weather in Foxborough, Massachusetts is expected to be fairly nice. 85 degrees with a little bit of wind and mostly sunny. So you can honestly say everything is looking good for Union Omaha’s start to their inaugural season.

Now that we’ve got the setting all figured out lets get down to the meat and potatoes of this article: The Prop Bets!

If you have never been to ThriveFantasy before, I will give you a quick run down of how it all works. Each contest you enter you are given a choice of several prop bets. You can choose up to 5 prop bets and 2 ice picks per contest. An ice pick an emergency pick in case a bet is not usable, like for example if Elma takes the wing over Evan Conway and Evan Conway has a bet, that bet is nullified and therefore an ice pick would take its place.

Without further ado, here are my picks for the FIRST EVER Union Omaha match against NER2:

Juan Ignacio Mare – Total Goals 0.5 – OVER 130
- Like I said over and over again in this article, Union Omaha is HUNGRY for goals, and no better to lead this attack than my man Juan Ignacio Mare. Choosing the under on Juan not scoring a goal would be blasphemy.

Evan Conway – Total Assists 0.5 – OVER 135
- Evan Conway, The Call of Duty loving Vine over TikTok stan winger for Union Omaha, is the fastest player on the squad. Think of the DC comic book hero The Flash, and thats what you get when you see Evan Conway. Not to mention he also has great technical skill with the ball. There is without a doubt in my mind Evan will dish up an assist in one way or the other this match.

Sebastian Contreras – Total Assists + Goals 0.5 – OVER 120
- Sebastian is truly the veteran on the team and has built an amazing relationship with Juan Ignacio Mare in the attack. From what I have seen from this duo during the preseason and in Union Omaha’s scrimmage a couple weekends ago, there is without a single doubt in my mind he will grab either an assist or a goal in this game.

Damia Viader – Total Goals 0.5 – OVER 150
- For those who may know me, I am a huge AC Milan fan, and whenever I can make a player comparison I get all giddy about it. Damia reminds me the most of Theo Hernandez, the LB for Milan. He has an amazing ability to not only defend, but to make smart interceptions and create devastating counter attack, not to mention he has a sensation free kick ability. If you think there is any doubt Damia wont want to be on that score sheet for Union Omaha’s first game you are about as crazy as I was when I challenged him to FIFA.

Rashid Nuhu – Total Saves 6.5 – UNDER 100
- Now a lot of you are looking at this pick and thinking “Wow you think Rashid is not going to be able to save 7 shots?” Well before you start thinking that way, let me explain something first: have you ever tried to kick a soccer ball through a brick wall and it just bounces back to you? Well that’s what its going to be like for NER2 going up against this Union Omaha defensive line. Its not a matter of Rashid not blocking 7 shots, I just don’t think New England Revolution II is going to get 7 shots off, or at least on target, which is why taking the under is the smart bet here.

ICE PICK – Ethan Vanacore Decker – Total Goals + Assists 0.5 – OVER 115
- Ethan Vanacore Decker. My man. My guy. He is without a doubt my favorite player on Union Omaha. He’s tall, coming in at 6 feet 1 inch. He has a rocket boot. Looks great in a Union Omaha jersey. Comes from the Swope Park Rangers. He could kick a soccer ball over the mountains, as Uncle Rico would put it. The ONLY reason I have him as my ice pick is because I think there is going to be only one striker upfront, and I think that its going to be Juan. But on the off chance that I am wrong and Ethan is on the pitch Saturday, you can guarantee that EVD will score a ZILLION goals.

ICE PICK – Jacob Crull – Total Goals + Assists 0.5 – OVER 0.5
- As I mentioned in my Rashid Nuhu pick, the defense is going to be a brick wall, and its going to start with Jacob Crull leading the impenetrable wall. Not to mention Jacob is tall and can be a real aerial threat when it comes to headers from the corner. Be on the look out for either a long ball assist to Juan or EVD, or a header goal from a corner when he takes the pitch on Saturday.

And there you have it folks. This is my prop bet list heading into Union Omaha’s first ever USL League One match. If you want to ride with me to victory, then download ThriveFantasy on the App Store or Google Play today, or you can head out to ThriveFantasy and sign up. When you sign up today, use promo code HOOT and receive $10 on your first deposit of $10 or more.

#VivaBuhos #OwlEyesOnUs

Who Gives a Hoot Media Partners with ThriveFantasy

We are excited to announce that Who Gives a Hoot is partnering with ThriveFantasy, a daily fantasy sports app for player prop bets.

ThriveFantasy, based out of New York, New York, is a new daily fantasy sports and Esports platform. They eliminate the need to do countless hours of research because they only ask you about the top-tier athletes in a respective sport. Thrive has awarded over $1.3 Million in prizes since they launched in 2018.

Each week, you choose 5 out of the possible 10 player prop options to build a lineup. Each prop has a total fantasy point associated with the Over/Under based on its likelihood to occur. The more points a selection is worth the risker, it is! You need to rack up the most points to win a share of the prize pool!

By using promo code HOOT when you sign up today, you will receive an instant $10 bonus on your first deposit of $10 or more! ThriveFantasy can be downloaded on the App Store or Google Play, or by visiting their website at www.thrivefantasy.com.

With the announcement of our partnership, Who Gives a Hoot will be providing match updates of our favorite Union Omaha and USL League One prop bets of the week! Prop bets will be on the Who Gives a Hoot podcast, along with a blog at www.whogivesahootpod.wordpress.com

ThriveFantasy will be available for the first game of Union Omaha’s season on July 25th, against New England Revolution II.

Part One: Lingo #NSFW

Hello Owls! Just your friendly average Joe over here, or Jane. I actually identify as a Jane but you do you boo. Consider this a beginners guide to football. I mean soccer. Because lesson one: it’s called football not soccer. Futból if you hablas espanol. America just can’t get off their fucking high horse and refer to the sport as EVERYONE ELSE IN THE WORLD CALLS IT. So football is what they are playing. Which brings me to the point of this post. Here what this shit is actually called.

1. Soccer=football. I think we’ve cover this by now.

2. stadium: if you think the place where you’re going is called a stadium like it is when you watch football (American) basketball or you know the same place you see Lizzo tooting her flute and twerking (or if you’re my age, watched BackStreet Boys dance to choreography whilst singing “everybodyyyy…. rock your bodyyyy.”) you would be wrong. It’s called a pitch. Yes, the goal post to goal post, and beautiful green grass where they play the glorious sport is called a pitch. (Like in Harry Potter, they’re that prestigious.)

3. Field: yup, just said where they played was the pitch, but it’s not. It’s the pitch. The place where you go is the “stadium” but the “field” is the place they actually play… yes they are different. Like in basketball: think space jam where the aliens were in the stadium but bugs and MJ (and weirdly Wayne knight) were on the “court”… same concept.

4. Goalie: nope. Not right. The guy that stands in the goal is not the goalie is not the goalie, that’s hockey, and we are the less hot more teethed version of that spot. So they are called a Keeper. Ours are Rashid Nuhu and Sam Howard by the way, and they have all their teeth.

5. Head: an act in which you delicately and graciously place your head on the ball.. head and I mean your face or large round average 9lb item attached to your body in to the ball. You provocative Neanderthals. In soccer you cant touch the ball with your hands however your feet and head are fair game utilized appropriately. Headers are very advantageous and you see them frequently to score goals.

6. Defender: I think this one was mostly self explanatory but seemed important. It’s the guy that defends the ball from going into the goal. The defensive line for our football term folks. But I will go one step further for you. There are 4 types: center back, sweeper, full back and wing back. It’s based on where they stand on the field but honestly if you told a guy that Dami was our left full back they’d be thoroughly impressed and sleep with you regardless.

6. Tackle: BE Aggressive B-E Aggressive. Football doesn’t have cheerleaders but said cheer would fit here. But don’t be too aggressive. Football players actually have a lot of rules where you can’t just full on knock the other player down for the ball. It’s a more reserved and refined move to steal the ball without causing a concussion and lasting brain damage.

7. Corner kick: okay bear with me. In direct interpretation this sounds simple. The ball is put into play from the corner of the field. But when?why?how? Dim but it’s super exciting and there are usually designated chants involved.

8. Cross: kriss cross will make you jump jump. (Yo Union can we play their song during the time? Did forward Madison already take it?) okay I digress Basically someone passes the ball across the field to Lewandowski and he knocks it in. Oops wrong league but concept remains

9. Red card: yellow card, you’re weak and fucked some guys shit up but not enough to get kicked out. Red card: you went 59 shades of gray, really fucked up and you’re out of the game.

10. Offsides: the most complicated term and the biggest reason you will get pissed at the refs in all of soccer. Your team scored but JK they didn’t because for some fucked reason they decided that the person who scored the goal was farther along than the person defending. (Isn’t that the point) so your goal doesn’t count. Yup, I don’t get it and it sucks and it’s bullshit and everyone else in football history also hates it. But the rule is there so we have to deal with it. Be pissed at it now, be pissed at it later, be pissed at it forever.

And that’s all for now folks.

– Dr. TokenGirl

Knutson’s Path to Union Omaha

Program changing players are rare to find, but can influence a team for years to come. Union Omaha defender, Daltyn Knutson, is that gem.

The 23-year-old grew up in Spring, Texas, just north of Houston. He started kicking the ball around with his YMCA team at a very early age. But, soccer was not the only sport in his life.

“I got started at three years old, but I played all the sports growing up from basketball, baseball, football and gymnastics,” Knutson said.

This love for sports and competition started at very young age for Knutson. His younger brother, Bradyn, remembers their contests fondly.

“Growing up, everything was a competition. Like who could eat their food the fastest or arguing over which one of us Mom loved more,” Bradyn said.

Competitions never ended in the Knutson household and sometimes it led to brotherly fights.

“I remember a time where me and my brother both played football and we were in our backyard in full pads, hitting the snot out of one another until one of us gave up,” Bradyn said. “It took our Mom coming outside and threatening to take away our Xbox for us to stop.”

Knutson began his soccer career by playing for the Houston Texans SC academy team at the ripe age of 9 years old. He played for the Texans all the way through high school.

By the time Knutson was ready to chose a school to play his collegiate soccer, he had slim choices. He visited the University of Denver and Bucknell University, but was not sure they were the right fit. Knutson wanted to play first team soccer right at the start, but those programs were not offering this luxury.

“I was going to have to wait till sophomore or junior year to play,” Knutson said.

Knutson finalized his decision by going somewhere closer to home plus the ability to play right away. In 2015, the University of Central Arkansas was Knutson’s new team and joined the Bears.

“Central Arkansas was having a couple rough years. I thought it was my best opportunity to get onto the field,” Knutson said. “I was hoping going in that I could change the program.”

Prior to Knutson, the Bears were ranked 183 out of 206 teams in the 2014 final RPI rankings while finishing their campaign 3-13-1.

In 2015, not much changed for UCA except for the many different positions Knutson played. UCA won only 2 games while Knutson played defensive midfield, attacking midfield, forward and then back to center back. The Bears never found their flow even in Missouri Valley Conference play as they finished the season 2-15-1.

“We were the weak link in the conference,” Knutson said. “We were ranked 202 out of 206 teams.”

UCA started to turn things around during Knutson’s junior year. But, it was the same old Bears to start the season. Knutson and UCA began their year with zero wins and seven losses. It was hard for them to find their form early.

“It was frustrating, we didn’t know what was going on,” Knutson said.

The Bears bounced back when conference play turned up. Wins against Valparaiso, Drake and Loyola-Chicago helped them reach a Missouri Valley Conference record to 5-3 which was good enough for the second seed in the conference tournament only behind powerhouse Missouri State.

The Bears of UCA and Missouri State clawed their way to the MVC Championship game for the chance at glory with the winner headed to the NCAA Tournament.

Both teams were deadlocked at zero after full time. Only a goal was needed during the overtime period for a champion to be crowned. With 5 minutes left in OT, UCA’s Chris Holmes lifted a looping ball towards to the back post which found the foot of Niklas Brodacki who slotted it home for the win.

“I remember sprinting all the way across the field. Everyone was running everywhere,” Knutson said. “It was a surreal feeling to take our team to their first NCAA Tournament.”

Knutson was a stalwart at the back for the Bears in 2017. He helped UCA record four clean sheets including the game against Missouri State.

Knutson’s final season would end with family glory for himself while Bradyn found the losing side in 2018.

UCA made it to the Missouri Valley Championship game for the second year in a row. While Knutson’s brother, Bradyn, enrolled as a freshman at Loyola-Chicago where he begin his college soccer career. The two would meet in the MVC Championship game.

UCA jumped out to an early 1-0 lead before Bradyn’s least favorite moment in family history occurred. UCA played a beautiful set piece that flew to the back post which was headed towards the front of goal. Knutson was there to give the Bears a 2-0 lead.

“I remember his senior year well because he beat my team at the time in the Conference Championship where he was also named tournament MVP and was rewarded First Team All Conference,” Brayden said. “He also happened to score the game winning goal against my team which hurts to hear at family dinners.”

Knutson’s career at UCA came to an end by taking a team ranked 202 to winning back-to-back Missouri Valley Conference Championships.

Head Coach of UCA, Ross Duncan, believed Knutson could have transferred to a more competitive program, but he stuck it out with the Bears to create a winning culture .

“Daltyn had a massive impact on our program,” Duncan said. “He was a player we were able to build around with more and more quality and that really helped us wit the big improvements we made in 2016 and the championships we won in 2017 and 2018.”

Knutson graduated from Central Arkansas and was in the market for a professional club. He had two clubs looking for his services as a professional athlete.

“I was maybe about to get offered by Richmond [Kickers], but it was between me and this MLS guy that they are sending down on loan,” Knutson said.

But, USL League One side, South Georgia Tormenta FC was the only club to offer him his first ever professional contract which Knutson happily snatched it up.

Knutson’s skill set as a versatile defensive player and dedication to training is what makes him a valuable professional athlete.

“His growth is 100% down to his commitment to training,” Duncan said. “He was always doing individual sessions and he brought a great intensity to our team training environment every day.”

Knutson’s love for training was appreciated by his Tormenta teammates as well. Former Tormenta forward, Kaleb Jackson was Knutson’s roommate in Statesboro, Georgia. Jackson who now plays for Chattanooga FC was signed at the same time as Knutson.

“Daltyn impressed me quickly with his technical ability as a defender,” Jackson said. “When one of our defenders got hurt he stepped right into place and the team didn’t skip a beat.”

Knutson earned his first minutes as a professional for Tormenta when center back, Lars Enckenrode received a concussion. Knutson was granted his first minutes and never relinquished the starting position all season. Knutson helped Tormenta with seven clean sheets including a long unbeaten run.

“We didn’t get scored on for five games in a row,” Knutson said. “that was a cool experience.”

Knutson is a strong defender that has the ability to play center back and even saw time at Tormenta at the right-back position.

“His love for the game and the want to get better is what really makes him such a quality footballer,” Jackson said. “Being able to use both feet, and decision making are some things that helped further his career as a professional footballer.”

Tormenta finished 2019 with a record of 9-9-10. Knutson’s side barely failed to qualify for the USL League One Playoffs. Knutson was in search of a new club at the end of his contract.

Knutson came into touch with Union Omaha Head Coach, Jason Mims through Coach Duncan.

“My coach at UCA knew Mims and I got in contact with him,” Knutson said. “Mims was reaching out to see how I was doing and asking about my family.”

Knutson’s appreciation for a family atmosphere is what drew him to Union Omaha. The people behind the scenes for the Owls provided a warm atmosphere which he truly enjoys.

Knutson signed for Union Omaha on January 19 and instantly has had an appreciation for the fans which he looks forward to playing in front of in the coming months.

“I know Nebraska sports fans are crazy,” Knutson said. “They are diehards, I like that.”

Knutson and Union Omaha will be primed to return to action in late July when USL1 play returns.

WGaH on the USLPA

Who Gives a Hoot is proud to support Union Omaha, USL League 1, US Soccer, and perhaps most importantly, the players and staff that make all this possible. Recent events surrounding players, ownership and league interaction in the USL Championship has been making waves across the professional soccer landscape in the US. With recent requests by the USL to players in the Championship for a reduction in salary, we wanted to get some context on this for the fans of Union Omaha. As in any evolving field, labor becomes a contentious issue, especially in a field where dollars are driven by fans. Players associations have done great things at the MLS level in creating a sustainable model for players to be able to subsist on their contracts. USL League 1, the league in which Union Omaha plays, has at the time of writing not approached players regarding cuts to salaries.

To get some answers relevant to Union Omaha specifically, we reached out to Union Omaha midfielder Tyler David with a few questions to provide some local background and life to an event happening across the country.

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For fans who are unaware, what is the USLPA?

The USLPA is an organization that has been formed over the past couple of years, made up of current and former USL players, that represents the players of the USL.

Why do we need the USLPA?

The USLPA’s main goal is to establish a Collective Bargaining Agreement with the USL and it’s players. This is necessary to ensure the well-being of players. The agreement would set a standard by which clubs would have to abide by on behalf of there players. Ranging from salaries, all the way to something as simple as to per diem on road trips and anything in between. They also are very instrumental in helping players that may have disputes with their perspective clubs.

Does the USLPA represent all players under contract in USL1 & USL-C?

The USLPA does represent both USL1 and USL-C. However, the association represents the two as separate entities. So, any negotiations or agreements made are completely separate from each other. Should there be a CBA established, each league will have its own CBA to abide by.

Do your experiences at Union Omaha reflect a standard you would like to see across the league?

Union Omaha is my first experience with a team in League 1. So far, I think the organization has been first class, from the ownership through the front office and into the coaching staff. It has been a pleasure to work here in the short time I have been here. Do I think improvements could be made? Of course, every team through the MLS has plenty of things to improve upon; however, from what I’ve seen here in comparison to other clubs I know about and played for, Union Omaha is setting a very high standard for other teams to look to.

You have played in the USL for some years, has the USLPA helped you?

The USLPA did not exist for my first couple years in the USL, so any issues a player had with a team they had to work out with their agent and that team. Over the past couple years the PA has made a huge impact around the league, some instances were made public while others weren’t. The PA has been a great resource to ask questions of when contract disputes came up or when disagreements with an organization arose. I don’t feel comfortable at this time disclosing all the details of things the PA has helped me with, but I can confirm they have helped with contract interpretations and several other disputes that would have otherwise been much more difficult to deal with had there not been a mediator that could communicate with the league about what was going on.

How can fans best support the players?

Fans can best support players with literally support. It’s not the fans job to provide us with anything except for support and making the environment a great place to be on game day. Another avenue of support is social media. As I’m sure you’ve seen trending lately #STANDWITHTHEPLAYERS. The more support in that campaign or any PA campaign the better the players stance will be. So whether that’s retweeting, commenting, sharing, etc. that support means way more than fans can imagine.

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In our opinion, the USL is approaching a watershed much as the MLS was prior to recognizing the MLSPA and agreeing to their first CBA. With USL currently operating second and third tier professional men’s soccer leagues in the United States, it is imperative that the situation for players is tenable to bring and keep the kind of talent that makes it an exciting organization to watch. As fans, we support our clubs, we are proud that the team represents our city, we will show up on game day to support them, remember these players are our club. Without the players a club isn’t playing, without a club the players aren’t playing, without the fans neither players or club would have a reason to be here. Help where you can, stay healthy, stay safe, stay connected, #StandWithThePlayers and #VivaBúhos!

Meet the Owls: Sam Howard

Union Omaha has officially signed a second goalkeeper to their roster for the 2020 season. The owls signed Sam Howard on April 9 to push their roster to 22 contracted players.

Howard joins the Owls after a two year stint with USL Championship side Fresno FC. The goalkeeper nicknamed, “Mystery player” by Union Omaha’s social media, has been with the team since early March. A native of Takoma Park, Maryland, Howard will add much needed depth in the goalkeeper position. Howard will be battling with Rashid Nuhu for the starting position when the season begins.

Last season, Howard appeared in two games for the Northern California club. He was the first choice keeper for Fresno FC during their U.S. Open Cup stint which saw them bow out of the competition in the third round against Sacramento Republic.

In 2016 and 2017, Howard traveled to Europe to play for Swedish club, IFK Amal. He started 68 games for the club that played in division three and division four of the Swedish Football Association. Division three and four are the fifth and sixth level of professional soccer in Sweden.

The keeper graduated from Howard University in 2015. The 6-foot-2-inch keeper made 68 appearances for the Bison in his only year for them. He transferred for his final year from La Salle University where he saw the field only once during his first three years.

This beautiful save from Howard comes from his first game for Fresno FC last season. Fresno faced amateur club, El Farolito in their second round game of the U.S. Open Cup in 2019. In the 79th minute, Howard made this athletic save to tip the ball over the bar to hold Fresno’s lead at 1-0. Howard would keep the clean sheet and see Fresno through to the next round in America’s oldest soccer competition.