Dr. James Reese, School Member, Practicum Coordinator & Group Relations, Sports activities Administration & Esports
Nuno Fernandes, President, American Public College System
Jon Spencer, Director of Scouting, Actual Salt Lake
On this insightful podcast, Dr. James Reese, joined by APUS President, Nuno Fernandes, interviews Jon Spencer, Director of Scouting for Actual Salt Lake and College alumnus. Spencer shares his inspiring journey by way of the soccer world, from taking part in school soccer in Southern California to working in Germany and, finally, changing into a key determine in Main League Soccer.
Spencer discusses the significance of exhausting work, persistence, and dedication in constructing a profitable profession in sports activities, highlighting how soccer has advanced within the U.S. over the previous decade. Hear how adjustments have been pushed by rising fan help, worldwide expertise, and main occasions just like the upcoming 2026 World Cup. Spencer additionally emphasizes the rising position of know-how and information in scouting, teaching, and participant growth, providing beneficial recommendation to aspiring sports activities professionals.
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Jim Reese: Howdy and welcome to our Voices within the Discipline podcast sequence, dropped at you by the APUS Sports activities Administration Program. My title is Jim Reese, and I’ll be your co-host at the moment for our podcast. We now have two particular friends becoming a member of us at the moment. First, filling in for my common co-host, Brittany Jacobs, a gentleman who’s a lifelong soccer fan and likewise occurs to be President of APUS, Dr. Nuno Fernandes. Nuno, thanks for becoming a member of us at the moment.
Nuno Fernandes: Oh, it’s a pleasure.
Jim Reese: And our second particular visitor, Mr. Jon Spencer, alumna of our program and Director of Scouting for Actual Salt Lake of MLS. Jon, welcome to you as nicely. Thanks for becoming a member of us at the moment.
Jon Spencer: Thanks, Jim. Excited to affix you all at the moment. And Nuno, it’s an honor to be on this podcast with you, so I look ahead to our dialog.
Nuno Fernandes: Thanks very a lot. The pleasure is mine.
Jim Reese: Jon, we all know your background, however every part that we do right here is for our college students. Would you be variety sufficient, for his or her sake, and simply inform us just a little bit about your background. You’ve been round for a very long time doing lots of issues in any respect ranges in soccer, however just a bit background for our college students in order that they understand how you bought to the place you’re at at this level.
Jon Spencer: Thanks, Jim. Sure, and I’ll say once I add up all my experiences in my life, it has led to the place I’m at at the moment, and that’s hopefully the brief finish of what we’re attempting to speak at the moment, which is our experiences in sport can lead us to all completely different instructions. Soccer’s opened tons of doorways. And that’s the wonderful factor in regards to the sport of soccer. It’s a world sport that impacts and permeates all features of life. And it’s been actually thrilling to develop up right here in america and be a part of soccer simply from the truth that I’ve noticed, skilled, witnessed worldwide soccer, and likewise, seen the expansion that’s occurring right here within the US. So, I grew up in Southern California, performed school soccer at an NCAA establishment referred to as UC Irvine, and I ended up pursuing the profession in soccer.
I took a category in school that acquired me excited about sports activities administration, which is what led me to APUS finally. However I completed my school profession, spent a while attempting to interrupt into Main League Soccer. Ended up spending 5 years in Germany, which was a vastly impactful time in my life. Collected my teaching licenses throughout my time in Germany, as I acquired into teaching a bit. And that’s form of the place I wish to transfer this dialog to, which is 2008, I obtain a name from a colleague of mine that I performed with on a crew referred to as Orange County Blue Star.
He’s like, “Jon, come again to the US. You could have your teaching licenses, why don’t you run this program?” Which was to deliver American gamers to Europe. And so, I began scouting throughout america in 2008 whereas I used to be in school… I in all probability ought to again up just a little bit. I already began teaching once I was in school at a highschool, so I acquired my toes moist there just a little bit. And the rationale why I say that’s I believe lots of people are interested in how do you get into the soccer business? We’ll discuss {that a} bit extra, however there’s no degree that’s the improper degree to begin at as a result of you may all the time study one thing from these experiences.
Quick-forward, I began scouting within the US. I began figuring out some gamers. Had some success that led to me managing some groups in numerous ranges, particularly within the USL, United Soccer Leagues. It was my scouting that opened the door from one step to the subsequent, and I can share some tales with you as we get into this. However by way of my scouting, I acquired to satisfy some folks. I moved into the company enterprise for a lot of years and began representing some gamers, after which I acquired a name about three years in the past to affix Actual Salt Lake as their Director of Expertise Identification, which is what I initially began doing.
However my deal with that was actually to assist scout and recruit gamers for Actual Salt Lake. I work with lots of nice folks right here, however scouting actually helped open the doorways for me to get right into a entrance workplace of an MLS membership. I left the company enterprise. It may be an excellent path to go, however I actually benefit from the membership aspect and the alternatives which are afforded to me. And that’s the place I’m right here at the moment.
Nuno Fernandes: Initially, congratulations in your profession. It’s very spectacular. How do you are feeling that soccer has advanced within the US during the last 5 to 10 years? As a result of actually it’s very exhausting to compete with basketball and baseball, American soccer, and doubtless soccer won’t ever be at that degree in america or perhaps sure, however how do you see that soccer has been evolving, particularly with the arrival of actually well-known names like Messi and others? Do you assume that’s going to make a distinction, and the way do you see soccer evolving over the subsequent years?
Jon Spencer: Nicely, to begin with, I believe expertise is essential. Should you noticed Copa America this 12 months, it was superior that it was right here in america. It was a beautiful occasion. Clearly, there’s all the time some challenges there, however the largest factor is our nation is beginning to expertise, 12 months over 12 months, large occasions which are unimaginable to expertise. And that’s one thing I didn’t have as a youth rising up. I didn’t get to go to a ton of nice matches.
The information of the fan bases have improved, however we’ve younger folks rising in soccer in america. And that goes from the grassroots degree. Soccer is an extremely giant sport right here within the US, however there may be an unimaginable quantity of younger people who find themselves experiencing soccer, each on the leisure degree, the aggressive soccer surroundings as youth, and this sport isn’t going backwards. It’s only rising. And I attest to the Copa America this 12 months.
Subsequent 12 months the Membership World Cup will probably be right here in america after which 2026 we’re internet hosting the World Cup collectively with Mexico and Canada. This enterprise is rising, it’s booming, and if I am going again 10 years, as you requested, the league was rising and there have been some good issues occurring, however for those who fast-forward to at the moment, we’re experiencing Main League Soccer within the worldwide switch market this summer time. We transferred two gamers out of our membership. We broke our switch file twice in a single summer time. After which if we fast-forward 10 years from now, I don’t know what the panorama will appear to be, however I do have a imaginative and prescient and a transparent image that it’ll solely proceed to develop. And it’s thrilling as a result of I believe there’s extra alternative for jobs at each degree in MLS golf equipment, and alternatives for folks to expertise soccer on a world stage, which is unimaginable.
It’s unimaginable the chance that’s right here. The US is a melting pot of cultures, and so it’s nice when you’ve matches the place you’ve acquired Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil, Argentina right here.
Nuno Fernandes: I used to be born in Europe and once I was younger, soccer was just about the one sport that you’d watch or play. And in Europe, when you’ve a membership that you just like, often it’s like a household factor. I’ve many pals that the very first thing that they do when their child was born was to register them as followers of their membership. I imply actually it’s the very first thing. So, it turns into virtually like a faith, if you’ll. You’re very devoted to that membership. And I felt that once I went to soccer video games in Europe, when you’ve an actual large rivalry, it virtually turns into harmful at instances.
There’s lots of rigidity and generally issues can go south very simply. And I all the time examine that once I got here to america about 15 years in the past, and I used to be invited to observe Miami Warmth in opposition to Chicago Bulls. Clearly, it’s not soccer, however I used to be very impressed with how household pleasant it was, and everybody was having fun with a present.
And I used to be very impressed as a result of that’s simply not the form of factor that you just see in soccer in Europe after which in Latin America. But it surely additionally made me assume that one of many explanation why soccer is as challenges to turn out to be actually, actually mainstream in america, it’s as a result of commercially it’s in all probability not as worthwhile as basketball or American soccer or baseball, whereas in basketball you’ve these a number of breaks, so you’ve a number of alternatives to promote issues to the followers.
Additionally, I felt that North People, often they’re used to those video games the place the outcomes are very excessive scoring, the basketball scores are 102 – 98, or issues like that. After which in soccer generally you play for 90 minutes and it’s zero, zero. You’re like, “What occurred?” Proper. Do you are feeling that there’s a special strategy to sports activities and particularly to soccer within the US versus what you noticed in Europe and definitely what you in all probability noticed in Mexico?
Jon Spencer: If you wish to get into this soccer enterprise, the enterprise of soccer, I strongly encourage anyone hearken to this, that you must achieve worldwide expertise, as a result of what you’re describing is one thing that we aren’t fairly there but in america, however I’m seeing large, we’re making large strides in that space. What you’re describing is simply the tradition of soccer around the globe is you reside, eat, breathe, drink, sleep soccer, it’s every part.
When the match is on Saturday, that whole small village in Germany of 10,000 folks or Molde, Norway, which has a a lot smaller neighborhood, the folks go to help their membership. And it’s lots of the tradition and the society and the surroundings, the politics, each facet of life is surrounded round soccer. And I really feel very lucky that my mother and father acquired me taking part in soccer once I was 5 years outdated.
And these children in Europe are born principally with a ball at their toes. And for those who talk about Portugal, perhaps earlier than they’re born, they’re have already got it kicking a ball. It’s a part of the tradition around the globe. And I believe one of many nice issues about america is we’re a melting pot of various cultures, and happily, lots of the mentality and the strategy and the life behind soccer is coming to the US, slowly however absolutely. You do see extra educated followers who’re obsessed with their crew’s outcomes. Should you don’t carry out, you hear it out of your fan base.
So, it’s rising, however it’s taking a while. I believe if you discuss in regards to the advertising and might it develop versus timeouts and media stoppage and all that, a lot of years in the past I noticed, he’s nonetheless a really shut buddy of mine, however he ran a advertising firm in Europe they usually had been liable for the LED boards that across the subject, and the way essential these boards are to the advertising of a crew.
And folks don’t perhaps acknowledge simply since you see it day by day, these digital boards and the advertisements that go by there, these are vastly beneficial for golf equipment and what they’re capable of promote. It goes into Jersey sponsorships and the funds behind the game. It’s all very crucial to success. The strides that MLS has made with Apple and our season cross with Apple, and the connection with Apple is large. After which bringing in gamers like Messi actually will influence the funds and sources behind that. And I believe, once more, you’re simply having a rising fan base of younger folks rising up in a tradition of soccer that we didn’t have 20, 30 years – three a long time in the past, we didn’t have that. We do have that now and it’s thrilling to see.
Nuno Fernandes: It’s very exhausting to elucidate in america how large a few of these gamers are internationally and are well-known world scale. I believe Ronaldo has extra followers on social media than Beyoncé and Taylor Swift mixed, and Messi in all probability is true up there. So, these are actually world stars. It’s fascinating to see how large these gamers are, however within the US, not a lot.
Jon Spencer: Yeah, advertising gamers remains to be an space the place we’re rising, however we’re making strides. Folks know who Christian Pulisic is and Wes McKinney. We now have extra gamers than ever taking part in within the prime leagues and prime golf equipment around the globe. What’s fascinating is if you discuss Messi coming from Argentina or Cristiano Ronaldo from Portugal, these nations, Portugal and Argentina, the entire infrastructure of the society is constructed round soccer, and their presence alone and their marketability on a world degree, you return to David Beckham and his involvement in soccer, you could possibly discuss Germany and all of the Germans which have come by way of. Each nation in Europe has some star or anyone that actually has made a big impact globally, I’d say. And a part of that goes again to, once more, soccer simply has a big impact on society. It brings folks collectively. There’s a lot good that may come from it.
I’m additionally excited in regards to the 2026 World Cup. I believe there’s lots of potential for us to have our new star. And I usually inform folks, simply within the scouting world, you could possibly be scouting anyone at the moment and in two years from now, 16, 17, 18-year-old may very well be 18, 19, 20, 21 breaking in on the World Cup. And it’ll be very fascinating to see how that event performs out.
My son makes use of YouTube, he watches each Cristiano Ronaldo aim, each Messi aim, he’s following the gamers around the globe. And happily, in our lifetime, we’ve simply seen the worth of media, social media, know-how. Once I was rising up, I perhaps acquired one Premier League match a weekend.
Now I can watch soccer day by day on a number of completely different platforms. I’m watching, whether or not it’s school soccer to skilled soccer to obscure leagues that you just assume, “How are you gaining access to that?” We’re watching soccer continually and it’s a world sport. That’s why you’ve acquired stars like Messi and Ronaldo, they usually’re nice folks, and folks wish to observe them as a result of engaging they usually carry out at such high-level persistently for such a very long time. The cash’s coming. Advertising and marketing these gamers, it’s coming to the US. It’s not going backwards.
From an American perspective, how crucial it’s that we qualify for the World Cup and the Olympics. I don’t know for those who guys keep in mind, we didn’t qualify for the 2020 Olympics. We additionally missed a World Cup. The quantity of promoting {dollars} that we missed out on. I’ll provide you with from the agent perspective, managing a participant is very large as a result of the gamers want these occasions to get the advertising {dollars}. And if you discuss in regards to the enterprise and finance of sport, which is a category that I actually took lots of curiosity in at APUS, it’s crucial to know that the funds and the enterprise of sport, and the success that’s performed out on the sphere can immediately influence the outcomes on the enterprise aspect and the funds that go behind it.
And so projecting that out, like us internet hosting the World Cup, goes to deliver sources into america that goes past simply the soccer subject and the 11 V 11. It’s method greater than that. And that’s why the game within the US, everyone’s excited about america, we’re a advertising juggernaut. And for those who look to sports activities like NBA and NFL, they’re maximizing that. Soccer’s been chipping away although, and I’m wanting ahead to seeing the place that’s going to move into the longer term.
Jim Reese: What an excellent change. I’ve a follow-up on the enterprise aspect query for you, Jon, however first just a few issues for college students. One, you talked about the significance of networking. In sport administration, networking is every part, it’s all relationship based mostly. And also you establish that just a few instances to date to strengthen to college students how essential that’s to not be bashful, exit and meet folks. We use the phrase, “It’s not who you realize, however who is aware of you.” And so, networking is essential. The second level, if I keep in mind proper, going again to the eagerness that’s affiliated with soccer worldwide, didn’t they cease a battle for the World Cup at one level? You consider the, that’s unprecedented. And from a grassroots degree, I see it in my space, as a result of soccer is such an inexpensive sport to placed on and you know the way youth sports activities is admittedly strapped financially.
And so, I believe that’s the place lots of this grassroot reputation is coming from together with the issues that you just’re speaking about, Messi, and another issues and so. Now on the enterprise aspect, what made NASCAR was the followers. The followers knew that the one method NASCAR may very well be profitable is that if they supported the merchandise that had been sponsored on the completely different automobiles. And so, NASCAR is without doubt one of the most model loyal sports activities. I believe that soccer can be like that as nicely. And so, is there a similarity there, the place soccer may have the ability to do among the similar issues that NASCAR has performed?
Jon Spencer: Nicely, undoubtedly, from a enterprise perspective, the membership degree, we’re all the time trying to attempt to maximize our advertising efforts and bringing within the sources related to that. And we discuss going into completely different classes of promoting and completely different areas of enterprise that you could produce. We’re trying to maximize that as a membership. And in soccer, the US, there’s some requirements that the league undoubtedly desires as a result of we wish to current a model as a league. And so, there’s areas the place you may promote in your jersey for instance, whereas in NASCAR you may undoubtedly make the most of, I consider, each inch of that automobile. There’s a sponsorship deal that’s been offered and a relationship that’s constructed. And the connection between that in addition to the driving force of these automobiles and the advertising offers which are related to that, it’s very fascinating, we might in all probability discuss this for some time, however what I wish to get into is soccer does have loyal connections, and among the main manufacturers around the globe, world manufacturers, aren’t coming solely from america.
However right here within the native membership degree, we’re constructing relationships which are related the environment, our tradition, and what we’re about. Right here in Utah, we’ve some unimaginable companions, however we wish to make it possible for we’re additionally maximizing the advertising {dollars} which are there inside our neighborhood.
And so though you’ve world corporations which are advertising and bringing the enterprise to our membership, we are also doing on the native degree and constructing relationships and partnerships from the grassroots all the best way up, as a result of we do wish to elevate a fan base of younger individuals who love Actual Salt Lake, and what our model’s about and our membership. And I believe usually about our membership, we’re a membership of business. We wish to construct a very good household tradition, however we’re additionally profitable collectively by way of growth. And so, what meaning for us is we’re attempting to construct younger gamers who’re growing into professionals, however we additionally wish to win the MLS Cup. And hopefully this 12 months we are able to compete to try this. And once more, it simply additionally builds our enterprise and our potential to construct enterprise partnerships, each regionally and nationally and globally.
Jim Reese: Jon, one of the vital essential issues that we’re seeing in our program now with college students is the usage of know-how. We’ve acquired AI and analytics, it’s really a part of our curriculum that we’re going to develop in some unspecified time in the future as a result of it’s so essential. Speak to us just a little bit about how know-how, and the way is it impacting the game from a standpoint of teaching and evaluating expertise, all these various things, please?
Jon Spencer: So, I’m going to speak a couple of minutes right here as a result of that’s a really loaded query. There’s a guide referred to as Why Every thing You Know About Soccer is Incorrect, and it has to do with scouting. And the writer of the guide really works with our membership. His title’s Chris Anderson, he co-wrote that with David Sally. However the motive why I introduced that up is information has grown massively during the last decade, and I believe it’s actually crucial that I talk the significance of know-how and what we do.
The information behind the execution of sport at the moment is crucial. We now have been very targeted, as a scouting division, on information and the analytics behind that. We now have an information analyst who’s distinctive, his title is, I name him Dr. Joe Thomas.
I actually worth him extremely as a result of he understands soccer, and is ready to make the most of numbers to assist us establish potential participant targets that we wish to pursue. And so, Dr. Joe and I meet a number of instances a day speaking about completely different features of the enterprise of how we are able to go discover the subsequent participant that provides us a bonus as a membership. And I can simply say, with our transfers to summer time, among the information that he was capable of mine helped us establish the targets that we would have liked to pursue. And so, I’m a scout targeted on watching the expertise stay, however now due to COVID and the expansion of some completely different platforms, I’m watching video day by day. So, once we are performed with this podcast at the moment, I’ll spend a number of hours watching video of soccer gamers that we’re attempting to pursue. And that’s whether or not you’re a youth participant taking part in in america, a youth participant taking part in in Europe, a university participant, to skilled leagues all around the globe.
And I say that as a result of understanding each the know-how and with the ability to make the most of know-how to the perfect of your potential is admittedly crucial. And with the ability to know the way it may help what you’re doing. However the analytics behind it and the info behind it helps drive choices. You possibly can’t have one with out the opposite. And I say this simply because, on the scouting aspect, it helps us establish the subsequent signing that we wish to make. However for those who go to the enterprise aspect, analytics assist drive choices relating to what number of season tickets to promote, what number of you may venture, going to the analytics of even simply you go into the communications departments of golf equipment. As a result of I do know, there’s folks I took my masters with that had been excited about communications. The information behind communications impacts different features of the membership. And so, attempting to establish the important thing market of individuals that you just wish to goal market, that you just wish to deal with or strategy by way of your communications can also be actually essential.
So, with out information, it’s very exhausting to achieve success on this enterprise now. I’m continually attempting to study day by day.
Jim Reese: Nice stuff, Jon. Thanks. Nuno, I’ll flip it again to you.
Nuno Fernandes: Thanks. How do you see information to enhance the efficiency of the gamers? Do you see coaches utilizing information to carry out higher?
Jon Spencer: Each single day. It’s crucial for decision-making. We had a match on the weekend. By Monday morning we’ve information based mostly on the efficiency of every participant, each from a bodily output, how far they ran, how briskly they ran, what number of acceleration, decelerations they made. And the rationale why that information is essential as a result of that you must preserve your athletes wholesome so you may make the most of them and maximize their potential throughout the membership. So, we’ve an entire information set that we collect day by day, from coaching to each sport based mostly on the bodily output of the participant. However then there’s additionally the info behind creating scoring alternatives in our anticipated targets, and the way we accomplish that or not. This final weekend we had been shut out. It was a disappointing consequence. So, we’re wanting exhausting on the information of how can we do higher and the way can we enhance going into this weekend.
And we make the most of information of our opponent relating to their tendencies and what they do. So, their scouting and analysis of knowledge on each degree. I’ve usually seemed on the NFL, have a very good colleague as nicely that has been in basketball, and simply the info that goes behind these sports activities as nicely. Soccer is not any completely different, and there are specialists that perceive how you can take the info and make the most of that to maximise the crew. And so, a efficiency for a crew on the sphere may very well be they simply merely weren’t in the perfect bodily form for that match. In order that’s why we use the bodily information, however it may be tendencies as a membership and a coach makes use of to make it possible for he can adapt appropriately to have the ability to beat the opponent.
And in order that’s occurring on all sides, each crew, each membership, each sport, each contact that you just make as a participant on that subject may be analyzed, and the info behind that can be utilized each for you and in opposition to you. And so, it’s unimaginable to see the place sport goes. And the thrilling half about information, it helps us drive our resolution making.
So, our teaching employees scours video, watches the matches a number of instances, watches the opponent. We’re doing opponent scouting and placing reviews collectively weeks upfront, forward of future matches, since you’re looking for methods to beat your opponent. And that’s crucial in reaching success on the sphere.
Nuno Fernandes: And in addition, relating to the info, I consider, for contemporary gamers, it’s additionally a option to promote their longevity, as a result of if you return 15, 20 years, most gamers can be retired round 30, 32 years outdated. That was the norm. Then at the moment, I don’t know what the typical is, however actually you see lots of gamers which are over 35 and nonetheless taking part in competitively.
Jon Spencer: And that’s why we’ve an enormous sports activities efficiency and simply targeted on the bodily care of our gamers, as a result of it’s crucial. We now have a crew nutritionist, going into these areas of sport and eager about the folks which are behind the athlete. There’s an unlimited variety of essential key figures and key stakeholders to have the ability to put the standard on the sphere and preserve them wholesome or assist them return to play shortly.
And so, after a match, you’re instantly on a constitution flight that night time again to your property market. However simply the restoration is admittedly essential, and regeneration of your physique. And so, we’ve sports activities scientists who concentrate on how you can maximize that. We meet on that information continually, as a result of once more, it’s crucial to have the ability to maximize your efficiency on the proper time.
Nuno Fernandes: Sure. And the other can also be true, by the best way. And I believe these are nice examples. Should you take it to a enterprise perspective, the participant that I’ve seen with the best efficiency was Ronaldinho, however just for one 12 months, as a result of he didn’t have that self-discipline, or perhaps he didn’t wish to, or perhaps it was simply, he thought that it was not for him.
I believe that’s in all probability essentially the most gifted participant I’ve ever seen, much more than Messi, for those who discuss uncooked expertise. However expertise isn’t sufficient, and dedication can take you very, very far, generally much more than expertise itself. After all, the perfect mixture is if you’re very gifted and also you’re very devoted, as a result of that’s a win-win state of affairs. Should you’re simply very gifted however not targeted or devoted, which may work for some time, however it received’t take you very far. So, it’s fascinating to see how that works.
Jon Spencer: As you had been talking, three phrases got here to thoughts. And on the athlete degree, I share this with each athlete. The highest athletes obtain this. And that’s this, persistence, exhausting work, dedication. And you may put these in any… One, two, and three, any considered one of them may very well be primary. However I’m going to begin with exhausting work. And the rationale why I say exhausting work is as a result of at any degree that you just’re going to be concerned in sport, it requires exhausting work. Whether or not you’re a entrance workplace employees to a coach, to a communications director, you’re VP of promoting, and sponsorships to ticket gross sales, exhausting work will all the time get you the place that you must go. And you concentrate on exhausting work, I take into consideration Cristiano Ronaldo. That man has labored his physique to be the perfect he presumably may be. However that’s the athlete, however that additionally works on the enterprise aspect and all the opposite features of sport.
I say persistence is admittedly essential as a result of I’ll provide you with an instance of a goalkeeper. A goalkeeper might wait a whole season as a result of just one goalkeeper performs. It’s not a place that’s usually substituted in a match. And so, a goalkeeper needs to be very affected person, however so do younger gamers attempting to come back by way of and break in. It takes time. And infrequently I’ve see one of many challenges athletes face is that they’re simply not affected person. However I can even say that on the enterprise aspect, for those who’re a youngster attempting to get into a particular space of sport and wish to have the ability to be a coach or work in a membership, simply be affected person as a result of it’s a course of. The place I acquired right here at the moment, didn’t occur in a single day. That is over twenty years of exhausting work. Really, I’d say three, as a result of I wanted to undergo this course of as a participant as nicely.
My experiences in Germany as a participant on the sphere taught me a ton. After which the dedication, which I believe Messi and Ronaldo present that day by day they step on the sphere. However being decided to achieve your targets and being obtain them. Those who’re decided maintain it for a protracted time frame. And I agree with you, Ronaldinho, unimaginable expertise, and he had an unimaginable profession. I want I had his profession from the standpoint of what he was capable of obtain. However perhaps he’s a very good image too, that, simply to speak, if you wish to pursue a profession in sports activities administration and no matter space that’s, whether or not it’s advertising, finance or whatnot, keep decided as a result of it does take time. One of many issues I’ve discovered is lots of people don’t have the persistence and dedication to get to the place they should go.
And I inform you at the moment, the formulation, it doesn’t change from three a long time in the past to at the moment. Everyone’s on the lookout for exhausting employees. Certainly one of our primary profiles proper now, once I’m speaking to coaches about gamers who wish to recruit, does he work exhausting? Does he wish to study? Is he coachable? These are all issues that may go straight into sports activities enterprise at each degree. And so I encourage you, in case you are listening to this, it’s actually essential to take these three phrases and maximize them to the perfect of your potential. And there’s extra to it, however undoubtedly search for athletes in that method, but in addition staff that I work with which have these traits as nicely.
Nuno Fernandes: And I believe the start line within the US is admittedly good as a result of the US has a profitable mentality normally relating to sports activities. And there’s lots of self-discipline and there’s lots of infrastructure. You get scholarships for sports activities, you’ve very nice gyms and fields, and there are coaches and groups to help you and those that learn about diet. And that’s in all probability one thing that I’d not say is exclusive on the planet, however it’s form of distinctive. Actually, some nations in Europe have incredible situations, just like the UK, Germany, France. However the distinction within the US is that it begins from a really early age. It begins with that aggressive mindset from a really early age. And I believe that’s a bonus in sports activities and in life normally.
Jon Spencer: Yeah. I’d be remiss if we didn’t discuss in regards to the NWSL just a little bit. After which additionally our ladies’s crew received the Olympics this summer time, which was unimaginable. And the next behind the US Ladies’s Nationwide crew has been unimaginable for a number of a long time now. And I’ve had the privilege to play with a few of these gamers over time, Michelle Akers, Julie Foudy. They’re simply unimaginable athletes. And then you definitely fast-forward to at the moment and simply seeing the success that that they had this summer time was unimaginable and actually thrilling. And once more, that drives the enterprise. The NWSL only recently introduced they signed a brand new CBA with the gamers. They’ve modified some guidelines throughout the league and the way they’re going to function going into subsequent season.
The ladies’s sport is large right here within the US. And I believe the intent and the funding going in the direction of to ladies’s sport is barely going to proceed as nicely. On the boys’s aspect, once more, I don’t wish to level to all issues on the 2026 World Cup, however it’s thrilling to see that occasion come once more to the US. I keep in mind 94 when it was right here the primary time, after which we had one thing referred to as Undertaking 2010. We needed to win the World Cup by 2010. We’re not fairly there but, however I’ll say the progress and the curiosity within the sport is barely going to proceed to be a part of the infrastructure and the society right here within the US.
Nuno Fernandes: Nicely, it’s been a pleasure speaking to you. And Jim, thanks very a lot for having me as your co-host.
Jim Reese: Oh my gosh, it’s been our pleasure. Jon, earlier than we wrap up, I needed to observe up on one factor that you just talked about earlier as a result of lots of our college students have an interest. You talked about how you can get into scouting and that you just had been going to the touch on that. And lots of our college students want to work in participant personnel or turn out to be a GM or be a scout. Might you simply contact on that only for a second, for his or her sake?
Jon Spencer: So, I’m going to speak about soccer first. If you wish to get into soccer, attempt to achieve the experiences on a multinational degree. Which means if in case you have alternatives to go overseas to expertise that, I strongly advocate it. It has been an enormous beneficial asset to my profession, and it’s opened doorways and connections. Once more, I wish to repeat that. The significance of getting a Rolodex of those that you realize in numerous markets, in numerous areas of the world, may be vastly beneficial. We’re all the time on the lookout for alternatives to seek out interns or internships. I’d strongly advocate to try this. Should you’re at an area membership, contact your native membership.
And so, I say this to you, if there’s college students listening to this which are excited about soccer, I’m completely open to attempting to assist talk about alternatives that may very well be there within the sport.
However I believe the most important factor is attempt to achieve as many experiences as you may. And once more, it goes again to simply be affected person by way of the method. I didn’t get the place I’m at at the moment due to one particular participant I noticed or one alternative. I’d say it’s a fruits of various experiences and alternatives that I’ve been capable of take. I usually consider the phrase be courageous. Anyone can all the time say no, and we don’t have the chance proper now, however for those who by no means ask, you’ll by no means know. I’ve constructed lots of my profession off being courageous. And I say that that’s actually essential. However so far as alternatives, search them out and attempt to get them to be numerous, for those who can. So, I believe there’s worth in that.
Jim Reese: That’s nice recommendation, Jon. And to you, thanks for giving again to our program.
Jon Spencer: It’s enjoyable to be a part of this. I actually respect, and I’ve nothing however unimaginable gratitude to APUS as a result of I discovered a ton in this system. I’ve lots of life experiences, however it introduced every part full circle for me, which actually helped stabilize and simply actually ingrain in me the issues that I form of knew, however after I took a sports activities advertising or finance class or sports activities entrepreneurship, and I used to be eager about that just a little bit earlier than this podcast, simply eager about, there’s folks which are listening that simply have actually curiosity in creating a brand new enterprise that may very well be in soccer.
A few of the applied sciences which are right here at the moment weren’t right here 5 years in the past, even three years in the past. Issues change and folks have concepts. It’s thrilling to study completely different concepts and completely different views by way of APUS. The sports activities administration course I took was unimaginable, as a result of it was a various group of individuals from completely different sports activities and backgrounds, and simply the educational was unimaginable for me. So I’m grateful for APUS. Nuno it’s actually thrilling, only a privilege to have the ability to be on this podcast with you and Jim. I’ve had unimaginable conversations with you over time. Thanks guys for having me at the moment. I actually loved it.
Nuno Fernandes: No, Jon, the privilege is mine, and it’s so fascinating that you’re an APUS graduate, in order that’s fascinating to see our college students holding positions which are so essential, so impactful of their neighborhood. So congratulations for that.
Jon Spencer: Thanks.
Jim Reese: And because of you each for being right here at the moment. We actually respect it. To our listeners, thanks to your continued help of our voices within the Discipline podcast sequence. On behalf of myself, Dr. Fernandes, and all of my colleagues from the APUS Sports activities Administration Program, that is Jim Reese saying so lengthy.
