“The majority of courses offered by a college can be accessed by a student-athlete, it's a lot different out there to over here, though. You gain your qualifications through numerous classes in an almost tick list fashion, taking a science, math and English class for example, but it's a lot more interesting than the UK system. I studied Astronomy for my science and loved it.
“But at the end of your time there you will have taken your required classes in business, for example, and have a degree in your chosen field. Not only that, but you will have also shown you have real character being able to move to America and work hard for four years not only on the soccer pitch but also in the classroom - that doesn't go unnoticed.
“We push education more than our players like sometimes, as we see this as a massive opportunity. They might not yet, but when they have a degree in their hand and an impressive CV, it takes the pressure off the trials when they are back home, knowing they have something to fall back on.”
With a number of players on the books, Represent Soccer USA are aiming to expand their portfolio having already forged a successful affiliation with Oxford City.
Dan is currently based in Manchester and believes there is plenty of potential to build solid relationships with clubs in the area.
“We've been down to Oxford a number of times now and the set up they have there is brilliant,” continued Dan. “We have contacts with a number of academies but we also have meetings in place in the coming months to grow our network. We like to work with non-league sides, as we believe the talent within these academies is priceless, but may not get the coverage it deserves.
“We will almost certainly be tapping into the vast array of top class non-league clubs in Manchester during this year, the likes of Salford City and FC United's rise through the leagues goes to show the potential of football teams in Manchester, outside the big two.
“We work mainly with clubs below League Two. Coming from a non-league background myself, I have always believed strongly in the talent that can be found in lower leagues, it's a real joy to watch our players develop into top level athletes. I also met a lot of players who had been treated poorly by their agencies, whilst being charged extortionate fees.
“This love for finding and negotiating with new teams, coupled with seeing how expensive some other companies can be and knowing of the abundance of top level young players in the lower leagues just made it a natural move for me to want to set up my own agency designed to help them.
“We've had numerous players approaching us from all over the country, from Scotland to the middle of London, but we advise them that this is a decision you don't just rush into, you have to have something about you to leave your family for months on end and it really should be thought through, so we give these lads time to weigh everything up and that also gives us time to gauge their ability through a proper scouting report.
“As a company philosophy, we try to be as honest as we can with potential clients. We have two players who have accepted offers already this year, Joey Roslan and George Watson; they will be travelling out in summer. They are two extremely talented players who I can see doing very well at Anoka-Ramsey, the team they have committed too. And hopefully, we will be sending much more of our players out, come July.”
As well as tapping into English academies, Represent Soccer USA also work closely with teams north of the border too. Former Lake Tahoe player Matt Byers is currently the team’s Head Scout in Scotland, and this is an area that Dan believes can reap the rewards in the future.
“We don't work out of Scotland as much as we would like to at this moment due to working mainly in the south of England,” admitted Dan. “But the talent and interest in Scotland are something we are very much looking at.
“Again, like in England, Scottish lower league football is to an extent looked over, and we know for a fact hundreds if not thousands of lads have what it takes to gain a scholarship in America, and we are here to find them.
“The age range we look to recruit is between 16-22, the younger you are, the more time you have to develop your profile with us and generate interest, not only from US coaches, but we also help players looking for places at UK academies too.
“For the older lads, it can sometimes be harder but not always. If you've been out of education for a while, you can lose one or two years of eligibility in your college career, and if they are older they may have signed professional contracts, this can be a big issue as well.
“But I personally played with players over 20 who are still there now, if anything, you can have the upper hand being older and a more rounded player.”
Only founded in 2015, Represent Soccer USA is still a very young company. But their big ideas, hands on management skills and affordable package deals make this one of the most viable options for any young player looking to compete at a high level and gain an education.
Dan, Matt and Max Kyte, Head of US Operations, have all experienced the transition from the UK to America as a collegiate student-athlete, and Dan is confident that the future is bright for Represent Soccer USA.
“I have big plans for the company,” concluded Dan. “There is a real market now for non-league players, thanks to the likes of Charlie Austin and Jamie Vardy. I fully believe in the ability of the players we sign and those playing through the semi-professional route, so in the long term, we aim to help them as much as we can.
“Represent Soccer is starting to branch out into different avenues of football. I can't give away too much, but we aim to have big opportunities for our players once they return from the US, and we hope they will stay with us on their journey. It will be an exciting few years for Represent Soccer players for sure.”
I would like to thank Dan for taking the time to do this interview. For more information about Represent Soccer USA, feel free to visit their website or follow them on Twitter.
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Article posted: 16 February 2017
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8 February 2017
George Watson
playing for Oxford City
Stanford University, California
NCAA Division One Champions
Joey Roslan
playing for Oxford City
Lake Tahoe,
California
Anoka-Ramsey,
Minnesota
Harvard University,
Massachusetts
The choice between football and an education is a decision that many aspiring young players may one day have to face. If a professional career fails and the player is released at academy level, what next?
A potential lifetime of frustration; competing at semi-professional level and earning a basic salary from a full-time job. This wouldn’t be the end of the world, by any means, as the likes of Jamie Vardy and Charlie Austin will testify. Hard work can eventually pay off – if you’re given the opportunity to showcase your talents.
Alternatively, there is the option of gaining a scholarship in America. Play college football, gain an education and possibly earn an MLS contract. Even if you weren’t to turn professional, you would still have a degree of your choice to fall back on.
Represent Soccer USA provides young players with the chance to do just this, and have experience of the process having undertaken the same journey themselves.
I spoke with Dan Jones, Head of UK Operations, to find out more about this potential pathway.
“When I was younger I travelled to Lake Tahoe in America to play collegiate soccer,” began Dan, “so I went through the same process many of our lads will go through. I was extremely keen and started talking to coaches myself, trying to generate more offers and even made a small database of colleges, including location, results and facilities.
“We try to make the process as easy as possible, and we are constantly available to call, email or contact. We build relationships with our clients, and we don't see them as a bag of money like some companies can do. If a player is looked after properly and eventually does go pro, then we would love to represent them once they return – our services don't end when you leave for America.
“This whole process can be daunting; we know that. So to have someone to be there for you – not only for football related matters, but for anything – can be huge. As well as making this route affordable we also give everyone a chance to show what they can do; we don't turn players down after one game, as we know how nerve-racking trials can be.
“As a company we are always honest and transparent with current and potential clients. I've seen players who have been told they can gain full scholarships when they simply aren't ready as a player. We earn our money at Represent Soccer, and any player working with us should expect nothing but the best for what they pay.”
Collegiate soccer follows a slightly different format to what we might ordinarily expect to see in the UK. Divisions are split into college or university size, as oppose to talent. For example, the Pac-12 Conference competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division One and includes Stanford University, University of Washington and University of Southern California. Elsewhere, there is the Ivy League containing big hitters Harvard University, Princeton University and Yale University.
However, a more realistic venture for aspiring footballers would be the route through the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) – the same path that Dan and the team at Represent Soccer USA took.
“All colleges who play soccer as a collegiate sport will take players,” continued Dan. “However, some can't offer scholarships and may have a limit on how many out of country players can fill their rosters, which makes sense. Much like the home-grown rules we have in place in this country, it only goes to improve the American game.