ISSUE 009: A special holiday edition newsletter

Plus, job opportunities in MLS, NWSL, USL, and more!

Author

Kyle from Pathway ⚽️
December 27, 2023

IN THIS ISSUE

  • 🤝 Introduction: Gratitude + reflection

  • 👨‍🎓 Soccer Thought Leaders: What do you love most about working in soccer?

  • ⚽️ Soccer Jobs: The most interesting new jobs in soccer

  • 🗣️ NEW: 1-on-1 career development sessions with Pathway’s founders

INTRODUCTION

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year! 🎄🎉

Wherever this issue finds you, we hope you’re enjoying time surrounded by friends, family, and loved ones - and that you’re able to take some time to reflect on the year that was 2023.

This week, we’re delivering a special edition issue of Pathway inspired by the spirit of joy and gratitude this season brings. For every newsletter interview we conduct as part of our ‘Soccer Thought Leaders’ series we finish each interview with the same, simple question: “What do you love most about working in soccer?”

The answers - every single time - are accompanied by a smile from the respondent. It becomes immediately clear how grateful each person feels to be working in the sport they love. It’s palpable.

If you’re already working in the soccer industry, take a moment to reflect on how fortunate you are to be doing so. And, if you’re still looking for that breakthrough role, let the answers below serve as inspiration to keep chasing your dream.

2024 presents 365 new opportunities. Go get ‘em.

SOCCER THOUGHT LEADERS: WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT WORKING IN SOCCER?

MEG PATTEN, WASHINGTON SPIRIT [ISSUE 001]

“My favorite thing is the players and my coworkers. Our players are just pure magic. They're really fun, they're easy to work with - they’re just so bought in and it's so easy to love them. And then my coworkers are the backbone of this organization. I talk to them more than my own family, and I'm very close with my own family. They're constantly pushing each other to get better. They have my back and they're so wonderful.”

TIM BEZBATCHENKO, COLUMBUS CREW [ISSUE 002]

“I love winning things with people that I care about. You can win things, but if you don't have people around you that you care about, then it's for naught. Or if you have people that you care about that care about you it's great, but if you're losing or not being successful, that stinks, too. But, what I love about working in this sport is you're on a mission to do something special and to win, to have these shared memories with people that share the same vision, and that's really fun.”

PETER WOOD, ST. LOUIS CITY SC [ISSUE 003]

“I am a massive, massive soccer fan. I grew up with it. I spend a ridiculous amount of time watching it, and my mood is directly affected by how my club team plays - and that's Arsenal. And now I've got two teams, so my mood can be swung pillar to post every week. And the thing that I love about it, and I know this is a boring answer, I love everything. I started my career in cardboard box factories and now I'm working in sport. Every single conversation is interesting, the highs, the lows. There is nothing that I dislike about this job. It's just a joy. It doesn't feel like real work. It's a total privilege. I'm incredibly lucky because there aren't many sports clubs to work at. I love everything about it.”

ALLEN HOPKINS, BLACK PLAYERS FOR CHANGE [ISSUE 004]

“Man, I just love the game still. Soccer is the soundtrack of my life. It’s the sound of a bag of balls getting plopped down at training or the sound of a ball that's pinged, a volley that's smashed. And that's the soundtrack of my life. And I'm so thankful for it. And I don't know what I would do without it. It's just been an amazing journey - the places I've been, the conversations I've had, and I just love it. I'm still infatuated with the game after all these years. Every day I get to spend in it, it's just a joy.”

MELISSA ORTIZ, WARNER BROS. DISCOVERY + APPLE TV [ISSUE 005]

“The people, the relationships, for sure. The friendships I've been able to make post-playing career. At Warner Brothers, our US Soccer broadcast for the women's games, I work with people like Julie Foudy, Shannon Boxx, Sara Walsh, and then on the men's broadcast it’s DaMarcus Beasley, Kyle Martino, Luke Wileman, JP Dellacamera, Brian Dunseth. These are the people that we call our soccer family. This is our soccer team. We're traveling together throughout the year, and these are the relationships that you build and you spend so much time with them that they become like family and that they'll be friends for the rest of your career. And likewise, at FOX, Leslie Osborne, Jimmy Conrad, all these people that I've gotten to meet and even some I used to play against - Carli Lloyd, Lori Lindsey, they've become friends. And it just shows how the game can really unite people together through common passion and common interests.”

DOMINIC CASCIATO, UNION OMAHA [ISSUE 006]

“Working with players is great and it's really rewarding when you see an individual player really integrate himself into a team and be willing to sacrifice for the team. When you see a collection of those guys go from being individuals into being a team, I think it's really rewarding as well. But, there's probably nothing better than seeing your ideas that you've worked on throughout the week come to life on a Saturday and that help you win the game.”

BEN OLSEN, HOUSTON DYNAMO FC [ISSUE 007]

“That’s easy: Relationships. That’s it - that one’s easy. Relationships with staff and players; being in a work atmosphere, collectively going through the ups and downs of a season. That’s an easy one.”

FREDERIC LIPKA, MLS [ISSUE 008]

“I like the community. I like being around people passionate about what they're doing and we strive to be better. That's what I like.”

THE MOST INTERESTING NEW JOBS IN SOCCER

We couldn’t go a week without sharing some of the newest and most interesting jobs in soccer, could we?

Want more? Sign up for our weekly “Pathway Jobs Newsletter” where we aggregate and share 100+ soccer jobs all in one place - and drop it into your inbox every Friday.

WHEN YOU’RE READY, HERE ARE A FEW WAYS WE CAN HELP:

  1. [NEW] 1-on-1 Career Development Sessions with Pathway: We love working with industry professionals at any point in their career journey. Each week, we open up a limited number of hours for discussion and to advise on career development. You can sign-up to connect with one of our co-founders right here.

  2. You can subscribe to our brand new Pathway Jobs Newsletter, which hits inboxes every Friday and lists as many new soccer jobs in North America as we can find.

  3. And, if you’re a club or brand looking to hire the most ambitious talent in soccer, drop us a line and we can tell you about our process, our growing talent pool, and the services we offer.

  4. If this email was forwarded to you, you can sign up here to ensure you get every issue (sent on Wednesdays!) directly in your inbox.

TELL A FRIEND?

⏩ Finally, if you’re willing to help spread the word, please forward this issue along to a friend or two who love the beautiful game. It’s the top way people find us and we’re grateful for the assist.

And if you really want to plug in to all things Pathway, you can also follow us on social media:

We’ll be back next week with your regularly-scheduled newsletter, soccer friends - and we’re cookin’ up some easy-to-execute advice to kick off 2024. May the remainder of your 2023 be merry and bright!