In this episode of the Inside College Soccer Podcast, Don Williams sits down with Stephen Turnbull, who recently joined the SRUSA staff and will lead SRUSA New York.

Stephen discusses his journey through college soccer and into the professional game, while offering valuable insight for aspiring student-athletes.

Topics covered include:
⚽️ The college soccer pathway to professional football
📈 Why playing time is crucial for development
🎓 Freshman expectations in college soccer
🇺🇸 Promotion and relegation in U.S. soccer
🧠 Positional play, pattern play & modern tactical principles

This is one of our most in-depth tactical and player development conversations yet.

Follow Stephen:
X: x.com/sturnbull17
Instagram: instagram.com/stephen.turnbull27

Presented by Sports Recruiting USA (www.srusasoccer.com)

In this episode, Don Williams sits down with David Copeland Smith, founder of BeastMode Soccer and one of the top individual skills trainers in the world.

David has worked with elite players including Alex Morgan, Christen Press, Kelley O’Hara and many more - from youth level all the way to professional and international athletes.

In this episode, we cover:
⚽ The importance of Individual Development Plans (IDPs)
⚽ Why individual training is essential for elite performance
⚽ The current youth soccer landscape
⚽ What it really takes to reach college and professional soccer
⚽ How to build confidence and creativity as a player

If you're serious about taking your game to the next level, this is a must-watch.

🔗 Follow David:
Instagram & YouTube: @beastmodesoccer
Website: https://beastmodesoccer.com/
Email: david@beastmodesoccer.com

Follow SRUSA for more insights on college soccer pathways.

On this episode of the Inside College Soccer Podcast, Don Williams sits down with Jesse Goleman, Assistant Coach & Goalkeeper Coach at Pittsburgh Panthers women's soccer.

Jesse shares his journey through the coaching world - from starting as a volunteer to becoming a full-time coach at the Power 4 level - and the lessons young coaches need to hear.

We also dive deep into:
▪️ The importance of volunteering and gaining experience early in your coaching career
▪️ The realities of modern college coaching
▪️ Recruiting timelines and the truth about early commitments
▪️ How the college soccer landscape is evolving
▪️ Ideas for a new 21st-century model for the college soccer season

This episode is packed with insights for players, parents, and aspiring coaches navigating the U.S. college system.

🔗 Connect with Jesse:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jesse_goleman/
X: https://x.com/jesse_goleman
Goalkeeper Camps: https://setgk.com/pages/setgk-pro-xperience
Podcast: The Goleline Podcast

🎯 Powered by SRUSA
Helping athletes navigate the U.S. college soccer pathway with clarity, strategy, and real connections.

On the latest Inside College Soccer Podcast, Don Williams sits down with Benno Nagel - former professional coach, club builder, and soccer entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience across elite youth, collegiate, and professional levels.

From working inside the prestigious Dinamo Zagreb Academy to helping launch clubs like Oakland Roots SC and The Town FC, Benno brings a rare, behind-the-scenes perspective on what it really takes to build soccer environments that develop players and communities.

In this episode, we dive into:

✅ What makes elite academies like Dinamo Zagreb so effective
✅ The realities of building professional clubs from the ground up
✅ How soccer culture is intentionally created - not accidental
✅ Why player burnout is rising and how to prevent it
✅ How coaching and player development have evolved in today’s game
✅ We also highlight Benno’s current work with The Soccer Spot, where he is focused on redefining player development through structured guidance, film analysis, and individualized support.

This aligns closely with SRUSA’s vision through the Player Progression Program (P3) - a modern approach to player development built around individualized development plans (IDPs), performance tracking, and long-term athlete growth.

🎧 A must-listen for players, parents, and coaches serious about development beyond just talent.

On this episode of the Inside College Soccer Podcast, Don Williams sits down with leading sports psychologist Dan Abrahams to break down his new 2026 book Compete: Developing a Mental Playbook for Performance Under Pressure in Sport.

Dan shares practical, game-ready tools designed to help athletes perform when it matters most. The conversation dives into:

• The High Performance Mindset (HPM) - how athletes can control attention, intensity, and intent in pressure moments
• The Elite Competitor Model - building a proactive, purposeful approach to performance
• The Mindset Scale - a simple but powerful tool athletes can use mid-game to reset and refocus
• Mental Playbook strategies - managing nerves, frustration, and mistakes while developing a “go again” mentality
• In-game routines & confidence tools - how to build consistency and “bulletproof” belief

This episode is a must-listen for players, parents, and coaches navigating high-pressure environments - especially those pursuing the U.S. college pathway, where mindset is often the difference-maker.

📚 Pre-order the book via Hawksmoor Publishing or Amazon
➡️ Learn more: www.danabrahams.com

On the latest episode of Inside College Soccer, Don Williams sits down with Scott Wilson, Assistant Coach of the Florida Tech Women's Soccer Programme, for an in-depth conversation covering his journey from decorated college player to experienced coach operating at both national and international level.

Scott reflects on his playing career at UW-Superior - where he was a 3-year captain, three-time UMAC Regular Season and Conference Tournament champion, two-time NCAA Tournament participant, and 2021 UMAC Defensive Player of the Year - before walking through how that experience shaped his approach to coaching.

Scott and Don also dig into what it takes to recruit effectively at the college level, the realities of building a women's programme, and what young players should know about the college soccer pathway - particularly for those serious about maximising their opportunities at the next level.

🎧 Sponsored by Sports Recruiting USA (SRUSA)
🤝 Brought to you by gapyearsoccer.com

Whether you're a player, parent, or coach, this is a valuable listen from someone who has lived the college soccer journey from both sides - and is now helping the next generation do the same.

On this episode of Inside College Soccer, Don Williams sits down with acclaimed soccer author Luciano Wernicke to discuss his latest book, The Lionel Messi Story: How One Man Revolutionized Major League Soccer.

Wernicke, author of more than 20 books on global football, breaks down the remarkable journey of Lionel Messi - from a young boy in Rosario overcoming growth hormone deficiency to becoming a World Cup champion and one of the most influential athletes in history.

The conversation explores Messi’s defining decision at 14 to leave Argentina for FC Barcelona, and how elite environments, culture, and long-term belief systems create world-class players.

The discussion then turns to Messi’s historic move to Inter Miami CF in Major League Soccer, the strategic vision of David Beckham, and what Messi’s arrival truly means for the growth and global credibility of soccer in the United States.

Wernicke also shares perspective from his time working with the Costa Rica men’s national soccer team, offering insight into what it realistically takes to build a nation capable of winning a World Cup - and whether the U.S. is moving in that direction.

A must-listen conversation for players, parents, coaches, and anyone serious about understanding the cultural, structural, and strategic forces shaping the future of the game in America.

📖 The book is available at Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Books-a-Million, and wherever books are sold.
🎧 Presented by Sports Recruiting USA - www.srusasoccer.com
🤝 Sponsored by www.gapyearsoccer.com

On the latest episode of Inside College Soccer, Don Williams sits down with Hope Clark, Head Women’s Soccer Coach at Daytona State College, for an in-depth conversation on building a championship program at the junior college level.

Coach Clark has led the Falcons to back-to-back NJCAA Division I Women’s Soccer Championship titles - winning the program’s first national championship in 2024 and repeating in 2025 with a perfect 20-0 season, capped by a dramatic penalty-kick victory in the final. In both championship runs, she was named Coach of the Tournament.

Clark reflects on her journey from record-setting goalkeeper at Virginia Tech to becoming the winningest coach in program history at Georgia College & State University, her time leading Auburn University at Montgomery to the NAIA National Tournament, and her experience in athletic administration at Young Harris College.

The discussion dives into how Daytona State prepares players for the NCAA level by replicating the daily expectations of four-year programs - from structured training environments and academic accountability to building tactical intelligence and personal responsibility.

Clark also shares her recruiting philosophy, including the competitive and cultural impact of international players, the importance of character and standards, and how junior colleges can provide a powerful development platform for late bloomers, overlooked prospects, and players seeking more meaningful minutes before transferring.

🤝 Brought to you by gapyearsoccer.com

This episode offers a clear and honest look at why junior colleges matter — and how the right environment can accelerate development, confidence, and long-term success at the NCAA level.