The Bear and the Ball

Toni Owens is the CEO and founder of Evolve1 and has a passion for the mental side of sports. Elite athletes see, understand, and react to the game in a way that sets them apart. Evolve1 trains athletes to develop these "invisible skills" using an intuitive, personalized E1 mental training delivered on a daily basis. On this episode of "The Bear & the Ball," Toni and host Nick Webster look at the science and business of mental health in the soccer environment.

From the rugby fields to paving the way to college and playing the sport of your dreams, CaptainU's Danny Carlton has seen it all. A Manchester native who was part of the Manchester United Academy program while being a Liverpool supporter, Danny excels in high performance and development environments. On this episode of "The Bear & the Ball," Danny and host Nick Webster talk about how challenging it is for parents and scholars to find the right college at the right time. About CaptainU: CaptainU is the new Official College Recruiting Software to Cal South and its youth soccer community. CaptainU, a self-managed recruiting software tool within the Stack Sports ecosystem, provides athletes with the best way to contact college coaches and find high-quality college camps. CaptainU empowers athletes to take their game to the next level through recruiting and discovery tools to connect with clubs, events, and colleges. More than 3.5 million high school athletes, college coaches, club coaches, and tournament directors have used CaptainU tools to network, build relationships, and build championship teams. CaptainU was founded in 2008 and continues to power the recruiting journey for all levels – including National Champion college programs, national governing bodies, and state-level partners –across all college sports. To learn more about CaptainU, visit CaptainU.com.

Michael Erush is the Men's Head Coach for the Cal State LA Golden Eagles and the Boys' Varsity Head Coach at Harvard-Westlake School. He has also played for the Colorado Rapids, Chivas USA, and Miami FC, as well as stints with clubs overseas during his career. His journey to becoming a Head Coach at the collegiate level is a fascinating story and showcases the commitment and patience needed to reach the elite levels. Michael joins host Nick Webster on this episode of "The Bear & the Ball" to discuss his journey and what it takes to succeed in coaching college soccer.

Dave Simeone is the Director of Education Programming for the United Soccer Coaches, the largest coaching organization in the world. Over many decades Dave has seen the game of soccer continue to grow and his insights, wisdom and knowledge are second to none. On this episode of Cal South's "The Bear & the Ball" podcast, Dave talks with host Nick Webster about game models, data, and how the game of football continues to evolve.

Judged by his football peers, the local and international media, and the countless number of young Japanese over the space of 24 years, Tom Byer has forever changed the way soccer is taught and played throughout Japan. Now his name and reputation are attracting great interest from other parts of Asia. On this episode of "The Bear & the Ball," Tom and host Nick Webster discuss the foundations of playing the sport, and... it all starts at home!

As commissioner of the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL), Yan Skwara has overseen a steady growth in the league as more players understand that there is a true pathway to the collegiate and professional playing levels. On this episode of "The Bear & the Ball," Yan and host Nick Webster talk about the history of the league and how it has grown from a small Southern Californian league to become the preeminent amateur destination for adult players.

United by the inclusive spirit of soccer, Women in Soccer's mission is to increase the agency and representation of women and marginalized individuals working in "the beautiful game" through community building. Whether you’re on the field, or cheering from the stands, work in the business, want to be in the business, or are a passionate change-maker, Women in Soccer (WIS) is here to support you. Founder Courtney Carroll Levinsohn talks with "The Bear & the Ball" about this mission and how it is changing the game throughout the United States and beyond.

Kassie Gray grew up in San Jose, CA, playing soccer from the young age of 5. She played club soccer for Los Gatos United and high school soccer at Leigh High School. She joined the Olympic Development Program at age 12 where she climbed the ladder from District Team to State Team to Regional Team, and eventually made the U18 National Team. Kassie’s passion was always the camaraderie with her teammates. Married to former MLS star, Kelly Gray, Kassie has a unique perspective on life as a soccer wife, mom, and trendsetter within the game of soccer.

The United Soccer League is one of the most innovative, progressive leagues in world soccer. Their esteemed USL Academy program has already provided opportunities for players to attain their dreams of playing at the next level. On this episode of "The Bear & the Ball," Liam O'Connell and Carrie Taylor, Technical Directors of the USL Academy pathway, discuss the growth and future plans of their Academy program. ABOUT USL ACADEMY: With the launch of USL Academy, United Soccer League now has an elite youth platform to offer to its clubs in the Championship, League One, and League Two. As such, these clubs can now develop a more clearly defined path for top youth prospects in their area to reach the professional level and sign directly with their senior team while improving local quality and community. The USL Academy brand is composed of four key components: Standards, USL Academy Contracts, USL Academy Cup, and USL Academy League. For more about USL Academy, visit here.

For 6 years, Sarah Teegarden Harkes traveled around the world competing at the highest level. She consistently trained and challenged herself to improve physically and mentally, learning how to be resilient, a team player, and a leader. A graduate from Pepperdine Graziadio Business School, she learned valuable skills in leadership, management, strategy, and innovation. She represented Wake Forest University, where she was a varsity soccer player, and captain. On this episode of "The Bear & the Ball," Sarah describes her journey.

The world of soccer continues to change at lightning speed. On this episode of "The Bear & the Ball," host Nick Webster talks with DarkHorse.AI CEO Billy Brush about how artificial intelligence will revolutionize the way in which scouts may access data in order to discover players that may sometimes fall under the radar. DarkHorse.AI provides a professional, edit-free reel in one click. As he has written on his website, “When we learned we could help parents and players create a professional reel that’s shareable to multiple college coaches with the push of a button everything clicked. As Steve Jobs' said, 'It’s a tool for the athlete’s heart. And when you can touch someone’s heart, that’s limitless.'"

On the latest episode of Cal South's "The Bear and the Ball" podcast, host Nick Webster will talk with IDA Sports co-founder Laura Youngson about her efforts to battle gender inequality throughout the world with Equal Playing Field. Laura Youngson is a social impact entrepreneur whose experience includes founding two companies, IDA Sports and Brunswick Aces. Laura has also worked as a senior policy advisor for the UK Department of Business, Innovation and Skills, and further worked in sports event management for the London Olympics, the Street Child World Cup (Brazil), and the European Games in Baku. Laura is a STEM advocate, TED speaker, and four-time Guinness World Record Holder. She’s always been drawn to the power sport had in bringing people together and in 2017, she set out to make a lasting mark in the game she loves. Equal Playing Field (EPF) is a grassroots, non-profit initiative to challenge gender inequality in sport and to promote sports development for girls and women globally, especially in marginalised country contexts. https://www.idasports.com/ https://equalplayingfield.com/home

"We Are Soccer" is described as the premier soccer show for fans of all ages, discussing professional soccer, youth soccer, and everything in-between. Its host Craig Hearn chats with guests and provides comments on soccer from all leagues around the world, all while having fun. "We Are Soccer" brings you the news from the world of soccer and breaks it down in easy to understand segments. In this episode of "The Bear & the Ball" podcast, our own host Nick Webster chats with Craig about the collegiate and professional game.

Sunil Gulati has been described as the most influential figure in U.S. Soccer. On this episode of "The Bear & the Ball," Sunil talks about the future growth of the game, and the upcoming super-events that will dominate world soccer over the next decade.

Mental performance is a skill. Just like bouncing a ball and swinging a bat, it takes practice to hone. And just like any other skill, while some are more naturally gifted than others, everyone can master it with practice. Join Nick Webster and Mike Clark on this episode of "The Bear & the Ball" as they embark on a voyage of mental performance discovery.

Portland Community Football Club is THE MODEL that clubs should follow. Affordable, inclusive, and designed to be an experience where all feel welcome. Founder and Executive Director Kaig Lightner is simply remarkable and has created a club that changes lives while advocating for "the beautiful game". In this episode of "The Bear and the Ball," Nick and Kaig discuss the real issues that truly matter to players and parents.

Susana Melendez is a nutrition expert. On this episode of "The Bear & the Ball," Susana and Nick discuss everything about food. What to eat, what to drink, and how to deal with the voices that we hear surrounding food.

John O'Sullivan is a well-respected author, coach, player, and lover of "the beautiful game." In this episode of "The Bear & the Ball," Nick and John discuss the fear that surrounds youth soccer, from missing out on THAT college scholarship to not making the JV soccer team.

LINDA FLANAGAN is a freelance journalist, researcher, and former cross-country and track coach. A graduate of Lehigh University, Flanagan holds master's degrees from Oxford University and the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and was an analyst for the National Security Program at Harvard University. She is a founding board member of the New York City chapter of the Positive Coaching Alliance. On this episode of Cal South's "The Bear and the Ball," Nick and Linda go deep into how we can make youth sports fun, and take out the all-consuming pressure of trying to get to the next level.

LINDA FLANAGAN is a freelance journalist, researcher, and former cross-country and track coach. A graduate of Lehigh University, Flanagan holds master's degrees from Oxford University and the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and was an analyst for the National Security Program at Harvard University. She is a founding board member of the New York City chapter of the Positive Coaching Alliance. On this episode of Cal South's "The Bear and the Ball," Nick and Linda go deep into how we can make youth sports fun, and take out the all-consuming pressure of trying to get to the next level.