{"href":"https://api.simplecast.com/oembed?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsmartalecshow.com%2Fepisodes%2Fsmartalecshow-giovanni-montesdeoca-mls-soccer-BxvNRso6","width":444,"version":"1.0","type":"rich","title":"#13 Giovanni MontesDeOca: The Path to Playing Pro Soccer, Family, Discipline in High-Achievers","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_url":"https://image.simplecastcdn.com/images/12de7050-cd8b-4636-8006-7988c2ccc03c/fab815db-6569-4b06-8f17-d8fcdecce537/gio-episode-cover-all-platforms.jpg","thumbnail_height":300,"provider_url":"https://simplecast.com","provider_name":"Simplecast","html":"","height":200,"description":"#13 Giovanni MontesDeOca: The Path to Playing Pro Soccer, Family, Discipline in All High-Achievers\n\nGiovanni MontesDeOca is a professional footballer/ soccer player for Union Omaha of United States Soccer League (USL), League One. Gio was drafted into the Major League Soccer (MLS) 2021 Draft by his hometown club, FC Dallas — where he played in their academy at the highest level of youth soccer — and completed a life-long dream of making it to the pinnacle of American futbol. Gio — born into a family of soccer — served as team captain of the University of North Carolina men’s soccer team at the Division 1 NCAA level, previously played at the prestigious soccer program at Jesuit College Preparatory High School (Texas UIL 6A State Champions 2010 & 2017) before going on to play FC Dallas Youth Academy, and grew up playing for his family’s independent club, Wizard’s FC. \n\nConnect with Gio:\nLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/giovannimontesdeoca\nIG: https://instagram.com/giovannimdo10?igshid=NTlmMWMyMzg= \n\nTopics discussed:\n- The path to pro soccer — from the competitive youth level, high school, academy, D1 NCAA, onto the MLS & it’s minor league professional teams in the USL\n- Importance of support systems allowing one to achieve success\n - Family\n - Coaching\n - Friends\n - Partner\n - “It Takes a Village”\n- Discipline, grit, passion for success in any human endeavor\n- Overcoming and persevering through injury \n- The crossroads every athlete comes to when deciding whether to hang up the cleats; athlete identity \n- Much more, enjoy!"}