22. U.S. Soccer Legend- Jay DeMerit

Hi and welcome to the Tales From The Trail Podcast by MatchPlay. This episode is a big one for us. We welcome US Soccer legend Jay DeMerit. Jay played his college soccer at University of Illinois-Chicago and then decided and committed to pursuing his goal of becoming a professional footballer in Europe. We get into what he went through to finally see that happen for Watford FC. He was instrumental in them being promoted to the English Premier League (he scored a fantastic goal in their promotion match) and became captain at the club and became a beloved player. He built on that experience and made the US National Team. They bagged some legendary victories and competed in the 2010 World Cup. The next step of his career was becoming the captain of the Vancouver Whitecaps in the MLS. Now retired from competition, Jay focuses on ventures that benefit youth and their development. Our conversation ranges from his recruiting story, his playing career, and how his program Rise and Shine truly is doing great things for kids. Justin Chezem, the men’s coach at Christopher Newport University and I were privileged to have him on the podcast and we’re certain that you’ll enjoy the conversation. As always, please share the podcast, subscribe, and send me your questions and comments through matchplay.com. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. The intro music is Average Citizens (https://www.youtube.com/@averagecitizens2702) a DJ duo that plays the Rise and Shine FamJam Fundraiser. Links to Jay’s ventures:https://www.rxsmentorship.com/....https://www.risexshi