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<v Speaker 1>Here with the soccer down here one to be one

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<v Speaker 1>to catching up with the head coach of Rhode Island FC,

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<v Speaker 1>Cono Smith, coach, thanks for dropping by for a quick

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<v Speaker 1>one b one. I know you're kind of busy at

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<v Speaker 1>the moment.

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<v Speaker 2>I appreciate it. Uh yeah, thanks for having me.

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<v Speaker 1>What's the season been like up there? A to r

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<v Speaker 1>f C building something from scratch?

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<v Speaker 2>Overall, it has been fun. You know, with any any

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<v Speaker 2>sports team, you have highs and lows, but we personally

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<v Speaker 2>try to stay try to stay even keeled and and

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<v Speaker 2>try to preach the same to the players. So yeah,

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<v Speaker 2>it's it's it's been a lot of fun and we've

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<v Speaker 2>had some tough moments for sure, but sticking to who

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<v Speaker 2>we are as people and as athletes. It makes it

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<v Speaker 2>all the sweeter when when you get rewards like we've

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<v Speaker 2>gotten recently.

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<v Speaker 1>What's the biggest lesson you've learned about yourself as a

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<v Speaker 1>coach in a season like this?

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<v Speaker 2>Really good question. I feel I feel like it's hard

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<v Speaker 2>for me to deal with hard for me to deal

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<v Speaker 2>with losses, so, you know, again, trying to preach to

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<v Speaker 2>myself and try and stick to you know. I know

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<v Speaker 2>it's cliche like stick to the process. But when things

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<v Speaker 2>don't go your way, it's really hard to accept that. Ultimately,

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<v Speaker 2>you can control what you can control. And I try

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<v Speaker 2>to stick to myself and who I am as a

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<v Speaker 2>person and what I believe as a coach and as

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<v Speaker 2>a as a man, and try to be respectful of

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<v Speaker 2>my players, try to treat them the right way, try

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<v Speaker 2>and treat them how I would like to be treated.

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<v Speaker 2>But also I have to make tough decisions as a leader.

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<v Speaker 2>So I know everybody's not going to accept up, but

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<v Speaker 2>at least I think they would say that I'm fair.

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<v Speaker 1>When it came to the early part of the season,

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<v Speaker 1>the running SoundBite around the USL Championship was is that

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<v Speaker 1>RIFC were the draw kings of the league, and those

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<v Speaker 1>draws turned into wins as the season went further and

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<v Speaker 1>further along. What was the difference or what was that

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<v Speaker 1>trigger the instigator that turned things over from being just

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<v Speaker 1>one point at a time to three points at a

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<v Speaker 1>time to get you north of the playoff bar, to

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<v Speaker 1>get you into the postseason.

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<v Speaker 2>You think, honestly, I think the draw record. I've certainly

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<v Speaker 2>heard that. You know that when the draw kings, and honestly,

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<v Speaker 2>It's something that I'm actually really proud of in our

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<v Speaker 2>first year because you can go around and look at

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<v Speaker 2>expansion teams in this league and other leagues and other sports,

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<v Speaker 2>and sometimes we maybe have fifteen losses. So we've only

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<v Speaker 2>lost seven times, and the two teams that have lost,

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<v Speaker 2>the only two teams that have lost two games us

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<v Speaker 2>our Louisville and Charleston. So you know, I think that

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<v Speaker 2>puts US in pretty pretty good company. So I just

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<v Speaker 2>feel like it made us we were difficult to beat

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<v Speaker 2>instead of it wasn't eat. I think it was more

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<v Speaker 2>that US be difficult to beat than it was us

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<v Speaker 2>not being able to win games. And I think if

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<v Speaker 2>you put any group of people together and any sport,

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<v Speaker 2>in any business in any world and expect immediate results

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<v Speaker 2>by like April and May, when we got together in

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<v Speaker 2>January fifteenth, I think, I think it's a pretty tough ask.

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<v Speaker 2>So I think we were building, we were building our armor,

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<v Speaker 2>build us in kevlar. We was making ourselves tough to beat.

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<v Speaker 2>And I think the real defining moment for me, I

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<v Speaker 2>don't know what it was. I don't know what happened,

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<v Speaker 2>but something happened against Memphis when we went to Memphis

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<v Speaker 2>and we only had one one game. We were up

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<v Speaker 2>to nil, gave up a penalty, got a red card

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<v Speaker 2>in the eighty fifth minute, and end up tying the game.

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<v Speaker 2>So I think something happened in that locker room. I

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<v Speaker 2>think we gave the players three days off. You know,

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<v Speaker 2>in some situations they may say, no, it's a terrible performance,

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<v Speaker 2>like you're back in the next day. Like we gave

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<v Speaker 2>them three days off and we say, go clear your heads,

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<v Speaker 2>let's come back. We're going to the toughest and best

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<v Speaker 2>team in the league, toughest venue in Louisville, and let's

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<v Speaker 2>see what we're made of. And we won the game

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<v Speaker 2>five too. So I think something happened in that Memphis

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<v Speaker 2>locker room. I can't quite put my hand on it,

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<v Speaker 2>but I think we grew that night.

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<v Speaker 1>When it comes to building a franchise, have you always

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<v Speaker 1>thought of yourself as a builder when it comes to

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<v Speaker 1>taking something from scratch, reveling in that idea, seeing it grow, germanate,

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<v Speaker 1>pollinate and expand it and become something large and successful.

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<v Speaker 1>Or was this something when it came to having this

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<v Speaker 1>as an opportunity, it was one of those ideas that

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<v Speaker 1>you couldn't pass up because you got to build something.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I think it was all of that, you know.

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<v Speaker 2>I don't think I certainly saw myself as a builder.

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<v Speaker 2>Like a year ago, I certainly didn't have it figure

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<v Speaker 2>it out. I was trying to figure it out on

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<v Speaker 2>the fly because it's just it's all new. But I

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<v Speaker 2>had been in two situations prior, one in this league

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<v Speaker 2>in Birmingham where we were an expansion team, and then

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<v Speaker 2>my first year really as a professional coach as an

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<v Speaker 2>assistant in Orlando coaching the NWSL team, So I had

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<v Speaker 2>some experience with it. But I think the game in

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<v Speaker 2>both leagues, it has grown so much. That was what

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<v Speaker 2>twenty sixteen, So in eight years time, both leagues have

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<v Speaker 2>grown so much. Our league has grown so much since

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<v Speaker 2>twenty nineteen to now, well, I guess still last year.

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<v Speaker 2>So yeah, I certainly I think I've done things in

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<v Speaker 2>my life to kind of set myself up for that situation,

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<v Speaker 2>being in those two environments. But I know it sounds crazy,

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<v Speaker 2>but I felt like I always was a builder. Like

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<v Speaker 2>in video games, like I enjoyed their process, like in

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<v Speaker 2>the Championship Manager, you're playing FIFA like career mode, Like

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<v Speaker 2>I like that stuff, and ultimately it's about being around

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<v Speaker 2>the game and building a roster and the club is

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<v Speaker 2>a fun part of that process.

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<v Speaker 1>All right. So when you're doing FIFA and you're building

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<v Speaker 1>a championship team, how what was this roster construction like

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<v Speaker 1>for you? What was what was it like? Who was

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<v Speaker 1>on that roster?

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<v Speaker 2>Of years? Nothing like it? I think most of the

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<v Speaker 2>time I probably spent building a team with Manchester United

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<v Speaker 2>and have millions and billions of dollars to be able

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<v Speaker 2>to go and sign whoever you want. But that wasn't

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<v Speaker 2>the case. But I think what we what we tried

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<v Speaker 2>to do was we tried to build a roster of

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<v Speaker 2>ultimately guys that have good USL championship experience, because free

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<v Speaker 2>agency is pretty prevalent in this league, not like MLS

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<v Speaker 2>and other leagues around the world. Were guys on long

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<v Speaker 2>term contracts, players on short term contracts. So if you

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<v Speaker 2>can build a good product and sell players on what

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<v Speaker 2>you want to be on and off the field as

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<v Speaker 2>a club and why they should join you, I think

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<v Speaker 2>you could attract some pretty good players. So I think

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<v Speaker 2>we did a pretty good job of that. We tried

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<v Speaker 2>to stay younger. The core of the roster. I think

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<v Speaker 2>the average age for us now is right around twenty

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<v Speaker 2>five years of age, so that gives us a lot

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<v Speaker 2>of legs, a lot of any They are craving information

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<v Speaker 2>and they want they want to be taught, So I

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<v Speaker 2>think we have a good young core. That's something that

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<v Speaker 2>we really wanted to focus on, players that could play

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<v Speaker 2>in the manner that we wanted them to.

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<v Speaker 1>What was the biggest surprise, most pleasant surprise dealing with

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<v Speaker 1>what soccer means to Rhode Island and to that section

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<v Speaker 1>of the Northeast. Was there something that stood out to

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<v Speaker 1>you as something that you got to learn about the

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<v Speaker 1>fan base up there, or was the expectation met going in, Yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>we know what this is the culture, We know that

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<v Speaker 1>this is going to gravitate to Burn, we know what

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<v Speaker 1>it's going to be like. Or was it a pleasant

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<v Speaker 1>surprise to see how Burn turned into a fortress and

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<v Speaker 1>you really had a difficult time being there as an

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<v Speaker 1>away team going to play you guys.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I think for me, you know, I think again

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<v Speaker 2>for me how I see the game, and I think

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<v Speaker 2>every team needs to be unique to the culture of

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<v Speaker 2>the environment. As you said, so if you look at

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<v Speaker 2>Rhode Islanders, it's the smallest state in re Union. It's cold.

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<v Speaker 2>Sometimes people have a chip on the shoulder, sometimes they're angry,

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<v Speaker 2>but they can also be very pleasant and can be

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<v Speaker 2>very nice. But sometimes you just have to roll your

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<v Speaker 2>sleeves up and battle and have some grit. But also

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<v Speaker 2>in the summer, it's really beautiful and you have some

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<v Speaker 2>of the best beaches in the United States. You have

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<v Speaker 2>some of the best beach towns. So at some parts

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<v Speaker 2>during the year we played some really beautiful soccer, but

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<v Speaker 2>other times we needed to really grow up our sleeves

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<v Speaker 2>and fight and have really good team spirit. So I

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<v Speaker 2>think that's something that I'm really proud of with the group,

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<v Speaker 2>that we have really good team spirit. And I think

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<v Speaker 2>the club has now adopted this saying that we are

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<v Speaker 2>going into the playoffs and never say die, we never

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<v Speaker 2>give up. We've scored twelve plus goals now I think

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<v Speaker 2>past the eightieth minute and beyond, so I think that's

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<v Speaker 2>a testament to the team spirit. But ultimately, I think

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<v Speaker 2>what was really nice after the game last week was

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<v Speaker 2>our last home game and potentially last home game this season.

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<v Speaker 2>Hopefully not hopefully we'll get a chance to host the

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<v Speaker 2>playoff game, but the amount of people that came up

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<v Speaker 2>and said said thank you coach, like we're really proud

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<v Speaker 2>of this team, Like no matter what, that touched me

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<v Speaker 2>the most because ultimately, I'm just trying to do my

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<v Speaker 2>job and that's get results and win games. But if

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<v Speaker 2>people people like my players and like me, that's just

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<v Speaker 2>just a cherry on top of the cake.

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<v Speaker 1>When you look at the offense that you've been able

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<v Speaker 1>to piece together, it's been a lot of different goal

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<v Speaker 1>scorers this year. I know that a lot of folks

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<v Speaker 1>would gravitate to somebody and sit there and look at

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<v Speaker 1>a guy like Albert Dikua and know a few son

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<v Speaker 1>and JJ Williams with his experience, you get no darse

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<v Speaker 1>Zachary Arevo. A lot of different guys contributing for you

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<v Speaker 1>this year. To see that kind of it's not necessarily

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<v Speaker 1>balanced because Albert had double digits and you had a

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<v Speaker 1>bunch of different guys score, but just finding production from

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<v Speaker 1>a bunch of different places obviously a point, a really

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<v Speaker 1>good point that you can reference going forward, that I

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<v Speaker 1>got a lot of guys that can contribute when I

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<v Speaker 1>need to have them contribute.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I think it's for me. It's just a test

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<v Speaker 2>of what we've been preaching all year, like they're a team,

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<v Speaker 2>they do it together. It's not every moment it's going

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<v Speaker 2>to be somebody's moment. Not every moment is going to

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<v Speaker 2>be Albert's moment to score. Not every moment it's going

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<v Speaker 2>to be JJ's. Not every moment it's going to be

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<v Speaker 2>a Alberts. Sometimes it's going to be Frank. Sometimes it's

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<v Speaker 2>going to be Zach Grants chipped him at goals as

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<v Speaker 2>a center back. Yeah, so I think that's just a

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<v Speaker 2>real sign of a really good balanced team and that's

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<v Speaker 2>what we want to Yeah, we would love to have

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<v Speaker 2>somebody score twenty goals and have Albert scored twenty goals

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<v Speaker 2>like he did last year. But last year he scored

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<v Speaker 2>twenty goals. This year he scored ten, but last year

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<v Speaker 2>I had no assists. This year has four. So yeah,

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<v Speaker 2>still has fourteen goal involvements, which is you would take

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<v Speaker 2>that from your number nine. Fourteen goal involvements no matter

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<v Speaker 2>how they come, Like, I still feel that's pretty impressive.

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<v Speaker 2>It was going to be really hard for him to

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<v Speaker 2>replicate last year's goal tally as it was for everybody,

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<v Speaker 2>Like it's only one guy. I think it's only Marcalis

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<v Speaker 2>that has twenty plus goals, So yeah, I think it's

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<v Speaker 2>it shows that we're a real team and that we

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<v Speaker 2>have threats from everywhere. We have guys scoring for midfield.

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<v Speaker 2>Clayholes status full goals, Zach Harrivell has four, Marky Barrow

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<v Speaker 2>number six has has won so our wing Maax have some.

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<v Speaker 2>So yeah, however they contribute goals. I really I'm really

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<v Speaker 2>not bothered. As long as its goals or assists and

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<v Speaker 2>we're scoring goals, I'm not really bothered where it comes from.

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<v Speaker 1>Right now, it's the four to five in the Eastern

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<v Speaker 1>Conference and it's a catching up with Indy eleven. Getting

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<v Speaker 1>ready for that matchup on the weekend. What has Study

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<v Speaker 1>Hall been like for you getting ready for this one.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, it's a team that we know well. Obviously we

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<v Speaker 2>played them twice. We played them here really entertaining game

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<v Speaker 2>three to three at our place and then lost one

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<v Speaker 2>zero at their place. Their place. Was our second game

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<v Speaker 2>of a three game stretch, three games in a week,

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<v Speaker 2>and it was probably the toughest stretch of the season.

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<v Speaker 2>We were away to Detroit. We didn't even come home.

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<v Speaker 2>We went straight to Indy. We rotated the team because

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<v Speaker 2>ultimately we wanted guys fresh for the weekend, but also

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<v Speaker 2>some guys deserve to get minutes and they deserve the shots,

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<v Speaker 2>so we gave those guys a shot. Unfortunately, we didn't

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<v Speaker 2>win the game, but it was still a competitive match

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<v Speaker 2>and we had chances to certainly win it, but unfortunately

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<v Speaker 2>we lost. But they've they've improved obviously since then, added

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<v Speaker 2>some key players. They've added my league foster. But yeah,

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<v Speaker 2>they have really good veteran experience, quality players all over

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<v Speaker 2>the pitch, veteran defenders, good quality USL Championship defenders, good

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<v Speaker 2>center midfielders, creative players, Aid and Quinn Jack Blake. Again,

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<v Speaker 2>like I mentioned, Malik Foster, Augi Williams, one of the

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<v Speaker 2>most dangerous attackers in the league, Aid and Stanley terrific

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<v Speaker 2>left back. So yeah, they have a really good team

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<v Speaker 2>and it's yeah, it should be a really really competitive.

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<v Speaker 1>Match when it comes to USL Championship. I know a

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<v Speaker 1>lot of folks may gravitate toward other leagues, foreign and domestic.

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<v Speaker 1>What would you say is the greatest calling card for

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<v Speaker 1>someone who might be just drifting into the playoffs and

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<v Speaker 1>sampling the USL Championship for the first time they drift

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<v Speaker 1>into your match and they see you in Indye eleven

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<v Speaker 1>trading haymakers for a full ninety minutes. What what would

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<v Speaker 1>you say is the greatest calling card that USL Championship

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<v Speaker 1>has Where folks, once they come in under the tent,

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<v Speaker 1>they should stay under the tent. Why USL Championship. I

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<v Speaker 1>guess it's the question here.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I think you know, as the game continues to

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<v Speaker 2>grow in this country, right, Like it's some exciting things

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<v Speaker 2>that happen in World Cup, World Club Cup, you name it, all,

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<v Speaker 2>the Gold Cup, everything that's going to happen. MLS is

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<v Speaker 2>getting better. So as MLS gets better, they spend twenty

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<v Speaker 2>to thirty million dollars on attackers. Somebody has to come

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<v Speaker 2>and play in the USL Championship, right, So maybe when

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<v Speaker 2>I was playing those those attackers are now playing in

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<v Speaker 2>the USL Championship. So it's definitely definitely some high quality

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<v Speaker 2>players and talent and skill level and ability in the

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<v Speaker 2>USL Championship. I think, for me, what makes the USL

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<v Speaker 2>unique and different from MLS. I think with these mid

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<v Speaker 2>major market cities, however you want to call them, I

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<v Speaker 2>think there's really passionate fan bases. I think it's it's

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<v Speaker 2>really diversity's diversity of stadiums, diversity of cultures, the tough

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<v Speaker 2>to get to like for us to get to Indy,

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<v Speaker 2>like it's too small, airports, like it's really.

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<v Speaker 1>You don't have the charters squared away from from Providence

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<v Speaker 1>to Indy.

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<v Speaker 2>There's exactly we are we actually are, which is nice.

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<v Speaker 2>So yeah, well yeah, so the diversity of the league,

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<v Speaker 2>for me, I think it's what's what's really what's really

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<v Speaker 2>exciting about the league. No, no disrespect at all to MLS.

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<v Speaker 2>I love the league. I watch it, I played in it,

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<v Speaker 2>but I think it's very cookie cutter. I think it's

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<v Speaker 2>a lot of teams that have the same architecture, stadiums,

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<v Speaker 2>training grounds, playing styles, coaching styles, you name it, formations

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<v Speaker 2>like I think it's very similar where USL. I think

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<v Speaker 2>it's very very diverse. I think every team is completely different.

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<v Speaker 2>Harford's ninety minutes up the road from US, and we're

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<v Speaker 2>completely different than they are.

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<v Speaker 1>Donald Smith, the head coach of Rhode Island FC, getting

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<v Speaker 1>ready for the first round of the playoffs and USL

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<v Speaker 1>Championship taking on Indy eleven this weekend. Coach, I know

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<v Speaker 1>that your schedules super busy. I can't thank you enough

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<v Speaker 1>for dropping by for a quick one v one. We'll

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<v Speaker 1>be watching, we'll be looking, and thanks for everything that

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<v Speaker 1>you have done this season up there at Rhode Island.

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<v Speaker 1>And can you keep that guy Parkhurston line for us

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<v Speaker 1>next time you see him?

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<v Speaker 2>Heah, it's tough, you know, Park East Park, He's a

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<v Speaker 2>tough one to keep in lining. You know, he talks

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<v Speaker 2>a lot and he wants control of everything. But no,

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<v Speaker 2>he's he's been amazing. He's been an amazing help to me.

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<v Speaker 2>So yeah, I'm I'm, I'm really happy to have him

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<v Speaker 2>and he just helps me out and gives me advice

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<v Speaker 2>and lets me do my things. So but I'll try

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<v Speaker 2>my best.