WEBVTT 1 00:00:04.960 --> 00:00:11.400 The time for a soccer down here, one v one 2 00:00:11.480 --> 00:00:14.359 and for this one we head to the CSRA and 3 00:00:14.480 --> 00:00:18.120 catch up with our man Merk. Yeah, how's it going, 4 00:00:18.320 --> 00:00:21.000 Mart McClellan, who is the director and Grand Exalted pooh 5 00:00:21.000 --> 00:00:23.079 Bah the Augusta Panthers and the UPSL. 6 00:00:23.120 --> 00:00:25.120 Thanks for dropping by. I really appreciate your time. 7 00:00:25.320 --> 00:00:27.839 Well, of course, it's honor for us, so we're just 8 00:00:27.839 --> 00:00:29.879 happy to get our name out there and get the 9 00:00:29.920 --> 00:00:30.440 ball rolling. 10 00:00:30.559 --> 00:00:32.759 So all right, let me go back to the beginning 11 00:00:32.840 --> 00:00:33.119 of this. 12 00:00:33.240 --> 00:00:35.520 I know that there are folks over there in the 13 00:00:35.560 --> 00:00:38.119 eastern sections of the state of Georgia that might be 14 00:00:38.200 --> 00:00:41.560 following the UPSL and maybe seeing activity going on currently. 15 00:00:42.159 --> 00:00:45.759 When it comes to the Augusta Panthers and you being 16 00:00:45.799 --> 00:00:49.759 Grand Exalted Poohba of everything Augusta Panthers, how far back 17 00:00:49.759 --> 00:00:52.079 are we talking when it came to the genesis of 18 00:00:52.159 --> 00:00:55.039 the idea to actually get it out onto the field. 19 00:00:55.079 --> 00:00:55.960 How long are we talking? 20 00:00:56.399 --> 00:00:59.280 So technically it's been a really long time. So when 21 00:00:59.320 --> 00:01:01.280 I was stationed here in the army, that's when I 22 00:01:01.320 --> 00:01:05.959 first had like the idea. So I was like slowd 23 00:01:05.959 --> 00:01:09.239 the getting back into soccer. Tried to play in high school, 24 00:01:09.239 --> 00:01:11.560 but there was a lot of opportunities down in my 25 00:01:11.640 --> 00:01:14.840 area of South Georgia, and so when I was here, 26 00:01:14.879 --> 00:01:17.359 I was kind of like just already the what whe 27 00:01:17.439 --> 00:01:21.239 was returning. We played like a little eleven v eleven tournament. 28 00:01:21.480 --> 00:01:24.680 It was like some uscaching guys came out, a few 29 00:01:24.680 --> 00:01:26.920 guys from a gust to blah blah blah blah blah, right, 30 00:01:27.519 --> 00:01:29.560 and it was fun and I was like, man, there's 31 00:01:29.560 --> 00:01:32.280 a lot of talent here. And so that was the 32 00:01:32.319 --> 00:01:36.959 first thought processes of it. And then I don't know, 33 00:01:37.000 --> 00:01:40.079 like four years later, so about six months ago, it's 34 00:01:40.079 --> 00:01:42.560 when I finally was like, let me make an actual 35 00:01:44.040 --> 00:01:47.640 a business and so made a nonprofit so state nonprofit. 36 00:01:47.719 --> 00:01:49.439 Right now we're not five o' one CE or anything 37 00:01:49.519 --> 00:01:54.760 yet hopefully soon it's in the process. And that was 38 00:01:54.760 --> 00:01:58.519 really it. I just put the made the Instagram, started 39 00:01:58.519 --> 00:02:02.959 posting in like they pick up group chats things like that, 40 00:02:03.120 --> 00:02:06.400 and just saw who grabbed on and who would be 41 00:02:06.439 --> 00:02:10.840 dedicated to PLOYMA. And so it's just been over six 42 00:02:10.879 --> 00:02:14.919 months now of just training, training, training and hopefully getting players. 43 00:02:14.960 --> 00:02:18.159 You know, so we're talking about five years where in 44 00:02:18.280 --> 00:02:21.400 South Georgia you did you grow up Georgia. 45 00:02:21.520 --> 00:02:23.840 It's the Columbus area, so north of it. I was 46 00:02:23.879 --> 00:02:26.680 in West Point, Georgia. Okay, yeah, so right on the 47 00:02:26.680 --> 00:02:30.439 border Georgia Alabama. Yeah, at that time when I was there. 48 00:02:31.280 --> 00:02:33.280 So I went to like a really small private school, right. 49 00:02:33.319 --> 00:02:35.360 So that was like one of the things that my 50 00:02:35.439 --> 00:02:37.840 late stepdad he wanted to make sure, you know, I 51 00:02:37.879 --> 00:02:41.919 got decent education because at the time, education there was 52 00:02:41.919 --> 00:02:43.960 probably I don't know how it looks now, but not 53 00:02:44.039 --> 00:02:47.879 the best. But yeah, So the school didn't really have 54 00:02:47.879 --> 00:02:51.199 a soctcare program, and there was a club for my 55 00:02:51.240 --> 00:02:54.240 freshman year I think it was called Troop Titans, I think, 56 00:02:54.520 --> 00:02:57.199 and that was the only time I got to play, 57 00:02:57.319 --> 00:03:00.240 and then started getting back into it once I join 58 00:03:00.280 --> 00:03:01.080 the army basically. 59 00:03:01.159 --> 00:03:03.800 And so you so you go from the western frontier 60 00:03:03.879 --> 00:03:06.080 to the eastern frontier here in the state of Georgia 61 00:03:06.159 --> 00:03:09.360 five years before a gust the panthers are where we 62 00:03:09.400 --> 00:03:12.199 are in the discussion. I know that now I do 63 00:03:12.240 --> 00:03:14.479 want to get into the nonprofit side of things a 64 00:03:14.520 --> 00:03:18.479 little later on. But what has it been like for 65 00:03:18.560 --> 00:03:25.800 you as the businessman, MRK trying to piece this together? 66 00:03:25.960 --> 00:03:28.560 Have you found out more about yourself that you didn't know. 67 00:03:28.680 --> 00:03:32.599 Did you find yourself that you learned, that you reinforced, 68 00:03:32.599 --> 00:03:34.479 What did you learn about yourself in this process? 69 00:03:34.960 --> 00:03:37.639 One thing, I don't know if I'm a good business 70 00:03:37.680 --> 00:03:42.759 man or not yet, so I'm definitely not. I guess 71 00:03:42.840 --> 00:03:44.879 like money driven, and so that's always been kind of hard, 72 00:03:45.719 --> 00:03:47.520 been the hardest thing for this. It's like, oh, well, 73 00:03:48.039 --> 00:03:50.280 where do these teams get money? Things like that, and 74 00:03:50.319 --> 00:03:53.000 so that's why I hang up on myself a lot, 75 00:03:53.199 --> 00:03:54.759 or like, oh man, I feel like I'm failing the 76 00:03:54.800 --> 00:03:57.639 guys things like that, because you know, at some point 77 00:03:57.680 --> 00:03:59.719 that's going to be important, right, being able to fund 78 00:03:59.759 --> 00:04:03.120 sies and things like that. But when it comes to business, 79 00:04:03.199 --> 00:04:05.879 I think I'm doing okay. I think I'm doing okay 80 00:04:05.919 --> 00:04:08.599 for somebody who The only thing I did before this 81 00:04:08.919 --> 00:04:13.319 was army, you know, just regular jobs like a normal person, right, 82 00:04:14.000 --> 00:04:17.360 And then I did start my own little I do 83 00:04:17.480 --> 00:04:20.040 residential design, so it's like three D rendering and stuff 84 00:04:20.079 --> 00:04:22.600 like that, and that's just been a hobby. And so 85 00:04:22.600 --> 00:04:24.600 that's usually how I do things is if I enjoy it, 86 00:04:24.879 --> 00:04:28.319 I'm going to pursue it. And so I guess that's 87 00:04:28.399 --> 00:04:30.720 how I work for business too, is if I enjoy 88 00:04:30.759 --> 00:04:33.720 something like soccer and nobody else is doing it, why 89 00:04:33.759 --> 00:04:35.000 not just start it? 90 00:04:35.160 --> 00:04:40.399 And yeah, why the UPSL What was the because there 91 00:04:40.759 --> 00:04:43.560 is a rather large alphabet soup when it comes out 92 00:04:43.600 --> 00:04:44.480 there these days. 93 00:04:44.879 --> 00:04:46.800 So what gravitated you? 94 00:04:46.920 --> 00:04:49.879 And the idea of the Augusta Panthers to the upsl 95 00:04:49.959 --> 00:04:50.839 over everything else. 96 00:04:51.360 --> 00:04:55.120 So part of it was it was one of the 97 00:04:55.120 --> 00:04:58.040 few that I knew, And so when I was looking 98 00:04:58.040 --> 00:04:59.639 at teams like I was looking back in coolingb this 99 00:04:59.759 --> 00:05:03.160 So I played with the indoors team there for a 100 00:05:03.199 --> 00:05:05.800 little bit and then when I was there they started, 101 00:05:06.519 --> 00:05:11.079 Oh my goodness, Fountain City and so that was upso 102 00:05:11.160 --> 00:05:13.360 and so that was just in my head. And then 103 00:05:14.079 --> 00:05:17.800 when I started looking into the different leagues, so upso, MPSLO, 104 00:05:19.560 --> 00:05:22.959 well go a little higher like USO League two, things 105 00:05:22.959 --> 00:05:28.680 like that, or n SA Nation blah blah blah. A 106 00:05:28.680 --> 00:05:34.040 lot of it is the senses, and then also you know, 107 00:05:34.079 --> 00:05:36.000 you have to be more established sometimes for a lot 108 00:05:36.040 --> 00:05:39.839 of these other leagues. And so with Augusta not having 109 00:05:40.519 --> 00:05:43.759 anything like this for I don't know, like ten years, 110 00:05:45.680 --> 00:05:48.439 I thought that was the quickest way in. But also 111 00:05:48.480 --> 00:05:50.199 where I got the most feedback, and so When I 112 00:05:50.240 --> 00:05:55.120 reached out the Georgia Conference, people were pretty good at 113 00:05:55.120 --> 00:05:55.800 getting back to me. 114 00:05:56.639 --> 00:06:00.399 For those that don't know about the soccer footprint in 115 00:06:00.439 --> 00:06:03.920 the Augusta area, how would you describe what soccer means 116 00:06:04.279 --> 00:06:06.680 to that particular part of the state and hopping over 117 00:06:06.680 --> 00:06:12.360 the river and that section of North Augusta, South Carolina, 118 00:06:12.759 --> 00:06:15.800 and you know, all all the counties over there, how 119 00:06:15.839 --> 00:06:16.879 would you break that down? 120 00:06:17.240 --> 00:06:20.600 So it's kind of strange actually, So when you look 121 00:06:20.639 --> 00:06:24.319 at the club, so like we we're very closely with 122 00:06:24.439 --> 00:06:26.680 like US Arsenal, which is the oldest club here. So 123 00:06:26.680 --> 00:06:29.920 they've been around for I want to say forty plus years. 124 00:06:30.160 --> 00:06:32.759 If I'm remembering correctly. I'm sure they'll correct me later 125 00:06:32.839 --> 00:06:37.720 if I'm wrong. And so you have them, you have 126 00:06:38.360 --> 00:06:43.319 the Bulls and youth right, so club and sadly recently 127 00:06:43.920 --> 00:06:46.839 rush associates or a rush failed or is family I 128 00:06:46.839 --> 00:06:49.120 guess in the process of it. And so those were 129 00:06:49.120 --> 00:06:53.959 really all you had. But with that, they're mostly in 130 00:06:54.000 --> 00:06:56.399 one county, and so you're looking at Columbia County, which 131 00:06:56.439 --> 00:06:59.879 is where all the soccer fields are where everybody's playing. 132 00:07:00.240 --> 00:07:04.839 And then with that, though the whole Gusta area is 133 00:07:04.879 --> 00:07:08.759 like sometimes I say seven, sometimes I say six, but 134 00:07:09.240 --> 00:07:11.319 quite a few counties. So you like you said, you 135 00:07:11.319 --> 00:07:13.399 could potentially go all the way to Achin and say 136 00:07:13.439 --> 00:07:16.040 that's the CSRA, go all the way down to Burke 137 00:07:16.079 --> 00:07:19.040 County and that's the CSRA, and then go all the 138 00:07:19.079 --> 00:07:21.519 way to like Washington, things like that. So you have 139 00:07:23.240 --> 00:07:28.199 almost two hours driving left right up down. And when 140 00:07:28.279 --> 00:07:30.879 talking about soccer here, there's a lot of talent. There's 141 00:07:30.879 --> 00:07:32.560 a lot of young talent. So when you look at 142 00:07:32.560 --> 00:07:35.279 like the high school players, they're pretty good. When you 143 00:07:35.319 --> 00:07:37.279 look at the club players, pretty good. They go to 144 00:07:37.560 --> 00:07:43.319 national tournaments, win games. Arsenal proved that, you know, they're 145 00:07:43.360 --> 00:07:47.240 worth investing in. I think how many months ago was that, 146 00:07:48.199 --> 00:07:51.800 We'll say three, I can't remember. But Atlanta United saw 147 00:07:51.839 --> 00:07:54.240 it as a good opportunity to build a field there 148 00:07:54.560 --> 00:07:58.759 because of how much talent is there. And so when 149 00:07:58.759 --> 00:08:00.720 you talk about the area that's around, you have Tormented 150 00:08:00.759 --> 00:08:04.480 down south who's doing great. Body of mine used to 151 00:08:04.480 --> 00:08:08.560 play there or retired there, work in their office now 152 00:08:08.560 --> 00:08:11.480 he's don't know if I can say yeah, a potentially 153 00:08:11.480 --> 00:08:16.360 at Atlanta United, and then just up north very close 154 00:08:16.439 --> 00:08:19.879 you have Soda City doing really well, so hopefully what's 155 00:08:19.879 --> 00:08:22.079 that tomorrow they'll be playing, I'll be tuning in on that. 156 00:08:24.600 --> 00:08:29.480 It's just a pocketive space that hasn't been taking advantage 157 00:08:29.480 --> 00:08:32.480 of it all. And that's part of the nonprofit side 158 00:08:32.519 --> 00:08:35.440 is that I think I see why there's a lot 159 00:08:35.480 --> 00:08:39.519 of gaps when it comes like the infrastructure just not 160 00:08:39.559 --> 00:08:44.399 feels available basically, and so making many pitches with the 161 00:08:44.480 --> 00:08:48.320 US Soccer fotivation would be or foundation whatever would be 162 00:08:48.360 --> 00:08:51.519 really cool at some point and just slowly building it. 163 00:08:51.559 --> 00:08:54.799 And so that's also the motivation for doing the nonprofit 164 00:08:54.840 --> 00:08:58.080 instead of like for profit business, because I want to 165 00:08:58.080 --> 00:09:02.279 make sure the founder of what we're doing here sustains 166 00:09:02.279 --> 00:09:06.480 and supports, you know, healthy lifestyle for the future. 167 00:09:06.600 --> 00:09:10.399 So, yeah, when you mentioned the nonprofit side, Okay, since 168 00:09:10.399 --> 00:09:15.360 you've opened that door, what is the genesis of that idea? 169 00:09:15.559 --> 00:09:18.080 Because a lot of folks will sit there and it's like, yeah, 170 00:09:18.159 --> 00:09:20.519 I want to have my business make money, or at 171 00:09:20.600 --> 00:09:22.559 least I want it to be zero based or what 172 00:09:22.759 --> 00:09:26.200 have you. What was the idea behind the specifically the 173 00:09:26.240 --> 00:09:29.519 nonprofit and the directions that you wanted to go to 174 00:09:29.600 --> 00:09:32.000 leave that legacy and be a legacy product. 175 00:09:32.039 --> 00:09:34.840 Basically, for so, I don't know how many teams have 176 00:09:34.919 --> 00:09:39.000 done it. I know a few upsls do do that, 177 00:09:39.720 --> 00:09:42.000 but I don't know what their their goals are when 178 00:09:42.000 --> 00:09:45.759 it comes to like size. But my goal was just 179 00:09:45.799 --> 00:09:48.240 to show number one is just the word itsel if 180 00:09:48.279 --> 00:09:52.519 nonprofit shows that there's no hopefully no ill intention, right, 181 00:09:54.200 --> 00:09:58.000 and so I want the focus to always be Augusta. 182 00:09:58.279 --> 00:10:00.519 And so the reason that we're here, the reason that 183 00:10:00.519 --> 00:10:04.840 we're playing soccer, the reason that we're developing is for us. 184 00:10:04.960 --> 00:10:07.600 That it's not for you know, just to eventually go 185 00:10:07.679 --> 00:10:12.039 to another city or whatever right across state lines things 186 00:10:12.039 --> 00:10:16.360 like that. It's to support the whole area. And so 187 00:10:17.519 --> 00:10:20.720 you know, money's cool, everyone lovesn't so on and so 188 00:10:20.759 --> 00:10:24.559 forth right. It gets you good food, nice houses, nice cars. 189 00:10:25.759 --> 00:10:28.440 But the most important thing is that sometimes we do 190 00:10:28.519 --> 00:10:32.320 have to reset and take care of people first. And 191 00:10:32.399 --> 00:10:33.639 that was a big part of the team. 192 00:10:33.879 --> 00:10:37.799 So, yeah, what's the feedback been like when you sit 193 00:10:37.840 --> 00:10:39.840 there and it's like, well, well I want to do 194 00:10:39.879 --> 00:10:41.440 it this way and I want it to be a 195 00:10:41.480 --> 00:10:44.759 nonprofit as opposed to Okay, well that's that's not what 196 00:10:44.799 --> 00:10:46.840 I would have pictured. What's the feedback been like when 197 00:10:46.879 --> 00:10:48.879 you said you wanted to go down that road versus 198 00:10:48.960 --> 00:10:50.399 the traditional franchise road. 199 00:10:50.600 --> 00:10:53.919 Nothing yet. I think since we're so new and we 200 00:10:53.960 --> 00:10:58.080 haven't had too many deep conversations with you know, like 201 00:10:58.240 --> 00:11:01.519 even investors or things like that, we haven't really had 202 00:11:01.519 --> 00:11:04.399 too much complaints about it. The main thing is to 203 00:11:04.440 --> 00:11:08.919 players right now, and they're just happy that they can 204 00:11:08.919 --> 00:11:12.600 see that I'm invested into them. I work my regular 205 00:11:12.679 --> 00:11:14.440 job and then basically do this full time as well, 206 00:11:14.559 --> 00:11:20.759 maybe more, and so I think right now really nothing 207 00:11:20.960 --> 00:11:27.320 no feedback of well why did you do that? Why not? Yeah, 208 00:11:27.360 --> 00:11:30.600 I haven't had any any weird responses yet. I'll say that. 209 00:11:30.840 --> 00:11:33.960 Okay, Mark Llewellen, a grand exalted pooh bah, jack of 210 00:11:34.120 --> 00:11:36.480 all trades and master of everything with Augusta Panthers in 211 00:11:36.519 --> 00:11:38.720 the UPSL hanging out with us for a one v one, 212 00:11:39.480 --> 00:11:43.840 and you know you mentioned having to basically burn the candle. 213 00:11:43.879 --> 00:11:45.320 I'm not going to say burn the candle at both 214 00:11:45.399 --> 00:11:47.320 ends because it sounds like you're just trying to figure 215 00:11:47.360 --> 00:11:50.799 out wherever you can carve a hole to the wick 216 00:11:51.159 --> 00:11:52.919 and sit there and you know, expose the wick and 217 00:11:52.919 --> 00:11:54.559 burn it here. Exposed the wick and burn it here 218 00:11:54.639 --> 00:11:58.120 candle on both ends all that kind of stuff. How 219 00:11:58.480 --> 00:12:01.639 what's the staffing situation, Like, is this a battle of 220 00:12:01.720 --> 00:12:03.639 one or what are we talking about here? 221 00:12:03.720 --> 00:12:08.759 So very first few months yes lately though, know, so 222 00:12:08.759 --> 00:12:11.240 there's a lot of people here that I really want 223 00:12:11.279 --> 00:12:13.480 to see this happen. And I always have to remind 224 00:12:13.519 --> 00:12:17.240 the players. I'm like, hey, like, yeah, you know, it's 225 00:12:17.279 --> 00:12:19.480 all for you. Everything is supporting you, all this kind 226 00:12:19.480 --> 00:12:24.519 of things, but nobody's paid, and so it's a really 227 00:12:24.759 --> 00:12:26.679 good blessing that we do have people supporting. So we 228 00:12:26.759 --> 00:12:30.080 have basically a media staff at this point, and so 229 00:12:31.759 --> 00:12:34.480 we work with WRDW, so we paid them to help 230 00:12:34.679 --> 00:12:39.840 like with the marketing side. With that, we also have 231 00:12:39.919 --> 00:12:44.480 a volunteer that does basically the same kind of route 232 00:12:45.000 --> 00:12:48.960 and so we have a nice lady named Alexis who 233 00:12:49.000 --> 00:12:52.000 works a WRDW but also volunteers with us. We have 234 00:12:52.080 --> 00:12:55.720 a photographer named Juan Juan Blaze. He's awesome, He comes 235 00:12:55.720 --> 00:12:58.559 out as much as he can. He's the one that 236 00:12:58.559 --> 00:13:03.519 gets us all our great pictures on Instagram everything. And 237 00:13:03.559 --> 00:13:07.120 then with that players as well. So we have one 238 00:13:07.120 --> 00:13:10.279 player namely Eden. He's done in States girls, so he 239 00:13:10.279 --> 00:13:14.240 travels up two hours all the time. Yeah, but he 240 00:13:14.320 --> 00:13:19.440 also likes to report design and things like that, and 241 00:13:19.480 --> 00:13:22.759 so he helped make I would say, like some of 242 00:13:22.799 --> 00:13:24.960 our better posts right now, because the rest are me 243 00:13:25.120 --> 00:13:27.039 and it's not too great, but he made like the 244 00:13:27.080 --> 00:13:31.879 cool video with the Bellahouse downtown stuff like that, and 245 00:13:31.919 --> 00:13:36.080 so just from that media standpoint, we get a lot 246 00:13:36.080 --> 00:13:40.720 of support already. But yeah, so outside of that, we 247 00:13:40.799 --> 00:13:44.919 have a coach too, and so he's also volunteering his 248 00:13:45.039 --> 00:13:50.120 time to just give the players hopefully a higher level 249 00:13:50.120 --> 00:13:52.600 of coaching than what I can provide by myself for sure. 250 00:13:53.240 --> 00:13:55.440 And yeah, so he was with the Green Gold Triumph 251 00:13:55.440 --> 00:13:57.919 for like five years, not as like a head coach, 252 00:13:57.960 --> 00:14:00.159 but you know within the organization and so have in 253 00:14:00.159 --> 00:14:06.240 the background and even just like contacts in general and experience. 254 00:14:06.279 --> 00:14:08.279 That's the main thing. He has, like forty plus years 255 00:14:08.279 --> 00:14:13.720 of experience with soccer across the southeast, so from Atlanta 256 00:14:13.759 --> 00:14:17.200 all the way up to Greenville, and so you know, 257 00:14:17.360 --> 00:14:19.879 in a way he's kind of home. So it's nice. Yeah, 258 00:14:19.879 --> 00:14:21.039 we're getting a lot more supportive. 259 00:14:21.799 --> 00:14:23.960 I was going to ask, what's it like for people 260 00:14:24.279 --> 00:14:28.039 to embrace the idea of what you want to do 261 00:14:28.240 --> 00:14:31.399 knowing that you're going to have to travel two hours 262 00:14:31.440 --> 00:14:33.320 each way. If you want to play, you're going to 263 00:14:33.399 --> 00:14:35.559 have to figure out the carve out some time if 264 00:14:35.600 --> 00:14:38.080 you need to get team practice done, you know you've 265 00:14:38.120 --> 00:14:41.320 got to do this, and the financials aren't there, but 266 00:14:41.360 --> 00:14:45.960 you have people who are seeing the development and what 267 00:14:46.039 --> 00:14:47.039 it can be there. 268 00:14:47.080 --> 00:14:49.039 Tougusta, what's it like to see that kind of faith 269 00:14:49.039 --> 00:14:49.519 in people. 270 00:14:51.200 --> 00:14:54.559 It's crazy. I didn't know what to anticipate. I didn't expect, 271 00:14:56.399 --> 00:14:58.399 you know, like our first season, to have guys traveling 272 00:14:58.559 --> 00:15:02.919 from so far away part of it. You know, we're 273 00:15:02.919 --> 00:15:04.919 a new team, and so it's a good opportunity. And 274 00:15:04.960 --> 00:15:06.679 so I think that's a lot of it is that 275 00:15:08.440 --> 00:15:11.960 for this area specifically, you haven't had anything so long, 276 00:15:12.360 --> 00:15:15.159 and for a lot of these guys it's yes, it's 277 00:15:15.159 --> 00:15:17.279 the first opportunity. For some guys, like the young guys 278 00:15:17.360 --> 00:15:20.399 we have sixteen year old, seventeen year olds, whatever. But 279 00:15:20.440 --> 00:15:22.960 for the guys that are twenty four to twenty five, 280 00:15:24.039 --> 00:15:26.919 this is an opportunity, a second chance that they didn't 281 00:15:26.919 --> 00:15:31.799 think would ever be here. And so I think just 282 00:15:31.879 --> 00:15:34.720 reminding him that that, hey, if you want it, you 283 00:15:34.799 --> 00:15:38.159 can you can do it. You know, I was traveling 284 00:15:38.360 --> 00:15:41.480 from Augusted Combs when I was playing indoor and I 285 00:15:41.519 --> 00:15:45.559 told him, you know, sure I was technically paid or whatever, 286 00:15:45.799 --> 00:15:48.480 but it didn't cover the gas, you know. And so 287 00:15:48.559 --> 00:15:50.879 it was just something that I enjoy. I love soccer's 288 00:15:52.039 --> 00:15:56.240 I'd rather be playing than anything else. Right, So if 289 00:15:56.240 --> 00:15:59.039 this is something that you want to pursue, then you 290 00:15:59.120 --> 00:16:00.679 have to dedicate time. It has to be a full 291 00:16:00.720 --> 00:16:03.600 time job and you just can't give up on yourself 292 00:16:03.720 --> 00:16:06.799 because that's how how does that translate to life? 293 00:16:06.919 --> 00:16:12.120 And so yeah, four days away from the opener against 294 00:16:12.399 --> 00:16:15.600 u m AFC at Russell County High School, does it 295 00:16:15.639 --> 00:16:18.159 seem like it's four days away from match wake one? 296 00:16:19.159 --> 00:16:23.480 I have no idea. I'm so time has been like 297 00:16:23.480 --> 00:16:26.600 an illusion for me right now. But yeah, I mean 298 00:16:27.759 --> 00:16:29.519 I'm excited for it. I really just want to see 299 00:16:29.519 --> 00:16:34.440 the guys play. For me, it's it's like the first accomplishment, 300 00:16:34.559 --> 00:16:36.559 you know what I mean, It's the first step on 301 00:16:36.600 --> 00:16:40.279 the ladder. Yeah, I just I just want to see 302 00:16:40.279 --> 00:16:44.679 the guys plan and really give them that first Hey 303 00:16:44.679 --> 00:16:48.080 we made it, you know, we're doing the right thing, 304 00:16:48.120 --> 00:16:51.720 and yeah, give them the opportunity to prove themselves. 305 00:16:52.120 --> 00:16:56.759 What are the expectations on the field for the Augusta 306 00:16:57.159 --> 00:16:59.960 For the Augusta Panthers and Augusta Soccer team, what are 307 00:17:00.120 --> 00:17:01.480 the expectations on the field. 308 00:17:01.759 --> 00:17:06.000 Well, always want to win, right but realistically it's the 309 00:17:06.000 --> 00:17:09.119 first season, and so I'm trying not to have really 310 00:17:09.160 --> 00:17:12.559 any I'm trying to just be super open minded. Let 311 00:17:12.599 --> 00:17:17.480 it be the most important thing for me is that 312 00:17:18.359 --> 00:17:21.480 on the field the players just get better. So every 313 00:17:21.480 --> 00:17:25.079 game I want them to just get better every game. 314 00:17:25.160 --> 00:17:27.599 So as they're playing with each other, they've been training, 315 00:17:27.599 --> 00:17:29.400 but it's not the same as Hey, we're playing in 316 00:17:29.440 --> 00:17:34.119 the UK so semi professional game. It's intense potentially some 317 00:17:34.160 --> 00:17:37.079 of these fans are hundreds of people, right and so 318 00:17:38.519 --> 00:17:43.839 being able to feel the environment, adjust to it and 319 00:17:43.880 --> 00:17:46.200 then thriving it is the goal. And so I want 320 00:17:46.200 --> 00:17:49.920 to see these guys really just become who they can 321 00:17:50.000 --> 00:17:50.599 be on the field. 322 00:17:50.680 --> 00:17:54.720 So ten matches on the calendar, starting up on the 323 00:17:54.720 --> 00:17:58.799 twenty third against UMAFC at Russell County High. Then you 324 00:17:58.839 --> 00:18:01.480 get a home match agust Soccer Park, Field nine. Is 325 00:18:01.480 --> 00:18:03.240 Augusta Soccer Park ready for this. 326 00:18:03.799 --> 00:18:08.119 I think? So? I hope so yeah, I would say 327 00:18:08.160 --> 00:18:10.799 so and it's only going to get better, and so 328 00:18:13.160 --> 00:18:15.720 they're letting us use Feel nine, which is the one 329 00:18:15.759 --> 00:18:18.839 that Atlanta United made. And so when you look at it, it's 330 00:18:18.799 --> 00:18:23.119 still very new. Still gonna put stand level it out 331 00:18:23.119 --> 00:18:27.640 a little bit better, things like that. But the foundation's 332 00:18:27.640 --> 00:18:29.799 perfect and there's a lot of seating if you can 333 00:18:29.799 --> 00:18:34.279 bring your own chair, right, Yeah, I think the potential 334 00:18:34.319 --> 00:18:37.119 there is crazy, very high. There's a lot of seating 335 00:18:37.359 --> 00:18:42.240 and most importantly, very beautiful view to watch, beautiful game. 336 00:18:43.000 --> 00:18:46.039 All right, So if you would please, if you cut 337 00:18:46.039 --> 00:18:48.599 the promo for me, for anybody that wants to see 338 00:18:48.640 --> 00:18:51.720 what's going on there with Augusta Soccer Team and the 339 00:18:51.720 --> 00:18:55.079 Augusta Panthers in the upsl Where do they go? The 340 00:18:55.160 --> 00:18:58.559 social media is the websites. How do they stay in touch? 341 00:18:58.960 --> 00:19:00.680 How do they become informed? And how do they stay 342 00:19:00.720 --> 00:19:02.039 informed of let me hear it? 343 00:19:02.359 --> 00:19:05.200 All right? So I try my best, all right. So 344 00:19:05.519 --> 00:19:09.119 on our website, it's a Gustosoccer team dot com. When 345 00:19:09.160 --> 00:19:13.519 you go on there, you can there's links to everything 346 00:19:13.559 --> 00:19:16.039 in there at some point, but the easiest way is 347 00:19:16.039 --> 00:19:18.079 going to the bottom. You can sign up for the 348 00:19:18.119 --> 00:19:22.160 email and you can always get I always sending out 349 00:19:22.200 --> 00:19:24.960 email updates, so you always get an email for ticket sales, 350 00:19:25.759 --> 00:19:27.680 so on and so forth. But within the website you 351 00:19:27.720 --> 00:19:33.960 have the details for games players, a nonprofit side, our store, 352 00:19:34.200 --> 00:19:36.480 all that kind of stuff. So the website is a 353 00:19:36.480 --> 00:19:40.400 good start. The next best thing probably Instagram. That's where 354 00:19:40.440 --> 00:19:42.559 we've been the most active right now, and so that's 355 00:19:42.839 --> 00:19:44.680 also a gust of Soccer team, So if you look 356 00:19:44.720 --> 00:19:48.880 it up, you'll find us, and we do have a Facebook. 357 00:19:48.960 --> 00:19:51.079 I think it comes up as a guest as Soccer 358 00:19:51.119 --> 00:19:55.319 Panthers when you look it up. And then we also 359 00:19:55.400 --> 00:19:57.319 have a YouTube. We do have YouTube. I forgot about that, 360 00:19:57.440 --> 00:20:00.319 So we have a gust of Soccer Team YouTube and 361 00:20:00.400 --> 00:20:03.440 I'm going to start hopefully launching it on there. It 362 00:20:03.480 --> 00:20:05.400 may not look super good, but at least we get 363 00:20:05.400 --> 00:20:06.359 something started right away. 364 00:20:06.480 --> 00:20:10.960 So absolutely well Mark, congratulations on getting to this stage. 365 00:20:11.279 --> 00:20:14.480 The ten game regular season and Division one coming up, 366 00:20:14.480 --> 00:20:16.640 starting on the twenty third with a road game at 367 00:20:16.720 --> 00:20:20.319 Russell County, then the twenty ninth against the Revs, and 368 00:20:20.359 --> 00:20:22.680 then on the road to FC Atlanta on January. Every 369 00:20:22.720 --> 00:20:26.119 March April fifth, and it goes from there. Good luck 370 00:20:26.160 --> 00:20:28.839 with the venture. Great for being able to catch up 371 00:20:28.880 --> 00:20:30.680 with you because I know things are super busy, but 372 00:20:30.720 --> 00:20:32.799 it's thank you, thank you for the education. It will 373 00:20:32.799 --> 00:20:35.079 be keeping an eye on you and don't be a stranger. 374 00:20:35.119 --> 00:20:36.200 Will catch up soon, my friend. 375 00:20:36.400 --> 00:20:37.240 Absolutely, thank you. 376 00:20:37.599 --> 00:20:39.920 All right, it's time to roll the close once again. 377 00:20:40.000 --> 00:20:43.680 Augusta Soccer Team Augusta Panthers you PSL. They're getting ready 378 00:20:44.000 --> 00:20:52.119 for match Week one.