Pitch to Pro

This Stoppage Time release brings you an excerpt from Episode 6 where we traced the unlikely rise of Arkansas adult soccer. In this segment, we spotlight how late-80s street games grew into a full league by the early 90s, weathered disputes and mismatched divisions, and eventually gained official city backing after a period of chaos and community perseverance.

We walk through the origin, eight teams, one division, and more passion t...

Mental health has finally entered the sports conversation, but how much progress have we really made? Our latest Stoppage Time episode brings you powerful insights from sports psychology experts who are transforming how we think about the mental game.

Gone are the days when sports psychologists merely played "deficit detective." Today's approach balances identifying weaknesses with amplifying strengths, crea...

Soccer history unfolded right in our backyard as the Marshall Islands national team made its international debut at Springdale High School in Northwest Arkansas. What makes this story extraordinary isn't just the debut itself, but the remarkable spirit and progress shown by a team where nearly half the players had never competed in an official 11v11 match before. Coming primarily from futsal backgrounds, these athletes didn&ap...

Dean Johnson is transforming soccer in Northwest Arkansas through a remarkable dual role that few coaches would dare attempt. With one foot firmly planted in the OZFC Academy as U19 boys head coach and the other pioneering Northwest Arkansas Community College's first-ever men's soccer program, Johnson brings championship-winning expertise to a region hungry for soccer development.

The London native's journey...

This Stoppage Time release features a powerful excerpt from our earlier conversation with Woody Watson. In this segment, we spotlight the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) Soccer Tournament — an event that made history by hosting the first-ever Marshallese national team matches at Springdale High School.

You’ll hear how what began as a grassroots effort has grown into a community-driven movement, building long-term partnerships...

Soccer history is coming to Northwest Arkansas! The Ozark United FC team reveals exclusive details about the upcoming Outrigger Challenge Cup, a groundbreaking international soccer tournament featuring teams from the US Virgin Islands, Turks and Caicos, and most notably, the Marshall Islands, who will be playing their first-ever international match.

Set for August 13-16 at Springdale High School's Jarrell Williams Sta...

Soccer history unfolded right here in Northwest Arkansas as the Outrigger Challenge Cup brought FIFA-sanctioned international matches to Springdale. Kevin Tello, Ozark United FC MLS Next Technical Director, joins host Wes Harris to break down this landmark event that put our region on the global soccer map.

The tournament featured the senior men’s national teams of Turks and Caicos and the US Virgin Islands, along with the...

Our latest Stoppage Time episode reveals the extraordinary efforts of a volunteer team spanning three continents who are determined to ensure the Marshall Islands' place in football history.

The urgency is palpable as Woody Watson explains why this initiative matters: "A nation that possibly might not exist in some capacity in 10 years is able to get their first matches played, is able to have something out there...

The beautiful game of soccer has reached nearly every corner of the globe, but until now, one nation has remained on the sidelines. The Marshall Islands stands as the last UN-recognized country never to have played a match, a distinction about to change thanks to an extraordinary grassroots effort with surprising ties to Northwest Arkansas.

Woody Watson, VP of North American Operations for the Marshall Islands Soccer Feder...

In this special Stoppage Time edition of the Pitch to Pro podcast, we dive into one of the show’s most personal and vivid storytelling moments: a heartfelt memory about watching MLS veteran Jack Jewsbury in action. The segment from Episode 46 with Ross Cully features reflections on how an unassuming trip to Portland turned into a deep lesson in soccer culture, as he recalls traveling with his young son to see Jewsbury captain the T...

What happens when passion for soccer meets the explosive growth of Northwest Arkansas? Ross Cully, founder and CEO of Harvest Group and early investor in Ozark United FC, reveals the powerful vision behind bringing professional soccer to this dynamic region.

Ross shares his personal connection to the beautiful game, from youth leagues in Missouri to watching his former teammate Jack Jewsbury captain the Portland Timbers. T...

This Stoppage Time edition of the Pitch to Pro podcast features a focused look at the role of vision in entrepreneurship, regional development, and professional sports ownership, all through the lens of Northwest Arkansas’ rapid transformation. In this short segment from Episode 45, we revisit a conversation with Ross Cully that highlights how NWA’s explosive growth has forced local leaders to recalibrate their benchmarks, no longe...

Ever wonder what happens when entrepreneurial vision meets professional sports? Join us for an engaging conversation with Ross Cully, founder and CEO of Harvest Group and investor in Ozark United FC, as he shares his two-decade journey in Northwest Arkansas.

Ross takes us back to his first encounter with NWA at Nolan Richardson's basketball camp, through his arrival with Procter & Gamble, to his decision to plant ...

As the FIFA Club World Cup captivates soccer fans around the globe, it feels like the perfect time to take a step back and revisit one of the most confusing—and often misunderstood—aspects of the beautiful game: how soccer is structured here in the United States. In this Stoppage Time episode of Pitch to Pro, we’ve pulled together highlights from Episode 10 that shed light on the U.S. soccer pyramid, including how Major League Socc...

Welcome to this week’s Stoppage Time edition of the Pitch to Pro podcast, where we feature a powerful five-minute excerpt from one of our previous full-length conversations. In this episode, we take you deep into the economic transformation of Northwest Arkansas — a region whose growth story is often reduced to headlines about big-name companies. But there’s more to the evolution than just corporate giants, and this clip brings out...

This Stoppage Time Episode pulls a powerful snippet from one of our earliest Pitch to Pro conversations - Ep. 16 - From Local Chambers to Soccer Fields: Pioneering Progress in Northwest Arkansas.

Soccer isn't just a sport; it's an engine for economic growth and a force for community connection. In this archival highlight, we revisit a moment that explored how professional soccer is helping transform Northwest Ark...

Welcome to this Stoppage Time edition of the Pitch to Pro Podcast — a fast-paced highlight from last week’s full episode. In this five-minute segment, we explore how professional sports have transformed into one of the most lucrative investment landscapes in modern business.

From Jerry Jones’ once-controversial $250 million purchase of the Dallas Cowboys — now valued in the billions — to the $500 million MLS expansion in San Diego, ...

Ever wonder how waste management and professional soccer intersect? Andy McNeil, a successful Arkansas entrepreneur who built multi-million dollar environmental service companies, takes us on an unexpected journey through both worlds in this captivating conversation.

McNeil's business savvy shines as he explains how he transformed small waste management operations into industry leaders, including Denali—the largest fo...

In this special Stoppage Time edition of The Pitch to Pro Podcast, we revisit one of the most heartfelt and powerful moments from a past episode—an honest reflection on the indescribable magic of Northwest Arkansas and the unifying spirit of soccer.

You’ll hear a behind-the-scenes glimpse from Mayor Greg Hines into the intentional process of building a professional club that’s not just about wins and business metrics, but about peop...