From the Touchline

Adam Smith is the Sporting Director of Central Valley Fuego FC which plays in the United Soccer League (USL) League One – part of the third tier of professional soccer in the United States. Adam has an extensive playing and coaching career that extends all the way back to England where he grew up and his eventual transition to America. Today, on the Soccer Chaplains United podcast, From the...

Adam Smith is the Sporting Director of Central Valley Fuego FC which plays in the United Soccer League (USL) League One – part of the third tier of professional soccer in the United States. Adam has an extensive playing and coaching career that extends all the way back to his boyhood days of playing with Everton’s academy as the son of former professional footballer, Graham Smith. Toda...

This week is Holy Week. For Christians around the world, each day of the week considers the life and times of Jesus as we approach Easter. Tomorrow, is Thursday, also known as Maundy Thursday . It was on this day that Jesus had a meal with his best friends. He gave them a new command: to love was he loves. He exemplified this by getting up from the meal and taking on the task of being a servant. H...

Major League Soccer Next Pro, now in its second season, is part of the third division pro soccer landscape in North America. These teams, tied into their MLS (division 1 counterparts) represent an added step in the professional player pathway for the beautiful game. As the season began this past weekend, we have two Soccer Chaplains United chaplains on who are currently serving MLS Next Pro teams....

Standing around the trash bin, we watch AFC Richmond sharing and, in a team bonding moment, being vulnerable with one another as they tell the stories and people and places in life that have shaped them and shaped their experience. It is not easy for men, especially, to share and be vulnerable. This is especially true in the competitive environment of a football locker room where you are a team, b...

Sometimes (often times) we simply cannot pull ourselves up by our bootstraps. The simple truth is that we need others. We need a “stretcher crew” to carry us when we cannot go on — spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically. Who is on your stretcher crew? Today, in this Lesson from Lasso which also airs on the same day that the Ted Lasso show is premiering its 3rd season, I tal...

The United Soccer League (USL), notably has a number of different teams all throughout the soccer landscape of professional soccer. From representing the second division all the way into the 4th tier (USL 2) and is ever expanding to bring pro soccer to many smaller cities and communities. With the USL-Championship set to start the league season this weekend we have a number of our Soccer Chaplains...

Sacrifice is a major theme in team sport — the needs and desires of the individual athlete are always subject to the needs and strivings of the team. The best teams see individuals lay aside and “sacrifice” for the greater, common good. In this Lesson from Lasso, we watch as Coach Lasso tells the team his plan to rid the club of its ghosts. They must right the wrongs of the past by giv...

Major League Soccer, is set to start the league season this weekend and what a year it’s likely shaping up to be — a new deal with Apple TV+, rumors of an expanded playoff format, a new competition happening mid-year with Leagues Cup against all of the Mexican teams in the top division (Liga MX), extra competitions with US Open Cup and Champions Cup, and it’s promising to be a busy year. If you do...

Today on the From the Touchline podcast, I am joined by special guest and friend, Dillon Powers. Dillon is a midfielder for Orange County Soccer Club which plays in the United Soccer League — Championship division in the US. The team, based in Orange County, California, won the USL championship back in 2021 and Dillon enters his third season with the club after stints in MLS, Scotland, and Ireland...

In our last Lesson from Lasso, we touched on superstition and curse being overpowered by blessing. This week, we talk about how to handle and cope with devious deception that can happen in football. There are many places in the Beautiful Game where there is the lure and temptation for something to be gained or achieved or received. What happens though when those promises fall short? What happens w...

Lesson 43 and we tackle the supposed curse that hovers over AFC Richmond — the treatment room has a dark history and is the source of a superstition effecting players and staff, alike. Our favorite new person, Danny Rojas, is in jeopardy as he has an injury and the team looks to ward off the evil spirits and ghosts that are plaguing the club. Football (and most all sport for that matter) is filled...

Not long into episode six, we meet the affable and lovable, Danny Rojas. The joy-filled, Mexican footballer from Guadalajara helps swing the mood for Coach Ted Lasso and the rest of the AFC Richmond locker room as he runs out onto the field, declaring “Football is life!” For many, many people in and around football — athletes, coaches, fans — football is life, and sometimes to a detrim...

Episode six (season 1) opens with Coach Lasso dealing with the after shock of an official ‘separation’ for wife, Michelle. He finally takes off the wedding ring which has gained some camera prominence up until this point. The ensuing day is fraught with struggle for Lasso as he looks to cope. His response? He decides to ‘bury’ himself in his work. No, correct, that — bury i...

Last summer, I was blessed to visit Cambridge, England for a Sports and Christianity Conference. While I was there, I was interested to learn a unique piece of football history. Apparently, the first known instance of codifying (or writing down) the rules of association football happened in Cambridge. In 1848, a group of Cambridge University students wrote out a set of 11 rules. They nailed these...

The 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup is over and the time for the Soccer Chaplains United devotional is winding down. This is the last week on the podcast and author Jordan Medas reads the final weekly devotional for the podcast. We pray that your New Year is off to great start and that you discover new ways to Worship God wholeheartedly this year! We encourage you if you haven’t purchased th...

With the 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup now behind us, the Soccer Chaplains United devotional transitions into the Christmas season. This week and next on the podcast, myself and author Jordan Medas wrap up the last two weeks of reading. We encourage you if you haven’t purchased the devotional, it’s still available on Amazon in Spanish and English and Portuguese. The links below are f...

The 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup Final was just a few days ago and Christmas Day is approaching. We pray for peace in our world. Soccer Chaplains United produced a devotional with themes of Advent and Christmas combined with football to celebrate this season. For the next few weeks on the podcast, myself and author Jordan Medas will read one of the weekly devotionals for the podcast. We encoura...

The 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup Final is less than a week away! Who are you rooting for? Soccer Chaplains United has produced a devotional with themes of Advent and Christmas combined with football. For the next few weeks on the podcast, myself and author Jordan Medas will read one of the weekly devotionals for the podcast. We encourage you if you haven’t purchased the devotional, it&#82...

The 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup is well underway away and Soccer Chaplains United has produced a devotional with themes of Advent and Christmas combined with football. For the next few weeks on the podcast, myself and author Jordan Medas will read one of the weekly devotionals for the podcast. We encourage you if you haven’t purchased the devotional, it’s available on Amazon in Spa...

It’s week two, in the 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup. How is your team doing? We hope your team is doing well! Soccer Chaplains United has produced a devotional with themes of Advent and Christmas combined with football. For the next few weeks on the podcast, myself and author Jordan Medas will read one of the weekly devotionals for the podcast. We encourage you if you haven’t purchas...

The 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup has begun! To commemorate this unique time, Soccer Chaplains United has produced a devotional with themes of Advent and Christmas combined with football. For the next few weeks on the podcast, myself and author Jordan Medas will read one of the weekly devotionals for the podcast. We encourage you if you haven’t purchased the devotional, it’s availabl...

The 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup is less than a week away from beginning and Soccer Chaplains United has produced a devotional with themes of Advent and Christmas combined with football. For the next few weeks on the podcast, myself and author Jordan Medas will read one of the weekly devotionals for the podcast. We encourage you if you haven’t purchased the devotional, it’s availabl...

I recently had occasion to visit Cambridge, England and while I was there, I was interested to learn a unique piece of football history. Apparently, the first known instance of codifying (or writing down) the rules of association football happened in Cambridge. In 1848, a group of Cambridge University students wrote out a set of 11 rules. They nailed these to the trees surrounding Parker’s Piece,...

I recently had occasion to visit Cambridge, England and while I was there, I was interested to learn a unique piece of football history. Apparently, the first known instance of codifying (or writing down) the rules of association football happened in Cambridge. In 1848, a group of Cambridge University students wrote out a set of 11 rules. They nailed these to the trees surrounding Parker’s Piece,...