I'm a Scottish soccer success story thriving in USA and here's how I swapped muddy parks for bumper crowds

In January 2020, I was playing boys’ club football, regularly for the viewing pleasure of twenty parents and a couple of dogs, at a crossroads, trying to decide what to do next. Fast- forward three and a half years, and a leap of faith later, I have four years of college soccer experience and two seasons playing in the fourth tier of American soccer under my belt.

Pursuing the American dream was the best decision I ever made. At seventeen years old, I was going nowhere fast: School didn’t particularly interest me, and my football career wasn’t progressing as I thought it once would, especially following five years in the academy systems of two current Championship clubs, ultimately ending in being told I wasn’t good enough. I thought my big chance had gone.

Frustrated at the lack of opportunities, it was a no-brainer to explore the path of a soccer scholarship in the U.S. after stumbling across a recruiting agency on social media. My journey to the States was kickstarted by attending a sports agency’s trial day, which would help determine whether or not I was good enough to play college soccer. Thankfully, it went well, and I signed with them on the promise of a scholarship in the U.S.

Following this, the agency advertised me through an online portal, where coaches at American colleges could see all of my information, such as my career background and highlight video. From there, I was contacted by a coach in Missouri, and following a couple of phone calls, I signed with East Central College.

After signing, everything was moving along smoothly until March 2020 – lockdown. Still just seventeen and at a crucial point in my development, I was forced to down tools completely, again facing another setback in my career.