Six thirty seven, seven hundred wlw RNL Carrier Sports Talk presented by Kelsey Chevallet Am Lance McAllister.

Thanks for hanging out.

Let's talk some soccer.

FC Cincinnati players report to camp this week.

On hand will be a new edition with local ties.

A cool story full circle story.

Thirty three year old defender Kyle Smith was the two thousand and nine GCL South Player of the Year at LaSalle High School.

His journey includes three seasons with Louisville City FC and the USL, the past seven seasons in MLS with Orlando City SC, and now with the Orange and Blue.

What a treat pleasure to welcome in Kyle Smith.

Kyle Lance McAllister, how are you?

I'm doing well?

How are you doing?

I'm fantastic.

Welcome home.

I mean, how exciting it must be to now be looking forward to playing in front of family and friends.

Yeah, it's very exciting.

Honestly, I can't wait to get in TQL Stadium and start playing.

Do I understand this correctly?

Your parents have to be excited.

They've been season ticket holders of FC Cincinnati, Is that right.

Yes, they have.

They've been seasoned ticket holders.

I think since the MLS since FC Cincinnati started in the MLS, so quite a while.

Man, oh man, So let's backtrack a little bit.

Man, let listeners know about some of these background.

After you graduated from Transylvania University, and I understand you were working in accounting and you were playing amateur soccer with the Cincinnati Dutch Lions, tell me about that time.

In your life.

Yeah.

So when I graduated, I moved back home and then I got a job with the University of Cincinnati at the College of Medicine, working in accounting.

So you know, I did that for about two years while I was trying to break it in, break into professional soccer.

And like you said, I played for the Cincinnia Dutch Lions, and then I started doing like open tryouts and I thankfully made Louisville City, So I got an opportunity and got my foot in the door with that cole.

Just so fans understand when when you're going to these tryouts, you're paying at these tryouts and you're you're one of a gazillion trying to stand out.

That explain that situation.

Yeah, honestly, it's kind of like American Idol, Like anybody can show up, so you got some people that are good and some people that are not so good.

But it's it's difficult to you know, stand out because there's so many people.

So I went in with you know, a particular strategy of just you know, trying to score as many goals as possible, and you know, it helped me stand out.

So I think that's why I got the opportunity.

I was reading an excellent story that Carter Chapley wrote about you for Fccincinnati Dot Comedy and he mentioned you back in the inaugural season of FC Cincinnati in twenty sixteen, you had tried out for the Orange and Blue.

Is that right?

Yeah.

I was an open try out again, so you know, like anybody can come, and there were hundreds of people there, so, uh, you know, I didn't make it, and I didn't get the opportun counity with FC Cincinnati, but I went to Louisville City as well and did the same thing and they gave me, you know, an invite te tryout where there was about only twenty kids there, and then I got invited.

I was one of like three guys to get invited to preseason with them, and then we went to IMG Academy in Florida, and then I got two weeks to try out, and then they offered me a contract after those two weeks.

Unbelievable.

What a cool story.

Kyle Smith checking in tonight and new is remember the Orange and Blue FC Cincinnati camp opening this week.

So you've been aware obviously and following long since the first season of the Orange Blue.

Just give us your impressions of FC Cincinnati, what they've built and what they've become.

Yeah.

I feel like they've the past a few years here, they've definitely, you know, raised the standards in the MLS.

They've been consistently at the top of the table, and that was a big reason why I wanted to come play here, because of the winning culture that they had created.

So, you know, I'm super excited for this season and I really can't wait to get start are with them.

So how take me through this offseason?

How did how did the whole FC Cincinnati opportunity turn out to be a thing, and and now you've put pen to paper, how did it come about?

Yeah, so they contacted my agent and uh, at the time, I was in negotiations with Orlando, my old team.

UH, and you know, once I heard that Cincinnati was interested, I you know, kind of shifted gears and definitely wanted to pursue that opportunity to come home and you know, play for such a great club and in a great city where I'm from.

So I, you know, jumped on that opportunity.

Kyle, tell FC Cincinnati fans who are listening right now, what the type of player you are, what you think you do well, and how you envision your role here.

Yeah.

So with my old team, I was kind of like a Swiss army knife.

I play multiple positions, and I think that's kind of, you know, my role that I'll have here as well, and you know, just kind of step up whenever I needed when my when my numbers called, and I you know, work hard on the field.

I'm a defender and but I can also play in the midfield, so I I try to keep it simple and then you know, just I uh, I think I'm a player that has good spatial awareness on the field.

Yeah.

Do you do you know any of your new teammates from from previous playing days?

Yeah, so Nick Haglin and I played against him for you know, since we were like eleven years old.

Yeah, and then he guests played for my team one year, and he was actually showing me some pictures today of him.

Yeah, guests playing when we were probably like twelve thirteen years old.

I I always say I I enjoyed talking with Pat Noonan when he's on the show with me, and I always said I thought, if I were a player, I'd love to play for Pat Noonan.

Give me your early impressions of him and what you've heard about Pat Noonan.

Yeah, I would say he has very high standards and he's a coach that wants us to you know, work hard and come in every day and you know, keep raising the standard and and building the winning culture that they've already you know, kind of established.

So my first impressions are, you know, he seems like a great guy and a great coach, and I'm very excited to get to play for him.

Take me back to two thousand and nine, a while ago.

You're the GEO GCL South player of the aar at Lasal High School.

What are your memories of your playing days at LaSalle High School.

Yeah.

I had a great time at LaSalle High School.

It was a great school.

I think they you know, helped me improve as a as a person and.

As a player a lot.

So I'm very thankful and grateful that I chose to go there for my high school.

So yeah, I think it's a great school for anyone to go.

To, you know, as the hometown kid.

And coming back, you know, everybody's gonna come out of the woodwork.

They're going to have tike request.

Are you ready for this?

Yeah?

I think so, but I have you know, I have a lot of family here, so you know, they get first DIBs on the tickets.

But I think I'm ready.

Good.

Hey, uh, I know it's been a whirlwind and I know you've got a busy week ahead.

Thank you for making time tonight.

Congratulations.

I'm really happy for and I hope we can talk again during the season.

All right, thank you very much.

All Right, take care, Kyle, all right, take care.

There you go.

Kyle Smith, thirty three years old defender FC Cincinnati from from LaSalle to an open tryout to getting an opportunity with Louisville City FC in the USL and try I mean, think of it.

You're you're trying out for FC Cincinnati back in the the inaugural season as well, and then seven seasons in MLS, And now the next chapter becomes a chance to come home.

That is really cool.