MLS Video Gallery

When MLS goalkeeper Eric Lopez signed his first professional contract at 15, he had a plan: to never let his education take a backseat to his career. Thanks to the Southern New Hampshire University and LA Galaxy partnership, it won’t have to.

What does a day in the life of a student athlete look like? For Philadelphia Union Defender Auston Trusty, it’s more normal than you think.

Finding time for family, friends and school is no easy feat – but for Sporting Kansas City Forward Daniel Salloi, it’s all in a day’s work.

Sometimes, earning a degree isn’t just for yourself. For Major League Soccer’s Tony Tchani, a midfielder for the Vancouver Whitecaps, it’s also about his mom. “I feel like after doing that, she’ll be really, really proud of me,” said the online business student at SNHU.

An injury can help put things in perspective for a professional athlete. For Jordan Allen, recovering from knee surgery has allowed him to switch gears, from his midfielder position with MLS’ Real Salt Lake to classes for his online bachelor’s degree in political science at SNHU.

By working toward his MBA degree in economics, Eric Miller is preparing for his post-soccer career. After work. At his favorite coffee shop. And in between walks with his dog, Cooper.

Experience a day in the life of David Ousted, Vancouver Whitecaps soccer player, father and now an online student at SNHU. See how the goalkeeper is able to study finance online at SNHU while balancing family life, training and the busy Major League Soccer season.

Tifo – the artistic support for the home team – is full of passion, SNHU associate dean Sloan Kelly tells KICK host and SNHU student Heath Pearce. The signs, the logos, the songs – they all speak to the depth of love fans have for both their favorite clubs and the game of soccer.

It’s not the soccer game we grew up with. Through data collection, players “can actually improve their game,” Dr. Gwen Britton, executive director of STEM programs at SNHU, tells KICK host and SNHU student Heath Pearce. Analytics opens up more possibilities for statisticians in sports.

A direct line of communication with fans can be a powerful tool when building a brand – but it can occasionally go awry. The best thing to do? “Don’t ignore. Respond,” advises Dr. Patricia Spirou, SNHU marketing department chairwoman, in a chat with KICK host and SNHU student Heath Pearce.

It’s critical to design a video game that’s as realistic as the beautiful game itself. For a gamer to have the best experience, “you want to make sure it looks like that character,” Edward Brillant, SNHU game development instructor, shares with KICK host and SNHU student Heath Pearce.

A goalkeeper has 0.08 of a second to make a decision on how to stop a penalty kick, Dr. Michael Hendery, SNHU’s psychology chairman, told former MLS player Calen Carr. Years of training plus split-second information processing can help pull out a win.

Soccer mirrors much of what sociology studies, Dr. Frank Catano, SNHU’s social sciences chairman, told former MLS player Calen Carr. Both players and members of society have identities, skills and ways they interact that tell us where we belong and how to play off one another.

Embarrassing an opponent by kicking a ball through his legs (i.e., the nutmeg) may actually lead to a succession of triumphs, according to Dr. Doug Blais, sport management professor at SNHU. But, as he warns former MLS player Calen Carr, it’s a risky move only soccer’s most confident players can pull off.

"There's math all over the place in soccer,” Dr. Pamela Cohen, SNHU’s math chairwoman, told former MLS player Calen Carr. From the curve (aka parabola) of a kicked ball to the rigidness of playing in triangles on the field, math factors in every aspect of the game.

Soccer teaches children "to develop a work ethic, sportsmanship, teamwork," according to Yawkey Boys & Girls Club executive director Andrea Swain. And now, thanks to Major League Soccer and Southern New Hampshire University's 20 for 20 Mini-Pitch Initiative, children at the Roxbury, MA, club can kick, pass and score on a new mini-pitch.

We partnered with the New York Red Bulls, After-School All-Stars, U.S. Soccer Foundation, Newark Public Schools, adidas and MLS WORKS to create a new safe place to play at George Washington Carver School. In addition, we were able to send some George Washington Carver School students to a New York Red Bulls game.