#13 Giovanni MontesDeOca: The Path to Playing Pro Soccer, Family, Discipline in All High-Achievers

Giovanni MontesDeOca is a professional footballer/ soccer player for Union Omaha of United States Soccer League (USL), League One. Gio was drafted into the Major League Soccer (MLS) 2021 Draft by his hometown club, FC Dallas — where he played in their academy at the highest level of youth soccer — and completed a life-long dream of making it to the pinnacle of American futbol. Gio — born into a family of soccer — served as team captain of the University of North Carolina men’s soccer team at the Division 1 NCAA level, previously played at the prestigious soccer program at Jesuit College Preparatory High School (Texas UIL 6A State Champions 2010 & 2017) before going on to play FC Dallas Youth Academy, and grew up playing for his family’s independent club, Wizard’s FC.

Connect with Gio:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/giovannimontesdeoca

IG: https://instagram.com/giovannimdo10?igshid=NTlmMWMyMzg=

Topics discussed:

• The path to pro soccer — from the competitive youth level, high school, academy, D1 NCAA, onto the MLS & it’s minor league professional teams in the USL
• Importance of support systems allowing one to achieve success
• Discipline, grit, passion for success in any human endeavor
• Overcoming and persevering through injury
• The crossroads every athlete comes to when deciding whether to hang up the cleats; athlete identity
• Much more, enjoy!