Build It

Join Nik & John in conversation with Chicago soccer stalwart and pioneer of walking soccer, George Gorecki. The gents talk through George's time with his club, as part of Chicago's storied National Soccer League, and the merger with the Metropolitan Soccer League, before diving into the exciting world of walking soccer. You'll get the history, the growth, and the possibilities, all in one hour!

Find George and his friends here

Learn more about walking soccer here and here.

In this episode, hosts Nik and John are joined by special guest Jimmie Martin, host of the Bluegrass Soccercast podcast.

The three dive into the Kentucky soccer scene, discussing the pro, semi-pro, amateur, and college teams in the state. Jimmie provides an overview of the different leagues and clubs, including Louisville City FC, Lexington Sporting Club, and Bowling Green FC.

They compare the fan experiences, stadium environments, and community outreach efforts of the various teams. Jimmie highlights some of the standout marketing and promotions he's seen local clubs implement.

The hosts also explore the connections (or lack thereof) between the pro clubs, colleges, youth clubs, and local semi-pro sides. They debate how to best promote the "pyramid" and grow the game in communities through cross-promotion.

On the podcasting side, they dissect how to build an audience, monetize through sponsorships, and balance club-specific vs. wider soccer coverage. Jimmie outlines his production schedule and social media strategy for the Bluegrass Soccercast.

Check out the Bluegrass Soccer Show when you're done.

And if you like what we're doing (why wouldn't you?) buy us a coffee.

In this episode, we speak with Brad Seymour, President of the Windy City Bulls, the G League affiliate of the Chicago Bulls. Brad shares his insights on running a successful minor league basketball franchise, including how they approach ticket sales, promotions, partnerships, and creating a great fan experience.

Key topics discussed:

We feel like there is much to be learned from Brad's time in minor league sports, and you'll gain useful insights into engaging fans, corporate partners, and the local community. Tune in to hear Brad's minor league sports wisdom!

Founder and managing director of Harpost Football Club, Johnny Freeston is our guest today as we discuss the club's history and its success. We touch on the challenges of running the club daily and the secret sources for its success. Freeston, who has led the club to over a dozen trophies and championships, emphasizes the club's goal of fostering community and providing opportunities for players to develop. Then we discuss the importance of culture and advice for non-league soccer clubs in making an impact on the pitch and beyond.

John and Nik catch up after the season ends, talking about the highlights from this past year. The club had record fundraising, killer attendance, and some big wins against rival clubs when they were the home team. But they struggled to keep that energy going for away games.

They talk about how they really need to actively invite and pump people up to come out each week, rather than just assuming fans will show up on their own. The corporate parties and group outings were a hit.

Looking ahead, they want to focus more on community impact through new volunteer committees. John is putting together an operations manual to capture all their institutional knowledge.

Nik discusses the positives on the marketing side, like pivoting to fun, community-focused messaging. He wants to improve targeting different platforms and audiences. They need more high-quality creative content.

They debate how to turn casual fans into passionate supporters who bleed club colors. Getting the next generation hyped, like the academy kids, is crucial.

Overall the club keeps growing and building sustainability, but there's still a ton of work to become integral to the local community.

In this edition of the Build It podcast, Bruce Bodie joins us discuss Bruce’s impressive background as a soccer player, referee, and event producer. Bruce is the co-founder of the Illinois Referee Alliance, an organization dedicated to supporting and training referees in the state. The hosts also dive into Bruce’s new role as the Executive Director with the United States Adult Soccer Association and the work he is doing to support adult soccer players across the country.

Javi Bautista was a college soccer player at Ashford University in Clinton, Iowa. During his sophomore year, he realized that coaching was going to be what he wanted to do full-time. Nik and John welcomed him to the Buildit Podcast to discuss his brand, presentation, and why he chose to focus on certain things. 

Javi explained that he has been passionate about soccer ever since he can remember and has been fortunate enough to play college soccer. He is now pursuing a career in coaching.  Javi discussed his experiences of playing for Detroit City FC in 2015 and 2016. He was part of the very first group to be offered housing by the club and was lucky enough to spend a couple of seasons with them. After completing his masters degree, Javi returned to Detroit to help start the youth program and assist with the men's team. In 2019, he was asked to become the full time assistant coach of Detroit City FC, a role he held until 2022 when he moved over to the Michigan Hawks. In 2021, he won the Midwest Premier League Conference championship with Detroit City FC's under 23s in their first season.  

In this conversation, Javi discusses his experiences coaching and working with the Midwest Premier League. He was the assistant for the first team, and then they decided to do a U 23 team in the Midwest Premier League. When the club announced they were going into the USL, they ended up just doing the USL Academy instead. Javi also talks about his time on the MWPL disciplinary committee that first season, helping with how the league operates. He enjoyed the experience of coaching, but also thought it would be beneficial to get involved in something on an unpaid basis.

With his friend George Chomikoff he had the idea of starting their own soccer team in Michigan. They had the knowledge of the game and the landscape needed to do it, but due to their busy schedules they never had the time or resources to do it until the move to the Michigan Hawks and had more free time. With their combined experience, they decided it was possible and began the process of building their team from the ground up. Despite the difficulty of the task, they remained determined to make it happen and were confident that, with their knowledge and experience, they could make their dream a reality.

Javi Bautista: A Journey To A Unique Soccer Venture In Detroit

Javi Bautista was a college soccer player at Ashford University in Clinton, Iowa. During his sophomore year, he realized that coaching was going to be what he wanted to do full-time. Nik and John welcomed him to the Buildit Podcast to discuss his brand, presentation, and why he chose to focus on certain things. Javi explained that he has been passionate about soccer ever since he can remember and has been fortunate enough to play college soccer. He is now pursuing a career in coaching.  

Javi discussed his experiences of playing for Detroit City FC in 2015 and 2016. He was part of the very first group to be offered housing by the club and was lucky enough to spend a couple of seasons with them. After completing his masters degree, Javi returned to Detroit to help start the youth program and assist with the men's team. In 2019, he was asked to become the full time assistant coach of Detroit City FC, a role he held until 2022 when he moved over to the Michigan Hawks.  

Javi has lived in a few different states, including Illinois, Iowa, North Carolina, and Michigan. He believes Detroit is the best place he has lived and is happy to have settled there. In 2021, he won the Midwest Premier League Conference championship with Detroit City FC's under 23s in their first season.  

In this conversation, he discussed his experiences coaching and working with the Midwest Premier League. He was the assistant for the first team, and then they decided to do a U 23 team in the Midwest Premier League. The team ended up winning the Midwest Conference, but when the club announced they were going into the USL, they ended up just doing the USL Academy instead. Javi also mentioned that he sat on the disciplinary committee that first season and enjoyed the process of hearing different opinions and helping with how the league operates. He enjoyed the experience of coaching, but also thought it would be beneficial to get involved in something on an unpaid basis. 

He and George had the idea of starting their own soccer team in Michigan. They had the knowledge of the game and the landscape needed to do it, but due to their busy schedules they never had the time or resources to do it until Javi transitioned to the Michigan Hawks and had more free time. With their combined experience, they decided it was possible and began the process of building their team from the ground up. Despite the difficulty of the task, they remained determined to make it happen and were confident that, with their knowledge and experience, they could make their dream a reality.