bear and the ball Archives - Cal South

Hollywood Park VP Adolfo Romero is our guest on “The Bear & the Ball” podcast

rjohnson — Tue, 27 May 2025 17:17:06 +0000

Listen to Season 4 – Episode #16:
“Adolfo Romero Hits a Home Run“

From being a Swiss Army knife as an LA Angels intern to helping bring the World Cup to SoFi Stadium, Adolfo Romero’s career trajectory reads like a sports industry fairy tale. Now VP at Hollywood Park, Romero joins us to share his remarkable journey through America’s evolving soccer landscape.

We dive deep into his early days with the LA Angels, his pivotal role with Chivas USA during MLS’s experimental years, and how he became instrumental in bringing international soccer to American audiences nationwide. Romero offers insider perspectives on the challenges and triumphs of growing soccer in a country dominated by other sports, plus exclusive insights into what it takes to prepare SoFi Stadium for the world’s biggest sporting event.

Whether you’re a soccer purist or casual fan, Romero’s story showcases the dedication and vision required to elevate the “beautiful game” in America—culminating in his current role helping deliver an unforgettable 2026 World Cup experience.

“The Bear & the Ball” is also available on Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music, and most other major podcast platforms. You can also access our full archive of past “The Bear & the Ball” episodes here.

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“Elevating Youth Soccer Development” – Cal South Technical Director Michael Chin is our guest on this week’s “The Bear & the Ball” podcast

rjohnson — Wed, 14 May 2025 17:49:39 +0000

Join host Nick Webster as he welcomes Cal South Technical Director Michael Chin for an insightful discussion on the cutting edge of youth soccer development. Michael pulls back the curtain on Cal South’s renowned Pro+ Olympic Development Program, revealing how they identify and nurture elite talent while creating pathways to national team recognition.

The conversation shifts to coaching education, where Michael breaks down Cal South’s comprehensive approach to developing the next generation of coaches who can properly teach the technical and tactical elements of the modern game.

The pair round out their discussion with a detailed look at Cal South’s innovative summer camps, exploring how these programs balance skill development with creating enjoyable experiences that keep young players engaged. You can also learn how new Cal South partner Rize Credit Union can help you save money on an ODP day or residential camp this summer.

This is a must-listen episode for parents, coaches, and anyone passionate about the future of American soccer.

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5v5 Soccer’s Andrew Vorce is our guest on “The Bear & the Ball” podcast

rjohnson — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 17:01:10 +0000

Listen to Season 4 – Episode #12:
“5v5 Soccer – Soccer for Everyone“

The “beautiful game” has many variations but perhaps the most exciting is 5v5 soccer. On this week’s “The Bear & the Ball,” host Nick Webster chats with Andrew Vorce, the president of one of the nation’s largest 5v5 organizations which has recently partnered with Cal South.

Andrew talks about his journey through soccer, the origins of his 5v5 company, and how they can help you easily start hosting your very own 5v5 tournaments.

About 5v5 Soccer:

5v5 Soccer is on a mission to grow the game from the grassroots up, with players having access to 5v5 Soccer tournaments all across the country. Our mission is to help more players play more soccer, more often. In our tournaments you have the unique opportunity to put a group of friends together and go out and play!

This is soccer for everyone. You can choose to compete as your organized team, a friends team, or an all-star team. However you choose to play, we’ll see you on the field. To learn more about starting your own 5v5 Soccer tournaments, visit https://calsouth.com/5v5-soccer/.

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The Birth Year vs School Year Debate is Our Topic on “The Bear & the Ball” Podcast

rjohnson — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 16:57:22 +0000

Earlier this week, the Cal South team invited our members to discuss U.S. Soccer’s announcement that the Birth Year vs. School Year registration debate is officially back on the table.

After we first put out a survey to the full membership to gather feedback, we then held a special online town hall meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 10th to hear directly what our members had to say about this topic.

In this episode of “The Bear & the Ball,” you’ll hear the voices of the membership (along with Cal South staffers) from that very meeting, as they discuss the pros and cons of both sides of the debate, as well as their concerns and hopes for how this very important subject will potentially play out.

For more information about this topic, read our recent posts on CalSouth.com:

Birth Year vs School Year Membership Survey & Dec. 10th Online Town Hall Meeting 12/03/2024
U.S. Soccer Federation Update on Player Registration Path Forward 11/27/2024

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Fantasy Premier League commentator Gianni Buttice is our guest on this week’s “The Bear & the Ball” podcast

rjohnson — Wed, 20 Nov 2024 21:49:45 +0000

Listen to Season 4 – Episode #9:
“Street Child United & the FPL”
Our Guest: Gianni Buttice

Gianni Buttice is a national treasure. Not only is he an expert in the world’s most popular fantasy game, Fantasy Premier League but he also helps run Street Child United, an NGO that does unbelievable work throughout the world.

On this episode of “The Bear & the Ball,” Gianni describes the secrets of how to climb the FPL ladder along with his work in creating World Cups for homeless children. With the next edition landing on American shores in 2026, Los Angeles could be a prime host city for an event that truly changes lives.

About Street Child UNITED:

Street Child United provides a global platform for the voices of street children to be heard so they receive the protection and opportunities all children are entitled to. Through sport, the arts, and a global summit for children’s rights, we challenge the negative perceptions & treatment of street children. To learn more about SCU, visit https://streetchildunited.org/.

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Tim Ryerson of “Get on the Bus” is our guest on this week’s “The Bear & the Ball” podcast

rjohnson — Tue, 17 Sep 2024 16:00:00 +0000

The mission of Get on the Bus is to make soccer accessible by giving as many kids as possible the opportunity to participate in GOTB so that they can use what they learn on and off the field to become positive contributors to their communities.

Tim Ryerson is the creator and executive director of one of the truly great programs that enable kids to play “the Beautiful Game”. In today’s episode of “The Bear & the Ball,” Tim talks about the program, how it all began, and takes us into his own personal history with soccer.

To learn more about Get on the Bus, visit https://gotbsoccer.org/.

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Cal South alumni Maurice Edu is our guest on “The Bear & the Ball” podcast

rjohnson — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 16:00:00 +0000

Former USMNT player Maurice Edu is one of the most outstanding players of his generation. A product of Cal South and our Olympic Development Program, his journey to the professional ranks is truly inspirational.

In this episode of “The Bear & the Ball,” Maurice talks about the steps, the adversity, and ultimately the triumph of realizing his dream of becoming an international and playing on the world’s biggest stages.

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Cal South SRA & former FIFA/MLS referee Juan Guzman is our guest on “The Bear & the Ball” podcast

rjohnson — Tue, 27 Aug 2024 16:00:00 +0000

Juan Guzman Jr. is one of the most respected referee educators in the country. His Referee Education program with Cal South is considered by many to be the best. He is also a former FIFA and MLS referee.

In this episode, we talk about how and why to become a referee, and we also delve into the new Cal South program designed around RESPECT for officials as incidents of referee abuse continue to grow. (We can’t forget VAR either!)

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Equal Playing Field’s Laura Youngson Is Our Guest on the “The Bear & the Ball” Podcast

rjohnson — Tue, 20 Feb 2024 17:00:00 +0000

On the latest episode of Cal South’s “The Bear and the Ball” podcast, host Nick Webster will talk with IDA Sports co-founder Laura Youngson about her efforts to battle gender inequality throughout the world with Equal Playing Field.

Laura Youngson is a social impact entrepreneur whose experience includes founding two companies, IDA Sports and Brunswick Aces. Laura has also worked as a senior policy advisor for the UK Department of Business, Innovation and Skills, and further worked in sports event management for the London Olympics, the Street Child World Cup (Brazil), and the European Games in Baku. Laura is a STEM advocate, TED speaker, and four-time Guinness World Record Holder. She’s always been drawn to the power sport had in bringing people together and in 2017, she set out to make a lasting mark in the game she loves.

Equal Playing Field (EPF) is a grassroots, non-profit initiative to challenge gender inequality in sport and to promote sports development for girls and women globally, especially in marginalised country contexts.

https://www.idasports.com/

https://equalplayingfield.com/home

“The Bear & the Ball” is also available on Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music, and most other major podcast platforms. You can also access our full archive of past The Bear & the Ball” episodes here.

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