Soccer Saturday - INDY ELEVEN for 03/26/22

(0:00-3:23) Greg Rakestraw is back for another edition of Soccer Saturday on 93.5 and 107.5 the Fan. It has been a slow start for the Boys in Blue losing their first two matches and failing to find the back of the net in either contest. Then, Greg sets the agenda for a jam packed Saturday morning for Soccer Saturday. (6:23-17:44) The head coach of the Indy Eleven, Mark Lowry, joins the show to recap the first week of the season for the Eleven. Mark first discusses the loss to the Tampa Bay Rowdies, the difficulties of early season action and figuring out what his team has in the locker room this year. Coach shares his excitement for the future with the young talent on his squad and making sure the team is set up for long term consistency and success. Then, Greg and Mark discuss loaning out some of the young talent on the team to ensure weekly minutes for the future of the club. Finally, the Eleven are headed to Louisville to take on Louisville City and the head coach touches on what is so impressive about that squad. (20:47-30:49) Indy Eleven forward Rodney Michael joins Greg Rakestraw. The 22-year-old details his journey from Sierra Leone to Santa Barbara, California to UC Santa Barbara to professional soccer. Coming from a lot of warm places, the forward talks about getting used to playing in different conditions and training through the winter here in Indianapolis. Finally, Rodney and Greg touch on what he's heard about playing in front of the Indy Eleven and adding yet another nationality to the list that are represented by the Boys in Blue. (33:50-44:56) Former Indy Eleven player and Butler University alum, Zach Steinberger, joins the show to talk about retired life and his life after soccer. Steinberger discusses the decision he made to hang up the boots and how being able to throw himself into real estate full time was helpful when coping with the end of his soccer career. Greg and Zach set up a bro date on Indy 500 race weekend before the pair takes a look back at Steinberger's professional soccer career. (47:57-57:01) To round out the show, Greg is joined by his fourth guest of the morning, this time it's former Indy Eleven player Tyler Gibson. Gibson talks about how life is treating him in his second year in Louisville and breaks down what's going on with the club 100 miles south of Indianapolis. To end the conversation, Tyler and Greg talk about both sides of the Indy-Louisville rivalry and what it's like to be on both sides of the equation.