As 2023 continues to be a year of notable first for the Midwest Premier League achievements as DeKalb County United announced a pathway partnership with SportMate360 International Academy October 24. The partnership is aimed at giving another avenue of European soccer to those DKCU players that want to cut their teeth overseas.

Who is Sportmate360?

Led by Nawrath, the academy has produced 46 professional trials, 18 players signed to contracts and a network of over 25 clubs students travel from all over the globe to hone their craft. DeKalb County United being the latest to join that list as former DKCU defender Evan Cole is now playing for KS Ursus Warszawa who is currently 7th place in the IV. Liga-Mazowiecka, the fifth tier of Polish Football. Nawrath is no stranger to the European professional soccer, debuting at 17 years old for SG Eschweiler in the German fourth league and advanced up to SC Jülich10 of the third league by 21.

“Later, I transitioned to a successful professional career, ultimately serving as a board member at Europe's largest consumer electronics company. Despite my focus on the professional path, my passion for football remained unwavering, and my network of influential figures in the football world persisted,” Nawrath added. “This enduring connection to the sport led to the establishment of an agency co-founded by myself and my partners Saurabh Singh and Jan Nawrath and, subsequently, the creation of a Sportsmate360 football project in Poland, in collaboration with my partners.“

The Sportsmtae360 International Academy was established in 2021 and based in Warsaw, Poland. In its own words, “has quickly become widely regarded as one of the world’s leading private residential football academies.” The academy provides technical, tactical, mental and fitness training, having placed players in Poland’s top division. The academy also touts a player-first mentality and possessing an infrastructure to maximize the experience and benefits for participating prospects.

The guidance received by prospects is from a staff possessing nothing less than a UEFA A coaching license, being a true testament to the academy’s investment into their craft. The commitment to staying at the forefront of modern coaching techniques and tactics promotes the professional environment that prospects are aspiring to achieve.

Boasting a 4-hectacre facility with a hotel capacity of up to 300 rooms and amenities such as full catering, spa area, swimming pool, and four soccer pitches (one being artificial turf), the convenience everything housed on one campus is another step to ensure footballing pupils are taken care of to the academy’s best ability.

Midwest Hospitality

SportsMate360 Managing Director Gregor visited DeKalb and met with President John Hall to discuss the arrangement. As is with numerous happenings in the MWPL, this is a tale of being in the right place, at the right time. Cole’s father made the trek to the Land of Fields to visit him at the academy and little did any of them know what would transpire. “As he visited Poland when Evan signed with Ursus Warszawa, we had lunch with his family and we told him we were actively seeking partners with a strong commitment to player development in USA, and then he suggested us DeKalb County United. Their reputation as a dedicated and ambitious club in the United States caught our attention,” Nawrath said.

His impression of Hall and the club is exactly what anyone involved in the MWPL would want to hear from someone as well traveled as Nawrath. They were impressed by Hall’s vision for DeKalb County United and his dedication to the development of football in the region. “His openness to exploring international collaborations and his genuine interest in providing opportunities for young footballers reinforced our belief that this partnership would be mutually beneficial,” he said.

When an amateur club can provide a player with an opportunity outside of their domestic borders, it is a surefire way to garner attention. The MWPL has staked it reputation on developing players and the relationships in their own community so having that extra little panache makes not only the clubs more attractive, but the league as well. “I dont think there is enough clear pathways in the states as far as a player does well in the MWPL and then what?“ Hall explained. “It takes a lot of hustle on behalf of the individuals to go out a find connections and find an agent. Maybe they attend a whole bunch of tryouts for NISA or USL League One clubs, because there is not a lot of connectivity between us, it seemed like a good opportunity for the guys that come through the program. They want to know how to get to the next level or Europe so this is one way to give them an extra ‘something‘ that another club doesn’t.”

If It Walks Like a Club and Talks Like a Club

Fingerprints of major clubs across the world show that they are recognizing the untapped potential of investing in the United States and with the pond filling with more fish, there is a potential for less to go around. There is no shortage of stories of nefarious strategies to land certain players or partnership deals.

“You get a little skeptical at times when someone from Europe to recruit, partner, do things like that just because you don’t have the reference. But in this case we had that immediate reference,” Hall explained. “Reggie spent the whole day picking them up and driving an hour and a half to meet with us. He couldn’t say enough good things about their program.”

The landscape of soccer in the United States will consistently move forward and will continue to be an attractive jewel in the chest of club that can get that signature on the dotted line. Nawrath is very aware of the evolution and allows the programs he offers to speak for themselves. “Convincing a club to partner with us can be challenging, despite the rapid growth in European club involvement in the US. Some common challenges include language and cultural barriers, concerns about logistics and player integration, and establishing trust. However, our track record of successful partnerships, the quality of our training programs, and our commitment to providing a seamless experience for both the club and the players can help overcome these challenges,” he expanded.

Alway Room For One More

With this announcement, Hall believes at minimum this might be worth it for clubs to perhaps kick the tires on the idea of European partnership.“I think it is definitely worth considering. This isn’t anything I was going out and pursuing either, it sort of was brought to our attention,” Hall encouraged. “It made a lot of sense and it isn’t anything that will hurt our club in any way. It just simply provide a pathway for players to get to the next level.”

Nawrath and Hall are on the same page as to how they feel their new partnership will benefit both sides and provide tangible proof that this in fact can work. “Our message to any Midwest Premier League club considering a partnership would be to explore the countless benefits that our collaboration could bring. By partnering with SportsMate360, you are gaining access to a well-established international network of players, coaches, and scouts. Our programs are designed to enhance player development and provide unique exposure opportunities. Together, we can contribute to the growth and development of football talent,” added Nawrath.

- Rich Schenck