Matt Sheldon is a 27-year-old Professional Footballer originally from Portland, Oregon who is playing for FC Tulsa in the USL Championship (2nd Tier in the US). In 2016, Matt signed his first professional contract with the OC Blues in the USL after a short 6 month stint in Germany. After a good season with OC, he signed a contract with Saint Louis FC in the USL. After a good start to the season, he came up with an “groin/abdominal injury,” in which he needed surgery. This kept him sidelined for many months, and he didn’t know if he would ever return and be the same player. But, the most important thing was that he believed in himself and he knew if he did his rehab correctly and was disciplined in every aspect of his recovery, he would come back stronger. After not playing for a couple of months, he wanted to get some game time, so he took an offer that he had in New Zealand with Waterside Karori. Something that was very tough for him and much different because after playing in the USL, he felt like he dropped a level in “professionalism.” Though, he looked at it as a huge learning experience and a big part of his growth as a person and a player. This also allowed him to gain confidence again in his body and his mind to be able to perform at a top level. He got a ton of hate from his large YouTube & Instagram audience, but that gave him even more motivation. After gaining that confidence, he came back to the USL in 2019, signing a contract with the Tulsa Roughnecks. After a very successful season, he resigned in Tulsa with FC Tulsa; a newly rebranded team. In this episode, we get into what Matt does on a daily and a weekly basis and how he prepares himself to be the best player in training and every game he plays. I believe the most important thing we talk about is the “highs” and “lows” of the game and how you can not let emotions get the best of you. Many of you probably know him for his notable YouTube channel with over 300k subscribers and Instagram account with over 140k followers. He does an excellent job showing his behind the scenes and “day in the life” of a Pro Footballer. He does an excellent job showing the roller coaster of professional soccer and the ups & downs that you will go through on this journey. Give him a follow @becomeelite and shoot him a question. I am sure he will be glad to answer!
Day in the Life of a Pro in the US- Matt Sheldon (Become Elite)- Ep. 42
