DES MOINES, Iowa — When it comes to soccer, there isn't a clear-cut path to playing professionally. But the Des Moines Menace is giving players the platform they need to make it there.
These players have only been playing together for a couple of months, but they all have the same goal: winning.
"It's just motivation to get up every day and you know, continue to get better," said Head Coach Dean Johnson.
The team is coming off a national championship and are hungry for another.
"Expectations are high. So like I said, national championship or nothing here," said midfielder Ryley Kraft.
While they my be an amateur team, they're proven winners.
"It's a very well-established club," Johnson said. "So, the chance to work in a good environment, to bring in a lot of good players and hopefully bring another championship is the main goal here to Des Moines."
They've also been known to help launch players' careers. Since they began back in 1994, they've had hundreds of players go on to play professionally.
"The amount of guys that have come here and, you know, gone pro after this," Kraft said. "The stats are proven. There's a lot of guys that move on."
That's what lured Kraft in — he already had experience playing professionally as a former United Soccer League player.
After injuries sidelined him, he thought this would be the perfect place to bounce back.
"They gave me that chance to find the love for the game again and get back up and hopefully make it back to the USL and beyond from there," Kraft said.
Some players like center midfielder Luka Nedic are not looking to make it professionally right away.
He is currently playing in college, but is using the opportunity to play for the Menace to keep his skills sharp until he returns to campus.
"The goal is to go at the highest level, you know, being pro. But I have three years left of school. So, I want to get that finished with and we'll see if, God willing, I can make it. If not, school is always a backup plan," Nedic said.
Whether it's about gaining more experience or finding a way back to playing at the highest level, the Des Moines Menace is putting players on the right track.