Stoppage Time, hosted by cousins Colby and Cable Smith, is a podcast for parents navigating the sprawling, confusing, expensive world of DFW youth club soccer — from first rec league touches to college recruiting. Every episode, we get into what actually happens on the sidelines, in the group chats, and around the kitchen table: the decisions no club handbook prepares you for.
Kid is sick or injured, misses trainings - now what? Local coach tries to "trip" up opposing team's celebration, and more...!
Episode 11: Your sick kid missed training - then what? A local coach tries to "trip" and hold up the other team's celebration (yes, really!), plus MLS Next or ECNL/other leagues and high school? And, who pays for those ECNL road trips?! And more!
28 Oct 2026
Fall Season check-in, Futsal, AR complaints, Fall or Spring season?, and Team Manager responsibilities and more...!
Episode 10: Fall Check-In, Futsal, AR Complaints & the Team Manager Job
We’re past the midpoint of the fall season, so Colby and Cable check in on how it’s going across DFW youth soccer: what’s working, what’s not, and what families should watch for down the stretch. Then it’s futsal. What is it, why do so many top players swear by it, and is it worth adding to your kid’s winter? We also get into the AR complaints every soccer parent has heard (or made) on the sideline, and settle the debate: which season matters more, fall or spring? Plus a look at one of the most underappreciated jobs in club soccer, the team manager, and what to know before you raise your hand to volunteer. And more!
Follow along on Instagram @stoppagetimedfw.
8 Oct 2026
Ever added up what a season of club soccer REALLY costs?
Dues. Team fees. Uniforms. Hotels. Flights. And yes... the coach’s travel too.
We break down the TRUE cost of playing club soccer in DFW, the stuff nobody puts on the registration page. 👀
Plus a few shoutouts and some classic scatter shooting.
#StoppageTime #DFWSoccer #YouthSoccer #ClubSoccer #SoccerParents #ECNL #MLSNEXT #FriscoSoccer #DallasSoccer
30 Sept 2026
⚽ PRIVATES. Are they worth it?
Every soccer parent has asked it. The kid next to yours has a trainer three days a week. Your group chat is full of highlight clips from 1-on-1 sessions. And now you're wondering if you're already behind. 😬
Coming up on Episode 8 of Stoppage Time, we get into the questions nobody gives you a straight answer on:
🔹 When should private training actually start?
🔹 How often is enough, and how much is too much?
🔹 What should you expect to pay?
🔹 Does it help your player's development, or is it just FOMO?
🔹 Does it matter to club coaches and college scouts?
And we're bringing in someone who works on this every day. @vedral_soccer (https://www.instagram.com/vedral_soccer/) runs an elite training company in the Dallas metroplex. He develops high-level players, sharpens athletes who are already established and builds confident leaders on and off the field.
24 Sept 2026
Possession. Direct. Physical. …Dirty? What style of play does your kids' team or club identify with??
What's your kid's club REALLY playing, and does it even matter for their development? Cable and I get into what's best for your player, and we've got some interesting takes you might not agree with.
PLUS: should your son or daughter have a soccer social media account? When's the right age, who should run it, and do college coaches actually look?
10 Sept 2026
Picking the right coach!
Your kid's coach can make or break their whole soccer experience — so how do you actually know if you picked the right one? 🎙️ ⚽️
This week on Stoppage Time, Colby & Cable break down what to look for in your club coach — the red flags, the green flags, and the questions every soccer parent should be asking before tryouts roll around again.
3 Sept 2026
Multiple Sports. One Season. Now What?!
Your season's about to start, but your kid plays multiple sports... so now what? We get into the overlap, the burnout, and the tough calls nobody warns you about.
We had a blast getting fired up about this topic — this is one of our favorites so far.
27 Aug 2026
Now....what league do we play in!?!
MLS Next, ECNL, GA, ECRL, NPL, N1, PPIL, Pre-ECNL... it's a lot. Episode 4 breaks down what level is actually right for your kid, how to qualify, where and when games happen, and what it all costs.
Plus- some shoutouts to local DFW players that made all-ECNL teams!
So many choices — we walk through it all.
20 Aug 2026
Rec soccer to club soccer...when, how, where....what to know!
On Episode 3, we dig into the rec-to-club transition — what it actually looks like and what parents should know before making the jump. There's a lot to unpack here!
Also, we go over our "Top 10 Soccer Parent Pet Peeves" - which we have all been guilty of, so take note!
6 Aug 2026
From the U.S. Open Cup Final to today's DFW Club Scene with our guest Curtis Partain
Would you like to hear from a member of the FIRST EVER team from Texas to make a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final...!? 👀🏆
Episode 2 of Stoppage Time
This week we're joined by Curtis Partain — a name that matters on two levels in Dallas soccer.
⚽ As a player, he was the first player signed by the Richardson Rockets, helped lead them on a run to the 1991 US Open Cup Final vs. the legendary Brooklyn Italians, and later played for the Dallas Sidekicks, racking up nearly 30 goals in the mid-90s.
🏆 As a builder, he's spent 25+ years developing some of the best players in North Texas — from Academy Director roles to coaching ECNL teams — helping shape the DFW youth soccer landscape we know today.
We also dig into the rec-to-club transition — what it actually looks like and what parents should know before making the jump.
🎧 New episode out now — link in bio
#StoppageTimePod #DFWSoccer #DallasSidekicks #USOpenCup #YouthSoccer #ClubSoccer #ECNL #DallasSoccer #TexasSoccer
30 Jul 2026
Kickoff: Why We're Doing This and Who We Are!
Welcome to Stoppage Time — hosted by two guys (Cable and Colby Smith) who are, by their own admission, not soccer experts. Just two DFW dads (and cousins) who've spent over a decade on the sidelines, made plenty of questionable decisions along the way, and somehow ended up with five soccer playing kids between them.
In this first episode, Colby and Cable introduce themselves, explain why they finally started this podcast after years of talking about it, and walk through their own kids' soccer journeys — the good calls, the "what were we thinking" moments, and everything in between. If you've ever felt like you're figuring this whole club soccer thing out as you go, you're in good company.
New episodes on tryouts, picking the right club and coach, high school soccer, recruiting, and more — coming soon.
Follow us on stoppagetimepod.com and https://www.instagram.com/stoppagetimedfw/. Email us with any questions/comments/ideas to hello@stoppagepod.com.
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