We often hear of professional athletes whose attitude clouds their performance on the pitch, whether that’s by displaying arrogance, getting into trouble, or disrespecting others. Every once in a while, however, we get the refreshing chance to hear about players who give it all for their team and try to show their appreciation for fans every day—players who are good at the core. Such is the case with returning San Antonio FC midfielder Michael Reed.
Last season, Reed spent hours upon hours giving back to the San Antonio community through community service, delivering food to those in need as part of the Meals on Wheels initiative, sitting down with fans during the Toyota Lunch with a Player event, and making other personal efforts to engage with fans, such as being active on social media and staying behind after matches to greet supporters.
“I think as a player we all have responsibilities and part of that is involvement in the community,” Reed said. “I feel privileged, [our fans] show up to the games, they wait after games, they cheer even if we’re down, whatever the outcome is they’re always there supporting us, so I feel there’s a responsibility to thank them and show my appreciation.”
Reed is a good guy at the core and his perspective on his career is realistic, and with that comes the realization and acceptance that his time as a professional athlete is short. It’s that very realization that drives him to seek involvement in the community and do as much as he can to make a positive impact on those around him.
“As a player you have a small gap. It’s not like I can do this forever,” Reed said. “I feel like I can reach more people in this small time, and I want to utilize this time as best as I can. It keeps me on my toes, it keeps me grounded to know that I have a small gap and a small window to try and influence people as best as I can, using my profile.”
While his efforts in the community are incredibly noble, Reed’s personality also transcends onto the pitch and locker room. He is a player of code, honor and work ethic, and he tries to instill positive values in his teammates to create a greater sense of togetherness among the group. He believes fully in people treating one another with respect, and encourages his teammates to do so every day in order for them to grow as a unit. Reed’s commitment to the cause is so real that he even gets onto his teammates if they swear in the locker room.
“There’s an appreciation for each person,” Reed said. “There’s a difference between what’s happening on the field and then taking that aside and knowing that off the field we are teammates, we’re a family. We need to show that love and respect for each other because we are all people here. We all have our faults, but the end game and the common goal is success, and in order to do so we have to respect each other.”
The reason for his behavior is simple: Reed feels that doing good for the community and representing his team in a positive light is the best way he can repay SAFC supporters and all those who support soccer in the Alamo City. Furthermore, Reed is aware that creating a positive image for the club can only help its MLS ambitions, and he is excited to be part of an organization in which everyone is working together to achieve a goal.
“It’s hard to find teams where you have an ownership group, a GM, a coach, and players that are all on the same page,” Reed said. “They want to work hard for each other, and to get as many people as we can around this will only lead to success.”
Reed missed a significant portion of the 2016 season due to injury. The 29-year-old has been working to recover since August, and is making good progress towards his return to the pitch. But more than anything he is happy to continue to represent San Antonio FC and the Alamo City. Reed feels appreciated by the fanbase here, and is eager to continue working to do his part to make SAFC the best club it can be.
“I feel appreciated here,” Reed said. “I feel that my time is going to be used accordingly. I couldn’t ask for a better crew of players to be surrounded by, [as well as] the coaching staff and Tim Holt. It makes me want to give more, and I want to give them everything I can to make this the best program we can make it.”
We often hear of professional athletes whose attitude clouds their performance on the pitch, whether that’s by displaying arrogance, getting into trouble, or disrespecting others. Every once in a while, however, we get the refreshing chance to hear about players who give it all for their team and try to show their appreciation for fans every day—players who are good at the core. Such is the case with returning San Antonio FC midfielder Michael Reed.
Last season, Reed spent hours upon hours giving back to the San Antonio community through community service, delivering food to those in need as part of the Meals on Wheels initiative, sitting down with fans during the Toyota Lunch with a Player event, and making other personal efforts to engage with fans, such as being active on social media and staying behind after matches to greet supporters.
“I think as a player we all have responsibilities and part of that is involvement in the community,” Reed said. “I feel privileged, [our fans] show up to the games, they wait after games, they cheer even if we’re down, whatever the outcome is they’re always there supporting us, so I feel there’s a responsibility to thank them and show my appreciation.”
Reed is a good guy at the core and his perspective on his career is realistic, and with that comes the realization and acceptance that his time as a professional athlete is short. It’s that very realization that drives him to seek involvement in the community and do as much as he can to make a positive impact on those around him.
“As a player you have a small gap. It’s not like I can do this forever,” Reed said. “I feel like I can reach more people in this small time, and I want to utilize this time as best as I can. It keeps me on my toes, it keeps me grounded to know that I have a small gap and a small window to try and influence people as best as I can, using my profile.”
While his efforts in the community are incredibly noble, Reed’s personality also transcends onto the pitch and locker room. He is a player of code, honor and work ethic, and he tries to instill positive values in his teammates to create a greater sense of togetherness among the group. He believes fully in people treating one another with respect, and encourages his teammates to do so every day in order for them to grow as a unit. Reed’s commitment to the cause is so real that he even gets onto his teammates if they swear in the locker room.
“There’s an appreciation for each person,” Reed said. “There’s a difference between what’s happening on the field and then taking that aside and knowing that off the field we are teammates, we’re a family. We need to show that love and respect for each other because we are all people here. We all have our faults, but the end game and the common goal is success, and in order to do so we have to respect each other.”
The reason for his behavior is simple: Reed feels that doing good for the community and representing his team in a positive light is the best way he can repay SAFC supporters and all those who support soccer in the Alamo City. Furthermore, Reed is aware that creating a positive image for the club can only help its MLS ambitions, and he is excited to be part of an organization in which everyone is working together to achieve a goal.
“It’s hard to find teams where you have an ownership group, a GM, a coach, and players that are all on the same page,” Reed said. “They want to work hard for each other, and to get as many people as we can around this will only lead to success.”
Reed missed a significant portion of the 2016 season due to injury. The 29-year-old has been working to recover since August, and is making good progress towards his return to the pitch. But more than anything he is happy to continue to represent San Antonio FC and the Alamo City. Reed feels appreciated by the fanbase here, and is eager to continue working to do his part to make SAFC the best club it can be.
“I feel appreciated here,” Reed said. “I feel that my time is going to be used accordingly. I couldn’t ask for a better crew of players to be surrounded by, [as well as] the coaching staff and Tim Holt. It makes me want to give more, and I want to give them everything I can to make this the best program we can make it.”
