ATHLETE OF THE MONTH | JULY '20
BRANDON BYE
Job Title: Professional MLS Player
Website: www.mlssoccer.com/players/brandon-bye
Social Media: @Brandon_bye
ATHLETE OF THE MONTH | JULY '20
BRANDON BYE
Job Title: Professional MLS Player
Website: www.mlssoccer.com/players/brandon-bye
Social Media: @Brandon_bye
Since our inception, TAILORED ATHLETE has attracted thousands of Athletes from all walks of life with one continuing passion: a love for physical development and a positive mindset. Our journey is your journey, and we want to share the stories of our Athletes amongst our community for the following reasons...
- Inspiration - Every individual has a story to tell, and we want to hear about those who inspire us.
- Networking - We want to encourage networking amongst like-minded individuals within our community.
- Advice - Whether it’s a go-to outfit, best practice in a specific field or even words of encouragement.
From Entrepreneurs to public figures, we've had some very interesting individuals featured as our Athlete of the Month recently. This month, we have professional football player, Brandon Bye who currently plays for New England Revolution in Major League Soccer.
As a professional athlete, Brandon is well-positioned to educate us all on what it takes to achieve greatly; but as a young man who is at the very start of his sporting career, he is intensely focused on continuing to grow in every aspect of his life. His discovery of TAILORED ATHLETE was by chance, but it’s safe to say the ability to look good and feel good is part of that growth.
Hailing from Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA, Brandon grew up playing club soccer and considered himself ‘naturally athletic’.
“I played a lot of sports when I was younger: track, baseball, basketball, but soccer was not only the game I was best at, it was also the one I enjoyed the most, and when you’re good at something it’s easy to be motivated because you like the feeling of winning”
Nevertheless, he still maintained an academic focus and earned a scholarship at his hometown college, Western Michigan University, to study Business. Admittedly, Western Michigan University’s soccer team was not the greatest when Brandon joined, however, he recalls a real sense of ambition and community amongst him and his team-mates and during his time there, they went on to have one of the best seasons in the University's history. At one point he was also voted conference player of the year. Although he was very much just enjoying playing soccer, he had secretly set himself a personal goal of being invited to the MLS Combine: an invite-only four-day annual showcase to some of the top teams in the MLS. In his senior year, Brandon was invited to partake, which he recalls as a special moment.
As a professional athlete, Brandon is well-positioned to educate us all on what it takes to achieve greatly; but as a young man who is at the very start of his sporting career, he is intensely focused on continuing to grow in every aspect of his life. His discovery of TAILORED ATHLETE was by chance, but it’s safe to say the ability to look good and feel good is part of that growth.
Hailing from Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA, Brandon grew up playing club soccer and considered himself ‘naturally athletic’.
“I played a lot of sports when I was younger: track, baseball, basketball, but soccer was not only the game I was best at, it was also the one I enjoyed the most, and when you’re good at something it’s easy to be motivated because you like the feeling of winning”
Nevertheless, he still maintained an academic focus and earned a scholarship at his hometown college, Western Michigan University, to study Business. Admittedly, Western Michigan University’s soccer team was not the greatest when Brandon joined, however, he recalls a real sense of ambition and community amongst him and his team-mates and during his time there, they went on to have one of the best seasons in the University's history. At one point he was also voted conference player of the year. Although he was very much just enjoying playing soccer, he had secretly set himself a personal goal of being invited to the MLS Combine: an invite-only four-day annual showcase to some of the top teams in the MLS. In his senior year, Brandon was invited to partake, which he recalls as a special moment.
Nevertheless, he still maintained an academic focus and earned a scholarship at his hometown college, Western Michigan University, to study Business. Admittedly, Western Michigan University’s soccer team was not the greatest when Brandon joined, however, he recalls a real sense of ambition and community amongst him and his team-mates and during his time there, they went on to have one of the best seasons in the University's history. At one point he was also voted conference player of the year. Although he was very much just enjoying playing soccer, he had secretly set himself a personal goal of being invited to the MLS Combine: an invite-only four-day annual showcase to some of the top teams in the MLS. In his senior year, Brandon was invited to partake, which he recalls as a special moment.
Nevertheless, he still maintained an academic focus and earned a scholarship at his hometown college, Western Michigan University, to study Business. Admittedly, Western Michigan University’s soccer team was not the greatest when Brandon joined, however, he recalls a real sense of ambition and community amongst him and his team-mates and during his time there, they went on to have one of the best seasons in the University's history. At one point he was also voted conference player of the year. Although he was very much just enjoying playing soccer, he had secretly set himself a personal goal of being invited to the MLS Combine: an invite-only four-day annual showcase to some of the top teams in the MLS. In his senior year, Brandon was invited to partake, which he recalls as a special moment.
“I had always felt naturally gifted and knew I was a hard worker, so for me, the MLS Combine was just another opportunity. I knew that if I could get there, I would at least make an impression, and thankfully, that's exactly what I did. It wasn't out of arrogance, I just had such a strong belief that that's where I belonged, and I felt it growing up… Any time I would watch soccer on the TV or in a stadium, I knew I would be good enough to compete at that level.”
“I had always felt naturally gifted and knew I was a hard worker, so for me, the MLS Combine was just another opportunity. I knew that if I could get there, I would at least make an impression, and thankfully, that's exactly what I did. It wasn't out of arrogance, I just had such a strong belief that that's where I belonged, and I felt it growing up… Any time I would watch soccer on the TV or in a stadium, I knew I would be good enough to compete at that level.”
Fast forward two years, he has played over 60 first team games, has logged the most minutes out of everyone in his draft that year, and has set his sights firmly on getting into the USA National soccer team. With the recent influx of ex-Premier League players that have made the switch to the MLS over the past few years, Brandon has come up against some international superstars such as Didier Drogba, Nani (pictured) and Carlos Vela. How does he stay motivated when pitting himself against the greats?
“I think it just comes down to who you surround yourself with. I’ve never lacked personal motivation because I’ve always believed this is what I’m meant to be doing, but to have a good support network in the shape of your friends and family, that's what has really kept me going. Of course, I want to keep growing and progressing but at the minute, particularly amidst everything that's happening with the pandemic, I'm just extremely grateful to be where I am right now in my life and I’m 100% dedicated to just putting in the work and seeing how far I can go on this amazing journey.”
As a valued Athlete of ours, Brandon has gone on to describe how important TAILORED ATHLETE has been since he discovered the brand.
“I think it just comes down to who you surround yourself with. I’ve never lacked personal motivation because I’ve always believed this is what I’m meant to be doing, but to have a good support network in the shape of your friends and family, that's what has really kept me going. Of course, I want to keep growing and progressing but at the minute, particularly amidst everything that's happening with the pandemic, I'm just extremely grateful to be where I am right now in my life and I’m 100% dedicated to just putting in the work and seeing how far I can go on this amazing journey.”
As a valued Athlete of ours, Brandon has gone on to describe how important TAILORED ATHLETE has been since he discovered the brand.
“The team I play for places a real value on professionalism, and that's in everything from your conduct on and off the pitch, right down to how you dress, and travelling between games. TAILORED ATHLETE has been perfect for me because it’s business/casual. I’ve tried a few brands that cater to an athletic fit, but you guys are definitely my go-to, not only because I know I’ll look good , but it’s so important to be comfortable and feel great”
“The team I play for places a real value on professionalism, and that's in everything from your conduct on and off the pitch, right down to how you dress, and travelling between games. TAILORED ATHLETE has been perfect for me because it’s business/casual. I’ve tried a few brands that cater to an athletic fit, but you guys are definitely my go-to, not only because I know I’ll look good , but it’s so important to be comfortable and feel great”
One thing Brandon was also keen to highlight was how he’d been able to put his business degree to good use during his time at university.
The Aspiras Foundation, a non-profit organization, was co-founded by Brandon in 2016 alongside his friend Federico Tavares when they were students. What started as a plan to send used soccer clothes and equipment to low-income communities in the Dominican Republic, has massively grown over recent years. In their first year, thanks to the generous donations of several local soccer clubs and private sponsors, they were able to quadruple their original goal and earned over 800 donations which were later distributed by a team of 20 volunteers to eight different sports clubs around the island.
As the Aspiras Foundation has developed, the overwhelming personal desire to give back and the opportunity to bring joy and positivity to those suffering hardships has really fueled the pair's motivations. At the moment, material donations are incredibly precious and valuable, and they are committed to making a much more significant and long-lasting impact:
One thing Brandon was also keen to highlight was how he’d been able to put his business degree to good use during his time at university.
The Aspiras Foundation, a non-profit organization, was co-founded by Brandon in 2016 alongside his friend Federico Tavares when they were students. What started as a plan to send used soccer clothes and equipment to low-income communities in the Dominican Republic, has massively grown over recent years. In their first year, thanks to the generous donations of several local soccer clubs and private sponsors, they were able to quadruple their original goal and earned over 800 donations which were later distributed by a team of 20 volunteers to eight different sports clubs around the island.
As the Aspiras Foundation has developed, the overwhelming personal desire to give back and the opportunity to bring joy and positivity to those suffering hardships has really fueled the pair's motivations. At the moment, material donations are incredibly precious and valuable, and they are committed to making a much more significant and long-lasting impact:
Brandon is yet another example of what it means to be a TAILORED ATHLETE, thanks for sharing your story and we cannot wait to see what the future holds.