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Former Notre Dame Bulldog thriving as professional athlete
The MLS season has been one of struggle and turmoil for St. Louis City.
However, their MLS NEXT Pro affiliate, St. Louis CITY2 (11-3-2), stands on top of the Western Conference table after defeating LAFC2 4-3 at CITYPARK on Saturday, July 6, in St. Louis.
It was an extra special match for former Notre Dame Bulldog Nolan McGuire, who was named team captain.
McGuire, 18, is in his second year with CITY2 and as a professional soccer player, which as he stated in his interview with River Radio’s Rusty Hendricks on the “SEMO Scramble”, has always been a dream for him.
“That definitely has a good ring to that,” McGuire said. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that.”
A typical day for McGuire has him waking up early in the morning, eating breakfast provided by the team, and going through workouts, strategy meetings, and practices, and that’s all before lunch. The occupation in between the matches is training and improving, like a craftsman building the product but in this case, they’re one in the same.
As a defenseman, McGuire’s contributions don’t show up on the stat sheet. However, he’s been there for the team’s success both last year and this year, all while being among their youngest players.
“It’s honestly been one of the best experiences for me as a player that really any kid can ask for,” McGuire said. “This has helped me grow not only as a player but also as a person. I think I improved a ton these past two seasons and I can only hope to continue and improve my last couple weeks with City.”
These past four years have seemingly been a whirlwind for McGuire. His freshman year saw him on a Notre Dame team full of seniors, led by record-setting sophomore Will Dodson, as the Bulldogs were competing for a place in the state championship game in 2021.
“My time at Notre Dame was definitely a great experience for me,” McGuire said. “It was my first memory of playing in front of huge crowds so I had to get used to the high pressure of the crowds and also the high pressure of the game.
“I also had to get used to playing against the older guys,” he added. “I was a small freshman, haven’t fully developed yet. It was kind of eye-opening for me.”
As small as he was at the time, it turned out that he was the Bulldog with the most potential.
As a sophomore, McGuire was selected as a member of the St. Louis City SC's inaugural youth academy class when he was named to the club's 17U team. He split between taking classes at Notre Dame and playing in St. Louis, which had its challenges.
“It was definitely a lot going from all the high school homework I had and then I’d be gone for weeks at a time,” McGuire said. “It was definitely difficult but I got through it and it was a great experience for me.”
Even though the MLS NEXT Pro season continues until October 6, McGuire will be moving on to the college ranks. He will be playing for DePaul, a Big East institution in Chicago, and will join the team in the 2024-25 school year.
At the advisement of coaches, the mission for McGuire at DePaul is simple; develop in Division I competition and be prepared to be drafted into the MLS, whether it’s for St. Louis City or elsewhere.
“My goal is to go to DePaul and develop as much as I can as a player,” McGuire said, “hopefully stay in contact with the guys from City and just keep that line open.”