So here are the players — on camera, unedited below, in their own words. Every quote on this page is a transcript, not marketing copy.
In their own words
The best moments from all eight testimonials in one cut. Every full, unedited video is below it — watch any player start to finish.
Claim one — the network
Easy to say. Here is what it looks like when a placement collapses on the day of the flight — and the network holds anyway.
“The day I was traveling, the rug got pulled. But due to my tremendous trust in Rafael and his great connections, he was able to get me an opportunity that same day. When I landed in Portugal, the opportunity was already planned and set.”
“He has extensive knowledge of soccer, and many, many connections throughout Europe — which really helps somebody like me who wants to continue their career throughout Europe.”
Claim two — the knowledge
Film study is the part American development almost never includes. It is the part the players keep bringing up on their own.
“I’m honestly amazed at how much I learned in such a short amount of time. This experience was exactly what I needed to get a better understanding of the demands of a professional soccer player.”
“Rafael provided the players and I with many key concepts to remember, as well as giving us professional film to analyze, which helped us improve our soccer IQ on and off the field.”
Claim three — the person
Not a roster. Not a pipeline. A person whose agent answers — across an ocean, across time zones.
“He gets to know his players as individuals as well as athletes. He’s really invested in our stories and who we are as people… He’s more available than anybody, even in my family. No matter what time of day it is, if I need him, he will be there.”
“He’s been extremely encouraging whenever I have bad days, and he’s constantly working hard to help me achieve my goals as a professional athlete.”
Claim four — the fit
Any agent can find a contract. The work is finding the right one.
“One thing that drew me in right away was how Rafael desires to find the best fit for each and every player, rather than simply just finding any playing opportunity.”
“He gets to know each and every one of his players, and then he can find a team and a setting in a country that really fits them and makes them stand out and really suits all of their needs.” — Heather Seybert, in the same testimonial above
Where these come from
Most of these testimonials were recorded by players of RAC Elite Soccer Services — the founder’s agency, whose six years of placements built the European network this academy now stands on. JJ Aalbue recorded hers as an O.R.T.A. Academy trainee preparing for professional trials in Spain. Nothing here was scripted by us, and the full videos are published uncut.
More placements from those years are documented on the agency’s Instagram archive.
And the Academy’s first Youth Trainee — Virginia to the UEFA Champions League — has a page of her own.
Where it starts
The Pro-Soccer Combine is where the evaluation, the film and the development begin — it is the front door to everything the players above describe. Taryn Jakubowski attended it, then signed her first professional contract with KuPS in Finland.
“I attended the Pro Soccer Combine, where I truly believe that I was developed as a player — not only with my technical ability, but also my tactical ability and also my overall fitness.”
Register for the Pro-Soccer Combine
Winter Combine: December 15–18, 2026 · O.R.T.A. Performance Center, Springfield, Virginia · ages 14–23.
The evaluation measures her against European benchmarks and tells you the truth — the same way these players got it.
Apply for EvaluationNot ready yet? Watch the free Masterclass first.