//Follow Jason on Twitter
//The American Soccer Show
//Jason at US Soccer Players
Founder and lead writer for Match Fit USA, Jason is a true soccer junkie and aspires to turning his modest blog into a career covering the sport. While focused on the state of the soccer in the United States, he as an interest in the game around the world. A DC-area resident, he supports DC United and Aston Villa (kinda), and has an affinity for several other clubs in leagues around the globe. He also writes a blog on American soccer for FourFourTwo.com, does freelance work whenever possible and has appeared on a plethora of podcasts. He can be reached at matchfitusa@gmail.com.
Jason Kuenle
//Formula XI
The “other” Jason of Match Fit USA, Jason Kuenle has had a love of soccer since he started playing it at age 5. The USMNT was the first team he ever followed and the side he continues to support most strongly. Growing up in Ohio, the Crew were the first club team that he ever felt a strong connection to. Having recently established residency in Minneapolis, the Crew are still his MLS team of choice, but he is looking forward to becoming an ardent NSC Minnesota supporter. He can be reached at secondhalfsub@gmail.com.
Keith Hickey
//Match Fit Reserve
//Follow Keith on Twitter
Born in the wastelands of central PA, but raised in the far more sophisticated and soccer-friendly environs of Philadelphia, Keith is the "Ringo" of Match Fit USA. Raised on a steady diet of Arsenal football club and the worship of Brian McBride, he is now also a not particularly sane member of the Sons of Ben and a Philadelphia Union season ticket holder. He enjoys late-night talks, long walks on the beach, and the music of The Strokes. And soccer, if that wasn't already evident. He can be reached via email at usarsnl@gmail.com.
Chris Ballard
//Follow Chris on Twitter
The most recent addition to the Match Fit USA team, Chris is a transplanted Brit living in Connecticut. Having grown up in a quiet seaside town in the south-west of England that you’ve probably never heard of, his support for his local team persists even now, like a Torquay United-shaped case of Athlete’s Foot. He hopes to be able to educate people on both sides of the Atlantic that soccer in the United States has a bright future. Chris can be reached at chrisjerez@gmail.com.
John Carlton
//Follow John on Twitter
John's love of soccer began when he was working in Mexico during the 1998 World Cup. The entire country shut down during Mexico's matches and everyone gathered around the television to watch the games. Since then, John has been an active freelance soccer writer, first to make his mark writing about the inaugural season of the Houston Dynamo, chronicling every game for Match Night. In 2006, John joined the staff of the heralded FC Dallas online magazine, 3rd Degree. After writing many columns for 3rd Degree, John began writing for Match Fit USA in 2010. He is now a writer emeritus for 3rd Degree and a contributor to several online outlets on subjects ranging from politics to archaeology to economics. John holds two degrees in anthropology and loves his home state of Mississippi. He lives in Dallas, Texas, and enjoys playing golf, reading, and mountain biking.
Dan Barkley
Dan is currently a graduate student studying math at Michigan State University. He has played just about every team sport on some level in his life, including college baseball, but is a relatively recent soccer fan. During study abroad he became a big supporter of AS Roma, and has been a soccer junkie ever since. He also is a die-hard USMNT fan and a supporter of DC United.
Daniel Popko
Dan Popko has had the soccer bug since unleashing rugby-style tackles and getting nutmegged as
a four-year-old keeper in the early ‘90’s. Now in his senior year at Boston College – alma mater of Charlie Davies, giving at least a partial explanation to his borderline unhealthy man crush – Dan, who fancies himself Brazilian, often going solely by his last name, is relegated to doing his worst Tim Howard impression in pub leagues. A self-professed Anglophile raised on Fawlty Towers and Monty Python movies, he enjoys the football stylings of Queens Park Rangers and his hometown Long Island Roughriders in addition, of course, to the US Men’s National Team. He’s yet to commit to a team above the fourth-level of the US pyramid, but a NYC-based MLS team could change all that. He can be reached at dpopko33xgmail.com.
Vlad Bouchouev
Vlad is a student at Carnegie Mellon University where he writes about the men's soccer team for the university's student publication, The Tartan. Born in Russia and raised in Kansas, Vlad made the move out to New Jersey (yeah, that's three places that could not have been anymore different) shortly before his high school days. Despite playing and watching soccer since he was a little kid, it wasn't until he moved to the east coast that he felt a strong connection to a soccer club -- the NY/NJ Metrostars/Red Bulls. Vlad is currently expanding his online journalism skills by writing for several online soccer sites including his own blog, Soccer Spieler. Aside from the Red Bulls, you'll find him cheering for the USMNT, Russia, Chelsea FC, and individual players like Andrei Arshavin and Leo Messi. Yell at him at sirboochxgmail.com.
Brian Mechanick
With a mean step-over and back heel learned on the streets of the nation's finest city Philadelphia, Brian is a student at the University of Michigan. His rooting interests lie with three squads donned in Navy, as he is diehard Tottenham Hotspur fan, Philadelphia Union supporter, and American Outlaw member. Soccer has taken over his life, causing him to play FIFA, watch FSC, and search out transfer rumors with the avidity of a true addict. Beyond soccer, Brian enjoys his city's other sports, backpack hip-hop, and competitive Whiffle Ball. He can be reached at bmechanickxgmail.com.
