Keaton: I personally think [the transition] would’ve been tough if it wasn’t for the Premier League this summer. Even with the training, I noticed a jump in the level of playing, there was definitely a learning curve. I’ve taken to the workouts and nutritional side of my career and it’s a lot easier to take care of my body for games and practices without having to worry about assignments and classes.
There are some guys on my old college team that I keep in touch with, but just as their lives keep moving forward, so does mine, so I’m certainly not keeping up perfectly with them all.
Riley: The biggest difference is the amount of free time in your schedule. Once you’re playing overseas your only obligations are to practice and work out, at most that’s 5-6 hours on the busiest of days. For most athletes, a busy schedule is something we have gotten acccustomed to for almost our entire lives. Learning how to be disciplined and productive with that free time is something I’m still trying to figure out how to deal with.
I don’t stay in touch with my university teammates and coaches. They are having a great season and I hope they continue on the path they are on but I mainly keep in touch with family and friends.