Player Profile: Tyler Stopford
From having nearly no career at all to wearing the captain's arm band for Inter Gainesville KF.
From the academy to co-captain of Inter Gainesville KF, center back Tyler Stopford has had an interesting journey in football.
The West Virginia native’s mother was an equestrian rider who participated in the Olympic Games for South Africa. His family then moved to Reddick, Fla., because of the growing opportunity of horse shows and business in the state.
Stopford, 23, started playing competitive soccer back in 2013 when he was 14 years old. Coach Darnell Bernier saw him playing rec and invited him out to play for his team.
Playing competitively almost didn’t happen for Stopford as just one year earlier, he was diagnosed with osteomyelitis.
“When I was younger, 13 years old… I was diagnosed with Osteomyelitis and I was in the hospital for two months,” he said. “It was a pretty bad disease. Coming back, that was the age where kids were starting to hit puberty, I was really far behind.”
Stopford remembers being very slow and severely weak. He didn't know if making that next step into competitive soccer was the right move for him. This is what he recalls about battling the infection:
Then, his mentor stepped in.
“Coach Darnell took me under his wing,” he said. “He believed in me, he worked with me personally and individually to try and build me up. He was one of the guys who believed in me when not a lot of other people would have taken that time to try and build me up and give me the opportunities that he’s given me.”
After building up strength and developing into a solid player, Stopford graduated high school and moved to Charlotte, SC, to play for Division 2 school Belmont Abbey.
“I chose Belmont Abbey because the coach was very welcoming and adament on having me there,” he said. “He basically made me feel really welcome and Charlotte is a nice city. At that time, Charlotte FC was coming up and Charlotte independence so I thought that was a good area for me to start my adult career. Looking to make plays and try to move up in that area.”
Stopford did well in Carolina. In his sophomore season, the center back won the Coastal Carolinas tournament. He played for the Crusades for four years.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, Stopford was granted an extra year of eligibility. After much thought, he decided it was best to leave college soccer and come back home.
“One of the opportunities I was looking at was taking my fifth year to go play at a different school and try to go to a Division 1.” he said. “But during my spring semester of my senior year I decided to come back and play for Coach Darnell again for the UPSL season.”
He made this decision because Coach Darnell started to develop connections with clubs in the MLS Next Pro.
“We were granted opportunities to play teams like Houston Dynamo, Crown Legacy,” he said. “We were getting professional games so I thought to myself… instead of playing in college another year I was getting the opportunities to play in front professional teams, professional scouts. I thought it was a better opportunity to be seen first hand instead of second hand. I thought it was a better opportunity for them to gauge my ability.”
Nothing came from these opportunities, but Stopford did have a chance to on trials in South America and Europe. Unfortunately, due to hamstring and ankle injuries, he was unable to showcase his abilities.
Now, Stopford is competing in the Southeast Division of the USL 2 with Inter Gainesville. He is using this opportunity to not only compete and put his name out there, but to also encourage kids to play the beautiful game.
“I think primarily my individual goal is using this platform that we have been so blessed to get to try and level up and move into areas to play professional soccer and start to kind of get my foot in the door to get those opportunities,” he said. “Also, another one is to show that Gainesville does have soccer players and that there is opportunity here for other people to come play and learn to get the same opportunities that this area doesn’t typically give soccer players. To put Gainesville on the map and Inter Gainesville and represent our team well. Our beliefs and our systems.”
When the center back is not on the field competing, he is coaching the younger generations.
“At Inter Gainesville, I am coaching the 2014-16 age group,” he said. “I’d always do side jobs doing camps here and there. Realizing that there is an opportunity to make a living and help kids the same way coach Darnell has helped me. I’m trying to teach the things that I’ve learned, teaching them life experiences to elevate themselves and not only as players but as people.”
Coach Darnell has had a major impact in the 23-year-old’s life. They share a special bond that Stopford will treasure for the rest of his life.
“Me and Coach Darnell have a really, really special relationship,” he said. “Not only is he my coach, he is my boss, but more than that he is my friend. If there is ever something that I’m going through or a period in life where I’m not sure, he is one of the first guys I try to talk to and get life advice from. I really treasure his opinion.”
This season, the club has struggled in its first year in the USL 2.
Currently, Inter lies in fourth place of the Southeast Conference. The club had a solid start, but injuries early on hit Inter’s momentum.
Still, fans have attended the home matches to support the club. Stopford’s goal of showing people that there are opportunities to play soccer in the college town is progressing.
“There is opportunity for Gainesville kids to be able to move into those next levels,” he said. “Just because you come here, it doesn’t label you are trapped in a small town environment.”
There are so many talented pro level players just sitting below the surface like this. With the huge expansion of USL League One next season and MLS Next Pro continuing to branch out, there will be a lot more professional opportunities as soon as next year.
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