Learn about Jacob Bartlett

Coming in to camp this season, Jacob Bartlett experienced something new and familiar at the same time. It was not his first time going to spring training with Sporting Kansas City, but it was the first trip as a professional. He made trips as an Academy invitee previously but now he is a roster player.

“It’s a different feeling coming into camp this time,” Bartlett explained. “Before, I was an Academy kid, kind of being on the outside in previous years. The guys have always been great with me, I felt like part of the team in previous years. They would take me out to dinners, they were great on and off the field.”

“But this Camp, coming in for pre-season, going to testing early and to a press conference before heading out to Miami. It’s kind of really settled in, especially seeing my locker, this is for real, it’s my job now.”

Sporting KC signed three Homegrown Players this season. Defender Ian James and goalkeeper Jack Kortkamp were both signed at just sixteen years old. Comparatively, Bartlett is the old man of that youthful trio at nineteen, still a young guy compared to the rest of the team.

Bartlett is the 22^nd Homegrown player to be signed by Sporting KC and is now going through all those same (first time) experiences as his predecessors did. Each Homegrown must find his own way, make his own path but at the same time they are not doing it alone.

In Jacob’s case, he has family, coaches, teammates, the other recently signed Homegrowns and some not-so-recently-signed to help facilitate that path.

When it came time to do that first press conference, Bartlett had at least a little help from guys that had been there in front of the lights and put on the spot. “I’ve never done one of those before, I for sure had the Jitters but Jake (Davis) and a couple guys are like, you have nothing to worry about and he kind of calmed me down.”

Of course he had to share the experience: “I called my parents; it was cool to finally do one of those,” as Bartlett checked off another first.

He’s young but he’s not new

Bartlett may have just signed his first contract. He may have to go through a lot of firsts this season and will likely have some rookie duties added in as well but he is not new to the organization. That Homegrown connection is there for Bartlett and the others. It’s a connection they have, that a player coming from outside of the organization does not.  The club has been working to prepare Bartlett and all the other potential Homegrown players their entire time here.

“I think it starts with the staff for sure,” Bartlett stated. “They set the foundation. They set a standard from the first time you enter the club to the last day when you leave.  From the Center of Excellence where I started at U-12, I saw an initial standard that the coaches want to hold each and every player to. I valued that very much in the sense that you come in and even though you’re young, they treat you like a professional. That’s the standard you have to keep no matter how long you’re there and I was lucky enough to be in the academy for seven or eight years.”

Academy players that have earned a chance and shown they can elevate their play get opportunities to move up on amateur Academy contracts to the MLS Next Pro team.  “I’m grateful to play with the second team as well and practice the first team, but I think they instilled values into each and every kid.” Bartlett continued. “Values that they can use on the field as well as off the field and other careers that they pursue.”

Family

Children rarely just achieve on their own. They do the work, they develop the skills, they use their talents, and there is almost always a family behind that achievement. A support system of one or many that drives them to practice, makes sure they are fed and have uniforms that are relatively clean.

Bartlett is no different and he is grateful, quick to give thanks to his family. Parents and siblings all played a part. His dad helped convince him to go tryout for the Center of Excellence. His older brothers and sister helped keep him focused and encouraged.

His brothers have been through the process of club and college. Oldest brother Alec played in the USL after college. Lucas, the middle brother was drafted out of college by FC Dallas and played for cross-state rival St. Louis City before moving to DC United last season.

Jacob readily thanks his parents and siblings. “If I was in a rough moment or a rough patch, they’ve been through it all. So, leaning on them (siblings) in those moments, my parents as well. Just Having their experiences and being able for them to share them with me and kind of get me through the tough obstacles at times. Incredibly valuable.”

His parents took him to watch Sporting KC play games when he was little. He saw finals and Cup runs go to penalties. He saw family friend and idol Matt Besler play in Children’s Mercy Park.

“To be, hopefully soon to step on that field as a player for the first time will be a dream come true,” Bartlett acknowledges.

“Just the environment, the fans, the atmosphere, it’s something you dream of playing in. Those are the games you want to be in as a kid. You look up to those games. Why wouldn’t I want to be there.  Everyone’s screaming your name, they’re waiting for you to take the last kick. To be able to hopefully be in that position in these coming years, it would be an absolute dream come true.”

If he gets a chance to face his brother, it will be even more special, but the elder Bartlett might need to be wary of younger brother. “For everything he’s done for me, to finally step on the field and hopefully kick him a few times. That would be amazing,” Bartlett laughed.

Coaching

When Sporting KC announced the latest Homegrown, the accompanying photos showed a smiling Bartlett and a number of them included SKC Academy Director Declan Jogi. He was there for the signing, next to him on the field and more.

It was obvious that Jogi meant a lot to Bartlett. Coach Jogi was an Academy coach for SKC when Bartlett was getting started in the club. He was not his first coach in the club and it was not long before Jogi started having a positive influence.

“That man, he is one of the best people I’ve ever met in my life,” Bartlett stated. “He is a mentor, someone that I looked up to then and I still look up to today. Everything about him is amazing. He’s kind, he’s compassionate, he cares for the players, he cares for us on and off the field. He cares for the families, he’s truly an incredible man and I wouldn’t be where I am without him.”

“I was kind of a late bloomer you could say. There were games where I wouldn’t play or trips I wouldn’t go on and I doubted myself,” Bartlett acknowledged. “For sure I obviously leaned on my family and friends but Declan was also there. Keeping me on my end goal. Right now isn’t the problem. It’s look in the future. Keep your head down, keep working. It helped me incredibly. I can’t thank him for not letting me give up on my goal and my dream.”

Representing The Badge

Bartlett is not just a Homegrown because he went through the Academy. He is Kansas City through and through. “Being able to represent the badge, it means the world to me, this club has given me everything,” Bartlett exclaimed. “It still doesn’t feel real to be able to represent my hometown, my family, my friends and everyone who works within the club. I owe them everything. I want to come in every day and work as hard as possible because that, that’s the least I can do for everyone.”

Notre Dame

Bartlett went off to college for a year and played 16 matches as a freshman for the Fighting Irish. He had one goal: a game winner.

Notre Dame coach Chad Riley easily praised Bartlett, “It is certainly a bittersweet time for us. We are happy for Jacob that he is taking the next step in chasing his dream, while at the same time we will miss having him with us.  He is everything you hope for as a coach, talented, hardworking, committed, humble, and truly a great teammate.  We will certainly miss having him with us, but we are excited to follow his career at Sporting.”

“Those guys are amazing, and I can’t thank the staff there enough. Coach Grazak, coach Rowan, and Coach Riley were incredibly good to me. And that experience was amazing. I think it helped me grow as a player and as a person, especially. Being placed into a new environment away from home, I’ve never done that before,” Bartlett explained

It was a great growing experience for Bartlett to have that shared experience with his siblings before coming back to Sporting KC. It doesn’t hurt that he also shared some footsteps with former SKC Captain Matt Besler at Notre Dame.

Coach Jogi encouraged Bartlett to get that experience. “All he knew was our environment since he was 10 years old. What you gain when you go and do that, what his game is, he was able to be away from the environment he knew but also in another good environment and learn from that. It helps him continue to mature as an individual and as a player. I think he’s better off and he’s come back in a really good way because of that experience.”

Where will he play?

In preseason, Bartlett played a lot. Most of the rookies, trialists and others that needed experience played a lot as well. Bartlett was primarily at the six, the defensive midfielder role that he and the coaches think is his best role. He can also slot in at center back or outside back. Often in the matches that were streamed Bartlett dropped back in between the center backs and acted as a deep playmaker and extra defender.

He will probably see some time at multiple spots and a lot of SKC staff are very high on him so if he is not getting minutes with the first team, watch for him getting starts at Sporting KC II.

Declan Jogi and Jacob Bartlett | Credit: Sporting KC

Declan Jogi’s observations

When talking to Coach Jogi, it clearly comes through just how high he regards Bartlett. Other than his family, Jogi may have seen Bartlett and what he went through more than anyone else.

“I’ve had the fortune of knowing Jacob for a long time, since he was ten or eleven. He was a Blue Valley kid that came through COE (Center of Excellence). He came to tryouts and made the COE team and I got to know him starting then. He gradually made his way through the Academy with a lot of ups and downs because he was a late developer. That of course created a struggle for him.”

Jogi sees those early struggles have helped make Bartlett a better player and more mature person. “Jacob is a competitor, and he wants to get on the field and wants to contribute but is also a team player. He managed those struggles really well with the right support. I think that is a big part of who he is today. Now he’s matured and got to a place where he’s getting these opportunities but he’s earned them because he made good choices along the way with the right support behind him.”

What kind of player will he be?

It is always difficult to know how good a player he will be but listening to Jogi describe him is a good start.

“He’s the kind of player that is always wanting to learn, whether that’s on the field or off the field,” Jogi said. “He’s a student, a very disciplined student, a very hard worker. You put those things together and what you’ve got is a player that has not only developed a very high IQ for the game, but a player that has very good technique. Particularly in his ability to manipulate the ball and his passing range and dynamic.”

“He’s prepared and is in a good position to take the step that he’s taking so I have very high expectations for Jacob in this club,” Jogi continued. “I’m not just talking short term. I’m talking about Jacob in the long game.”

“If you if you look at him and say, is he a special player? What is a special player? That’s a different conversation,” Jogi explained. “But does he have the tools and the quality to be an MLS player and help this club be successful? I believe that. I believe that I’ve seen that over time and we nurtured that over time. But a lot of that’s also got to do with his maturity level.”

“There’s ups and downs in the game of football. There’s performance ups and downs and he’s going to go through that but he’s prepared for that.”

“He’s in a good position to be a pro in the pro environment. A player that will get to a second contact,” he added.

Jogi is in this to develop players and knows it is not a quick solution to building players and people. “Players in MLS in general, at any club at the pro level, are going to go through those ups and downs. Even senior players don’t play every minute. They don’t play every game.”

“In the long game, the longer game.  What will happen? What I’m saying is we have a player that I think is going to be a career Pro. He’s going to be a very good pro in this club.” He does have that Besler and Notre Dame connection.

It was harder to get Jogi to not speak highly of Bartlett than it was to get him started and it took him being shuffled off a field in Florida to slow him down. Before he departed, he left these words:

“I would like you to watch him and keep your story going. Because I think watching, what I hope you will see is all those superlatives that we say.”

In the Academy training center there is a hallway the players walk through. There are photos of the Homegrowns that came through the Academy. At the end, the last thing on the wall is a phrase.

It says:

“Be Fierce Competitors But Better Men.”

“I think Jacob is an example of that,” Jogi concluded.

Jacob Bartlett | Credit: Thad Bell – KC Soccer Journal