In this episode of Chat By The Pitch, we sit down with Victor Jaramillo, founder of SportXplore Travel, whose journey from soccer-loving kid in Mexico City to Texas entrepreneur is nothing short of inspiring. After a layoff pushed him out of the corporate world, Victor turned his lifelong passion for sports and community into a mission: to simplify, humanize, and save families money on youth soccer travel. We talk pay-to-play pitfalls, hotel nightmares, and how Victor is changing the game—literally.

Key Talking Points:

Victor’s early connection to soccer through the 1986 World Cup

The realities of growing up in Mexico’s soccer system

Why being laid off pushed him toward entrepreneurship

The origins and evolution of SportXplore Travel

Disrupting the current youth sports travel model

Pay-to-play challenges from a parent’s perspective

How SportXplore Travel builds partnerships with clubs and hotels

Creating savings and scholarship opportunities for clubs

Transparency, fairness, and why it matters in youth sports travel

Victor’s mission to be more than just a travel service

Tune in to learn:

What happens behind the scenes with those expensive hotel blocks

How one man’s layoff turned into a new way to support youth soccer

The hidden cost of disorganization in team travel

Why building trust—not just bookings—is at the heart of Victor’s business

How SportXplore Travel is returning value to families and clubs

Quotes from Victor:

"Sometimes you take the leap not because you're brave—but because you have no other option."

"I was scared to be an entrepreneur. I never thought I’d actually do it."

"The hotel industry opens up when they hear one word: prepaid."

"This isn’t just about rooms—it’s about respect for parents’ time and money."

"We give money back to the clubs because youth sports should lift families up, not drain them."

"My inspiration was Tom’s Shoes. Do good, and good comes back."

"The system’s broken when parents pay more and get less."

"We’re not charging agency fees—our business is built on transparency."

"A team manager’s job is already hard enough. We're here to be their right hand, not their replacement."

"I believe youth travel should be efficient, fair, and built on trust."

📲 Connect with SportXplore Travel

📷 Instagram: @sportsxplore_travel

📘 Facebook: sportsxplore_travel

📧 Email: v.jaramillo@sportsxtravel.com

🌐 Website: sportsxtravel.com

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#ChatByThePitch #SportXploreTravel #YouthSoccer #TeamTravel #SoccerParents #ClubSoccerLife #TravelSmartPlayHard #PayToPlayFix #SoccerBusiness #SupportTheParents

In Part 2 of our conversation with Gavin Mole and Tony Cavalle from Dallas Surf, we dig into the strategy behind their mission to build a nationally respected soccer club. From their investment in academy coaches to setting clear college pathways for players, this episode is a blueprint on how to grow a club with purpose.

Learn how Dallas Surf is using Surf Select, affordable access to training, professional-level video analysis, and structured progression to support both players and coaches in meaningful ways.

Key Talking Points:

• Why they pay academy coaches like select coaches

• The Surf Select pathway: local to international opportunities

• Building internal culture through coach development

• Free and affordable training opportunities across DFW

• Use of Huddle, Athlete One, and film to boost college recruiting

• Upcoming showcase events and recruiting strategy

• Facility improvements and equitable resource distribution

• The challenge of managing growth while staying player-focused

• Supporting coaches and players with retention in mind

• What it means to truly aim for national relevance

🎧 Tune in to learn:

• How Surf is using national structure to help kids go pro and college

• Why film, communication, and ID camps matter more than ever

• What makes their academy program different—and better

• The hard truths about player motivation and development

Quotes from Tony Cavalle:

“If we’re not trying to be the best club in the country, then it just wasn’t worth it.”

“We raised academy coach pay to match select so we could attract top coaching talent.”

“We use Athlete One, we use Huddle, we use whatever helps these kids get seen.”

“We’re taking big swings—and soon people will see Surf differently.”

“We want all facilities to be well-lit, flat, and playable—no matter what side of town.”

Quotes from Gavin Mole:

“Our academy is the most important part of the club.”

“You have to make them fall in love with the game first—and the ball second.”

“Retention here is strong because we support both coaches and players.”

“If I was a player, having this video to watch would’ve been amazing.”

“Surf Select isn’t just for kids—it's a pathway for coaches to grow, too.”

📲 Connect with Dallas Surf

🌐 Website: www.dallassurf.com

📧 Emails & phone numbers for staff available online

Follow Chat By The Pitch

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🎧 Subscribe & Leave a Review: Please subscribe to Chat By The Pitch on your favorite podcast platform and leave us a review! Your support helps us grow and bring more in-depth conversations with players, coaches, and leaders in youth soccer.

#DallasSurf #YouthSoccer #SoccerPathways #ChatByThePitch #CollegeSoccer #SurfSelect #SoccerPodcast #ECNL #SoccerDevelopment #DFWSoccer

In this episode of Chat By The Pitch, we connect with Tony Cavalle and Gavin Mole of Dallas Surf — a club that’s rapidly redefining youth soccer in DFW. Tony shares the origin story of Dallas Surf, while Gavin breaks down how the club is building its player DNA from the ground up. We talk structure, coaching education, technology, and the long-term vision that includes a unified coaching style and a full developmental pathway. Whether you're a parent, coach, or club leader — this is a blueprint worth hearing.

📌 Key Talking Points

• ​ Why Dallas Surf invests in academy coaching like select
• ​ How the club DNA works from U5 through U19
• ​ Surf Select: internal national pathway for standout players
• ​ The coaching structure, curriculum, and continuous feedback loops
• ​ Athlete One, Huddle, ID camps — the college prep pipeline
• ​ Tech, transparency, and tools for player & coach development
• ​ Equal investment in East and West DFW training locations
• ​ The Surf mindset: better people = better coaches = better players
• ​ Internal promotion and coach retention across the club
• ​ Big swings coming — and why they won’t stop until they’re the best

🎯 Tune In to Learn

• ​ Why Dallas Surf pays academy coaches like select coaches
• ​ How the Surf system helps players go from U7 to international showcases
• ​ What parents should be asking clubs at tryouts — and what red flags to avoid
• ​ How Dallas Surf is using tech to simplify, streamline, and scale
• ​ What it really takes to build a sustainable, scalable soccer culture

💬 Quotes from Tony & Gavin

“The academy is the most important part of the club.” – Gavin

“You can’t have 90 teams doing 90 different things — that’s not a club.” – Tony

“A bad coach at U7 does more damage than no coach at all.” – Gavin

“We believe in Kaizen — continuous improvement — for everyone here.” – Gavin

“We don’t want parents to stay for a coach. We want them to stay for the club.” – Tony

“We’ve got kids traveling internationally with Surf Select. That’s not a dream anymore.” – Tony

“You should be able to watch a team and say, ‘That’s a Dallas Surf team.’” – Tony

“The structure is simple on purpose — it creates freedom through consistency.” – Gavin

“Better coaches equal better players. That’s the investment.” – Gavin

“We’re not building to be local. We’re building to be national — and beyond.” – Tony

📲 Connect with Dallas Surf

📷 Instagram: @dallassurfsoccer

📘 Facebook: Facebook.com/dallassurf

📧 Email: tcavalle@dallassurf.com / gmole@dallassurf.com

🌐 Website: dallassurf.com

Follow Chat By The Pitch:

🐦 X: @ChatByThePitch

📷 Instagram: @ChatByThePitch

📘 Facebook: Chat By The Pitch

🎧 Subscribe & Review on your favorite podcast app!

#DallasSurf #YouthSoccer #SoccerDevelopment #PlayerPathway #TexasSoccer #SurfNation #CoachingCulture #SoccerParenting #PlayerFirst #ChatByThePitch