At 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, 19-year-old John Pulksamp looks every bit the part of a Major League Soccer goalkeeper. The U.S. youth international has all of the physical tools to thrive at the sport's highest level, and after two seasons of competing in the USL Championship and training with Sporting's first team, the California native has built the foundations for what could be a long and fruitful professional career.
What fewer people may know, however, is that Pulskamp took a unique path getting to Kansas City in the first place. His journey to the heartland became a focal point of his discussion with host Kyle Pinnell in the newest episode of Soccer from the Zou, a podcast.
Pulskamp is one of four goalkeepers on Sporting's preseason roster in Arizona, joining longtime starter Tim Melia, newcomer Kendall McIntosh and Academy standout Gavin Krenecki. He spent most of 2020 backing up Melia after shining for Sporting KC II in the USL Championship.
The 19-year-old will almost certainly enjoy more playing time this season, either with the first team in MLS or with Sporting KC II under head coach Paulo Nagamura. His talents between the posts were on full display during the 2019 USL Championship campaign and are likely to surface over the course of 2021, as well.
