Brody Ballenger walked through the Dutch FC doors in February 2024 having never played select soccer a day in his life. No club resume. No highlight reel. Just a player with raw ability, a willingness to work, and a lot to prove.

It was during his sophomore year at high school, playing JV soccer, when Brody and his family first connected with Dutch FC founder Wilco Ravestijn. He had only ever played rec and high school ball. Club soccer was a brand new world.

When Brody first joined, it was clear he had tools to work with — good speed and athleticism — but technically he was behind. Agility with the ball, confidence in tight spaces, decision-making under pressure — those things needed to be built from the ground up. Throwing him straight onto the top team would have done more harm than good. So he was placed on our 08 PSV squad — Dutch FC's developmental team — exactly where The Squad System says he should be.

The goal at that level wasn't just to develop his technical ability. It was to build confidence first. Because without confidence on the ball, nothing else can follow. PSV gave Brody the environment to find his footing, express himself, make mistakes, and grow — without the pressure of a higher-stakes environment stalling that process before it could begin.

It worked. His progress was hard to ignore. By the following season, he was dual-rostered — getting his first opportunities to play with the 08 Ajax squad while continuing to build. And by spring, the transition was complete. Brody Ballenger was a full-time Ajax player.

His family saw the transformation up close:

"Brody's confidence and skill grew quickly, helping him realize that playing soccer in college could become a real possibility. We are incredibly thankful to Dutch FC and Coach Wilco for the opportunities they gave Brody and for playing such an important role in his journey."

Once that belief was there, Brody went to work. He built a highlight video and player profile, emailed coaches attending showcase tournaments, and competed in front of college programs at the Adidas Oklahoma Showcase in Tulsa and the Sport Source Showcase in Dallas. The preparation was his. The opportunity was earned.

That's when Coach Dylan Perdue of Central Baptist College took notice.

"We had the opportunity to watch Brody at the Adidas Oklahoma Showcase in Tulsa and again at the Sport Source Showcase in Dallas," said Coach Perdue. "We feel that his speed and athleticism could correlate to our program's style of play almost immediately."

But Brody didn't wait to be recruited — he pursued it. After the first showcase, he followed up with Coach Perdue directly and invited him to the second tournament. After that, Coach Perdue invited Brody to an ID Camp in Arkansas, where he competed against current players, other recruits, and incoming commits. He showed out. An offer followed shortly after, and Brody accepted.

"He had the opportunity to come out to our ID Camp to compete with current players, other recruits, and committed players joining us in Fall '26. Brody showed out well enough for us to send him an offer shortly after the camp and he accepted not long after. We are very excited to have Brody joining our program and feel that it's a good fit for both parties. GO MUSTANGS!" — Coach Dylan Perdue, Central Baptist College

This week, Brody officially committed to play collegiate soccer at Central Baptist College (NAIA, American Midwest Conference) beginning Fall 2026.

What makes this moment even more special — the 08 boys are Dutch FC's founding age group. This club started with just four rec players in that class. From four kids kicking a ball around to a college signing. Brody is the first from this inaugural group to make that leap, with more announcements to come.

"Brody is a perfect example of a player who committed to the process we have at Dutch FC in our College Placement Program," said Dutch FC founder and Executive Director Wilco Ravestijn. "We do a lot of leg work to attend showcases and connect with college coaches to get them to our games. And once that connection was made with Coach Perdue at Central Baptist, the Ballenger family took ownership, got to work, and did their part in getting Brody across the finish line. It's the way it's supposed to work. We're super excited for Brody and the family and know they will have great success in their program."

Brody's journey is a reminder of what we believe at Dutch FC: it doesn't matter where you start. It matters what you do with the opportunity.

Congratulations, Brody. Go get it. 🧡

#DutchFC | #CompeteForGlory | #CollegePlacement