For Philadelphia Union defender Matt Real, staying positive and working hard when times get tough has helped him grow both individually, and as a professional player.
Real was signed to a First Team contact this past January after playing a season with Bethlehem Steel FC, becoming one of five Homegrown Players on the team's roster.
After being out of preseason training for a few weeks due to an ankle injury, Real was focused on pushing himself each day to get better and not allowing his thoughts to get the best of him.
"Whenever I have experienced injuries my mind always tries to go into a darker place, and I just kept pushing so I could pull myself out of that and return as quickly as possible," Real said.