Utah Native Realizes Professional Dream In Home State
“It got me used to the level of talent I might see in the pros. The players at the combine were very good, and they will expose your weaknesses as a player.”
Twelve year old Skyler Milne, like many aspiring youths, wanted to turn his passion into a future career. Born in Logan, Utah, Milne always had a burning passion for the sport of soccer. He began playing at an early age and his desire for the sport only grew as he matured. Milne attended Brighton High School, located in Cottonwood Heights, a suburb just southeast of Salt Lake City. After an extremely successful High School career, Skyler took his goal scoring ability to the Utah Valley Wolverines, a University based in Orem, Utah. UVU competes in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC), a very competitive league which features the likes of Air Force and UNLV.
Standing at 6’4 and 211 lbs, Milne was a physical presence as forward for the Wolverines. His coming out party occurred during his sophomore year at UVU, where he started in 17 of 18 games. In his 18 appearances, he found the back of the net 3 times and finished the season with 7 points, good for 4th on the team. One of the most important goals of Milne’s collegiate career occurred that year when he scored the game winning goal in the 75th minute to beat #21 Denver. During his junior campaign, Milne built a reputation for himself as one of the most clutch players in the conference, scoring three game winning goals over the course of the 22 game season. He finished off the season leading UVU with 9 goals. This dominance continued into Skyler’s senior season with the Wolverines. During his final season with UVU, Milne was named to the NSCAA All-West Region first team and was a first team All-WAC selection. Milne’s productive play on the field put him one step closer to achieving his dream.
Although Skyler’s play on the field was extremely impressive, that may not have been his most impressive achievement. Throughout the duration of his collegiate career, Milne was featured on the Academic All-WAC team three times. This award is a testament to his dedication and drive both on the pitch and in the classroom. These traits are extremely desirable in a leader and that is exactly what Milne has served as throughout his soccer playing career. As a captain at UVU, he often led captain’s practices to ensure the success of the team over anything. Milne put this mindset to the test when he competed at the Midwest Pro Soccer Combine.
Skyler arrived at the Midwest Pro Soccer Combine in hopes of earning a professional contract. After an excellent showing at the combine, Milne achieved his dream, inking a professional deal with the Real Monarchs in the USL. Although the combine benefited him greatly in earning a professional deal, it also helped him in many other ways. “It got me used to the level of talent I might see in the pros. The players at the combine were very good, and they will expose your weaknesses as a player,” Milne said. The combine helped Skyler immensely and he highly recommended participation to any aspiring players.
Skyler Milne is a determined young footballer who is trying to make his mark in professional soccer. The path to the MLS can be extremely cruel but Skyler has the mental and physical prowess to succeed. His priorities are straight and he wants to win. When asked about his goals, Skyler responded as only a true competitor can, “I want to win the league, plain and simple.”
About the Midwest Pro Soccer Combine
The second annual Midwest Pro Soccer Combine will take place on Monday, December 18th & Tuesday, December 19th at the Legacy Center Sports Complex in Brighton, Michigan. The combine will accept the top professional prospects to play for two days in front of professional coaches, scouts and intermediaries from North America and abroad.