I grew up playing football in Viktoria in Pilsen, where I briefly got into the locker room of the A team. After graduating from the sports high school I decided to try something new, which eventually changed my life. In America, I started at Mid-Continent University in Kentucky, where I captained the Cougars for three seasons. Before my senior year, I transferred to Grand Canyon University in Arizona, where I finished my degree and tried out for the NCAA Division 1. I also played USL 2 for the St. Louis Lions. During my studies I became interested in sports psychology, so I got my MSc at the University of Portsmouth. I then returned to the US where I coached soccer for three years at Concordia University and played for the semi-professional team Bugeaters FC.