Four years after leaving Tucson, Austin Ledbetter is back home.
Well, back in his home away from home.
Ledbetter, a St. Louis native, first came to Tucson in 2013 to play for FC Tucson. The defender made 28 appearances in the 2014 and 2015 seasons.
On Feb. 1, he returned to FC Tucson — one of the 10 teams in new USL League One. The Men in Black will play their first-ever professional match Saturday at Orlando City B. The team’s first home match is scheduled for April 13.
“The way they set you up, they take care of you like a professional, even then — and they do even better now,” Ledbetter said of Tucson. “It’s a wonderful place. A beautiful place and beautiful city, so I couldn’t pass it up.”
Ledbetter said he enjoyed the way FC Tucson made him feel welcome during his last stint in town. The way the club took care of him, and the rest of the team, is what made Ledbetter consider Tucson as his second home.
“Like I said, I’m from St. Louis, so I’m a homebody kind of kid and they make you feel like you’re at home,” Ledbetter said. “Anything you need, anything at all, they help you out. And that’s big.”
And sometimes it’s good to come back.
Ledbetter starred at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and was projected to be a top Major League Soccer prospect. But high blood pressure prevented him from performing at the combine. He was sent home 12 hours after he arrived.
FC Dallas drafted Ledbetter 53rd overall in the 2017 MLS SuperDraft. On his second day with the team, Ledbetter tore his groin. So, FC Dallas sent Ledbetter to Saint Louis FC, who’s in the USL Championship league.
Over two seasons, Ledbetter made 23 appearances there.
“We just had a new coach and he likes his guys, his bigger defenders, and I’m not the biggest,” the 6-foot tall 23-year-old said. “It hasn’t been smooth. Don’t get me wrong; if it were smooth, everyone would be successful.
“So, I mean, it’s shaped me. I’m here now and I’m very thankful to still be playing, which is awesome. It hasn’t been easy, to say the least.”
The fact that all of those obstacles happened in less than three years hasn’t gone unnoticed by Ledbetter. The biggest takeaway from the turbulent times has been to roll with the punches.
Anything can happen, he said. You’ll get coaches that like you and some that don’t — it’s just the way life goes.
“You got to deal with it,” Ledbetter said. “If coach says you’re only going to play 10 games and you go out there and play 10 games — it may not be in your position you normally play in, but it’s for the team and you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do. You come in day in and day out. You’ve got to work your butt off.”
Ledbetter relied on his connections when it came time to find a new team. Ledbetter knew Jon Pearlman, FC Tucson’s director of operations, from his previous stints in Tucson. His college coach eventually reached out to Pearlman because Ledbetter was struggling to find a team.
“I figured this would be a great spot for me, especially because of the Phoenix (Rising FC) feeder,” Ledbetter said. “I reached out to him and he was all about it, which I was very happy about. Because I’m comfortable here. I’m comfortable with these guys and this place, so it just felt right.”
