For the past six weeks, Joe Greenspan has been tasked with defending the Riverhounds goalmouth as a member of their backline, but he protected something of a much higher importance before arriving in Pittsburgh.
Graduating from the United States Naval Academy in 2014, Greenspan served one year of active duty with the Navy in Colorado and San Diego. Since then, he has become a member of the Navy Reserve.
“It’s an incredible honor to be able to wear the cloth of the nation,” Greenspan said. “It really means a lot to volunteer and say that my country means that much to me and I’m going to do what I can in the role that I have to defend freedom and support those who are overseas.”
His one-year tour started in Colorado where he completed recruiting work. Afterward, his responsibilities sent him to San Diego where he worked on the U.S. Naval destroyer USS Sampson DDG 102.
While on the destroyer, Greenspan oversaw about 20-30 sailors as a surface warfare officer. His team went out to sea for about one week to 10 days at a time, performing tests on the ship’s equipment. He had no cell phone and limited email service while at sea, so building relationships and camaraderie with other shipmates was brought to the forefront.
“On the soccer field, on the ship, it’s a team,” Greenspan said. “Whether it’s 11 guys on the field or a crew of 300 people on a destroyer, everyone needs to work together.”
After he finished his collegiate career at Navy, Greenspan’s dream of playing professional soccer came to fruition.
In the second round of the 2015 MLS SuperDraft, the Colorado Rapids selected the defender with the 26th overall pick. Despite this achievement, his MLS career would be placed on hold due to his Naval commitments.
“The things I couldn’t control, I was well aware of that,” Greenspan said. “If they told me ‘hey, you can’t play professional soccer and you’re going to be a surface warfare officer for five years,’ I was ready for that.”
Greenspan missed the first half of both the 2015 and 2016 seasons due to his service. During his rookie year, he appeared in just three games with the Rapids. In 2016, he appeared in one game with Colorado before being loaned to the Colorado Springs Switchbacks and Charlotte Independence, both of the USL.
As the Navy alumnus balanced a military and professional soccer career, he had some help along the way from a former NFL Pro Bowl and All-Pro selection.
Joe Cardona, a long snapper for the New England Patriots and a fellow classmate of Greenspan’s at Navy, introduced the defender to retired NFL place kicker John Carney while he served in San Diego. After working 12-hour days on the destroyer, Greenspan would train and lift weights with Carney to stay in game shape.
“I think that helped me stay in overall fitness,” Greenspan said. “I’m on my ship and that’s what I’m focused on during the day, but I could spend two hours a night saying ‘okay, I’m still trying to be a professional soccer player.’”
In June 2016, Greenspan was waived from his obligations, which required him to serve at least two years active duty before pursuing a professional sports activity. At this time, he accepted appointment into the Navy Reserve.
Greenspan finished the 2016 campaign on loan from the Rapids to the Independence. This past offseason, Colorado traded him to MLS expansion team Minnesota United FC. For the first time in his career, he would be available for a club at the start of the season.
Even though he was finally on an active roster to kick off of the 2017 campaign, Greenspan would once again find himself changing scenery. On April 10, the Hounds received the center back via loan from Minnesota. He has since helped solidify a Pittsburgh backline that has faced numerous injuries.
“Just to be able to get games in, get my feet back and my confidence and getting comfortable on the field again, that was the big thing for me,” Greenspan said. “I think over the course of the last five games, individually I’ve been able to do that.”
After Greenspan arrived in Pittsburgh via loan from Minnesota United FC, he was reunited with a former mentor who helped him make a career-changing move.
When the 6-foot-6-inch defender played at Navy from 2011-14, he played under current Hounds head coach Dave Brandt, who recruited him for a role that greatly differed from his current responsibilities.
“He started as a freshman up top at forward and showed great promise,” Brandt said. “That’s where we assumed he’d play four years.”
In Greenspan’s sophomore campaign, this plan began to change. The Summit, New Jersey native battled back and leg injuries, which caused him to lose his starting job. As the calendar flipped to his junior year, it appeared as if he would remain in a backup role – that is until the Midshipmen had a spot open up on their backline.
“I’m on my way to practice in preseason and I’m like ‘you know what, I think we should look at Joe at center back,’” Brandt said. “It took seven minutes before we said ‘well, that’ll work.’”
Once Greenspan made the shift to defense, there was no looking back. He was named All-American and Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year in both his junior and senior campaigns.
“I consider myself a soccer player,” Greenspan said. “There’s nuances you got to get used to in terms of going from playing striker to being a center back, but for the most part I’m always comfortable on the field no matter where it is.”
Just how Greenspan made a seamless shift from offense to defense at Navy, his move from Minnesota to Pittsburgh all seemed to go without a hitch as well.
“He came in the locker room right away and was good in the locker room with all the guys,” goalkeeper Trey Mitchell said.
Mitchell, who will share the same agent as Greenspan, contacted his representative after a recent match to share how well the Navy product has played on the defensive end.
“I was like ‘dude, let’s make sure he stays here as long as possible,’” Mitchell said.
The duo started its first game together against Charlotte on April 15. Mitchell blocked away two shots and Greenspan cumulated a season-high 10 clearances, helping the Hounds to a 1-1 draw.
With the Hounds, Greenspan has started each of his six appearances, totaling 37 clearances and 17 tackles. His leadership and production has largely helped Pittsburgh to its current run of three-straight shutout victories.
“He has fire,” assistant coach Dan Visser said. “He does a really good job to read the game.”
Visser said often times Greenspan will drop quickly, allowing him to clean up opposing scoring opportunities, and command teammates to drop or close tightly when needed.
Currently, the defender’s loan runs through the end of May. Although, it is possible his loan period could be extended, as it already has been lengthened once already.
“He came into a situation where he’s been very, very solid,” Mitchell said. “I think he’s probably one of the top center backs in the league right now.”
