When Tyler Hudson first arrived in Dalton, he wasn’t sure what to think.
The Liverpool, England native had come to the United States chasing a soccer dream. He landed first in Atlanta as a teenage player, staying with a host family and hoping to earn a college scholarship. But when an unexpected NCAA eligibility issue derailed his initial plans, a new opportunity emerged that would ultimately change his life: the brand new soccer program at Dalton State College.
At first, Dalton felt a world away from home when he arrived in 2015.
“I came off the Rocky Face exit and all I could see were mountains,” Tyler recalled with a laugh. “I remember saying to my host father (who had suggested DSC), ‘Where have you sent me?’”
Fortunately, it didn’t take long for the town to win him over. He found that there was clear community here, with incredible local talent and a lot of excitement around the sport he loved. And as he continued to build friendships and connections in Dalton, both within and outside of soccer, he was laying the groundwork for what would eventually become Shankly Elite Training.
Tyler had initially planned to pursue physical therapy after graduating from DSC with a biology degree in 2019. The COVID pandemic disrupted that path, but it also gave him time to reflect on a different opportunity he now saw in Dalton.
The community had recreational leagues, academies, school teams and travel programs, but there was no dedicated private soccer training.
“So I thought, let’s take a chance,” Tyler said. “Let’s build something from the ground up and see where it can go, where we can take it here.”
He launched Shankly Elite Training in 2022, and the response was immediate.
What began with roughly 50 to 60 players quickly grew as word spread. Within six months, hundreds of young athletes were participating. Today, just four years later, the program serves roughly 2,000 players through training sessions, camps and clinics.
“It’s crazy to think about,” Tyler said. “But really, it started with just one coach and one kid who wanted to play better.”
But beyond improving soccer skills, Tyler believes the program’s true mission is bigger than the sport itself.
“We use soccer as the platform,” he explained. “But the goal is to build better people and bring the community together.”
Shankly’s philosophy is simple: everyone should have a chance to participate.
Will Russell, Shankly’s Manager of Operations and Technical Trainer, is a firm believer in that mission.
“We want every person — no matter their background, ability level or culture — to feel comfortable coming here to train,” Will added, “because this place and this sport are for everyone.”
That commitment extends to accessibility. Through scholarship funding supported by community partners like Mohawk Industries, the program helps remove financial barriers for hundreds of young athletes each year.
“We’re not going to tell a kid no, they can’t come train or do a camp, just because they can’t afford it,” Tyler said. “If someone wants to train, we’ll find a way to make it happen.”
The organization’s new Goalz Indoor Performance Hub facility expands that vision even further. The space now hosts birthday parties, fitness classes, Pilates sessions, massage therapy and other activities — turning the complex into a gathering place for the wider community.
Looking ahead, Tyler hopes to expand Shankly Elite’s reach across Northwest Georgia through camps and satellite programs in surrounding communities.
But no matter how far the program grows, Dalton will always be home base.
Tyler and his fiancée, Paola, are now raising their young family in Dalton, and he says he can’t imagine building his life anywhere else.
“This town supports us,” he said. “And we want to keep giving back to it, and keep building something that brings people together.”
