The Inside Track takes a closer look at the names and faces behind Racing Louisville — from technical staff to the supporting cast running our city’s top-tier professional women’s soccer club. Click here to read other editions.
Charlie Tuley didn’t always plan on a career in soccer. But life works in unexpected ways, and now, he’s found a home in the sport — more specifically, Racing Louisville FC’s technical staff.
Tuley is in his third season as Racing’s full-time video analyst, joining the club two weeks into the 2024 campaign. A Michigan native, Tuley came to Louisville from the University of Michigan, where he pivoted from pursuing engineering to football analytics.
A blend of strong professional connections and a driven mindset ultimately enabled him to become a key difference-maker on Racing’s staff over the last two-plus years. It’s a stretch in club history defined by unprecedented on-pitch success.
Tuley is the first video analyst the club has ever had. Guided by the coaches around him, Tuley has truly been a trailblazer for the role, shaping it into one he now describes as providing support to the coaches in whatever way possible.
“My role is supplementing the coaching staff, more than anything else,” Tuley said. “I am filling in the cracks of what they need, doing scouts, tagging matches [and] flying the drone [at training]. … It’s just, what can I do to make the processes more efficient? What can I do to take the burden off your (the staff’s) back a little bit?”
At Michigan, Tuley’s undergraduate studies focused primarily on the management and business side of sports. Seeking something more analytical, he ventured out on his own, writing and even starting his own Twitter account breaking down the game. His introduction into the professional game began with Major League Soccer’s San Jose Earthquakes, where he served essentially as an unpaid data and performance analyst for roughly a year while taking classes at Michigan.
Tuley refused to let the lack of a full-time position with San Jose slow him down; his drive pushed him to keep striving toward the field. He would go on to work with Michigan’s women’s soccer program before the Louisville opportunity arose just a few weeks into head coach Bev Yanez’s first season.
“More than anything, the most difficult part [of moving to Louisville] was that I was the first analyst the club has ever had,” Tuley said on the transition into the Racing environment. “… We (the staff) had to figure out what the role would look like. … It was a lot of me figuring things out and trying things and showing people.”
“It was quite a learning curve getting in and getting used to everyone, but it’s such a great staff that they were very welcoming and helped me acclimate,” Tuley continued. “It all has worked out really well.”
He continued: “Everyone [at the club] is here for each other, and that’s what it’s really all about.”
Despite the size of the leap into the NWSL post-college, Tuley quickly became a core member of Racing’s talented staff.
“Charlie has had a really positive impact on our staff,” said head assistant coach Mitch Sowerby. ” … He is extremely hardworking, reliable, and always willing to help wherever he is needed.
“He has become someone the staff can count on. Whether it’s his work as an analyst or helping with something outside of his normal responsibilities, he consistently finds a way to support the group. I think his willingness to help, combined with his work ethic and professionalism, has made him a really valuable part of our staff.”
Over the course of a 30-game season, Tuley goes through roughly 150 games, watching them now at times two speed — something he learned to do over time. As he watches, Tuley notes key patterns and “tags” the matches, or in other words, breaks them up, to create a more structured viewing routine for the staff.
During matches, Tuley doesn’t take in the game from the sidelines, but rather from a much higher vantage point in the press box area, as he looks to identify and directly communicate potential on-pitch advantages.
As someone at the beginning stage of his career in football, Tuley also understands the impact those around him can have on his growth. It’s something he doesn’t take for granted.
Though he aspires to coach one day, his attention right now is on the continued development of his analytics role at the club and the impact he can have on the players’ success.
“I’m learning so much day to day,” Tuley said. “Being around these incredible football minds is amazing, and to learn from them all the time is such a privilege. To be around such a great group of players and the rest of the staff outside the coaches, it’s a privilege; it really is.”
