Cristian Putallaz has seen both sides. Working with Bayou City Soccer, he has been able to cover Houston Dynamo FC and other big soccer events in the city. However, Cristian has always liked the underdogs and telling their stories. He’s also developed a passion for sports broadcasting, something he doesn’t do while covering the Dynamo. Volt League gave him an outlet to combine his two interests while showing off his creativity.

“There's so many leagues that have been around for 20, 30 years (in Houston), and I was like, ‘with what (we) have here, what can I showcase so people just kind of get to know (grassroots soccer) and get to see what a soccer city Houston is in a way,’ and that's when I came across Volt League,” Putallaz said.

After meeting with Volt League founder Sebastian Salazar, Cristian joined what was essentially a one-man crew of Sebastian and his family. However, he felt like he had found his place. Not in some lavish press box, but on a non-turf field towards the eastern side of Houston.

“It's cool to see like-minded people jumping in and wanting to participate and also be part of the growth,” Putallaz said. “I'm really into art and just artistic stuff and people fulfilling their dreams and their passions. That's what Sebastian kind of does in a way.”

Part of the beauty of Volt League is that it combines the average amateur football experience with a sense of professionalism, and that translates to the game broadcasts. Cristian was able to secure a role as a commentator, and he’s taken inspiration from local professionals in order to both fulfill his dreams and give Volt League players the spotlight they deserve.

“How do you transform something that doesn't have a lot of backing behind it and make it as professional as possible, which is kind of the idea of Volt League,” Putallaz asked rhetorically. “Making the amateur player feel like a professional player in some way (is) the vision we're kind of going for, and I feel like me commentating (helps the league in) the best way possible.”

Part of Cristian Putallaz’s role as commentator includes helping set up the storyline for a match. Since many people that tune into these matches don’t know many of the players by heart, it is up to Cristian to make sure there is a connection between the viewers and the players.

“People like the storytelling, and that's the fun part, you know, just having those connections with the players, because at the end of the day,  they're just regular dudes like us,” Cristian said.

There is a difference between feeling professional and actually being a professional. With this in mind, Volt League is dedicated to helping their players reach new heights.

“(We want to) build a foundation and be part of that ladder where people like the Houston Dynamo can come to these games or watch Volt League games and be like, ‘look at that interesting player,’” Putallaz said. “It's not only just aesthetics and looking good, but also having quality players.  A lot of the players that compete in Volt League are college players, and that's kind of like the prime age where, if I'm the Dynamo, FC Dallas, San Antonio FC, (or) an UPSL or USL team, (I can say) there's a diamond in the rough right there.”

The Volt League team knows that not being affiliated with the USSF is a hurdle that they will eventually have to overcome. However, thanks to their collaborations with big sporting brands and a clear vision of what they want to achieve, the hope is that Volt Leegue will become much more than a pretty face in a monotone soccer culture scene.

“We want to get the best players from our community to hopefully give them a platform where they can be shown and they can move on to the next level,” Putallaz said.”(And) that's how I feel like we are (going to accomplish our goal).”