It’s Fall 2003 and the Little Hulks are getting ready to take the pitch at Kit Carson Park in Escondido, Ca. Led by Eric Iloski, middle of the three Iloski brothers, The Little Hulks, in their home green kit go through their pre-game warm-ups. Younger brother, Milan, is off to the side.  He’s not allowed to play yet as he is too young for this team.  However, youth will not stop the fire that already burns.  After much insistence and “I probably just cried a lot,” he explained, he was allowed to don the smallest jersey they could find (it came down to his knees) and take the pitch.  “There are still funny photos of me around the house in that jersey,” he added with a laugh.

It's October 15, 2017.  No longer in the green oversized Little Hulk Jersey, Milan Iloski again takes the pitch.  This time though, he is joined by both older brothers, Eric and Brian in the legendary Blue and Gold of the UCLA Bruins. The game is 1-1, as San Diego State scored a late goal to tie the game.  Just four minutes into the overtime, down the left side of the pitch, Brian finds Milan slicing through the defenders into the 18.  Dribbling to the end line, he then stops on a dime, turns left, takes one dribble with his head up and fires a pass to brother Eric at the top of the 18.  The middle Iloski brother clears his defender off, winds up with his right foot and blasts the ball into the back of the net for the Golden Goal game winner. “That’s probably my fondest memory to look back and reminisce on.  It’s one brother to the next, and the next brother to the next one and him scoring a really good goal to get us the win.  It’s probably my fondest memory, not just because of the goal, but because we were all involved in it.” (ed: Catch the action here on YouTube)

It's November 2021 and OCSC has just won the USL Championship.  “That team had a special bond, and it was incredible to see my brother go through that.  It was such a great experience for him. But I was thinking, I want to do that again, with him, and I want to make another run at it, which would be a once in a lifetime opportunity.” This was a driving factor in wanting to come to OCSC, Milan explained. 

An injury to Brian in pre-season has prevented the Iloski brothers from taking the pitch together so far this season.  The last time the two played together in a meaningful game was in 2017 at UCLA.  “We love playing together and we do play well together.  But we’re best friends off the field.”

This Saturday, Orange County travels north on the 405 to Carson to take on Los Dos.  Hopefully, it’ll be the debut of the Iloski brothers in the Orange and Black.

Check back in next week for Part 2 of Right Shoe First w/ Milan Iloski.