This post was updated Nov. 15 at 10:09 p.m.

The first time Nate Crockford ventured up Bruin Walk to get to class, he thought to himself, “Why is everyone moving so slow?”

“People from Chicago and the Midwest are very like, ‘We’ve got to get where we need to go,’” Crockford said.

The UCLA men’s soccer sophomore goalkeeper admitted the most significant adjustment when he arrived in Westwood alongside his twin brother, sophomore midfielder Charlie Crockford, was matching the casual walking speed of his fellow Bruins.

The penchant for hustling should come as no surprise considering the Crockford brothers’ unwavering aspirations on the pitch – constantly full speed ahead in pursuit of playing professionally.

But one thing is nonnegotiable: they go in tandem, or they don’t go at all.

“We decided early on that we wanted to go together because we’ve been together our whole lives,” Charlie said. “Every school we talked to, we laid that out for them.”

The stipulation didn’t pose an issue for coach Ryan Jorden, who saw the Crockfords play at a United States Developmental Academy Showcase game opposite a potential UCLA recruit in current redshirt sophomore midfielder Tucker Lepley in 2018. Initially scouting Lepley but intrigued by the duo, Jorden then invited the twins to a summer camp organized by the Bruin program.

“We thought they obviously both looked like very good players,” Jorden said. “And they both showed very good qualities in our ability to work with them in person on our campus.”

Shortly after the Crockfords traveled to Indiana to see the Bruins play, Jorden offered both of them spots on the roster.

Nate said he and Charlie committed to UCLA because they were attracted to its legacy and the opportunity to take their games to a higher level while contributing to the rebuilding of a team with robust and storied traditions.

“Our program is very historic,” Nate said. “Why not take on a task, and let’s go see if we can rebuild and make this team and this program elite again?”

Brian Crockford, the brothers’ father, said he is acutely aware of how singular the honor is to secure an offer from UCLA, having played collegiate soccer in the 1990s and witnessed the Bruin program rise to the top.

“When I went to Indiana, … it was like, ‘UCLA is a blue blood,’” Brian said. “It was the Kentucky of basketball in soccer, so when the boys had the opportunity to go to UCLA, it meant a lot to me.”

Their father introduced the twins to the sport when they were 5 and remained alongside them in their soccer journeys until they came to UCLA. From ages 8 to 12 and 14 through 19, the Crockfords’ package deal also included their father, who coached the same teams the younger Crockfords competed for.

Brian said managing the roles of father and coach was a challenging task, but it allowed him to foster a relationship with his sons that was strengthened by their mutual love for the game.

“The skill of being a dad and being a coach is also making sure that you have a balance between being a father when you’re not coaching them. … Then in soccer, they have to live by the same set of rules that everybody else has to live by,” he said. “But it was always fun watching them because I was always around the game, and it allowed me to spend a lot of time with my sons.”

While the brothers’ first role model on the pitch was their father, the Crockfords learned from plenty of other mentors as they progressed in their game.

When Nate and Charlie joined their local club Chicago FC United, they came under the instruction of coaches who would play formative roles in their development.

Gonzalo Segares, who began coaching them at the U15 level at FC United, said he immediately recognized the raw talent of the brothers in their respective positions. But he particularly emphasized the Crockfords’ drive to push each other as twins, teammates and competitors.

“From the beginning, they both showed some interesting qualities as players,” Segares said. “The mentality that both had from day one as competitors, as teammates always striving to be better and pushing themselves and pushing their teammates, was something that’s very important. … They were always hungry to keep getting better.”

The Crockfords’ commitment to FC United was marked by a healthy, enjoyable environment that prevented burnout early in their soccer careers. Then, when it was time to face stiffer competition, they joined a Major League Soccer feeder team in the Chicago Fire Academy.

“It (FC United) kept soccer super fun while we were getting there. A lot of people get sick of the sport,” Charlie said. “It was really good for us, and then we decided we wanted to challenge ourselves and try to get to the next level, so we went to the Fire.”

With the exposure from the Chicago Fire Academy, the twins had aspirations to compete professionally by securing a deal before graduating high school, but the COVID-19 pandemic reshuffled the recruiting environment and the Crockfords’ priorities.

“Even if you do make the highest level in America right now, you still do need a degree afterwards,” Nate said. “So, we thought we should make the decision not to pursue something like that right now and pursue getting our degree, enjoying college and getting better at playing soccer.”

While the pair may make decisions and experience milestone events in tandem, their paths have begun to diverge at UCLA, starting with their contributions to different parts of the field and in distinct aspects of the game.

Brian said he and his wife knew early on that Nate and Charlie were destined to have unique experiences in the game, adding that it was no surprise they gravitated toward different positions.

“They’re the closest brothers you could ever probably meet, but they’re the most different people you could ever meet too,” Brian said. “A goalie’s role is very different from a midfielder’s role, and the personalities of those boys fit their roles pretty well.”

This season, Nate has become a staple of UCLA’s lineup in the box, playing all 90 minutes in each of the Bruins’ 17 contests. Last year, the keeper didn’t see action until the final four games of the season when he was tasked with substituting for then-senior goalkeeper Justin Garces, who sustained a head injury late in the season.

He said he initially intended to redshirt to save a year of eligibility and spend most of his freshman campaign preparing to be the first pick at the position next season. Then, Garces went down with an injury, and Nate was surprised to get the nod ahead of the postseason.

“I didn’t think I was going to play the rest of the year, so I was doing a lot of work outside of soccer to try and make sure I was ready to win the job and be the guy next year,” Nate said. “The night before our game against Oregon (State), I put in a serious effort. I went on a 3-mile run, I lifted and I woke up that next morning, and my goalie coach texted me, ‘Be ready.’”

Since then, the keeper has headlined a dynamic Bruin defense that has achieved eight shutouts and allowed 15 goals on the season. Nate paces the Pac-12 in both total saves and save percentage, accumulating 55 saves to his name en route to a .786 save percentage.

Jorden said Nate has the technical skill to excel in the position but is currently developing other facets of the game that will distinguish him at the elite level.

“The things that make goalkeepers stand apart is that they can lead,” Jorden said. “Can they also organize? Can they deal with other parts of the game? Can they be good with their feet? Can they deal with crossing in the air? Our job is to continue to push him in those areas and continue to demand a standard that he does so across the board.”

In the midfield, Charlie views his brother’s accomplishments with admiration and drive. In true twin spirit, he doesn’t want to be left behind.

“What motivated me was watching him become a massive part of this team and me not really doing much yet,” Charlie said. “That was a big factor for me. I didn’t want him to have bragging rights in a way.”

After coming off the bench for three games last year, Charlie has seen the pitch in 10 contests this season and earned four straight starts. He said contributing more on the field has been fulfilling and gratifying, further evidence that his training is paying off.

“It’s been a long time coming,” Charlie said. “I mean, the first year is definitely hard. It’s hard going into the new environment, and I struggled a little bit, definitely wasn’t as good as I could be. And then putting in all the work over the summer, then letting life play out this season and starting to do really well, … it’s been rewarding.”

With the postseason right around the corner, the Crockfords are in a position to unsettle the competition, aspiring to make a deep run in the NCAA tournament. After the brothers’ respective breakout seasons this year, they continue to eye eventual professional careers.

Looking even further ahead, the two Bruins have no intention of going their separate ways. Eventually, they want to host a broadcast show together.

They’re still debating a name for the broadcast. Charlie immediately vetoed Nate’s idea of “Cooking Up with the Crockfords,” but one thing is certain: they will not be slowing down.

They’ve got to get where they need to go.