For most men, becoming a father changes things in their life.

In the case of Tampa Bay Rowdies center back Forrest Lasso, the anticipation of welcoming his first child last year threw him for a loop.

“I think last year before my son was born, I experienced how tough it is to balance those things,” Lasso told Stefano Fusaro and Aaron West on CBS Sports Golazo Network’s Box2Box. “I was debatably playing some of the worst soccer my career. I just had my head all over the place, but you know, coming 12 months, 14 months later, here we are and I’m loving life more than I ever have.”

The three-time USL Championship Defender of the Year is set to be one of the key figures this Saturday night when the Rowdies take on New Mexico United in a nationally televised clash on CBS Sports Network at 7:30 p.m. ET at Al Lang Stadium. The Rowdies are one of four remaining undefeated sides in the Championship this season and will be hoping to pick up all three points against a New Mexico side that enters on a four-game winning streak in all competitions.

As he approaches 100 appearances in the Rowdies’ colors, Lasso and his wife are anticipating the arrival of a second son this June. After a well-traveled career that included a stint in Sweden’s top-flight that divided his two stints in the Tampa Bay area, the 30-year-old has found a home at Al Lang Stadium.

That’s in part due to the atmosphere at the waterfront venue in downtown St. Petersburg which provides Rowdies’ home games with a unique environment alongside the club’s passionate home support.

“I don't know if there's much better, tell you the truth,” said Lasso on the venue. “I mean, it’s on the marina, you’ve got the sunset, you have the palm trees. It really is picturesque. I’ve fortunately played at a lot of soccer venues over my career and I’m not going to say [Al Lang is] hands down the best, but it is damn near close to it.”

Watch the Tampa Bay Rowdies host New Mexico United on Saturday night on CBS Sports Network at 7:30 p.m. ET from Al Lang Stadium.