Seeing this group of players hold the Region 10 Runner Up plaque will forever be one of my greatest memories. On paper, we shouldn’t have even made it to the championship — but these kids don’t quit. They fought through every single game and pushed for more every day.
I coach women because I don’t have the patience to deal with the men wallowing on the field when the opponent looks at them wrong or grazes their arm 🙄😤
I haven’t been this excited watching the #USMNT since the year(s) most of my players were born which poses two issues:
1. They haven’t been fun to watch in almost 20 years
2. I’m officially getting old
We have to brag on this group! We achieved a 3.77 team GPA this spring — six with a 4.0 & all players above 3.0.
We stress the importance of academics because, one day, soccer will end. JUCO isn’t just for kids that struggle in the classroom or “aren’t good enough” for a 4 year.
@808wavewarrior 10/10 take there. The first two years are all the same gen eds no matter where you go anyway, unless you’re attending and Ivy League or similar. At the end of the day, the diploma still says whatever 4 year you graduate from.
It’s astounding how little youth clubs educate their players about the JUCO level.
Why don’t they?
Because it’s not sexy. It’s not what attracts a 15 year old to leave their club across town and come to the other. It’s not what makes these clubs money.
Is that club now promoting and educating on the JUCO level? Of course not, because that still isn’t sexy enough.
No club is too good to teach players about ALL their options at the collegiate level. Not ECNL, not GA, not MLS next. Be better.
It’s not about placing a kid at the level/school that is the best fit for them. It’s about sending a kid to a big four year that makes the club look good.
This fall, one of my former players went on to a D3 and played in the Elite 8. Played on the field, actual minutes.
Hard work in the classroom earned the team a 3.38 fall GPA.
Congratulations to Lilli Brown, Rylee Bradshaw, Jade Perkins, & Piper Whitney on achieving a 4.0!
Keep up the great work! #GRIT 🤓📚📝
Raw & Vulnerable post alert: College Coaching is the best job. And, it can also be the worst. Our success is ostensibly measured by wins and losses, but it’s so much more. There’s nothing like the adrenaline of victory. But the losses are painful. Coaches are under a lot of pressure, wear so many hats, and absorb all the emotions of an entire team, but rarely is anyone talking about our struggles, or mental health. If we lose, we just need to “do better.” Records don’t always reflect talent and progress and success especially in a sport as frustrating as soccer. So we work hard ensuring our team has perspective of progress and the big picture. It’s a very personal journey for us here, having played at the program, and I think the more you care as a coach, the more it hurts. It hurts us to see our players take all the right steps and fall short of their ultimate goal. It hurts us to have to make hard playing time decisions when they are all working so hard. It hurts us to see them struggle with all the unique challenges of their generation. It hurts us incredibly every year when a quarter of our team who we have mentored, parented and coached on a daily basis for four years are suddenly no longer a part of our life (it’s like empty next syndrome every single year). But, we wouldn’t trade any of this hurt for all the laughter, fun, and daily victories as part of an incredible team culture that can rarely be replicated in any facet of life. We take this privilege very seriously and feel a deep obligation to prepare the wide eyed 18 year olds for the real world. We want them to be good humans in addition to good soccer players, to understand the value of stewardship, giving back, and spreading positivity, to know it’s ok for girls to be confident & competitive….that you can have an edgy swagger but still be humble. The world needs more strong young women equipped to handle real life struggles that will someday make their losses on the field seem very insignificant. And, if we can do all of this in ADDITION to scoring lots of goals and getting dubs, there is no greater thrill or achievement. #DoWhatYouLove #LoveWhatYouDo #Coaching #CollegeSoccer
When is @Hudl going to get it together? Every time I upload a game to send to assist I get a message about “technical issues”. I then have to go back in periodically to see if it’ll let me resubmit to assist. At this point it would be quicker for me to tag my own games.
Hey 4 years, let’s be professional when it comes to recruiting JUCO kids.
I had a D3 reach out and take one of my players on day 5 of our preseason with zero courtesy call/text to me beforehand. I can promise I will never endorse a school again if that’s how they do business.