Coaches

Started by EnmoreCat, November 03, 2023, 04:08:09 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

EnmoreCat

I was feeling a bit reflective this week (apologies if that's oversharing), partly driven by the fact that my approach to the NCAA regarding my D3 structural change proposal has apparently failed (I still am not sure ESPN understood the maths), plus my intended  Supreme Court challenge regarding the discrimination against defenders as regards to yellow cards appears unlikely to progress.  On a more serious note, I was thinking about how for players (and more importantly parents!) we now are unsure how many games are left to play in 2023, especially pertinent for seniors.  This came home when I was recently listening to the excellent, "Tales From The Trail" podcast, where most recently, they interviewed Coach Singleton from W&L.

Not everyone is going to feel the same, but I think D3 college coaches are a pretty interesting group.  Aside from previous recruitment discussions, my interaction has been limited and I eagerly devoured all of Simple Coach's interviews (can't wait for some new ones SC) and found each one illuminating and informative in its own way.  Collectively, they are a group of intelligent people, who have perspectives that as parents, we don't necessarily always appreciate as most of the time we might only see things on match day and occasionally receive little pearls from our sons. 

So, this particular interview was conducted right around the start of pre-season I think.  I have never had contact with Coach Singleton and probably never will, (although I will show him the sights of Enmore if he is that way inclined) but he gave some interesting examples of some of his interactions with his players and how he handled them.  People familiar with the programme may be able to put names to situations, but that's irrelevant to me, what was relevant to me was the intensity of his belief in how he does things.  I am not asserting the way he does things is the best or most successful way (and Another Mom, I am not expecting you to fill that gap either!).    I know this will be a common thread to the DNA of the  400 plus D3 coaches, but it was just a reminder that along with becoming better players, the main goal is for them to become better people, both from an academic and life skills perspective. 

This may not become a thread at all, but I did want to record my thoughts, as it felt important. 

Enjoy what's left of the season, I am hoping there are eight more games for the Mammoths and know that Coach Serpone and his band of Merry Mammoths are working hard for the same.



Another Mom

I think the *successful* coaches are as you describe -- interesting, intelligent people who are motivated to help players become the best people and players they can be. They are successful because they care about their players, and the players know Coach has their best interest at heart.

Now -- ALL coaches are not like this. But I find that reflected in their record. You cannot motivate young men if you don't really care about them. (I do realize this is a generalization,  and there will be exceptions in any given year)

Coach Singleton mentioned he has the team read books over the summer; the year he assigned John Wooden's book, I read it (and would highly recommend it). Basically, to be a good coach, you have to care about each player. And, the outcome doesn't matter. If you've played your hardest and done your best, that's what matters. Since that's the philosophy I've imparted to my son ever since he was little, I was pleased to see it's also the philosophy of one of the great coaches of all time.

SierraFD3soccer

Great posts EnmoreCat and Another Mom.  Thanks for sharing and here is the link to this podcast https://rss.com/podcasts/tales-from-the-trail-1/1198895/

Our interaction with Coach Singleton was pretty much the same in many respects. Son had met many coaches during his recruitment and Singleton definitely stood out.  During our visit at W&L, I took my son and we went around reliving some of my fun days along with a fellow alumnus who is a professor there. We had a time to met the coach by his office. We go there and I stepped out so they could talk.  I figured that they would maybe 20 min. 30 min. max. and I just went around the campus for a bit. 30 min. in I was sitting on the gyms steps waiting. At the hour mark they were still talking and son came out around 1 hour 10 min. or so. As we were walking to where our car was, son said the he was angry with me because up to that time he had no interest in going to W&L (probably because I went there and/or it was not D1 - all his teammates went D1). Son is a very serious and straight forward kid. So that became his goal to play for Coach Singleton based on his interaction with him.  He had already worked hard academically and clearly had the grades and scores to get in. Based on Singleton's recommendation, he applied early decision and got in. However and with two other kids, we could not afford W&L. Huge disappointment for our son and Coach Singleton.  I'll leave that drama out of this.

So we had to scramble and about a week after his HS graduation, he got an offer to Radford Univ. which is a D1 program with some scholarship money. He worked hard and got to start his freshman year. Long story, but not so much his sophomore year. So he looked to transfer before and during Covid. He got looks at other D1 programs, but it did not work out.  He reached out to d3 programs as well.

F&M expressed some interest. Coach Wagner and son started to talk.  He was impressed by Wagner's program (7 times in row in the NCAA's at that time) and got a similar vibe to what he got with Singleton. FYI - I learned later that Wagner and his network had checked out son before he met our son. Son had played against a team one F&M alumnus had coached among others. Son decided that this was the place for him. Wagner and son played each other on line chess. Covid wiped out the fall season so son took the semester off and started Jan at F&M.  Looking from the outside as parent and from what my son said, Wagner's program at F&M is a daily thing even out of season.  The players are very very close all year round. Also they have a lot of interaction with alumni who help with program.  That is something Singleton has not maximized yet (or he may, but does not discuss).  Players had alumni mentors which help with going through college and career progression.  Wagner also brings back alumni for meetings with the team to discuss their experiences and what life after graduation is like.  Helps that Wagner had 20 plus years at F&M and has a lot to draw on. For Wagner, he does not only concentrate on the four years, but on post college success. He does everything he can to have players, who express an interest in career, to link them up with a former player who might be in that field. 

Captains at F&M are chosen by Wagner.  Captains are also true leaders at F&M in that they monitor and ensure that players are living up to their potential on the field and off the field through out the year. After the spring and right before the season started, Wagner chose our son as a captain along with another player who would be the player of the year for the Centennial Conf.  In my mind that was thinking outside the box, especially since son was a goalkeeper and had not played a minute for F&M. During the school year, most players after their first two years, live in the same apartment complex and when a kid graduates another soccer player fills in. Great continuity.  They also have captains practice with no coaches a week before the season starts where they all pile into the apartments and get to work with the freshman to get them acclimated with the program and their expectations. They definitely hold each other accountable. So by having the captains practice, they bond early and which spreads all through the year.  His senior year he was the only captain.

I'm going to guess that many if not most successful D3 programs have someone like these coaches. I think Wagner said in his interview with Simple Coach that when he stopped concentrating on winning and worked on team chemistry, his program took off. Not exact words but paraphrasing. 

Coach Jeff

I enjoyed reading Cat, Mom and Sierra's posts and it got me thinking about this topic.  I hope this make sense to you all.

A little background information, I have been able to be around the D3 soccer world for a while.  Not only playing for four years, I also had the opportunity to coach for 7 years.  During this time I got to know a lot of great coaches, some of which I still keep in contact with on a regular basis.  We would often run across each other at all the tournaments and have very good conversations about what type of players we were looking for.  9 times out of 10 it was more about the player's character then his soccer ability.  Of course what caught our attention was the skills they displayed in their games (also reactions to the game play and or the refs).  These reactions would often make or break the communication from the coaches.  The coaches I know also have stated that these young men need to be an active participant in the recruiting process. Meaning that the players need to show an interest in the program and the team from their end as well.  Coach Wagner wants his player to be invested from the start which he means early in the recruiting process.  I definitely could tell if a player was interested or not early on in the recruiting stage.  One of the questions our coaching staff would ask them early on was what were the other colleges/universities they were looking at as a potential place obtain their higher education and play?  This question helped us see if the recruit was interested.  For instance if they said the schools they were interested in playing at were PSU, Naval Academy, Bloomsburg University and our school.  The follow up question would be so how is Coach Cook's conversation going or when was the last time you spoke to Coach O'Donohue or Coach Basset.  Just to see if they were being recruited at the D1 or D2 schools.  Sometimes they would be able to answer but on occasion they would ask who are they.  It told us a lot about the player's character and if it was just a place would like to play. If they knew the coach at the other schools we knew they were in contact with them and it was just not a dream school.

I also have been on the other side of the recruiting process since I have 3 boys who have played at the collegiate level, currently playing or being recruited.  During these years my sons and I have come in contact with some other great D3 men's soccer coaches.  Coach Singleton is one of those coaches.  His team played my son's team in a game and the atomosphere he has created at W & L is apparent to the opposing teams.  I emailed him a day or 2 after the game and thanked him for his teams effort and fair play.  I was not expecting a return email since his team was in the middle of the season and he responded with a lengthy email explaining how it has taken time to create it but in so many words he was thankful that it was noticed by others.  A lot of the programs around the country have stated the importance of the team culture and players buying into the programs core values especially more apparent to use at the D3 level then others.  IMO i believe it has to with the fact that there are no athletic scholarships at the D3 level when there is money attached to a player it is easier to say you do it this way or you don't play (maybe).  My sons and I have also taken notice to the other teams on the campus that we have visited or they have attended.  What we have observed some of the other teams culture are very similar to the soccer programs, where others are totally different.  We have attributed this to the universities overall culture. 

I could name lots of coaches but i think it is not important to name them all.  What we all are looking for in a coach, is a coach that will help us turn our boy's into young successful men outside the game of soccer.  That is ultimately what is important to us as parents.  Make sure your son's ask them questions that will lead them into giving as much information about the program's culture and the team values and not just the facts that we know all coaches give.  Of course they all want to win and teach the game we all love, but where will our sons be when the game is a past memory.  I want my sons' to experience memories and bonds with teammates and coaches that will last a life time.

I too have enjoyed watching SC's interviews and I actually requested he do an interview with one of the coaches from a potential university that my son was interested in attending and he did it.  Thanks SC well done! Sorry it was such a long post.




Another Mom

Long, thoughtful posts are the best! Please keep sharing your thoughts.

SierraFD3soccer

Great post!! All good information. Thanks.

I've not mentioned all the really really crappy interactions my son had with programs (mostly D1 but a few D3).  Just say that he learned that adults suck. Not the first time and definitely not the last time he'll experience that.

Coach Jeff

Well it is definitely good they discover those insight into the program before they commit to the team and the coaching staff.  During the recruiting process we have also found it beneficial when we have been at a game to talk to the the parents of some of the players to hear what they feel about the program.  It is sometime good information and others not so much.  Probably depends on if their son is playing or not.