I am very interested in this topic, although I am self-aware enough to acknowledge that the headline topic is more than partially cover for my self-interested tribute to Kenyon's senior class that just graduated with the added hope that I will exorcise myself from the painful ending of a glorious season and thereby can more ably move ahead into the future.
Let me note at the outset that "programs on the rise" does not necessarily mean that such programs didn't enjoy considerable success before. I've mentioned Brandeis and Franklin & Marshall in other posts, and in the case of Brandeis I know that Coach Coven and his program enjoyed great success, including a national championship, many moons ago. Kenyon also previously had an extended period of being very competitive. After years of relative mediocrity, Kenyon was consistently quite good from around 1988 through 1997. Mike Pilger, now at Trinity (CT), jumpstarted the program in a four year stretch from '88 through '91, including a team that went 19-0 before losing in the NCAA tournament to (of course) OWU. Pilger was followed in '92 and '93 by Fran O'Leary, and O'Leary's brief tenure brought a Final Four appearance in 1993 where Kenyon lost in the semis to UC San Diego 2-1. O'Leary left for D1 Dartmouth (and has had stints at Bowdoin, Toronto FC, and now D1 UMass-Amherst), but he apparently was instrumental in recruiting Jack Detchon to the college from England who had coached the England U18 national team and has published a book on zonal defending. Detchon had a very successful four year run from '94 through '97, highlighted by Kenyon hosting the 1996 Final Four in tiny Gambier and losing the championship game in 4 OTs to TCNJ. Detchon's '97 team also had a sterling record but lost in the NCAA tournament to....yeah, you guessed it (just like a handful of other years not mentioned).
I know nothing of the details but Detchon's departure was followed by perhaps the darkest period for Kenyon soccer, especially given the heights the program had reached. Under the guiding hand of Des Lawless from '98 through 2004 the Lords had a string of losing seasons, including a final season under Lawless that saw the Lords finish an embarrassing 3-16.
Chris Brown was hired for the 2005 season (and you can read his bio if you wish on the Kenyon site). Brown endured two seasons of 4-9-4 in '05 and '06. Then, in '07, Brown led Kenyon to a NCAC title, and I'm guessing the only regular season title won by any team other than OWU in 20 years. That squad was 14-2-2 and 7-1-1 (in conference) and apparently did not get a NCAA bid. The archives suggest that perhaps they lost to Allegheny in the NCAC tourney semis in PKs. Over the next few years, Kenyon had good seasons, but the first NCAA appearance for Brown (I think) did not come until 2010. That team had some great players -- Nolan x2, Hoffman, Myers, Barrera, and Dangarembwa, to name a few. They beat York (at York) in a 1st round matchup, and found themselves across the field from OWU in the 2nd round. Yep.
2011 brought last year's senior group. A grand total of 20 freshmen joined the team that was depleted by the strong senior class of 2010. Oddly, and I'm only 90% sure about this, the recruiting year that brought in those 20 started out with some disappointments and fears of not enough recruits. Apparently some kids targeted for early decision admission went elsewhere, and the bulk of the class came from regular admission in April. My guess is that every soccer player who was considering Kenyon in the regular admission round (and got in) picked Kenyon. My guess is that Brown was hoping to bring in 11 or 12 kids and ended up with 20 on his hands due to unexpected high yield. Some outstanding leaders remained, notably senior Keith Dangarembwa, and soph Andrew Parmelee (who would go on to play three seasons with the 2011 group and would have been an All-American if not riddled with injuries in his senior year). Justice and Carney were defensive starters basically from Day 1, and remained so throughout both of their superb careers. Mitsuyama and Petrou also started the majority of games their freshmen and sophomore years, and Mitsuyama went on to become one of the most featured players. Scott started at right back for his last 3 years. Ernst began starting late in his junior year at centerback with Justice and was an unsung star during the junior year playoff run and for all of his senior year. Christoff was a key substitute for all of his final 3 seasons. Arceo, a senior and key reserve last year as well, was a 5th year and another bridge with Parmelee from the 2010 class.
The first year in 2011 was an education. Kenyon finished 7-8-2, playing competitively but losing a bunch of close games, including a game at OWU that the Lords led until the 60+ minute mark when Travis Wall broke through. Kenyon missed out on the NCAC playoffs on a tiebreaker to Allegheny. The next year was better, finishing at 9-6-3, and impressive showings with away draws against a very talented DePauw team and OWU. Kenyon lost to OWU in PKs in a NCAC semifinal and were just short of being a legit candidate for a NCAA bid. The original 20 from the 2011 class over the years dwindled down to 10 or 11 by senior year, but a core group of 8 seniors really was the heart and soul of the squad through all of the exhilarating 2013 season (and the Messiah classic) and last year's magical (mostly) campaign. It must be said that this group needed the infusion of offensive talent to become NCAA contenders in 2013 and 2014, and that came from Barnes, Amolo, Glassman, Lee, and last year, Eudy. A superb GK in Clougher certainly was critical as well.
Last year's senior group did not get to the mountain top. An incredible season and an incredible opportunity came to a crushing, tears-triggering end, after being set up with hosting two weekends and a clear path to Kansas City. Nevertheless, that group was the bridge, or at least the pillars holding up the bridge, to put Kenyon more solidly on the D3 soccer map with a very bright future. Other factors should not go unmentioned -- Coach Brown's coaching acumen, demanding standards, and competitiveness, and bringing in Asst Coach Moore who devotes a good portion of his time to recruiting. The current exciting cast of characters have taken the mantle and will impact future players coming to Kenyon. But I'm not sure Kenyon gets to where they are without the 2011 class, who played together, lived together, and share a love for each other and Kenyon soccer. They represented the college about as well as could be imagined, and no doubt, since parents we know are key factors in the recruiting game, more than soccer results can impact decisions. Fitting with a school -- whatever school -- in terms of mission, academics, vibe, etc, is huge, and especially at the D3 level, the old adage of "make sure you'll be happy at the school if the soccer falls through," is an important one. The 2011 class, in addition to lofty purely athletic accolades, boasts two Academic All-Americans, a District Academic All-American, 4 magna cum laude grads, 3 PBKs, a NCAA Postgraduate Scholar, a Fulbright award winner, one player now at a top 25 medical school, two more players applying to med schools currently, and a couple more players in graduate school programs. They did not get to a Final Four or win a national title. Instead, they left a legacy...and figurative shoulders for current and future players to stand on.
So that's my tribute to the class of 2015, and hopefully some insight into the building blocks of an elite program. There will be real memories of ecstasy that I'll always have, and also flashbacks of a clearance that didn't quite get past Ramirez with under 2 minutes to go at Shoemaker Field, and last year a cross from the left to Jeon who hit the post followed by Amolo missing wide, and exactly a minute later Bloecher drawing a PK. Sometimes the ecstasy and daggers to the spleen happened in the same game, like at Messiah. I will never forget that game...two pairs of long underwear under flanneled pants, foot and hand warmers inside fleeced boots and thick gloves, still freezing and shivering, but mesmerized by the electricity and twists and turns of an unforgettable game under the lights at a special venue. All in all, though, what a ride...what a f*&#ing ride...a ride I am thankful for, and the reason I'll keep riding for at least a little while longer.
I do hope others will share their stories and insights about their programs, and I hope no one will be too offended by my indulgence. Sorry and/or thanks.
NCAC
Addendum: I was remiss in not mentioning a couple of other names/things. Also from the group of 2011 frosh class were Guju and Konkol. Guju tore an ACL early in his freshmen season (and was starting) and then was a mainstay at holding mid for his soph and junior seasons. Unfortunately he tore an ACL/MCL again in his junior season during the NCAC tourney final at OWU, missing the 2013 NCAA run. He was an All-NCAC selection. Glassman had a medical issue after the wins over Ohio Northern and Wheaton, missing out on the Messiah game. Konkol also had starts as a freshmen and played as a soph before a medical issue forced him to stop playing thereafter. Additionally, two other original members of the group of 20, along with Guju, served as team managers last year.
Injuries of course are only relevant when they happen to YOUR team (haha), but they certainly do make an impact. Guju and Glassman were out for Messiah and Parmelee was basically playing on one leg as he kept injuring a hamstring all season. Last year Justice, Ernst, and Eudy were injured for the OWU Sweet Sixteen tilt (and Glassman could not play at all), and OWU dissected the vaunted Kenyon defense with repeated piercing balls between the two centerbacks.
Events that impact venue also play an interesting role. Some may forget that OWU, not Messiah (partly owing to the Lycoming loss in PKs), was the #1 team in the nation in 2013 and would have hosted the Kenyon vs Messiah game if not upset in the 1st round by Rose-Hulman, and of course last year Messiah SHOULD have hosted but did not, apparently because it was the women's team turn to host at Messiah. I feel like we were cheated out of seeing Messiah play OWU in 2013, and of course I would have loved to see Kenyon and Tufts tangle last year. The 2013 Messiah bunch was the best D3 team I've ever witnessed. I'm definitely not a Messiah insider, but they obviously do a lot of things right, and with class. The venue is immaculate, with chair-back stadium seating for I suppose the most ardent Messiah faithful (and parents?). The atmosphere was just off-the-charts, and watching Messiah just go through warm-ups was intimidating to say the least. They looked like a pro team, and after Sheldon Myer crushed a strike just 2:43 into the game I was sure we were looking at a 4-0 or 5-0 mismatch. Jack Thompson looked absolutely uncontainable.
Good stuff, NCAC. Really enjoyed reading it.
Quote from: Corazon on September 16, 2015, 09:40:48 PM
Good stuff, NCAC. Really enjoyed reading it.
Seconded. I always enjoy NCAC's in-depth analyses, and I think this might have been the best one yet. I'll put in my own "homer alert," but it's been really cool to see the resurgence of the Brandeis program, which I've detailed below.
I came to the school in 2011, and met Coach Coven out on the pitch. The turf was open, practice wasn't scheduled to begin for another few hours, and I - no more than a recreational player myself - was just messing about, taking some free kicks. He and Gabe Margolis came over and asked who I was, and gave me perhaps the best soccer-related compliment that I've ever received, especially considering his pedigree: "you're a very good striker of the ball." Regardless of the compliment, the fact that he just came over and chatted with me - without even knowing who I was - typified the guy who has roamed the sidelines of Waltham for 43 years.
Anyway, as someone who liked sportswriting and soccer, I started covering the team for the school newspaper, so I started to really take an interest in the Brandeis program. However, my biggest apprehension was what it would be like interviewing the players. After all, you never know who you're dealing with - I had transferred from another NE D3 school where the players weren't nearly as friendly. I was very pleasantly surprised to find that the Brandeis players were, objectively speaking, some of the most approachable and humble guys I've ever met. That first season, Brandeis fell short of an NCAA bid, losing some close games, like Babson in 2OT, while also dropping some clangers, like 1-0 away at Clark. I remember the guys were pretty upset, but they said "we're going to go out and win the ECAC tournament and show them they deserved to be in the Tournament. They did just that, beating Albertus Magnus 8-0 in the final.
Before the 2012 season - which resulted in Brandeis' first trip to NCAAs in 27 years, I remember speaking to Coven before the season, asking him what he thought of his team. His response was rather downbeat: "We lost (CM) Theo Terris, who was probably our best player, an (CBs) Ari Silver and David McCoy (who were four-year starters.)" They started well enough, but for me the moment they really announced themselves was when they defeated an Eric Anderson-led Babson (which went on to finish 13-4-3) at home in double-OT, 2-1. Anderson had scored against and beaten Brandeis every time he'd played them, and while he scored the opener in this game, Russo countered with a second-half equalizer before Ocel scored the winner. That was when I knew they had "arrived." They won the UAA, sharing the title with WashU, Carnegie, and Emory, and made NCAAs for the first time in 27 years. In the Tournament, they breezed through their first game against Baruch, before defeating Vassar in the best 1-0 victory I've ever seen - between the two teams, there were 34 shots, 2 disallowed goals, 2 shots off the line, 2 woodwork hits, and a goal from Ocel with 29.4 seconds left. The next round, they lost to Williams 1-0, bringing down the curtain on a great season, which was made even better when Ocel was named a 3rd Team All-American - Brandeis' first in quite some time.
The next year was a bit different. Losing Russo and Minchoff in net were big challenges, as well as Eisenbies at CB. The start of the season looked good, with early wins over Babson and MIT, but they certainly took their lumps: being completely outplayed by Tufts in a 2-0 defeat, losing 3-2 at home to Rochester, and getting beat on the road by CMU and Emory in convincing fashion. I remember calling Coven at the airport for quotes on their way back from that UAA road trip, and he had pretty much resigned himself to the fact that they weren't going to make NCAAs again. The pipe dream looked even less likely when, hosting WashU at home with 15 minutes left and the score tied at 0-0, Bears forward Kirkwood broke in and dribbled around Graffy with the goal gaping. Out of nowhere, Conor Lanahan - who had been culpable of some big mistakes in earlier UAA games - made a goal-saving tackle, which kept the game at 0-0. Had they lost that game, they would have likely been out of the running. Instead, they got a solid draw against a ranked opponent, won the next two games against Chicago and NYU, and made the Tournament again. Two home victories followed, against Johnson & Wales and Roger Williams, before another loss to Williams.
The big question going into 2014 was how Brandeis could cope with NESCAC teams. The Judges got manhandled against Williams in both the 2012 & 2013 Tournament games, and were thoroughly outplayed by Tufts, but the guys were confident they could take it to Tufts at home. They did just that, winning 2-0 and matching Tufts physically. Tufts certainly had chances to score, but once Brandeis woke up (after being outshot in the first half 7-0), only one team looked like scoring. I think that beating Tufts was when the Judges started to get some respect, as I had heard a lot of talk about Brandeis being inferior to some NESCAC teams because of their previous lack of physicality. Two uncharacteristic road losses to Rochester and Chicago denied them the UAA title. Regardless, the Judges were an easy pick for NCAAs again, where they defeated Husson and - another NESCAC team - Bowdoin at home, before downing Amherst on PKs in the third round. The Judges were comprehensively beaten by Oneonta, 3-0, but the team picked up three victories (technically 2-0-1) against NESCAC teams, silencing some of their critics - myself included. Despite missing out on the Final Four, Savonen was named a 1st Team All-American, while Lanahan garnered 2nd Team All-American and D3soccer.com defender of the year (excuse me if I butchered that title.)
There have been rumblings on this board that the Brandeis administration was considering axing Coven because of bad results. And while I wasn't around the program at the time, I could definitely see that, as the Judges did go 6-10-2 in 2009 and had some dismal records in the years previous - not to mention that they hadn't qualified for NCAAs in 20+ years. What's cool, though, is that 2009 was the year that the senior class of 2012 were freshmen. What happened? Well, for one, the recruiting classes started getting significantly better. Bringing in Applefield in 2010, who was an All-New England selection, as well as guys like Lynch and Savonen the year after, who were All-Scholastic and All-New England selections, really began to shape the program. Since then, Brandeis has brought in (an average of) a couple All-New England selections per year, and has had some former D1 players transfer in as well - Terris in 2010, Soboff in 2013, and Caron from BU this year. Regardless, it was very cool to see a group of guys who came in and won six games their first year make NCAAs - something the team hadn't done in 27 years - before they left.
What else? Brandeis' turf came into existence in 2005, which put them on a similar playing field (no pun intended) to their UAA rivals, as Brandeis was the only UAA school without a turf prior to that. And while good grass pitches are certainly excellent, Brandeis' pitch was - from my understanding - terrible. In that case, the turf - as well as hosting night games, something which Coven has done with increasing regularity due to their popularity - has breathed new life into the program. More importantly, having Gabe Margolis on board is a huge help, and my suspicion is that he'll take over when Coven retires. He's an excellent recruiter and a very good tactician: he knows his own players extremely well, and he is able to scout the opposition very effectively. Most importantly, and I've seen this firsthand, the guys simply love playing for Coven. He's an intense and emotional coach, but he genuinely cares about his players, and his near-encyclopedic knowledge of their hometowns, families, and "outside of soccer" lives is impressive. His players revere him, and it's little wonder that he - coupled with Margolis' tactical acumen - has been so successful in recruiting top-notch Massachusetts players. And the fact that he's a very personable, friendly guy to everyone he encounters - including me, the "newspaper guy" - speaks to his class.
The Judges are having some trouble scoring this year, and they were convincingly beaten by Trinity 2-0. How Brandeis will compete this season, I don't know (I suspect they could make NCAAs again, but not sure beyond that.) What I do know is that it was really cool to observe a program that didn't make NCAAs my first year associated with it, qualified for the first time in 27 years and won two NCAA games the second year, did the same in the third year, and made it to the Elite Eight and went undefeated against NESCAC teams in the fourth year - as well as the individual honors that have come along. Most importantly, I have really enjoyed getting to know Coach Coven, Margolis, and the Brandeis players, whom I objectively hold in very high esteem. Whether Brandeis can compete with the "top" D3 teams remains to be seen, but I would certainly say that - especially considering the last 10 years - the Judges are a program on the rise.
blooter, that's off the hook. Great job! Your journalism skills on full display.
FWIW, had to add an addendum above.
Haverford comes to mind when I think of a program on the rise...
Consistently playing the best possible schedule and have improved year in year out. Wouldn't shock me to see them make it to the Elite 8 in the next few seasons.
Ummm...You could say Tufts is on the rise..Winning a National Championship under Josh Shapiro in only his 4th season at the helm. He took over for the aloof Ralph Ferrigno who after hosting a 1994 Sweet 16 game against Johns Hopkins n front of 3,000 fans managed to drop the program to basically being irrelevant in Nescac. Shapiro turned that around in 4 years with his recruits only. Ferrigno left him a couple bodies and a ball bag.
As for Kenyon---Excellent re-telling of the program history. Based on my memory and my own re-telling that is very accurate. FYI---Peter Gooding, the Former Amherst AD and Head Coach and NSCAA President was instrumental in bringing over the legendary Jack Detchon. His assistant and very crafty recruiter was none other than Peter's son Milton, who also was Amherst Head Coach before Serpone. Milton Gooding was an A+ recruiter and a much better recruiter than coach. Detchon meanwhile was a character in itself and I believe had basically one leg. He was legendary and could coach with the best of them. I forgot the reason he left the program in 1997 but I felt Milton should have gotten that job but instead he went to work with his father Peter at Amherst
Quote from: Mr.Right on September 17, 2015, 01:24:22 PM
Ummm...You could say Tufts is on the rise..Winning a National Championship under Josh Shapiro in only his 4th season at the helm. He took over for the aloof Ralph Ferrigno who after hosting a 1994 Sweet 16 game against Johns Hopkins n front of 3,000 fans managed to drop the program to basically being irrelevant in Nescac. Shapiro turned that around in 4 years with his recruits only. Ferrigno left him a couple bodies and a ball bag.
Absolutely. I think I said in another thread that Tufts sort of skipped over the "on the rise" deal and went straight TO THE TOP. That said, would love to hear more details about the Tufts story. Certainly getting the class of Santos, Hoppenot, Williams and Kramer (may be missing a couple) was HUGE. Interestingly that was also a 2011 class, as was the Messiah superstud group, and to some extent applicable to Brandeis as well.
Would also love to hear the F&M story. And, while already very established as a very top program at this point, I'd love to hear the details on Loras' rise to power.
I personally think Haverford may have a hard time breaking through, although I would agree that periodic NCAA bids are in the 'Fords future. They strike me as like a perpetually mid-tier NESCAC, along the lines of Wesleyan and Bowdoin, with a lot of other very strong programs to work their way through to get to the very top end of D3.
Would also love to see some credible Pac NW fans who can shed some light on the Whitworth program especially.
Quote from: Mr.Right on September 17, 2015, 01:34:27 PM
As for Kenyon---Excellent re-telling of the program history. Based on my memory and my own re-telling that is very accurate. FYI---Peter Gooding, the Former Amherst AD and Head Coach and NSCAA President was instrumental in bringing over the legendary Jack Detchon. His assistant and very crafty recruiter was none other than Peter's son Milton, who also was Amherst Head Coach before Serpone. Milton Gooding was an A+ recruiter and a much better recruiter than coach. Detchon meanwhile was a character in itself and I believe had basically one leg. He was legendary and could coach with the best of them. I forgot the reason he left the program in 1997 but I felt Milton should have gotten that job but instead he went to work with his father Peter at Amherst
Great info. Thanks.
Mr.Right, here ya go....Notice the tip of the cap to OWU and Martin. Great stuff.
http://bulletin.kenyon.edu/x1635.html
Detchon got the job after Fran O'Leary went to Dartmouth. Interestingly, Russo was offered the Dartmouth job but turned it down because rumor had it that back then Williams paid more $$$ than Dartmouth. In the 80's and 90's D1 Men's Soccer Coaches were not paid like they are today, you made your money doing camps all summer
Quote from: NCAC New England on September 17, 2015, 01:41:41 PM
Quote from: Mr.Right on September 17, 2015, 01:24:22 PM
Ummm...You could say Tufts is on the rise..Winning a National Championship under Josh Shapiro in only his 4th season at the helm. He took over for the aloof Ralph Ferrigno who after hosting a 1994 Sweet 16 game against Johns Hopkins n front of 3,000 fans managed to drop the program to basically being irrelevant in Nescac. Shapiro turned that around in 4 years with his recruits only. Ferrigno left him a couple bodies and a ball bag.
Absolutely. I think I said in another thread that Tufts sort of skipped over the "on the rise" deal and went straight TO THE TOP. That said, would love to hear more details about the Tufts story. Certainly getting the class of Santos, Hoppenot, Williams and Kramer (may be missing a couple) was HUGE. Interestingly that was also a 2011 class, as was the Messiah superstud group, and to some extent applicable to Brandeis as well.
I just checked with a Tufts supporter and found out that Shapiro started the 2011 class with speed and size and followed with the 2012 class of high soccer IQ and ball handlers, namely kayne, brown, and pinheiro, and added 2012 outside defenders, Patel and Schaible. The belief was that 2 classes would work well together (which turned out to be true last year). All have played substantial time since they arrived and some have started all 4 years. One or 2 of 2012 class had D1 offers (maybe Ivy) and decided on Tufts. I don't know the reasons for that, nor did my contact....could be promised or perceived playing time, etc. Then, Greenwood came in 2013, and others followed. I have no insight on what Shapiro did to get these players to commit to Tufts, as some are local, some have a Princeton connection (as I learned earlier on this site and whatever that means), and some come from far away places like California and Chicago. Some were USSDA players and some were not. Obviously, identification of the mix of players was very important but maybe someone can add as to what was done to get the mix. That would require talking to parents or players.... Any insight in that regard would be enlightening....
BF, I'm curious about what attracts recruits to Tufts as well. They seem to get a good number of city kids who perhaps like the idea of Boston, even though Tufts really isn't in Boston. Tufts is also the least "NESCAC-like" among the NESCACs and more akin to the UAA schools and smaller Ivies.
Tufts is one school in Nescac who has traditionally has been the ONLY Nescac school who steals kids from Williams, Amherst, Midd and Bowdoin. Usually a couple times a year you have athletes who get into a Williams or Amherst and Tufts and choose Tufts because of location and / or major. One prime example is Gus Santos. Williams and Amherst would have gotten him in if they gave up 2 Tips for him but he choose Tufts over both. I have mentioned this before but you also have Midd and Bowdoin and Tufts telling some athletes "do not go to Williams / Amherst the work is overwhelming and it you get the same education at a Midd without as much work" which is absolute nonsense but it does work.
Quote from: blooter442 on September 16, 2015, 11:23:45 PM
Quote from: Corazon on September 16, 2015, 09:40:48 PM
Good stuff, NCAC. Really enjoyed reading it.
I came to the school in 2011, and met Coach Coven out on the pitch. The turf was open, practice wasn't scheduled to begin for another few hours, and I - no more than a recreational player myself - was just messing about, taking some free kicks. He and Gabe Margolis came over and asked who I was, and gave me perhaps the best soccer-related compliment that I've ever received, especially considering his pedigree: "you're a very good striker of the ball." Regardless of the compliment, the fact that he just came over and chatted with me - without even knowing who I was - typified the guy who has roamed the sidelines of Waltham for 43 years.
Blooter, I meant to respond to this a while back.
Agree with the sentiments above. I met Coven very briefly at a high school game where he was watching a couple of kids a couple of years ago. He remembered details of an email from a couple of years before that. Very friendly, engaging, genuine, and was obvious that the parents of the potential recruits he was watching liked him a lot.
The players who are playing generally always are pretty happy with their coach. I'd be curious to know if the kids who don't get to play feel just as positively about Coven. It's a cliche but in some ways I think that is the test of a great coach who also is a teacher and views coaching as part of the educational mission of the institution, and who is genuinely interested in each kid not just in terms of soccer but in life. I loved his speech after his 500th win. He didn't make it about him but about everyone else.
Assume you will be going to the Tufts game this weekend. Good chance I will make that one. Maybe we can share offering an extensive game report after that one.
Quote from: NCAC New England on September 24, 2015, 10:49:03 AM
Blooter, I meant to respond to this a while back.
Agree with the sentiments above. I met Coven very briefly at a high school game where he was watching a couple of kids a couple of years ago. He remembered details of an email from a couple of years before that. Very friendly, engaging, genuine, and was obvious that the parents of the potential recruits he was watching liked him a lot.
The players who are playing generally always are pretty happy with their coach. I'd be curious to know if the kids who don't get to play feel just as positively about Coven. It's a cliche but in some ways I think that is the test of a great coach who also is a teacher and views coaching as part of the educational mission of the institution, and who is genuinely interested in each kid not just in terms of soccer but in life. I loved his speech after his 500th win. He didn't make it about him but about everyone else.
Assume you will be going to the Tufts game this weekend. Good chance I will make that one. Maybe we can share offering an extensive game report after that one.
You bet I will. And I think that would be very interesting to see analyses of a game from a different angle.
That's a great question and a very good point.
Certainly, every player is different, and some might react differently to not playing than others, but on the whole I would say the answer is an emphatic
yes. He and Margolis preach the team ethos to the point that even the guys way down the bench feel part of the team - it's very evident in the bench reaction, like from the 2014 win over Tufts (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rq266q_G5Q). Now, obviously, that was a big win for the Judges, who at the time had a point to prove against the NESCAC, but you don't get people fired up unless they're happy to be part of the team. From what I've seen, a lot of the kids riding the bench recognize that the guys in front of them are very talented players and are starting for a reason, rather than seeing them as adversaries, as is the case with some teams. Last year, in a lopsided game, Coven gave a start to a senior who didn't play much in his four years, and the kid went out and hit the winner (the first goal in a 5-0 win.) The reaction of the players and the bench said it all, and you could tell that he very much felt like part of the team. I think it's very easy for coaches to make only the starters feel valued, but the fact that the second-stringers feel just as much part of the team is a testament to Coven.
Another area where bench players have a lot of respect for Coven is that he gives players who haven't played much the opportunity to prove themselves. I've seen several guys come into the program, sit the bench, seem to be going nowhere, and then get their chance and do an excellent job. Minchoff the GK from 2012 was a classic example - he was "not good" when he first came in (the language used was actually significantly more colorful, in jest of course.) But, Coven gave him a chance, and he ended up backstopping the team to an NCAA appearance and earning UAA Honorable Mention.
And, regardless of whether they're playing or not, he's very much involved in his players' lives, both academically and personally. A few years ago, a freshman came in, didn't play much, wasn't doing well academically, and his mother had cancer. When he told Coven he wanted to transfer, he told the kid to take a deep breath, and that he had the potential to be a very good soccer player and very good student, and asked him to stick around. Sure enough, the player graduated with honors, his mother ended up being OK, and he became "one of [their] best ever players." Obviously, that is an exceptional case, but Coven's care for his bench player was a significant factor in the guy deciding to stay.
Quote from: blooter442 on September 24, 2015, 11:36:41 AM
And, regardless of whether they're playing or not, he's very much involved in his players' lives, both academically and personally. A few years ago, a freshman came in, didn't play much, wasn't doing well academically, and his mother had cancer. When he told Coven he wanted to transfer, he told the kid to take a deep breath, and that he had the potential to be a very good soccer player and very good student, and asked him to stick around. Sure enough, the player graduated with honors, his mother ended up being OK, and he became "one of [their] best ever players." Obviously, that is an exceptional case, but Coven's care for his bench player was a significant factor in the guy deciding to stay.
That's really cool to hear. In the end, a coach like Coven will end up impacting the lives of his players far beyond the four years they play for him. Cool.
Thanks Blooter, that's great.
As Mr.Right has sort of alluded to it is not easy to be a coach dealing with close to 30 or more kids/families. Many of these families are paying 50-60K a year, and for better or worse, the soccer piece played a big role in choosing the school. While guaranteed nothing I would imagine that most go to a school fully expecting to be in the mix. I would bet that most coaches can't pull off how Coven operates and instead build a firewall between the program and parents. I'm also curious about how coaches decide how many kids to bring in for a given year. Seems that some try to bring in 7-9 every year to keep a balance, and others lose big senior classes and so have to take on a bigger class of recruits. We've heard that Colby brought in 19. I imagine that only 7-8 will still be around when they are seniors, but that doesn't necessarily mean that the others will leave the school. Only a couple out of the 20 frosh that went to Kenyon actually left. Most of the kids who ended up dropping off the team became big fans of the team and remained part of the "soccer group" socially. It's tough, though. If you aren't playing and with each advancing year, the time commitment involved becomes dubious. And of course a a huge recruiting class ends up impacting the next couple of years. The year after Kenyon's class of 20 I believe they brought in 8 or 9 kids, and while most of those kids are still at Kenyon, only one kid was/is still on the roster (Barnes) for their last two years. And no coincidence that after last year's big class graduated they brought in another very large class (13) this year.
Quote from: NCAC New England on September 24, 2015, 12:25:09 PM
As Mr.Right has sort of alluded to it is not easy to be a coach dealing with close to 30 or more kids/families. Many of these families are paying 50-60K a year, and for better or worse, the soccer piece played a big role in choosing the school. While guaranteed nothing I would imagine that most go to a school fully expecting to be in the mix. I would bet that most coaches can't pull off how Coven operates and instead build a firewall between the program and parents.
I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that he started coaching in a different era, an era in which I'd have to imagine recruiting was less cutthroat (think about how many "showcases" and U-16 club teams existed in the 80s), as were relationships with parents. However, there is still evidence of that era as exemplified by guys like Coven, Mike Russo, and Jon Anderson, who have been around the game and coaching since the 70s/80s. Russo, for example, used to write personal letters to all of the kids (http://ephsports.williams.edu/sports/msoc/2011-12/releases/20110807krs7du) who didn't get into Williams. Apparently, Coven writes handwritten letters too (https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/regionals/west/2012/09/15/mike-coven-seasons-and-counting-for-brandeis-men-soccer-four-decades-and-counting-brandeis-for-mike-coven/sl7B0XSKr2DJC5o9LnxfGO/story.html). Those guys started coaching back when soccer, and indeed Division III athletics, was very different in a number of ways, and so that might explain why their relationships with parents are different than that of many coaches who have started their careers in more recent times. Regardless of era, genuine relationships with players and their families isn't something that you can fake, and both Coven and Russo have shown how much they care about their players on numerous occasions over the years. I don't know much about Anderson but he is a class act, too, and he seems to have similar relationships with his players and their families.
I agree that soccer definitely plays a big part in the decision. But I think particularly in more prestigious/selective schools, like those in the NESCAC and UAA - where all of the schools have acceptance rates below 50 percent - kids are
generally (not always, but generally) satisfied with their college choice, regardless of how their soccer career turns out, due to the quality of education. A generalization, of course, but a valid one I think. I also agree that the time commitment can be taxing, but I have noticed many similarities to what you said about the Kenyon program at Brandeis (players staying at the school and remaining fans and friends with the players), which is certainly encouraging.
Thanks again, Blooter. I can't speak globally, but among the coaches we had contact with from schools not chosen the most gracious and personal in his responses was Wheeler at Wesleyan.
Quote from: lastguyoffthebench on September 17, 2015, 10:35:58 AM
Haverford comes to mind when I think of a program on the rise...
Consistently playing the best possible schedule and have improved year in year out. Wouldn't shock me to see them make it to the Elite 8 in the next few seasons.
Could it happen this year? My magic 8 ball says, YES.
Quote from: lastguyoffthebench on November 09, 2015, 12:48:38 PM
Quote from: lastguyoffthebench on September 17, 2015, 10:35:58 AM
Haverford comes to mind when I think of a program on the rise...
Consistently playing the best possible schedule and have improved year in year out. Wouldn't shock me to see them make it to the Elite 8 in the next few seasons.
Could it happen this year? My magic 8 ball says, YES.
I think Oneonta St will be too much for Haverford. These two teams are on fire right now and will make for a great one...
After this season I would say Lycoming can be considered a program on the rise. The blurb below is something I read after Lycoming's loss to Amherst this past weekend.
"In three years as head coach, Nate Gibboney has now led the Warriors to two MAC Commonwealth championships, two NCAA Division III Championship appearances, one appearance in the NCAA Division III Championship sectionals, all while the team has racked up a 44-13-7 (.742) record with 36 shutouts."
If this trend keeps up, and they keep prevailing over Messiah, I think Lycoming will become a common NCAA team year in and year out.
I also think Endicott and Cabrini and are two other programs to keep an eye on over the next few seasons. Cabrini finally cracked through in conference playoffs and punched their ticket to the dance. They have been knocking on the door the past few seasons and finally succeeded. I think if they can get a nice recruiting class they can keep winning the CSAC consistently and start making progress come tournament time. As for Endicott they had a great year and from what I hear have some great recruits lined up for the next 2 years. Something to keep an eye on. Any thoughts of other schools making a climb onto the national scene?
Quote from: Mid-Atlantic Fan on November 23, 2015, 02:46:09 PM
After this season I would say Lycoming can be considered a program on the rise. The blurb below is something I read after Lycoming's loss to Amherst this past weekend.
"In three years as head coach, Nate Gibboney has now led the Warriors to two MAC Commonwealth championships, two NCAA Division III Championship appearances, one appearance in the NCAA Division III Championship sectionals, all while the team has racked up a 44-13-7 (.742) record with 36 shutouts."
If this trend keeps up, and they keep prevailing over Messiah, I think Lycoming will become a common NCAA team year in and year out.
I also think Endicott and Cabrini and are two other programs to keep an eye on over the next few seasons. Cabrini finally cracked through in conference playoffs and punched their ticket to the dance. They have been knocking on the door the past few seasons and finally succeeded. I think if they can get a nice recruiting class they can keep winning the CSAC consistently and start making progress come tournament time. As for Endicott they had a great year and from what I hear have some great recruits lined up for the next 2 years. Something to keep an eye on. Any thoughts of other schools making a climb onto the national scene?
Yes Eastern too!
Mid Atlantic fan-
Agree with Endicott, have had two great seasons and return their goalkeeper and back 4 next season. What have you heard about their recruits coming in??? Coach Calabrese has done a great job with that program since he arrived but it will be interesting to see where they will find goals next season. They have had their fair share of transfers that have made huge impacts like the goalkeeper Weinstein, forward Maillo. Still have a ways to go to catch Gordon, but agreed that they are building very quickly and have a great defense to rely on.
Quote from: NEsoccerfan20 on November 23, 2015, 10:22:55 PM
Mid Atlantic fan-
Agree with Endicott, have had two great seasons and return their goalkeeper and back 4 next season. What have you heard about their recruits coming in??? Coach Calabrese has done a great job with that program since he arrived but it will be interesting to see where they will find goals next season. They have had their fair share of transfers that have made huge impacts like the goalkeeper Weinstein, forward Maillo. Still have a ways to go to catch Gordon, but agreed that they are building very quickly and have a great defense to rely on.
All rumors through the grapevine of course but I have heard that they are actively recruiting a DCM, CB, and OM that can really play. 2 current juniors and a senior so you won't see the other 2 until 2017(if the land them) but seems like they are looking ahead. I also heard that the 2 juniors are also considering good D1 schools and a couple solid D3 schools. Should be a good recruiting battle. Time will tell.