SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums Boys Varsity Soccer AAAA State Championship Game

Forgive me. I thought for a moment there that you were likening Wando to the USSR (i.e., professional) hockey juggernaut, and J.L. Mann to the scrappy "amateur" underdogs, thereby adding "context" to Bill Hosea's great coaching.

Herb Brooks was the right coach for THAT team ... though many questioned his methods right up to the Olympics, including a massive "exhibition" loss to the USSR.

And he won the gold medal using players not necessarily considered the best by many.

Coaching is about taking what you have, no mattter what you have, recognizing what you have and making the best you can from that.

William has done that so many times, this was another.

I know I will be raked over the coals for this but...

William Hosea, who is a great and wonderful person, did absolutely no coaching of this years JL Mann team. That honor goes to first year teacher/coach, Talon Stroud. Hosea did not pick the team, train the team (or even go to practice), make the lineup or make any game-time decisions. For years, I have not understood why he gets credit for wins and chamionships. Has he done an immense amount for high school soccer in SC? Heck yeah! Has he actually coached? Not in at least the last 17 years.

Wow, Clark. Clearly, your testosterone level has not declined 2% per year like the rest of us.

sorry, but it's true. I just find it hard to believe he even accepts the accolades.

Purely a rhetorical question: Assuming you are correct, who empowered the young assistant to get the job done? And is THAT not important, too?

Ummmm, As far as I know Talon was not the assistant. Maybe on paper, don't know. But you mean that just because you make the schedule and wash the uniforms you make a team a state champion? I'm pretty sure I am a lot closer to the situation than most people.

Like I said, a rhetorical question. I have ZERO insight on the J.L. Mann situation. But I would point out that the BEST coaches empower their staff and athletes to be the best they can be. And yes, they even makes up schedules and do laundry.
What I saw Saturday impressed me.

OK, to answer your rhetorical question, I would have to say it was the Principal and AD. On paper it may look like Stroud is the "staff", but if you asked any player who the head coach was, they would say it was Stroud. If you asked the faculty or parents who the coach was, they would say Stroud and most of them would not even know that Hosea existed. I guess the previous coaches at Mann could be credited with the victories since in a way, they empowered Hosea by giving up the job. You did read my original comment, didn't you? Hosea does not pick the team, train the team or coach them in the game. How did he lead them to victory? By allowing someone who knew what he was doing to do it?

Did anyone else watch the games on http://www.schsl.tv/? Love the idea and the video was pretty good but the announcing was awful. Talk about some folks that knew nothing about soccer!