SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums Boys Varsity Soccer COACHES - "Tough Assignment"

One thing I’ve learned over the years is that you Coaches talk to & about each other and visit this forum. So here’s the TOUGHEST assignment yet for you guys & gals!

Coaches face a dilemma about their objectives & we ALL know that society rewards winners. Yet society also looks to sport as a means to help young people try out life, build character, and develop leadership skills. Some Coaches who want to help young people develop physically, psychologically, and socially through sport often find they are evaluated only on their win-loss record – I know, “sucks to be you”. Coaches are also concerned about their job and many have increasing aspirations – maybe collegiate or professional. And, I understand that coaches are conditioned by the organizations for whom they coach to pursue the objective of “winning regardless of the cost” because the rewards for winning are immediate and powerful. Hey, there’s lot’s of styles and reasons. Don’t be shy and NONE are wrong – EXCEPT NOT REPLYING!

I challenge every Coach from each program in South Carolina to come on this board and state their philosophy and maybe a little about WHY. Examples may include the following (or combinations of the following) or anything else. JUST BE HONEST, PLEASE:

1) Strive to win the game is the important objective of the contest.

2) Development of sound character: Helping athletes develop physically and/or psychologically and/or socially – athletes become better athletes and successful adults.

3) Development of friendships and trust. “It’s a social thing”

4) Player Exposure, & PLEASE list how you personally assist with exposing talented players to collegiate or professional objectives.

5) I want to coach at a higher level – goals are great, don’t be shy – It’s a GOOD thing.

6) Other…………………

I don’t believe this question has been posed to all of the coaches in this state and I think the parents of the youth that we entrust with you would like to hear your value structure. You need not identify your school, name or anything personal about yourself – anonymity is good – just want feedback.

& THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPLY!

P.S. If you’re a coach, preface with “COACH” and if you’re a player / parent and want to chime in, state “PLAYER” or “PARENT”. Thank you too!

For the sake of discussion, I'm going to assume that you would like to limit the scope of this discussion to coaches coaching a VARSITY team (since JV & varsity objectives are different). Also, you may want the respondents to specify if they coach a boys or girls team.

JV Coach, Varsity Girls Assist.
Mine use to be fun, this year I got the upgrade and went for excitement! I have found this is what keeps them coming back. I have seen way too many players come off championship teams only to go to another sport "not all bad" or quit.
I recently attended a '81 state champ (football-oval)reunion. We didn't talk much of the scores or wins. Mostly the songs we sang on the bus and the fun we had, along with how it all helped us in our lives afterwords.
This year I had a girl never played/blistered easy/afraid of contact. She scored a goal "one timer" last week following a cutting run to the near post.
She smiles and wishes practice wouldn't end. That's why I am still in the game.

I posted this to the Georgia forum and recieved these responses so far, AND I APPRECIATE THEM ALL, NO MATTER WHAT FLAVOR:

"When one of my players told me at the beginning of last fall that she did not want to play in goal anymore, I accepted her remark without comment - I knew that she had become unsure of herself in the position. When in last week's practice, she approached me and said that she would like to play in goal again, I accepted her statement without explanation, and told her that she would play in yesterday's game. I asked her to start, and in warming up, could tell that although there was some nervousness, there was also determination. Her play was shaky, hesitant, but she withstood the attack from the opponents, and came off the field with not just a clean sheet, but a look of accomplishment.

Positive results, records or standings could not match the feelings I had for my player. It is these experiences that a coach has with his players that are lifelong rememberances. These are the trophies that stay with us for a career of coaching. Watching your players overcome their fears and taking the steps to accomplishments that will guide their lives - that is the true philosophy of coaching."

&

"I think winning becomes important at the last level. For some players that might be high school or U19 club. For others it is college. For the very few it might be professional or even international. It is only at this point does winning become an objective but always behind serving the players and team.

At all other levels, the only important thing is development. Development of the player in all areas as a person and a soccer player. Technical training should be the only focus until you reach HS ages (U15-U19). If anything, as coaches we forget the game will teach a lot of the tactics we want to make sure the players know.

Coaches are defined by their win or loss record unfortunately. We all, players, coaches, fans, and especially parents, need to start judging coaches by how many players they develop. Not team level, not championships, and not recruits. How many players a coach has developed that continue to play soccer at increasingly higher levels is the single most important quality in a youth coach at any age.

Youth soccer is an individual sport, individual improvement should be the focus of the training, the games and the gauge by which we grade a coach or club. Any other focus and I think we are missing the point."

&

"go to www.georgiasoccersource.com and you can read several coaches philosophies . Just click on interview with ..this coach.

have fun.."