I hope, as our sport continues to progress, that we will continue to see an emphasis on quality of both coaching and officiating. For a lot of schools, soccer is just not a high priority, and yes, there are those football coaches and PE teachers who are asked to take positions in coaching because there's nobody else to do it, and providing a soccer program is seen as more of an obligation than a point of pride. As the sport grows in popularity and earns its respect, I have seen some shifts in even "non-soccer" schools toward hiring coaches who have demonstrated ability, whether on paper or on the field. I hope to see all elements of the sport, including players, coaches, and officials, showing a constant progress to match the growing popularity of the sport. Our kids who go out and give their best deserve to get the best.
