25 October 2007

An amateur soccer coach waxes poetic, sort of

I was asked recently to provide a bio of me for our soccer league's website. (Recently is actually a couple months ago, but procrastinated 'til 2 days before the opening of the first match.) For what it's worth, here's what I sent 'em, hopefully summing up my thoughts on coaching. Likely last year of soccer after ten falls of herding kids of many ages around the grassy knolls, the last four with a core group of five or six kids. Soon enough, it's time for these kids (including my own) to move onward and upward with a coach who really understands the game at a deeper level than I.

Here's the bio:

2007 marks my 10th season coaching youth soccer: 8 years of rec ball from U6 through U10, and now two years with the D3 U10 Girls. I've also coached 12 seasons of fastpitch softball from tee ball through the 16&under age group, and last year's 7-8th grade girls basketball team at SMS. I'm loving this U10 age group, watching the girls emerge from the seagull flocking "MineMineMine" phase to a realization that there's a bigger game beyond their own feet, and other players on the field with whom they can create wonderful opportunities for team glory.

My goals for our players and our team are pretty simple: Help the players develop the individual skills they'll need as they move along in their young soccer careers; Keep our practices and games fun, forever moving and lively; Be models of sportsmanship and positive team members, win or lose; and Respect each kids' individuality and interests and use those individual talents to mold a solid, playing-for-fun team. For me, nothing cures a day in the adult real world better than playing ball in the late summer twilight with a bunch of happy 8 and 9 year olds.

No comments: