Frederick Community College Men’s Soccer – Coach Dustin Wise
On today’s episode, I speak with Coach Dustin from the Frederick Men’s Program in Maryland. We talk about the transition he made from one program to another. He describes the great things about FCC. Lastly, we discuss how he hopes to build the team. Learn more about Frederick Community College Men’s Soccer.
Matt: [00:00:00] Hi everybody. Welcome to discover college soccer today. We have a first in the discover college soccer landscape. I am interviewing the same coach for a second time, but he’s at a different school. So welcome coach Dustin
Coach: again. Thank you.
Matt: I appreciate it. Yeah. Thanks for being here. So, uh, friends of the pod are, are devoted listeners probably might recognize your name from about six months or so ago, February, March timeframe, 2023, uh, you were over at Allegheny, uh, in Maryland, and now you’ve moved over to Frederick, uh, and we’re talking here, September one, you guys have started your season, congratulations.
Haven’t lost in your first two. So that’s a good, good start at a new
Coach: program, huh? Yeah. So far so good. Um, One on one, so would obviously like to be two on one, but I will take it. We’ll take it. All right. Well,
Matt: good stuff. Well, so. I’m not going to, you know, again, folks who’ve listened to this pod know kind of my, my cadence and the questions that are coming, because we try to get a nice apples to apples comparison of, of program to program, but a lot of the stuff that would be, uh, in my normal interview, we’ve already discussed, so I’m going to link to that other interview for people who want to hear that, but let’s focus a little bit on, on the transition, right?
So when did you, uh, when did, when did you officially start? Yeah. At Frederick,
Coach: so I got hired May 8th was the official start [00:01:30] date. Um, we wrapped up our spring season. I believe April 16th, maybe with Allegheny. Um, and then it actually all kind of then went. And all fell in place there between middle of April and beginning of May.
It all just kind of. Happened really, really, um, which was kind of unfortunate because at that time, you know, the guys were finishing up their classes and leaving. So it didn’t get to do the whole formal goodbye in person. Like, I would have like to do. So that regard was a little unfortunate. Um, but yeah, like I said, when we, when we talked in, in February, it never, I never would have expected it to.
Happened like as quickly as, as how it went, but yeah, so very, very quick turnaround there.
Matt: Okay. So you take over, uh, early may, I mean, you only have three months before the season starts. So what was your approach in terms of, of recruiting and, and, you know, what all have you done in the last three months to really, you know, make sure you have like?
Coach: Yeah, so whenever I 1st came on board, um, so the previous coach had actually, um, left, uh, November of 22. [00:03:00] so the assistant from last fall, I’d kind of been running things, but wasn’t really doing much recruiting because he’s finishing up his master’s program. Um, so he didn’t really have the time to do much recruiting, um, working with a local club.
So we had a had a few tie ins with them. Uh, so he, he gave me some names of some locals that I should reach out to, but didn’t really, you know, have too much, uh, like, in roads of, all right, I’ve kind of got these guys pinned down and here you go. So, it was basically start from scratch. Um, so with that, you know, reached out to all the guys that, um, obviously were planning on going to Allegheny and was like, you know, I recruited you to play for me.
Allegheny if you want to play for me at Frederick, that offer is there. Um, that’s up to you. Um, I’m not gonna try to steal you from there at that time. I expected, um, Allegheny to just keep my assistant, um, then eventually just name him the head coach. So, I kind of told him, like, you know, I’m not gonna try to take anyone from Allegheny.
Like, it’s. I want you to be able to keep that team intact and everything, um, since we kind of built that program, like, and it just kind of rolls over and is what it is. Right? So, um, I sent them the offer just so it was like, you know, if you’re planning on playing for me, [00:04:30] then you still have the option to play for me.
Right? So, um, I think for those guys came to Frederick. Um, a few of the local high schools just reached out to them. Thankfully, in May, still some of them, for whatever reason, had not committed anywhere. So that worked out pretty well. 1 of the local clubs. Um, their head coach for the U18 team, which he’s actually the.
ODP coach of the Maryland U17 team as well. He was the FCC head coach. Uh, 2 coaches before me, so kind of have that tie in now. So, I was able to get a few of their guys, which was helpful. So, it’s really just been reaching out to a bunch of local guys, reaching out to a lot of guys who, you know, have talent, but weren’t in the local.
Like, didn’t commit anywhere for whatever reason, and then, uh, reaching out to a lot of locals who are playing in, like, Sunday leagues, 77 leagues that for whatever reason never went to college. So, 21, 22 year olds who. You know, now they’re thinking, yeah, maybe now I kind of want to go and look at, you know, like, our welding programs or our business trades and stuff like that and kind of approach them that way.
Um, to kind of get them, you know, in, in the college [00:06:00] door now at an older age. So, I have a few of those guys now on the roster, which with that comes a little bit more life experience, which I mean, as I’ve aged, I’ve gotten better at soccer, not because my ability has gotten better, but just, you know. My mind has gotten better and I’ve been able to slow the game down.
So I’ve seen that with them as well, you know, just being removed from their pace may have slowed down a little bit in some areas, but the, the IQ is kind of picked up some more, which has been helpful with them being able now to. Aid with the, uh, 17 18 19 year olds.
Matt: I think it’s I think 2 really important points there.
In my opinion, 1 is that just because you’re a couple years removed from high school doesn’t mean that you still can’t play college soccer. You know, the junior college route is still an option. Even if you are 2021 22, uh, and can get. A trade degree for almost nothing. I mean, I think it’s a great option.
And secondly, uh, you know, I try to tell people this all the time is people develop at different speeds and, and you, you may not be as physically fit as you were when you were 18, but man, you know, the game better and, and, you know, everybody develops at a different speed. So I think that just, just two excellent points there.
But, uh, so, I mean, I’m looking at your roster, you look pretty. Packed solid man that that’s impressive. You got a lot of guys out there. That’s uh, and at the junior college level. It’s always needed because [00:07:30] You’re turning over the roster twice as fast as a four year school. So What do you see any differences in how you will approach recruiting?
While at Frederick versus Allegheny, I mean, I think you told me they’re even in the same conference, right?
Coach: Yeah, same league same everything. I mean Maryland soccer plex is still going to be the go to spot. Um, now, I mean, obviously, it’s a lot closer to me, which will be nice. Um, we’re an hour outside of Baltimore our outside outside of D.
C. so that’s that’s great. Um, I I very rarely get to high school games. Um, usually I don’t just being being honest. I very rarely recruit high school just because 1, it’s in the same season as our season, um, for for Maryland, Pennsylvania, we, we play at the same time, um, and then we’re training when they have games or, or whatever, you know, so it’s, it’s difficult to get out there.
Um, but. Frederick County actually produced both the single way and triple way state champion of Maryland last year for high school soccer. So I’m going to attempt to make an effort to get out to at least. A few high school games this this fall to see what’s what’s out there. Um, and then, like I said, [00:09:00] now.
You know, now that we’ve kind of gotten our feet wet with the, the Sunday leagues and the Wednesday night leagues and stuff like that, trying to get a little more involved with them. Um, but keeping a keeping an eye out and an ear out with, uh, you know, outside resources and outside recruiters as well. We don’t have dorms here that was 1 positive with Allegheny that I don’t have here.
But, um, our tuition here, um, once we get you situated off campus, our tuition here after 90 days, you can get in county once you get established. So that’s. Beneficial, obviously, um, to get your tuition costs down, but, um, it’s just a matter of finding you off campus housing. Right? So, and that kind of opens up the door for anyone really across the U.
S. you just got to find them. So,
Matt: well, at least you’ll be able to tap into the spring high school season in Virginia and you’re pretty close to Frederick. But what about, uh. International players. I noticed a couple in the roster, but does FCC look at internationals differently at all? Or how does that work there?
Coach: So it’s kind of the kind of the same, but a little bit different because I’m not having dorms. So obviously, they need to they need to be able to find a place of residence before ever getting here. Um, so that that makes it a little bit [00:10:30] challenging, just because, you know, they, they need to be able to get up here and kind of find a place before they’re ever able to fully enroll.
Um, and then, I mean, kind of the same process with needing to be able to prove that they are able to financially afford it, being able to find a sponsor for it and everything. Um, so. That’s a little bit of a challenge the 2 that are on our roster this year. Um, the 1 actually, uh, his family actually lives in the area.
So he graduated from Frederick high school. And then the other 1, the 1 that’s from Peru. He actually moved up here after coven. So, like, the coven pandemic in 2021 2022. so he’s been established here now for a little bit too. So, okay,
Matt: well, how does, uh, Yeah. What’s kind of the overall financial aid picture and cost of attendance?
Are you guys able to give athletic scholarships? What does that whole thing
Coach: look like? Yeah, so a little bit of athletic scholarship or and J. C. A. D. 2. um, so, like, we mentioned on my last interview, um, same breakdown D1 D2 can offer, um, athletic scholarships. So we have a small stipend athletically, um, but, like I said, if you’re a, if you’re a U.
S. Kid or you can come to school without being on an F1 visa. So you’re not here as an [00:12:00] actual international student. So, once you get established, um, within Frederick County, you’ll get in county tuition. So, for like, 12 credits, which is your minimum, you’d need to do, you would be looking at just under, um, just under 2 grand for the 12 credits.
Per semester, so you’d be looking at roughly if you do 15, you’d be looking at roughly maybe, you know, 6 grand a year on tuition. So, then you just need to factor in, you know, department, which more likely than not we’re going to put you with. A roommate or 2 from the team, um, kind of get it to where this year out of out of area guys, just because of getting the job.
So late out of area guys kind of limited on next year. I expect to have a few additional ones. So I’d like to kind of have where we have for living together, um, the, those costs down. But realistically, um, your 1st year, if you come from out of state, you might be looking at, you know. 12, 000 in total, um, and then year two, you can be surprised if you hit 10 grand in total for everything.
Matt: Okay, so not too bad. Let’s talk about the school itself. Uh, a little bit more. Obviously, there’s people out there who don’t know. Frederick, Maryland, uh, you know, haven’t been there, [00:13:30] which it’s a great little town. Um, but what, what kind of drew you to the school to make the move? What are some of the things you found out about the school that you
Coach: really enjoy?
Yeah, so, I mean, 1, I actually live closer to Frederick and I did to Allegheny, um, or Cumberland, Maryland, but, um, so that was kind of. An initial draw, um, my commute time was about half or is about half of what it would have been or was. Um, and then the, the overall populations about double. And then, like, I said, like, high school soccer alone, um, Frederick counties kind of, you know, produce the 3 a, and the single way, um, state champion last year, the single way state champion, um, Brunswick high has.
Kind of been the dominant single way school now for the last few years. So, knowing that, you know, the, the county’s been kind of, you know, top tier now for for a few years is. Obviously, a draw in that regard, um, Frederick County as a whole is 1 of the fastest growing counties in the state of Maryland. Um, Frederick itself as a city is 1 of the fastest growing cities in Maryland.
Um, and then obviously, like I said, the being an hour outside of Baltimore in an hour outside of. You see, you’re kind of. [00:15:00] You know, you get all the those that want to just do the commute in to either city, you get those those families. So that’s kind of a good appeal. Um, just because you get kind of a little bit of everything in that regard.
Um, and then you’re, you’re much easier for families from out of the area that want to come and visit. Um, it’s a much easier commute for them to come and visit. Um, there. Yeah. The, uh, they fly into and it’s, you know, 45 minutes if they’re not hitting traffic to to get to campus. Right? So that makes it pretty easy.
As far as the school itself, just go in there and and kind of seeing, like, the vision that was laid out to me from the athletic director and then speaking with the vice president after that. Everyone kind of seems to be on the same page with how they, how they view what they want out of athletics, how they view what they want, um, from the student body, the community itself, and just kind of, like, reaching out and becoming or, um, which was a draw, um, and trying to, you know, continue to build and become better.
Um, just, you know, since since May being there, you know, we’ve already. We just installed a, a new, uh, I don’t know. It’s like a 12 person cold tub [00:16:30] yesterday morning that got installed, which. Looks very nice with all of its branding and everything all over it. Right? So that’s nice to try to make everything as fully functioning and branded as we can.
We’ve had outside. Um, what’s the word I’m looking for? Um, outside parties basically come in to try and like. Just kind of do, like, a synopsis on us as coaching staff, us as an athletic department to try and see what we can do as a department to kind of get to that next level as a program, um, comparing us with the others across Maryland, Juco cross region, 20, but then also nationally to try to see, you know, how do we become the premier Juco?
Destination, you know, not just, you know, we’re Maryland, but we want to be the, that school for, you know, the East coast and then the nation. Right? So, what does that look like? Right? So, we all as individual coaches, we all have our ideas of what we think our sport needs. Right? But, um, bringing in an outside source that kind of has dealt with.
All these other schools, and they may have something that we don’t even know exists. Right? So then kind of hearing what they have, and what is actually out there as an option. And it’s like, okay, that’s that’s kind of cool. So we’re supposed to get those reports back here in the next couple of [00:18:00] months. And then we’ll see where that leads.
But, um, yeah, I mean, it’s just hearing everybody’s vision and then the resources that they, they plan on throwing at everything. It’s just. Some training, you know, so awesome.
Matt: Well, speaking of resources, why don’t you give us a little bit more on on your staff and the other support staff that that are there to help the
Coach: team beside yourself.
So, it’s myself, and then I have 2 assistant coaches that are both paid my assistant from Allegheny. He was able to come over. Um, so I have him, I brought in an assistant from. Um, he’s, uh, he was a club coach and then I brought him in. Um, the assistant that was on on the staff. Last year, he was originally going to be on our staff this fall as well.
And then, uh, he’s doing his master’s program through Mount Saint Mary, which is where he actually played as a goalkeeper. And then they decided, um, like, a week before the season that they were just going to make him their graduate assistant. So they took him from me the week before, which kind of stung a little bit.
But, um, he even he calls me and he’s like, uh. I don’t think I can turn this down and I was like. I think I’d, I think I’d be mad at you if you did turn it down because, uh, that’s a pretty good opportunity. So, yeah, take it. Right? So, absolutely. [00:19:30] So, I was, I was happy for him, but, I mean, that opened up the opportunity then to, you know, have the.
Have the other to give them a little bit more responsibilities as well, which is good. Um. We have an athletic trainer, um, we’re trying to add a 2nd athletic trainer because right now we only have 1 across the board for all sports. Um, so we’re trying to bring in an additional athletic trainer. Um, that’ll be full time.
Um, that way then we can try to split them to have. So, in the fall, we have women’s soccer, men’s soccer, and then we also have volleyball playing at the same time. So, ideally, we’ll have 1 trainer dedicated to just soccer. And then 1 trainer that’s dedicated to volleyball. And then. In the winter, it’ll be basketball.
So 1 will be women’s 1 will be men’s and then in. Uh, spring, it’ll be baseball softball. So. Okay, awesome.
Matt: Well, I, I appreciate your time and letting us in behind the curtain about the new program. Any, any last words, anything else you want to make sure folks know about community college or the college soccer process.
I’ll give you the last
Coach: word and I appreciate it. Um, yeah, just like, like we mentioned earlier, you know, it’s, it’s never too late to, uh, to try to chase the college soccer dream. Um, if. If, uh, the door doesn’t necessarily open right out of high school, you know, don’t, don’t be alarmed. Right. So, uh, don’t give up, right.[00:21:00]
Uh, reach out to whomever your Jukos, your, your D3s, your D2s don’t, don’t give up on the dream and, uh, just keep chasing it. Right. So that’s a lot.
Matt: Well, coach, wish you the best of luck in this first full season so far. So good. So keep it up and, uh, we’ll check back with you later and see how things go. All right.
Thank you, man. I appreciate it. Thank you.
