University of Texas – Dallas Women’s Soccer – Coach Kanute Drugan

On today’s episode, I speak with Coach Kanute Drugan from the University of Texas – Dallas Women’s Program. We talk about his unique approach to hearing what others think of potential recruits. He tells me about UT-Dallas’s impressive academic rankings in a number of majors. Lastly, we discuss his large coaching staff and the roles they play. Learn more about the UT Dallas program.

[00:00:00] Matt: Hi everybody. Welcome to DiscoverCollegeSoccer.com. I’m lucky enough to be joined by coach Knute Drugan from UT Dallas.

[00:00:07] Coach: Welcome coach. Thank you for asking on Matt. I look forward to it,

[00:00:13] Matt: yeah, me too. Um, I it’s been, it’s been a little bit since I’ve been to Dallas, but uh, always, always enjoy myself when I go out that way.

[00:00:21] Um, well, so let’s kick it off by starting, uh, talk about your recruiting efforts. So w when do you usually start hearing from players and going out and watching players in terms of like, what year are they in, in high school?

[00:00:35] Coach: So we’re starting to identify girls when they’re in their sophomore year of high school.

[00:00:40] Uh, we may or may not be reaching out to them, but, but when we are at a showcase or a tournament or whatever it might be, uh, if a sophomore is catching our eye, we’re making note of that and identifying them as a potential for, uh, in a short while we’ll start to reach out to them. Uh, Largely what happens is like, for example, right now we’re bringing in the 2022 class to what we’ve been done with that class for quite awhile.

[00:01:07] And, and, uh, so we’re, our focus is largely now is on the 2023s where the 2023s are, is we are helping them. Through the processes of matriculation. So they’ve, we’ve, we’ve helped them with application process. Hey, here’s the deadlines. Here’s things you need to know, you know, here’s things that you want to do.

[00:01:30] Uh, and then once admitted, okay, now that you’re admitted, here’s what’s going to happen next year. You’re going to get housing is going to contact you and they’re going to be wanting this done by these deadlines. And so that’s, we’re processing the 2022s all the way to a matriculation. But where we are, as in we’re in deep with the 2023s, we probably saw them play when they were sophomores.

[00:01:51] We saw them again as juniors. Uh, we might’ve seen them a couple of times, uh, and, uh, we’ve been in both phone and email communication and, uh, text messaging as well. Um, so that’s where our interest is in the meantime, the 20. Uh, 24s, the sophomores are emerging. And some of those that we identified, uh, we’ve had maybe a, an initial conversation after a game, or we’ve had a initial conversation via email, and there’s been an exchange that way now, starting to move forward behind this 2023 junior class case late.

[00:02:31] We w we’ll make note of that, that, uh, 2025, uh, Girl to that stands out maybe too, but she still gonna follow the process like that. So you’re focused on the junior class. Uh, you’re starting to bring in the, uh, introductory level of recruiting the sophomore class.

[00:02:50] Matt: Okay. So how many inbound contacts do you think you get a week or a month?

[00:02:55] Uh, from, from potential players?

[00:02:58] Coach: Uh, there are, well, I’ve had days where I’ve had over a hundred contacts in a day. Wow. Yeah, let alone a week or a month. Um, you know, on an average we hear from about maybe three dozen, about 30, let’s say 36 a day on an average. Wow. That doesn’t count all the other email I have to deal with every day.

[00:03:22] Right? Know, exchanging email and share. Yeah. That’s just recruiting. We’re we’re in larger volume. I think for a couple of reasons, one is I’ve been a head coach for 27 years in the NCAA. So a lot of pipelines out there from club coaches and high school coaches and that sort of thing, a lot of reputation with, with girls that have came out of those clubs that these other girls know, and you know, that sort of thing, uh, That’s one thing.

[00:03:52] Another thing is our success. You know, we have five of the last six years we’ve been nationally ranked in the top 24 or higher 15 to 24 and the last five out of six years. Uh, so. Also gets people’s attention and generates a higher volume. Sure. And then, um, we’re an internationally acclaimed prestigious academic school.

[00:04:17] So we get a lot of international people reaching out to us as well. They don’t matriculate very often, but they’re still, you know, reaching out to see what they can get.

[00:04:28] Matt: Sure. What do you, what are some of the things you like to see in that first communication from a prospect?

[00:04:36] Coach: In her, in her email, you know, uh, uh, she’d given some thought to this, uh, she’s realizing that what, this is an introduction I’m introducing myself so much in the same way, as you would walk on stage and make a speech you’d want to introduce yourself, or maybe somebody take care of that for you or.

[00:04:53] Today me introducing myself here now, that kind of thing. So let me know, uh, what high school you go to, what clubs senior you’re playing on, what level that is ECNL, GA, whatever it might be. Um, what’s your number, you know, and, and then, uh, what are the strong suits that you see in yourself that, that makes you valuable to a college program?

[00:05:14] And then academically, what is, what’s your interest there and what is your accomplishments there? And that’s probably for. Four four sentence paragraphs, maybe, uh, maybe not even. And then anything else you think is, uh, important to you for me to know.

[00:05:31] Matt: And then you, like, do you like to see a highlight clip in that first email?

[00:05:36] Coach: Yeah, that’s, that’s really helpful. I, if, if I don’t get one, I’m going to, here’s another thing that slows me down during the day and they use is I’m going to start right now. If you’ve caught my attention with that introductory email, I’m going to start right now, research. I’ll be reaching out to people.

[00:05:51] I’m going to be hunting down video. I’m going to be getting video from opponents. I in the initial reaching out when I’m doing research on you, I’m not contacting your coach just yet because you either put that in your email or you didn’t. And if you didn’t, I’m not going to, and if you did, I’ll get to it later, but I want to know what your opponents think about you.

[00:06:13] Matt: Interesting. Okay. What. So, you know, I’m sure that that number emails ticks up as you get closer to a showcase or a big tournament or something. Um, so, so what are the tournaments and showcases? What are the ones that, that are kind of, you know, where we’re definitely gonna see you on the sidelines watching games?

[00:06:31] Do you, or do you take in any high school games? Like what’s your main focus when you’re out and about recruiting?

[00:06:37] Coach: Well, I’ll hit that last one first. I’m a rare breed anymore. Not too many college coaches go to a high school games. There are a few scattered around the country I still do. And I’m fortunate here in the Dallas area.

[00:06:53] When I was coaching up in the Chicago area, out on the east coast, uh, out in the west coast, LA San Diego, or there’s a tremendous amount of really good high school soccer. So to leave that out of the equation is. You know, I think I’m not getting a full picture. So, um, so that said, you know, we definitely, we’re going to go to the high school games and, but, uh, there’s a rhythm to, uh, A calendar rhythm to where we are going.

[00:07:24] And, uh, when that happens, like for example, I know I’m probably likely to be in Florida in December, but also you’re in Texas. There’s some big ones then I know in February we’re looking at probably being in Arizona. I’m going out to the high school, uh, scene in Southern California in that last week of January, early February, maybe, um, the, the.

[00:07:49] The next step is the biggest one. When I there’s going to be over 500 college coaches, there will be Las Vegas in March at the player showcase from there. I know in April, I’m going to be in Indianapolis, crossroads, uh, uh, in may, uh, there’s a, uh, state cups and things like that are happening in our state and several other states.

[00:08:12] So a little less on the showcase side, a little bit more of that way in June, you know, we’re, we’re, uh, Where we are in June muttering phone,

[00:08:22] Matt: lots of places to go.

[00:08:24] Coach: Yeah. You know, July is, uh, in Illinois in Chicago and then August starts season again. And you’re done until roughly December. Yeah.

[00:08:34] Matt: Well, for, but for a D three program, that’s a pretty wide swath you’re covering.

[00:08:39] I mean, uh, that’s a, that’s a nice, uh, a nice bit of recruiting travel that you get to do.

[00:08:46] Coach: I’ve always had a nationally, uh, recruited team. Uh, I believe if it’s one it’s certainly possible to win a national championship with the best people from your state, wherever your state is, that’s possible, but it’s a national championship.

[00:09:04] And so you better have people, you know, beyond what you can get in your own state. And I’m I’m, uh, from a roster standpoint, we are somewhere between 55 and 60% out of state and 40 to 45% ins thing. So with

[00:09:21] Matt: that said, do you, is there a set number of players you try to bring in every year or does it just kind of ebb and flow with how many of your graduate.

[00:09:29] Coach: Yeah, the graduation number determines has a lot to do with that, but then also strengthening ourselves or, or, or getting a little bit more depth in a particular position might add a number or two people, maybe two, that, that number that’s graduating. I’d say if I had an average over the years, uh, maybe over 27 years, that might average out to nine girls.

[00:09:56] Matt: So that, that makes, that makes sense. In terms of when you’re recruiting and you’re, and you’re looking at, uh, On the field aspects and off the field aspects, what, what is your personal kind of hierarchy are you looking for? I want to make sure they’re just a great athlete. I’m looking for the highest soccer IQ or, and then on the off field stuff, or are you, what’s your focus, the grades, the, how they behave, you know, those

[00:10:24] Coach: types of things.

[00:10:25] It would be different depending on who those six or nine girls are, that what positions they play maybe, but generally speaking, uh, we are always a very fast team. So speed is something that’s important to us. Um, you know, certainly quick lists, quickness and agility, just to go with speed. Um, and if you got straight ahead and speed, that’s maybe good for a track, but going to help as much in soccer.

[00:10:47] Um, you know, so we’re looking at athleticism right there next to it, and probably equally it’s probably two equal numbers. Uh, factors, how athletic are you and how, how fast are you is a big deal. Secondly, you know, we’re actually, this would be third, but I count that as a tie, uh, next we wouldn’t be looking at their ball skill, uh, their technical ability, especially on the finishing end and on the servicing end.

[00:11:11] Uh, if you’re a bank getting up in the attack, for example, uh, your technical ability to be involved that way third year possession of again, I’m one behind, but fourth year possession ability. Uh, we are a possession oriented team, even with that speed, but we want to play the feed. Mostly. That’s not to say we won’t play direct, but mostly indirect and one and two touch, maybe three touch if it’s necessary, but we’re moving the ball.

[00:11:36] And we’re trying to do that. Uh, not. Back to front, but dynamically as we move up. Uh, so those, those things, and then obviously you mentioned IQ and asked to be part of all of that. Right. Um, and I’d say that’s probably the top five right there. Okay.

[00:11:52] Matt: Um, what about, uh, transfers and, and walk ons? How do they kind of fit into the equation, uh, in your, in your recruiting and team building?

[00:12:02] Coach: I, I don’t go out to recruit transfers, but they do happen for us. And again, one of the reasons is 27 years, I know a lot of coaches and there’s girls that are going to leave a program because of this or that. And coaches will reach out to me and say, Hey, here’s a girl, product fits you. Um, girls themselves will reach out.

[00:12:20] I’ve got a girl right now. That’s a D one transfer that, that she reached out to us. Uh, she was a starter at the D one level to, uh, But I’m not out hunting them down and pursuing them. I’m I want to be faithful to the girls. We recruited. I want that to be who our program represents, uh, a recruited team, uh, and then transfers, uh, you know, we’re much more diligent about researching them.

[00:12:50] And, uh, just because you have a. Good resume at D one or something like that. That may not be a fit for us necessarily. So on, on the walk-on standpoint, we try to avoid that, uh, because it’s a lot of demand in college. And so to walk on and not get the same opportunity as everybody else. You know, and I get to travel, not, not maybe not ever play in a game, uh, or if you did not very many minutes and certainly a handful of games at the most, probably less, uh, you don’t get to fully participate in practice.

[00:13:28] Uh, some days you do some days you don’t and, um, so we’re not encouraging walk-ons in fact, we tried to discourage them, but they’re at our school, uh, being. Highly prestigious academically. There’s just some girls that, Hey, I’m going to be there at school and I’m not giving up soccer. So I will walk on and okay, God bless you.

[00:13:52] God bless you. I’m going to embrace that and welcome you on board, but the same things I’m sharing with you, Matt, we will have shared that with her and her opinion. At least once, probably more

[00:14:04] Matt: so. Yeah. No, that makes sense. So let’s shift gears and talk about the school. You mentioned it, you know, it’s academic prestige, you know, one of the things we want to try to do here with these interviews is get past, uh, the, just what I’d learned on a website.

[00:14:18] Right? So, so what are, what are some of the, the highlights, the top things your school is most known for that maybe, you know, I’m not gonna, I’m not gonna know about just going to your website.

[00:14:29] Coach: Well, I mean, we have a reputation and quite a few things. So there’s a lot that you might not recognize, but for example, speech pathology, speech pathology, our speech pathology department is number two, number two in the nation, academically, uh, and of the four different programs you can go into.

[00:14:48] You know, we’re ranked somewhere between second and fourth and all of them, I believe I’m not sure about the fourth one. Maybe not at least three of them. Um, you know, so you wouldn’t know that. And then everybody has a good business school. Right. But what most people don’t know is that, that our MBA and our, uh, we call it school of management is ranked in the top 10 in the nation.

[00:15:07] Number 10 specifically, uh, that puts us stuff there with schools like Northwestern, Notre Dame, university of Chicago, schools of that. Um, you know, were, were my half or no, a third of my roster’s here for something in the health sciences, whether that’s pre-med pre dental, pre veterinary pre-physical therapy, you know, and anything really with biology and or chemistry has a core, we’re going to be substantially a fit for you.

[00:15:38] If you want to get onto a better career. And we’re going to be a pretty highly nationally. Engineering we’re we’re all of our engineering degrees are our weakest engineering degree is 37th in the nation. Uh, and the rest are better than that. And that’s out of nearly 5,004 year colleges and universities in America.

[00:15:58] Wow. You know, uh, sciences, uh, technology, uh, No one here’s another one most people know about is animation and things that go in other careers that are related to that. You know, we have one of the top two animation, uh, programs in America. Our animation labs are unbelievable. I’ve had girls walk out of my program right into Pixar, right into, uh, Disney.

[00:16:24] Uh, the third one she would, should, uh, I want to save Dreamworks, but don’t hold me to that. Places like that though. Yeah, we have a hundred and, uh, I think it was 144 majors. So that’s a few

[00:16:43] Matt: some for everybody, right?

[00:16:45] Coach: That’s the only a few of them right there. Well,

[00:16:48] Matt: speaking, academics, how, what, what support mechanisms does your school have?

[00:16:53] Both whether that they’re school-wide or just for athletes and, and how does that help the students balance their, their school in sport?

[00:17:02] Coach: You know, that’s one of the things I, uh, my strong points I try to share with parents, especially, and the student themselves too, but you know, again, 2017. Coast to coast, uh, mental played everywhere.

[00:17:17] You hear all these things from your colleagues, you share things with your colleagues, coaching colleagues, and I have never witnessed the place that offers so many resources as this place does. I’ve been at other high academic schools. I’ve been at one who was higher ranked academically than this one, but, um, didn’t have the resources to.

[00:17:36] Kids the way this place does. And so if whatever your need is, if we can’t fulfill it, then we will hire a professional from outside the campus to fulfill it for you. So, um, it, whatever your need is, it will get fulfill

[00:17:53] Matt: that. So we’ll let let’s look at a typical game day or, or even a typical non-game day.

[00:18:00] What, what does that day look like for a player in terms of the hours and, and how does, how it all fits

[00:18:06] Coach: together? So on a non-game day, what we’re asking for is an hour and 30 minutes of your time. Um, the actual practice sessions going to be an hour 15 given warmup, and cool-down, you’re there for about an hour and a half.

[00:18:21] Now girls will stay after practice and shoot or this or that and that sort of thing, but that’s voluntary. They do it on their own. I don’t mention it. It just it’s day to day of different people do that because they take that kind of pride in who they are. Yeah, and how they want to perform. Um, but on a non game day, you’re looking at about an hour and a half on a game day.

[00:18:43] Let’s say it’s a five o’clock kickoff here at home. Um, you’re going to have to be out of class by two o’clock because we have, we feed you on game day before the game. Then you have treatment maybe, or rehab to go through before the game, then, uh, it’s sketch your equipment, your uniforms, things like that.

[00:19:03] We’ll be hanging up in the locker room, kind of like. Behind you there. Um, uh, and then we’re going into a pregame team meeting where we’re going to go through the scouter report. We have a three page scouting report, every game, uh, in writing. Uh, you will have received that a day or two before the game at practice.

[00:19:22] So you’ve already reviewed that. And in pregame, we’re going to take about 20. To, to go through that again, we’re also going through it in practice, you know, um, you, you get to read it and take it home and to your dorm room and whatever. And, and then we’re going to do this again in practice. And then again at this meeting, uh, the first page is about the opponent.

[00:19:42] What we’re expecting from them. Second page is, uh, our game plan for today. And that third place pages, the depth chart. And who’s starting at what positions and who’s subbing and behind and wet. And you already know, so you can get mentally prepared just about every possibility that you’re going to feel.

[00:20:00] Matt: That’s awesome. Um,

[00:20:01] Coach: that didn’t think she out to pregame warmup and then the game itself. And so you started at two o’clock that game’s going to get over about seven, uh, and really by the time you get out of that uniform and get back to where you’re going, it’s you probably got five and a half hours in your day on a, on a home.

[00:20:18] That makes

[00:20:19] Matt: sense. Well, let’s, let’s talk about road games for a minute. How far do you guys usually travel? What’s your kind of radius of, of games and how does that, uh, Get mixed in everything.

[00:20:30] Coach: Well, Teams from coast to coast because we’re nationally ranked. We need to play before our conference games begin in that run up to there that two or three weeks we need to play nationally prominent people, uh, hopefully teams that were in the NCA tournament last year.

[00:20:46] And now we’re playing on this year. That sort of thing. Or, or maybe they were in a couple of years ago, but teams have that reputation. So, uh, for example, uh, you know, this year we’re gonna play a team from Iowa. We’re gonna play a team from California. We’re going to, uh, Arkansas. Uh, I’m, I’m leaving some out, but, uh, generally speaking from coast to coast.

[00:21:10] Matt: Wow. That’s impressive. Um, so let’s talk a little bit more specifically then about, about the team. Uh, you know, if you’re an incoming first-year player, what, you know, should I. Should I expect to, to be sitting until I’m a junior. Am I fighting for a spot? Do you guys have a JV reserve team? Like how, how does, how does that work if I’m a first-year player for you guys

[00:21:35] Coach: at other school and another school?

[00:21:37] I did have a JV reserve team, um, and they would have a separate schedule, uh, in the last two schools I’ve been at where I haven’t done that. Um, just change in philosophy is all right. If you’re coming here, you’re going to play. If I’m recruiting you, you’re going to play because how are you going to get any better if you don’t play?

[00:22:00] If all you’re doing is in practice. So I’ve witnessed again in my 27 years, I’ve witnessed a lot of different styles from coaches. There’s a lot of coaches, especially in high school, but a lot of coaches in college that if you know, they’re gonna play their seniors, and if you’re a freshman, you’re not going to get that opportunity.

[00:22:16] Well, in my time, uh, I’ve never had a year where zero freshmen stuff. I’ve never had a year where one freshmen started, it’s always been two or more. And in 2015 I had eight freshmen start. Wow. And two other years I had five, but usually it’s two, maybe three case case there’s been four, but two or three freshmen crack that starting lineup.

[00:22:43] So the other philosophy I have is NCAA rules. Substitution rules limits you what you can do. It unless you have depth. So a lot of college coaches are gonna play 14 girls field, field girls, plus the goalkeeper. Um, we don’t do that. We’re, we’re playing 20 every half. Wow. So I’m recruiting two starters at every position.

[00:23:07] So two left, forwards a can start for us to write backs that can start for us, you know, that sort of thing. And at every possession. And the reason for that is you might be as good as we are with your girl that used to. But she is not going to handle two of us that are starters coming at you back to back.

[00:23:23] So, uh, we tend to win games at the end of the half and win games at the end of the game because you’re not going to handle us that well. Okay.

[00:23:35] Matt: Yeah.

[00:23:35] Coach: What, uh,

[00:23:38] Matt: so if you’ve, if you’re playing 20, um, how many are you carrying usually on a roster?

[00:23:45] Coach: W I an ideal number for us is somewhere around 27 to 30. Okay.

[00:23:51] Now when I’m playing 20 that’s field players, right? Yeah. I still have goalkeepers beyond that. Excuse me. Um, there are usually another 4 field players that are going to play, not every game. Uh, we’re still developing them. They might be younger, maybe sophomores, freshmen. Um, but they’re going to get into because of the same philosophy.

[00:24:12] Is that how you go? So we’re going to, because we are going to overwhelm opponents with our depth, uh,

[00:24:21] Um, that creates opportunity for more girls to get on the field and, you know, late and a half or late in the game. Um, they’re not gonna get me minutes, but they’re gonna get that opportunity because you’re just one rolled ankle or one concussion away from needing that girl will be that second girl or even that first girl.

[00:24:35] Yeah,

[00:24:36] Matt: for sure. For sure. Well, um, We talked about how big your team is. Let’s talk about how big your staff is, you know, how, how, what, how many other coaches do you have? What are their roles, uh, on your, on

[00:24:46] Coach: squad? But normally I’m going to carry a coach who’s responsible for goalkeepers. Another one that’s responsible for our defense.

[00:24:55] Another one that’s responsible for our midfielders and another one that’s responsible for our forwards. And, and so what we do in practice is it’s not every day, but most days, uh, we have a session that we call position breakdown, and that could be anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes, we will have determined that in practice plans.

[00:25:13] So whether it’s, whatever it is, let’s say it’s 20 minutes today. Then the forwards coaches with her group of girls, uh, that goalkeepers with him. And isolated and, and just in that group doing, working on things that are going to just be the benefits of that position, then from that, we would then probably come out into some small sided thing and then build that into a larger field environment on whatever we worked on, bringing that all now completely together.

[00:25:42] Matt: Okay. Um, now, you know, you and I are talking in February here. Uh, so what, what does your team’s off season program?

[00:25:52] Coach: Oh, good question. So when we give, come back in January, uh, which is usually that day after a Martin Luther Luther king day, that second or third, Monday or Tuesday, I guess. Um, whenever we come back, they have that first week to get everything in order, you know, get your life back in order after being away for five weeks, we get a five week break here, uh, four to five weeks, depending on the year.

[00:26:16] And, um, once that week’s out of the way, then. Two days a week, we’re going to be in the strength facility, uh, working on things like that, that are in things related to strength, uh, core development, single leg development, things like that. In addition to strength, uh, Then the other two days a week, we’re out on the field and we can do that in January and February here in Texas, you know, cause it’s going to be in the sixties and seventies, fifties, something like that.

[00:26:43] Uh, and those days we’re working on building a better athlete, we’re working on athleticism and that’s going to be agility and foot work and, and, and change of direction and multi-directional movement and, and a whole lot of, uh, balance, uh, you know, a whole lot of things that. And to building a better athlete, because what we’re trying to put on the field is the best soccer girls we can accumulate through recruiting and then make them become the best athletes they can be with what God has blessed them with and then put depth in behind that.

[00:27:16] And that let’s go out and put the ball on the market and let’s kick it off and play

[00:27:21] Matt: great. Well, we’re we’re at the end. I got one last question for you. This is kind of my, my catch all question. Uh, you know, what else, what else would you like a prospect’s parents, anybody else to know about your team, your school?

[00:27:36] Uh, that maybe we didn’t get a chance to cover.

[00:27:40] Coach: Well, I think one of the secrets to our success over 27 years has been that the quality of the young woman we bring to our program, a lot of people wouldn’t understand that part of that research I referred to earlier, when I’m going to go out and research you, uh, I’m out partly to find out what kind of a human being.

[00:27:58] And then that on-campus interview becomes pretty important for me too, on that visit as we’re going around and seeing facilities and spending time on my office and maybe having a meal together and things like that. Uh, just getting a feel for who you are. So the young woman I heard, even if you’re coming to campus for a visit, I already know you’re where you’re gonna be able to handle it academically and athletically.

[00:28:22] Now I need to know that you’re going to handle it. So social. Because we have a culture. It is a well-defined culture that is, uh, clearly expressed about expectations and standards. And I find that if we can find the first class, we’ll, I’ll take a pass on a girl at your position has better than you, and always will be better than you.

[00:28:42] If you are close to her. And, and you’re going to fit into our culture because over time in 27 years, this is clearly repeated itself over time. Your character is going to be revealed under pressure because in college there’s going to be academic pressure. Like you haven’t seen before, there’s going to be athletic pressure like you haven’t seen before because every girl on our team was a starter on her team in high school and club, you know, everybody was a stud, so there’s going to be pressured.

[00:29:12] There’s going to be pressure socially. This is a whole new world. It’s not like high school. You’re not sleeping at all here. You’re living in a dorm or apartment or whatever you’re doing. Uh, there’s going to be pressure of all natures and kinds. So pressure is going to reveal character and it’s either going to reveal it in a good way or a bad way.

[00:29:30] I want for our girls to always be able to be proud of themselves and hold their head high and know that whatever pressures they’re facing there they’re well equipped. No,

[00:29:39] Matt: that’s that’s great. Well, You know, I was checking out your bio and realized I knew I was going to like you right away, coach, because you’re a fellow.

[00:29:49] Coach: Uh,

[00:29:50] Matt: yeah. Uh, yes, I went to a, to Ohio university for grad school. So, so I spent a couple of years, uh, walking up and down court street myself. So, uh, I, I see that, that you were just, you were just going to be a good guy just from that aspect. So, and, and, and I was proven, right. So I really appreciate the time coach.

[00:30:11] I’m glad you could join us and wish you the best of luck in the upcoming fall season. And hopefully we’ll get a chance to cross paths in person sometime.

[00:30:21] Coach: Hey, I, I, if this is the experience that everybody gets, I wanted to say to your audience out there, tune into this guy. This is, I’ve been interviewed hundreds of times in my career on TV and everything.

[00:30:33] This is first class. You’re going to learn a lot. Tune into Matt Baehr and Discover College Soccer.

[00:30:38] Matt: Awesome. Thanks coach. Appreciate the plug. All right, we’ll talk to you soon. All right. Take care.