Earlham College Women’s Soccer – Coach Lydia Harvey
On today’s episode, I speak with Coach Lydia Harvey from the Earlham College Women’s Program. We talk about how she seeks out strong academic backgrounds in players. She tells me about a unique program the school has that funds internships. Lastly, we discuss how they have a truly player led team. Learn more about Earlham Women’s Soccer.
[00:00:00] Matt: Hi, everybody. Welcome to DiscoverCollegeSoccer. I’m happy today to be joined by the coach of the Earlham women’s team. Coach Lydia Harvey. Welcome coach. Glad to have you. Now I’ve got a little soft spot for, for Indiana schools. Cause when I was a college coach, I was in Southwestern Indiana, but, uh, but we never did play Earlham.
[00:00:20] So, uh, I haven’t been up up your way. Let’s uh, let’s talk a little bit about how you, uh, recruit student athletes. So when, what year in high school are you usually starting? Looking at players are getting, or even fielding incoming, uh, emails from players.
[00:00:40] Coach: Probably kind of getting a sense of kind of who’s out there. Um, as early, as like their sophomore year, sometimes we’ll have sophomores emailing us when they’re attending showcases to let us know, like, we’ll be playing this game, you should come out and support. Um, but we really start focusing in, I would say, um, and really talking to players their junior year and especially spring of their junior year, really encouraging them to like, come on campus, do a tour, meet you in person.
[00:01:08] And then really, you know, Finishing it all out senior year and then looking for those commits, come, come kind of December time.
[00:01:16] Matt: Sure. How many inbound, uh, communications do you think you get in a day or week? Uh, from potential
[00:01:21] Coach: players? I honestly couldn’t put a number on it. I don’t know. Um, but I would also say it varies kind of.
[00:01:29] Throughout the year in different months. So like when we know that like we’ve registered to attend different showcases at tournament’s, we’ll definitely get a bunch of emails from players being like, Hey, like, come check out my schedule. I’d love to see you at one of our games. Um, and then we are, you know, regularly communicating with what we consider, like our live athletes that have expressed interest that we’ve been communicating with.
[00:01:51] Usually on like a bi-weekly schedule. Um, and so depending on what time of year it is, that list grows or shrinks down. Um, and so, yeah, it it’s, uh, it’s a good number.
[00:02:02] Matt: You mentioned, you mentioned showcases and tournaments. What are the you’re like can’t-miss key events that you try to attend?
[00:02:09] Coach: Yeah. Well, so in Indiana, um, we definitely try to hit like any of the grand park, Indianapolis events.
[00:02:16] So, you know, Grand park, um, crossroads blue-chip around here. Um, definitely try to make it to like Disney and a couple ECNL events as well. Um, and hit, I know this year we did PA classics in Pennsylvania. I’m actually originally from Philadelphia. So I always use that as an excuse to visit family and then also hit like east coast.
[00:02:37] Um, and then also Arizona, I know we’ve got the players cup coming up that we’ll be going down to as well. So, yeah.
[00:02:46] Matt: What about, um, camps? Do you have, do you run your own ID camps? Do you coach at other camps to help look at players? That sort of thing?
[00:02:55] Coach: Uh, I’ve done in recent years, more coaching at other camps because with COVID Earlham actually decided against hosting.
[00:03:04] Um, but we just got the go-ahead to move forward with doing that. So I’m hoping that we can definitely start hosting more in the coming years. And we’re already thinking about one for either late this spring or definitely into the summer.
[00:03:16] Matt: Okay. Um, when you get that first communication from a player, what do you like to see in that communication?
[00:03:23] Coach: I mean, I would say an initial communication, just, you know, one, introducing yourself, giving us kind of the key information. Like what position you play, what year you are, um, contact information, both email or phone number. If you have a preferred method of communication, like you’d rather we reach out via phone or via email.
[00:03:46] I think that is a really important piece to us as well. Um, and then, you know, a highlight reel or something like that included is always great. Um, yeah.
[00:03:59] Matt: Um, in terms of. Player video. Do you like the short clip highlights you’d like to see full game film, which, or does it start with the clips and then move to game film?
[00:04:12] How do you like to
[00:04:12] Coach: do it? Yeah, definitely. I think a little bit of everything is great. Um, I think that a highlight reel is a really great way to kind of capture our attention and reel us in, um, and give us a sense of, you know, Some of your highlights and see you kind of at your best, what you’re capable of.
[00:04:29] But once we’ve kind of gotten that little peak, I definitely like to then see more of a game to see you kind of off the ball movement. Decision-making how you are really interacting with your team, um, in the field of play. And so whether that is you sending like a full film of a game that we can watch, or if we can come out and watch you in person.
[00:04:51] We do like to do that, for sure. So when
[00:04:53] Matt: you’re either looking at film or watching a player play both on and off the field, what’s kind of your hierarchy of, of things that you’re looking for that are going to make a player that stands out to you.
[00:05:06] Coach: Yeah. So, I mean, obviously, you know, we look at technical ability.
[00:05:12] And, you know, I really like to focus on off the ball movement too. How are you communicating with your team? What is your kind of expressed attitude, um, in your interactions, both, you know, maybe with your teammates, but also your coach and other players or the rep on the field? Um, attitude, I would say is a really important piece to us.
[00:05:30] Uh, cause also when we’re, when we start conversations with players as well, mindset is really huge for us. Um, and the, you know, your willingness to be a team player and, you know, Positively interacted, engage with your team and be willing to work for your team as well. And not just kind of focus on yourself on the field.
[00:05:49] Um, those, I would say are the big things mindset first and foremost, and then, you know, really focusing on, on, you know, your technical abilities as well, and, you know, soccer IQ too. Once we start having those conversations and getting to know you better as a player, um, that soccer IQ is gonna go a long way in terms of your ability, um, to lead also on the field.
[00:06:09] I think.
[00:06:10] Matt: Sure. Do you have like a set number of players you try to bring in every year or is it kind of vary just based on the squad, graduating and stuff?
[00:06:20] Coach: Uh, it will vary. And I would say currently we are in a growing stage. So we’re looking to bring in larger class sizes, particularly in this next. I would say this year and into next year, um, ideally our roster sizes between 26 and 28 players.
[00:06:37] So I think when we get back to being comfortable there it’ll be like six to eight regularly each year. Um, but yeah. Any given year, like if more people decide to come in, depending on that graduating class size, it can fluctuate a little. Um, but we’d also like to have at least one goalkeeper in every year.
[00:06:55] So a total of four on our roster is what we’re shooting.
[00:07:00] Matt: Okay. Now you guys are division three, so no athletic money, but what is the merit based aid and other types of scholarships look like
[00:07:10] at
[00:07:10] Coach: your yeah, I mean, Earlham’s definitely got merit based aid, so they’ll take a whole holistic look at your academic kind of transcript, um, when you’re applying and extracurriculars and things like that.
[00:07:23] And I do feel like particularly. Um, this year we’ve been handing out some pretty competitive packages with merit aid. Um, in terms of us recruiting, we really target cause our alum is a very academically rigorous school. Um, we target players with a 3.5 GPA or above, um, and that also helps us in the funneling process.
[00:07:45] You know, at this point, I think just about everyone, if not everyone on our team has some form of merit aid and scholarship money. Um, so that really, you know, helps. Bring down the cost and make our alum definitely a feasibility for some students. Um, okay.
[00:08:03] Matt: Um, this is kind of the last question I have on the recruiting side of things, but it’s somewhat of a catch all, but w how do transfers walk ons and, and international students kind of fit into your overall recruiting profile?
[00:08:18] Coach: Yeah, I mean, I would say we’re definitely open to. Anyone joining our team again so long as we feel like, you know, you will mesh well with the team, um, be an asset to us. Um, any of that, it doesn’t matter, you know, whether you’re walking on maybe your freshman year or some other time, because again, with recruiting, you know, we’re reaching out and contacting many people and going to a lot of events, but we’re not going to see everyone.
[00:08:44] So if somehow, miraculously. Found Earlham and then reach out to us and are like, Hey, like I’m showing up freshman year and I’m interested. Um, we will definitely entertain that conversation. Um, we actually had a couple girls this past season who were in that situation and walked on. We gave him basically a trial period where they came to a few practices, um, just to assess, you know, what level they were at.
[00:09:07] So we knew who they were as a player. Um, and then kind of did an evaluation. With ourselves as well as the team, um, to see how they fit in, but in terms of transfers, um, I think that recruiting process too is very similar in terms of, you know, the reach out and if you’ve got film or anything, um, having those conversations too.
[00:09:27] Um, and then. We are also open for international students, or alum actually has a really large international student body on campus. Um, which makes for a really exciting community. You’re engaging and learning in the classroom with students from all around the world. Um, and we like to kind of replicate that on the field too, and create a, a fun, um, team environment to one of those.
[00:09:48] We are also really big on is, you know, we want to celebrate the differences of everyone coming from all different walks of life, um, and, you know, learn to engage and understand and respect, you know, all the different perspectives that, that brings them to our team and how that strengthens us. Um, cause we’ve all got different strengths coming in.
[00:10:06] Um, but we actually, you know, just for example, graduated a senior last year from Zimbabwe. Um, I know our men’s team currently. Um, players from like England and China and, um, South Africa or something like that, too. Um, so definitely open to it. It, it does become a little, um, it’s a little more of a process in terms of applying to earn, I would say, and, uh, financially international students will be expected to pay a little more.
[00:10:38] Um, and you’ve got those travel expenses too. Um, so that can sometimes inhibit. Just the number that we get. Definitely open to it. Yeah. No,
[00:10:48] Matt: that makes sense. Well, let’s talk a little bit more about the school. Um, you know, a lot of folks may be down here in Florida. Haven’t heard of Earlham, but I, you know, I grew up in Ohio and coached Indiana.
[00:10:59] So I’m, I’m well aware, but, uh, what’s, you know, besides what I can click through up on the website and learn about the school, what are, you know, you’re an alumnus, so, uh, alum, alumni, sorry, I don’t want to say it incorrectly. My Latin teacher would smack me, um, What, what are some of the cool things that about Earlham that I’m not going to find just by clicking around the website?
[00:11:21] Coach: Yeah, I mean, I would say first and foremost, um, just the. Campus community is really awesome. And like the only way you’re really gonna get to experience that and learn about it and know of it is, is to engage with it. And, you know, either come on a visit or like, you know, someone who’s attended or alum or anything like that.
[00:11:40] But if you talk to any current students, faculty, staff members, as well as alumni, often one of the first things they list as being their favorite aspect of Earlham is that supportive campus community. And that network like you will. Or alum related people or people who have heard of it in like the most random places, like all over the country, all over the world.
[00:12:01] Um, and it’s pretty exciting. Um, especially for myself, when I was a student at our alum, you think of Erlin as a small school, you know, there’s only so many people you’re interacting with on campus, but then all of a sudden. It becomes a really global network, um, which is really cool. Uh, the other thing that I think is really special for our alum, um, and something that I, you know, want all students to take advantage of is we’ve got what we call our epic advantage, which is that for every student coming in, um, they are.
[00:12:34] Guaranteed, basically up to $5,000 of funding for an internship or other kind of career discerning opportunity. Um, so I know students who have used it for, um, engaging in research trips with professors, um, or doing like. Certification processes. So like striking condition certifications or something like that.
[00:12:55] Um, and there’s more information about that on the website, but I just wanted to mention it because sometimes I talk to recruits on the phone and were like, yeah, I looked in the website, but didn’t hear about that. Um, and I think that’s really awesome. Um, I would also say, you know, with our athletics on a whole, I think we, we have a sense that we’re a little bit of a sleeping giant, like we’ve.
[00:13:16] Our program in particular, like we want our conference back to back in 20 10, 20 11 and 2012. So it’s been a little bit, um, but we, we really feel like, you know, this past season, our, our cross-country team, our men’s cross like one, the conference, our women’s field hockey was in their conference semifinals for the first time in program history.
[00:13:37] And our women’s volleyball played in the conference. Didn’t win, but we got to host it, which was exciting. Um, and so I think where, you know, on the rise and especially with the like mindset of the coaches and the staff we’ve got right now within athletics, we’re excited to see kind of what the next few years hold on a whole.
[00:13:56] And I am excited to see what that means for our women’s soccer team as well. Oh,
[00:14:02] Matt: that’s great. Um, what, in particular, I mean, you kind of mentioned the support for career, uh, pursuits type of stuff, but what other support mechanisms does the school have in place to help students with their academics or even on the athletic side?
[00:14:19] Coach: Yeah, I mean, on a whole, for our student athletes, um, I would say as a coaching staff, we, we. I think we do really well in terms of being supportive of our players and in kind of all realms of what they want to do. Um, obviously we’re here to help them out on the field, but we, we talk with our girls in particular about.
[00:14:42] Operating within four pillars and those are soccer, um, community academics, um, and personal growth. And so we do a lot of conversations when we have player meetings about like, what are your goals in all of those domains and what are the things you really want to get out of your four years here? And what are the ways that we can support you in all of that?
[00:15:01] Um, so we also, in terms of academics for all of our freshmen coming in, uh, they are required to do study hall hours each. In their first semester. Uh, but after that first semester, if they show they can maintain a 3.5 or above cumulative GPA, they’re kind of free to go on their own, but that’s our way of kind of helping them navigate into college academics and make sure they’ve made that transition well or managing their times specifically as a student athlete with a busy schedule, um, in that first fall semester, that’s important to us, but on a whole to Earl alum has great resources in terms of, um, Like we’ve got a career center with career counselors.
[00:15:41] If you want to, you know, have someone read over a resume or help you kind of learn how to put your feelers out and network in different places. Um, you can practice interviews with them. We’ve got a writing center that will help you with your assignments and your papers. There are tutoring, um, or all the different classes as well.
[00:15:57] Obviously there are like teaching assistants who can meet with you with your classes. And just a lot of opportunities for hands-on experience too, as well. Like if you’re into business and that business track, we’ve got a great entrepreneur center, um, that, you know, has students forming teams and compete, live competitions, business competitions to win like real money to implement their actual business ideas, which I think is really exciting.
[00:16:25] Um, and some great, you know, Opportunities similar to that within like pre health track and mentorship, um, in terms of finding. Interning opportunities. Just other learning experiences, as well as, um, you know, guiding students through the process of applying to med school or other graduate institutions as well.
[00:16:49] Matt: Okay. Well, it sounds like there’s lots there, which is great. What ha how do your student athletes really find that balance between academics and athletics?
[00:17:01] Coach: Yeah. I haven’t heard of anyone who, you know, finds it too difficult outside of the regular, obviously, you know, it is a heavy workload and so time management is important.
[00:17:15] Um, but one thing that I think we’re also really lucky to have here at our alum is that we’ve got, um, what we call our athletic window, which is that between 4:00 PM and 7:00 PM on. Days, there are no academic classes scheduled. So that’s when the majority of our athletic teams practice. And specifically when we practice, we usually go about four 30 to six 30.
[00:17:36] So you’ve got a little bit of a buffer on either side. Um, but with that, you’re never going to have to worry about missing class for a practice or vice versa. Um, we are also, I would say pretty lucky that we’re very centrally located in our conference, um, which is the Heartland collegiate athletic conference.
[00:17:52] If anyone’s interested, um, What that means is like the maximum we’re really traveling for a game is like three hours in one direction with the bulk of our games being like an hour and a half to two hours. Um, and typically we play Wednesdays and Saturdays, so, and we try to be pretty consistent with that.
[00:18:12] So it’s not like on any given day, you never really know when you’re going to be missing what class. Um, and so you don’t, we’re not traveling for major overnights or anything in this. Mass periods of time on, and, and we do have the conversation of like, if we know that in a given season, The bulk of our away games might be on a Wednesday.
[00:18:35] We try to avoid that. But if that is going to be the case, um, having the conversation with players of like, maybe try to leave that Wednesday afternoon, open in your, just scheduling of classes, if you can, because then you won’t have to worry about missing them at all. Um, but for the most part, I think our team handles it really well and feels pretty comfortable doing so, um, you know, if they need to study on the bus, they can do that.
[00:18:56] Um, and as a team, I think they’re also really supportive of one another in terms of, you know, getting together. Study together or study together on the bus, um, or helping each other out with, you know, upperclassmen knowing classes that underclassmen are taking and giving them advice them, um, professors too.
[00:19:11] Um, and I would say professors on a whole are very accommodating as well. We’ll send out like a class dismissal schedule at the start of every season and semester letting them know like what classes they will potentially be missing with our game schedule. Um, and then, you know, that makes it easier to have the conversation.
[00:19:30] When you approached that day of like, Hey, I’ll be gone. Like, what do I need to make up? Can we meet outside of class time to just go over slides or anything like that? And often professors are very accommodating.
[00:19:42] Matt: That’s great. Well, let’s, let’s talk a little bit more about, uh, the soccer side of things and the team.
[00:19:47] So, um, in terms of. You mentioned, you have a roster of 26 ish give or take. Um, so I’m assuming that if, if, if I’m being recruited, I’m a freshman coming in, it sounds like a, I’ve got a chance to play and compete for a spot.
[00:20:02] Coach: Yeah. And I would say that 26 to 28 is our ideal roster size currently. We’re a little less than that.
[00:20:08] Um, but definitely that does mean with a smaller roster for incoming freshmen. I see, you know, Solid chance that you’re going to be seeing that field your first year and maybe even potentially some starting time as well. Um, but on a whole, a good amount of playing time. Um, the other thing with our program is like we don’t operate with any sort of seniority in terms of.
[00:20:33] When it comes to playing time, you know, we are going to put the players out there that we feel are best for the team in terms of helping us be successful. So if that means, you know, you put the work in, in the summer and you come in your freshman year, you’re ready to go. Um, you’re going to be on the field.
[00:20:49] Okay.
[00:20:50] Matt: Um, besides yourself, how, how big is your soccer staff and what role does.
[00:20:57] Coach: Yeah. So this past season, it was just me, um, transitioning from the interim position into the full-time. Um, but we have, since we have two recruiting coaches who have been helping us with scouting and kind of outreach, um, and for next season, we will have a full-time assistant as well as a GA.
[00:21:16] Um, so a solid trio, which I’m excited about. I almost don’t know what to do with all the extra hands, but I’m sure we will very quickly.
[00:21:28] Matt: Yeah. Yeah. Well, I, I didn’t have any assistance either when I was coaching. So I feel your pain. I was the women, the women’s coach was basically my assistant and I was his assistant.
[00:21:38] That’s just the way it works, because you got to do with what you got. Right?
[00:21:44] Coach: Our, our men’s coaches this past season have been like a great help. And I’d say on a whole, like, we’re a really. Soccer family between our men’s and women’s programs as well. Um, and get along well on the coaching side, as well as the players side.
[00:21:57] And so it’s a great little community and support system there as well.
[00:22:01] Matt: That’s good. Well, how would you describe your style of coaching and your team’s style of play?
[00:22:08] Coach: I would say as a coach. Um, one thing about me. So after I finished my undergrad at Earl and I actually stayed and got my master’s in education as well here.
[00:22:18] So I really approach coaching from a very like educational side. Um, and so, you know, I’m, I’m never going to be, you know, the one to be like yelling and screaming and. Getting mad. I would say in a sense, um, is not really an emotion. I feel like I express a lot, but it’s more so kind of, you know, having very open and honest conversations about, you know, goals, um, expectations and then performance, um, and also leading with.
[00:22:52] Guiding questions and making everyone think about why is it, you know, that we’re doing something this way? Um, what are then the other possibilities? Because I also want us to get to a point of, you know, building our soccer IQ to the sense that then we can really open it up to be creative on the field as well.
[00:23:08] Um, and as much as I can really turn it into a player led team, um, So I would say that’s me mostly as a coach, as a team, in terms of style of play. We really want to be a very possession based, um, group. Uh, and so, you know, technical foundation, that’s why that’s really important to me as well. Um, because once, you know, you know, as long as we can connect our passes, have a good first touch.
[00:23:33] All of that. We can really get our heads up and start building together, um, and maintain that possession and build up the. Um, together. So we, we kind of draw, I would say, influence from, um, you know, Barcelona, obviously in their prime with their Tiki Taka and all of that, but also a little bit of Liverpool, um, nowadays with their, their dominating presence, I would say.
[00:23:56] Um, and so a little bit of that, but then obviously, Focused in, on kind of narrowed down to our, our capabilities. Um, I would say I also just like to play to the strength of the individuals that we have. So you know exactly how that is done every given year might shift a little bit, um, specifically know if different players in different positions have different strengths.
[00:24:20] Um, I’m not going to make us try to do something that we’re not ready to do or just doesn’t fit. Our crew at the time. Um, but yeah, ideally
[00:24:33] Matt: understood. Um, you know, we’re talking now it’s. The regular season, right. It’s off season. So what is your off season program look like?
[00:24:43] Coach: Yeah, so in the off season, um, we always we’ll send out, um, a soccer based kind of packet of things for our team to work on.
[00:24:54] And then we also have a full time strength and conditioning coach that works with all of our athletic teams. Um, and so he will also. Send out a packet that’s more lifting based, um, for the team, particularly when they’re away and home on break for them to do. But then once they get back on campus, our kind of hope and expectation is that they.
[00:25:12] Getting in the gym, um, at least two to three times a week with our strength and conditioning coach and working on building their explosive power and their strength to set them up for success on the field, come spring and then, you know, into fall as well. Um, we don’t start our official like spring season until mid to late March, right after they get back from spring break.
[00:25:34] Um, and then we’ll have six weeks when we’re training together as a team, but then. In that intermediate time, once they’ve come back from winter break. And before that happens, we also, we’ve got a really vibrant pickup soccer culture on campus. And so a lot of our team and then our men’s team as well, get involved in that and playing pickup regularly, and then getting involved in rec soccer too, because that’s the best way for them to kind of keep playing with one another and getting touches on the ball.
[00:26:01] Matt: Okay, well, you’ve done an amazing job answering all the questions I’ve got, but, uh, so this is the last one of the bit where I just leave it up to you. What, what else do you want folks to know about your school, your program, or anything else that we didn’t get a chance to cover?
[00:26:17] Coach: Yeah, I mean, I feel like we covered a lot of good things.
[00:26:20] I would just say with our program, um, You know, we, I think we have a really great group of girls. Um, and we’re, like I said, really excited for the coming seasons, especially me having just completed my first year as the head coach here with this program, I’m really excited to kind of really put my boots on and get to work in terms of shaping a program that I think can be really successful here.
[00:26:45] Um, one of the things that drew me to coaching in particular was the fact that my playing. In college and specifically at Earlham, because that’s where I attended was what, you know, built a lot of confidence in me as a individual and as a strong female athlete. Um, and that’s something I want to be able to instill in others as well.
[00:27:06] Um, and so, you know, it’s just, I think it’s fitting that I’m at my Alma mater and being able to do that with a program that did that too, for me. Um, and we w we would love for others to be a part of that as well. Awesome.
[00:27:20] Matt: Well, thank you very much. Appreciate it. Wish you the best of luck, uh, in the upcoming season.
[00:27:25] And we’ll, we’ll keep an eye on your program and see how you guys do and the conference. All right. Thank you.
