MidAmerica Nazarene University Women’s Soccer – Coach Bryce McClanahan

On today’s episode, I speak with Coach Bryce McClanahan from the MidAmerica Nazarene University Women’s Program in Kansas. We talk about what unique aspects they are looking for in a player when out recruiting. He tells us about how the people and the community are what make the school special. Lastly, we discuss their off-season program and how that fits into their calendar. Learn more about MNU Women’s Soccer.

[00:00:00] Matt: Hi, everybody. Welcome to discover college soccer. I am lucky enough to be joined by coach Bryce of MidAmerica Nazarene university in Kansas.

[00:00:10] Coach: That’s right. Thank you, Matt.

[00:00:13] Matt: Well, it’s funny. You’re you’re another coach who I think this is maybe the, maybe you’re the third coach I’ve talked to, who is an alum of the school where they’re now coaching.

[00:00:25] Um, so it’s always good to get that extra bit of insight from someone who knows it from, from two different sides of

[00:00:32] Coach: the same coin and come on. Yeah, no MNU, uh, actually from. Uh, played two years at mid America, uh, and then transitioned to the graduate assistant coach for the women’s soccer team. Uh, got my master’s and now this is year three, uh, as, as, as a head coach.

[00:00:48] Love it, enjoy it. Uh, yeah, it’s great.

[00:00:51] Matt: Fantastic. Well, let’s, let’s, uh, dig right in and talk about your recruiting and how you guys do that. So w when do you usually start hearing from players? Uh, and when you start looking at players, like what year of high school are

[00:01:04] Coach: they? Yeah, great question. I would say, um, kind of, uh, infinitely, uh, I’m always recruiting, right?

[00:01:11] Whether, you know, it or not, you’re being recruited, um, right. What you’re doing now is going to be seen or talked about whatever way, whether that’s positive or negative. So that’s kind of the way that I view it. Uh, I would say kind of a realistically right. That my program is talking to players in America is probably, uh, their junior and senior years of high school.

[00:01:32] Right. Uh, at Daniel high level, uh, right. We have high goals, high aspirations, but yeah, typically that’s our timeframe

[00:01:38] Matt: for sure. And how many inbound contacts do you think you get in? Typical week,

[00:01:46] Coach: uh, yeah, the emails over flooded. Um, so I would say right, it’s kind of like copy paste, cookie cutter, right. It goes out.

[00:01:55] So things like that, I don’t really go. Spend much time on, uh, I would say right. If they reach out that credit to them, not everybody reaches out. Right. So that’s good. I’ll probably give you a quick response and then it’s coupled with maybe one or two action steps. So, uh, if you’re legit, all right, cool.

[00:02:13] Make sure you follow those one or two action steps. Um, but in regards to other sources of communication, I would say, you know, um, you know, uh, person, you know, mouth to mouth, you know, Hey coach Bryce, I saw this. Then they need to get connected to you. I love that kind of stuff more. Um, so in regards to a number, so many emails, I don’t even know.

[00:02:35] Uh, but yeah, like the individualized things, it’s probably no less than a, you know, a handful to, you know, something like that. And so those things, uh, are a game changer. Yeah.

[00:02:47] Matt: It’s a, it’s funny. We, we, we kind of hear that across the board. You know, the easiest way to get noticed is to stand out just by being.

[00:02:55] Original and actually doing a little bit of research and knowing who you’re talking to. Right. Um, so, so besides that component of it, what else, what would you ideally like to see in that first communication from a

[00:03:07] Coach: recruit? Yeah, absolutely. Uh, I think this is, I want to know who you are, right? So I think the easiest, one of the easiest ways to do that, Kind of like, Hey, what are you, what have you been up to?

[00:03:18] Right? What are you excited about? So, Hey coach Bryce, I’m so-and-so, I’m currently a junior at this high school playing for this club. Uh, I want to tell you, I’m excited about. Because, and then they can go and send me their like social media, um, or their highlight video. Um, you know, and maybe they go and pose a question.

[00:03:39] I think that’s the best thing that they can do is say, Hey, coach Bryce, I’m interested in your program. What are you excited about? And then I can go and kind of speak into that. So I think that, uh, is the most, the best use of everybody’s. For sure.

[00:03:54] Matt: No, that’s great. What, um, where do you spend a majority of your time on the recruiting trail?

[00:04:00] Like what are the tournaments that you, you tend to go to? Do you check out high school games? What what’s, what’s your kind of.

[00:04:09] Coach: Yeah, for sure. So, uh, on my staff, there’s myself and my assistant coach. José, we’re almost, he’s going to the new alum. Uh he’s from Brazil. So he helps things out like internationally.

[00:04:20] Uh, he speaks Portuguese, which I don’t, so that’s fantastic. Uh, and then I have. Since, uh, who’s nuanced staff volunteer assistant who played five years, five seasons, uh, here, Kayla, where she’s from California. So I would say this is, you know, I don’t need to be a master at everything. I need to be a master at one thing, and then I need to be pretty solid at this.

[00:04:41] So for me, I’m from Kansas city, I would say, you know, I’m pretty well connected here. So clubs. Right. It means a lot here. And then I would say there is like this respect or pride, so to speak and high school soccer. Um, I would say right now, uh, it’s been difficult obviously because of COVID, uh, you know, in the last two Springs and things like that.

[00:05:01] Uh, but typically we’re out at like state cup we’re out of Ikea, no ID camp showcases. Uh, but to be on. Uh, the thing that excites us the most, uh, is seeing players in our own environment. We can have you train with our group. So if you reach out, I’m going to plug in, Hey, come to foot Saul, uh, Tuesday, Thursday night, Hey, come to a session and then we can go and give you no feedback.

[00:05:24] Uh, you get to meet our girls as opposed to us saying, Hey, it’s this great. You get to be in it. So that’s a little bit as well as I want a very die verse team. Uh, so internationals, um, you know, players from other states, um, different backgrounds. Uh, so I’m in you as a Christian university Nazarene denomination.

[00:05:43] I would say faith is a component and like the foundation of why I coach, uh, you know, I see it as a platform to impact people. So, uh, we need a very diverse, uh, group. Right. Um, so that’s just kind of, uh, what comes to.

[00:05:58] Matt: So you mentioned, uh, training with the, with the group and stuff. And, and so do you guys run specific ID camps?

[00:06:06] Do you like to coach. You know, other schools camps in the summer to help, uh, identify players.

[00:06:12] Coach: Yeah. I would say this is, I want to connect with people who are interested in being excellent at what they do. And I think that there are many different means to make that happen. So I think, you know, we have our own, uh, you know, set of camps.

[00:06:26] Uh, typically in the first week of August, we have kind of like our youth camp. Uh, and then we also have an ID. And in that ID camp, I would say it’s very, hands-on, it’s a very professional and very relational in the way that we go about things. So it’s a full day. We start out with the training session, uh, and then we go throughout a campus tour, we have a meal.

[00:06:47] Um, and then from there, uh, we go and have like a scrimmage at the end of the day. Um, but I think throughout that, it’s all about kind of interaction. I don’t want to know like what you’re about. I want to know who you are. Um, so I can just go and ask questions, right? And generously, uh, you know, show up to learn about them.

[00:07:03] So I think that’s a fantastic, uh, avenue as well as right. K state, uh, K U uh, U MKC, uh, you know, other NAI university has been addicting, uh, baker, all of those, uh, I would say like, you know, it’s, uh, it’s really good to go and see you in an environment that’s not ours as well. Uh, so we go in the summer to those events, uh, locally as well.

[00:07:27] Matt: Cool. You know, do you often talk directly to a players club coach? Are you the, do you like it when club coaches reach out to you and say, Hey coach, I got this great player. You know, you gotta take

[00:07:41] Coach: a look. Yeah. I think, uh, that happens for sure. Uh, sometimes it’s like, oh, this person won’t stop reaching out.

[00:07:49] Uh, but uh, no, I think it’s good. They’re ultimately excited about something. And what I I’ve learned is it’s important to seek first to understand, and then be understood. That person is interested in sending this player or their players. I have an ear, right. We have a varsity and a varsity reserve. Uh, so there is a place so to speak potentially for you.

[00:08:09] Um, so yeah, I think I’m naturally built to be like a connector, so I love relationships. Uh, and so if a club coach reaches out, absolutely you have my attention and then we just kind of take it one step at a time.

[00:08:23] Matt: So, do you have a set number of players that you’d like to try to bring in each year or does it vary?

[00:08:29] Coach: Yeah, it varies. Um, for sure. So when I took over the program, you know, we had a typical roster size of 24 right now it’s 27, 28, and then we’re expanding to have a varsity and a varsity reserve. So now we’ll have. Throughout our program, two teams, um, but a full roster size of about 50 ladies. So, um, that’s kinda what it looks like.

[00:08:50] So this incoming class is, this is the inaugural year of Barstow reserve. It’s pretty big. Um, so yeah, we’ll kind of find ways to offset that, right? Cause you don’t want ton of new players to come in and then four years rolls by and everybody’s out the door. Uh, so we, you know, recruit jucos and things like that to,

[00:09:09] Matt: so while I was at the cutting edge of a question, That I was going to ask later, but I’ll weave it in now, I guess.

[00:09:16] So how do you know jucos transfers kind of walk ons fit into your recruiting methodology, I guess this year being different because you’re trying to fill a second team now, but let’s, let’s think about it moving forward. How, how is that going to kind of come into

[00:09:32] Coach: play? Yeah, no, absolutely. Um, so I had kind of personal experience.

[00:09:37] Uh, I played at a Juco before coming to Mid-America. So the biggest thing. Uh, I didn’t dream a plane out of Juco, but that’s where I ended up and I made the most of it. So I think, you know, players that are there typically are there for, you know, uh, maybe similar reasons, but ultimately, uh, it’s an opportunity and you can make the most of it or you can just allow it to pass by.

[00:09:57] So, uh, for me and my two years, I played and started every game, played close to 90 minutes. So I have two years of experience. Uh, and I think when it came to him and you, right, it was a top 25 school. Uh, yeah, it was fantastic. And then yeah, I across the country, uh, play possession, style soccer. So in a sense, I was able just to go and like be plugged in.

[00:10:18] Uh, so that’s what I look for is like, uh, Uh, freshmen is kind of wide-eyed back. They’ve never seen this before. Um, but a Juco transfer, like they kind of been there and done that in a certain way. Obviously there’s new nuances. Um, but there’s a little, uh, different level of maturity. So I would say that’s vital.

[00:10:37] Um, I don’t want to go and say. You know, here’s 30 freshmen. I want to go, Hey, maybe here’s, you know, 18 freshmen. And then here’s, you know, uh, 10, you know, junior college transfers and then two that transfer from a four year something along those lines.

[00:10:53] Matt: That makes sense. So with expanding to, to a larger pool and having a bunch of girls, you know, you’re an AI, so you have scholarships to offer.

[00:11:03] How does that, how does that work both with, with your athletic money and what’s your school’s academic money situation? What are girls tended to look like? You know, what is their kind of financial, uh, situation look like coming into play there?

[00:11:17] Coach: It’s a great question. Uh, Piece and this whole puzzle. Uh, so yeah, I would say that’s a very pertinent question and it’s kind of like, you know, there’s an industry standard, but then you have to ask, Hey, what about this individual school?

[00:11:31] How do you do it? Um, so for, uh, uh, So there’s two tracks track. Number one is you are a non-athlete and you have an academic scholarship. Uh, track number two is you are an athlete. You are a women’s soccer recruit and your scholarship, uh, package or institutional aid is controlled by myself and my coaching.

[00:11:53] Uh, so those are the two tracks. Um, so at the right time, we’ll extend, if we believe it’s right, a letter of intent, uh, and on that letter of intent, there is going to be $1 amount. It’s not too academic and athletic. We take into account your academics. Uh, and then we take into account where we see. Fitting throughout your time here, and then that’s presented to you in this format.

[00:12:16] So, uh, you know, putting numbers to it. Uh, unfortunately I’ve been used, not cheap. It’s a private school. Um, so it is $35,000 tuition and fees for fall of 22 is the estimate. And then room and board on top of that. Plus the meal plan is 9,000. So, uh, give or take 44,000. Um, so again, not cheap, it’s an investment of time and financial resources.

[00:12:39] So a typical scholarship, I would say starting range is probably total package 10, 11, 12, 13, 14,000. Uh, and then there’s a range. Uh, that’s kind of the starting point. Uh, we do have, uh, you know, ladies that are close to a full scholarship, so to speak. Um, but that is extremely rare. Hey coach, I’m looking for a full scholarship.

[00:13:03] Isn’t something just, uh, you know, uh, hope it sticks. That’s

[00:13:08] Matt: not throwing those out, like there, uh, the candy at a parade, right? Yeah,

[00:13:12] Coach: yeah, absolutely.

[00:13:15] Matt: So let’s talk about what catches your eye though. When you, when you are looking at a player on the field or off the field, what’s kind of your hierarchy of characteristics, both, both on and off the field to kind of make somebody a prime

[00:13:30] Coach: recruit in your eyes.

[00:13:31] Man. Absolutely. Um, so I would say this, um, when I kind of alluded to it earlier, but I would say I’m looking for, uh, high character kids. Right. Um, so I can look at what you do, uh, you know, why you do it, um, and kind of how you. Um, so I think there’s like a filter so to speak, but I would say it’s good character.

[00:13:52] And then I would say like, you know, Christ-like character, we want those kids and then we can refine those characters throughout the time here. So that’s probably the biggest thing. So I’m looking at small details. If I’m out watching your game, whether you’re winning or losing. Uh, matters. Cause I’m like, you know, we’re competitors and we want to win.

[00:14:09] Um, but at the same time, how are you reacting? So to speak, how you responding to the environment around you, right? Your coach, are you coachable? Right? How do you receive, you know, in some senses, maybe criticism, if you maybe, um, you know, have a foul, you get a yellow card, uh, what does that look like? Uh, if you have a foul, you disagree with them.

[00:14:31] You get a yellow card for the sense, uh, you know, these small things, I think matter as well as like, you know, the teammates around that person, are they better because that you’re on the field or are they like, I can’t wait for this person, even though they’re very good to get off the field so they can stop yelling at me.

[00:14:50] Uh, all of those things. So character, uh, in regards to right. Uh, soccer, right. Technically tactically, right. For us or a possession style team. Uh, so we love the ball, right? So, uh, you know, right foot left foot have to enjoy the ball. Your feet have to be comfortable being pressed, uh, as well as you have to be creative, right.

[00:15:10] Want to be a problem solver. So, um, yeah, we just brought a girl in from Columbia and her video. She did a rainbow over a girl. It’s incredible. Um, so yeah, we brought her here. She started this spring. Uh, she did a rainbow, it was one of the first things I saw. I was like, that’s what I saw. And then you’re actually doing that.

[00:15:28] And it’s not just a highlight video and it’s just like with personality. So I think that like they’re position that typically have flair. And then there are positions that like, Hey, I know my role as the sinner back to put the, hit my head on the ball, so to speak. Uh, so I guess I’m looking for the people that really know.

[00:15:47] Yeah. Okay.

[00:15:48] Matt: Well, you just mentioned Columbia. Uh, Brazilian assistant coach. So a lot of NAI schools have some international flavor to their rosters and it sounds like you do as well. What is it? Uh, how would you describe the mix of your roster between domestic internet?

[00:16:08] Coach: Yeah. Um, so for me I want, uh, both are all, um, I don’t want to just go all international.

[00:16:16] I don’t want to go all Americans. Um, you know, for me, I’m an American, uh, and I played in a team period. I mean, knew that guy from all over the world. Fantastic. I was a six. Uh, I played with a guy from Brazil. He was an eight and he was incredibly smart. Uh, so I was doing the dirty work and he was kind of a, you know, pulling the strings.

[00:16:37] And then we played with the 10 from Chile. Uh, that was just great around the goal of providing the SIS. So everybody had their specific role. So I think we needed kind of that, that personality or that flare, uh, that different background. Uh, but I needed those guys. I think those guys needed me. I did the running.

[00:16:55] The dirty work, you know, the defense play simple, complete nine out of 10, fastest, 10 out of 10 fastest. Um, so I would say I want the girl that, uh, you know, as the number 10 can do all these flicks and I want, you know, the number six, seven, number six, uh, from Kansas city, uh, she played sport and move valley ECNO and she’s a ball.

[00:17:15] Um, but she just payings passes. Uh, and she just provides the calm and the game. So we need all types Fisher.

[00:17:24] Matt: Okay. Well, let’s talk a bit about the school. Uh, you know, you’re, uh, you’re right outside Kansas city there and, and, you know, I’m down in Florida and I. Pretty much guaranteed. Most of the girls, uh, that I know at our club probably haven’t even ever been anywhere close to Kansas city, but having said all that, um, you know, besides what I can click on the website and find out about your school, what, you know, you were a student and player there and now you’re on the coaching side.

[00:17:53] Give me, give me the awesome. That is, is MNU what’s, what’s great about it. What, whatever. People not going to know just by, you know, seeing, uh, what they see on the web.

[00:18:06] Coach: Yeah. I love that question. Uh, yeah, for me, uh, I’m so excited every single day I get to come to work and do something that I love. So I don’t see this as a job, but it is work and same thing with the ladies that we bring in here.

[00:18:19] I need them, like after I explained things. Wow, this is going to be incredible. Right? So, uh, the secret sauce I would say is our people, um, and them in you community, it’s a small, uh, you know, small, you know, give or take about 1,200. Right. Um, so you’re going to be known, uh, and you know, the professors know your name, and they’re also going to ask how you do.

[00:18:43] Uh, as well as the coaching staff, you know, I coach to provide care, uh, as well as to, I would say coupled with like, you know, being warm is being demanding. So that’s what you’re going to get from me. Uh, and I think, you know, with those two things you’re going to grow. So, uh, yeah, there is no better time to be at him in you than writing.

[00:19:02] Uh, I we’ve got big goals and more important that we have good habits. We have to protect those habits. So, uh, yeah, why come to me? And you, uh, it is not the shy. Best-looking thing, right? We’re in the middle of Kansas, whereas Kansas, where it came to city. Uh, but I would say this is when we get people here on campus.

[00:19:22] They go, wow, this is incredible. Uh, right. We’re having a new student center being built. We have a new athletic complex being built in the next two to three years. But our student center is being opened up here within the next couple of weeks, a $20 million building. It’s incredible. Um, so those things are great.

[00:19:41] Uh, we have great facilities, Bermuda pitch, practicing game. They’re like, man, we would sleep there if we could. Um, but uh, yeah, the thing that makes us place incredible and why I haven’t left. Um, and why I have a heart for this place is that. Awesome.

[00:19:57] Matt: Well, how do specifically at your school students manage the, that balance between sports and academics?

[00:20:06] Coach: Man. Yeah, that one’s tough. Um, I would say in today’s day and age, like, uh, I mean, I’m just going to speak to it. Anxiety is high in rampant and there’s a lot on the plate. Uh, so I would say, you know, all, you know, uh, worthwhile things, take extreme level of diligence and paying attention to small details.

[00:20:27] So, um, Yeah. In regards to managing both is, you know, we recruit you as a student athlete. Um, and because our campus, you know, really cares about relationships, uh, we really get to hear, um, you know, what things look like in the classroom. And we say, we need to be proactive in communication on the front.

[00:20:44] Because there’s going to be games that you have to miss and there might be labs that you have to miss. Um, so I think it’s about communication because ultimately we’re trying to go and raise the sails, so to speak together. Um, but you have to manage your time extremely well, if you don’t, there’s no chance, right?

[00:21:02] You’ve got 7:00 AM weights. You got no classes from eight to two. You’re trying to find a time for breakfast. Find a time for lunch. Then you’ve got training. Uh, all these different things for sure.

[00:21:14] Matt: What will you just kind of perfectly into my next question would be what, what does that typical, uh, day look like for a player?

[00:21:23] Uh, you know, let’s say, uh, not both non game day or game day during the season. What’s that day look like.

[00:21:29] Coach: Typical game day in the fall. Uh, is this so we in the fall and the weight room twice a week, uh, I would say it’s kind of like doing recovery as well as trying to take a step forward and, and to strength.

[00:21:42] Uh, so we’re in the weight room, uh, typically like Monday and Thursdays at seven. And then we played games on Tuesdays or Wednesdays and on Saturday. So two games a week. Um, so during the day, uh, weights at seven then classes, uh, and then generally speaking, we have training between three 15 and 4 45 or 4 45.

[00:22:03] 2 6 15, and then a lot of our girls. Thank you. A lot of our girls, they go to, uh, the calf to grab a quick bite for dinner, and then they go in the library and they got to go and study. So, I mean, the plate is full and if you’re not careful, it’s just going to go and crumble for sure. So that’s kind of like a typical day, uh, for us.

[00:22:28] Matt: You know where you are in Kansas city and your conference, and even some non-conscious stuff. How much do you guys have to travel? Uh, you know, and how does that traveling factor into your, you know, the players, academic load and class schedule and all those kinds of things.

[00:22:45] Coach: Yeah, for sure. Um, so we generally play about 18 regular season games in the fall.

[00:22:51] Um, so with that, I think there’s like six non-conference games give or take, and then, then we hit conference. So non-conference kind of depends on the year sometimes. So we take that as an opportunity for like, you know, an experience. So in the past we’ve gone to Chicago, gone to Tennessee, gone to Portland, Oregon, um, right.

[00:23:10] It’s experience, which is cool. Uh, so that is a little bit more. Um, but yeah, generally try and stay regional. And then especially inside conference, I would say the average bus trip inside conferences is probably two hours. Uh, we’ve got some outliers. Um, you know, we’ve got some schools about six hours away.

[00:23:29] We’ve got two of those schools. So typically we drive up on a Friday, say that I play on Saturday. Uh, but we also have some schools that are 30 minutes, 45 minutes away. So, uh, travel, uh, yeah, I would say as regional. Um, at the same time, you know, like I said, it’s all about time management. It’s all about organizing.

[00:23:48] It’s all about being an effective communicator, um, you know, with your coaches as well as your teammates, uh, as well as your professors.

[00:23:57] Matt: All right. Well, let’s, let’s talk a little bit more about the team. Uh, you know, you, you. You’re adding that reserve team. Um, so if I’m an incoming freshmen, you know, should I, am I fighting for a spot on varsity or am I going to be now on that reserve team?

[00:24:11] Or how’s that dynamic in your eyes?

[00:24:15] Coach: Absolutely. Is this as, you know, we wouldn’t be very professional in the way that we go about things, uh, while being warm and relational. So, uh, you know, I think about, you know, excellence, I think, you know, professional athletes. So what does that look like? Uh, well, this is a little bit different, right.

[00:24:31] Obviously, uh, obviously, um, but at the same time, like, you know, let’s not let our standards slip, um, let’s go and take pride in who we are and how we do things. So, um, yeah. And disregard varsity and Marcy to reserve it’s one program. Everything we do. It’s a family one program. Uh, there is a first team and then there is a second team.

[00:24:55] Uh, and some ladies we talk to, they say, Hey coach, I have no aspiration to play on varsity. I want to play on varsity reserve and be a little bit more connected on campus. And I go, heck yeah, that’s perfect. Uh, some varsity reserve ladies. Yeah. Hey, coach. I’m ready. I can’t wait to be on varsity. I go, Hey, fantastic.

[00:25:16] I think that that’s a great goal for you. Uh, F I believe it is sometimes I may say, Hey, I think that is out of reach right now with the current situation of saying so, uh, you know, we want it to be a fluid system. Uh, if we are who we say we are, we’re developing people and we’re developing players. So that means there’s movement up.

[00:25:32] And that means there’s movement down. Right? Uh, so that’s how we approach it. We don’t say, Hey, you’re a freshman. You go in varsity resort. Uh, no, we started, uh, that center mid, I was telling you about, uh, she was a freshman, she was an all conference player. Uh, and then our sophomore, uh, she had a great year.

[00:25:48] I was a freshmen as well. Uh, so yeah, for me, it’s not about, you know, how old you are. Uh, it is about, you know, in a sense like what you can do, uh, you know, for the best interest of the team and the.

[00:26:01] Matt: Makes sense. You mentioned earlier your, your soccer staff, how big is that staff and what role do each of them kind of play in the, in the totality of the program?

[00:26:11] Coach: May and my coaching staff. Uh, they’re phenomenal. Uh, yeah, I couldn’t do this without. Uh, and I think, you know, this is my third year as a young coach, you try and do everything and goodness sakes. You just need to go and say, Hey, this is what I’m good at. These are my strengths, these are my weaknesses. So, uh, yeah, Joe’s a, um, yeah, he provides, I would say he’s the fire and I’m the ice, you know, he’s the.

[00:26:38] You know, it says it very directly and I kind of go and say, Hey, here’s an ice pack. Uh, you know, it’s kind of put an arm around you, so to speak while at the same time, you know, saying it how it is. So I think there’s that good balance. Uh, Kayla, who was just in here? Uh, yeah. She’s from California. She played in the program.

[00:26:55] She has a perspective of what it’s truly like. Uh, and so I can say, Hey, this is what it’s going to be like. He lived it. And so she was kind of going through a highs and lows and, uh, it was cool to see, like she was a player her freshman year that didn’t play much. And then by her super senior year, she was a captain of the team, uh, which is incredible.

[00:27:14] So it’s an example of a transformation happening, you know, on the time here to the menu. So I would say, you know, for us to be excellent at what we do, uh, we have to be very self-aware. Uh, and I’m very aware that I need a very good people around me. Like a K like Josie.

[00:27:32] Matt: It’s like you plan that. You said that.

[00:27:33] And boom, she just walked in, you know, that’s solid coach. That’s your working

[00:27:38] Coach: together. I like it. Yeah, she knows. I need all, I need all the help I can get.

[00:27:44] Matt: Well, you mentioned it earlier, you know, your, your, your team’s style of play possession oriented, um, like in the ball, how would you describe, and you kind of just described a little bit, your style of coaching there, fire and ice, but if you put, put it all together, you know, is there anything else that.

[00:28:00] You feel like you would want to let folks know about either your style of coaching or the team style play?

[00:28:05] Coach: Yeah, I know for sure. I mean, I think, you know, uh, I’m extremely excited to work with student athletes from, you know, 18 to 24 years old, give or take however long it takes for the. Um, but ultimately no, my greatest desire is to take care of the person.

[00:28:20] Uh, I also have a desire and a passion to, uh, you know, encourage you, sharpen your challenge, you to grow professionally, so to speak, and that’s your job. And when you come here, it’s a job, it’s a responsibility to go and perform. Uh, so I’m in a. The warm, but I’m also going to be incredibly demanding. Uh, I think, you know, that’s when I grew the most, uh, and I would say that’s the greatest need is, you know, from my perspective right now, uh, we need to make sure that we engage kids so many times.

[00:28:49] It’s kind of like, you know, you gotta do this, but like, you know, mentally and emotionally, they’re not doing good. And I care about, you know, the, the body, the mind, the heart, uh, and when those things are going in the right direction, sky’s the limit.

[00:29:05] Matt: Yeah, that’s awesome. Um, you know, we’re talking here in February, so it’s the off season.

[00:29:09] So what does your typical off season program look like?

[00:29:13] Coach: Yeah. Uh, so for us, I’d say it’s two, uh, parts, uh, early part, uh, January, February, and the first half of March, uh, when the weight room four days a week, and then we are doing. Uh, two nights a week. So Tuesdays and Thursdays, uh, and then we encourage the girls to like, you know, if it’s a nice day outside, go train, uh, take somebody with you.

[00:29:36] Uh, so that’s kind of like the structure of the framework. And then I would say we’ve also got like things outside. You know, soccer, but are vitally important is building relationships. So we’ve got no team bonding right now. It’s on Monday nights, we have two in the new women’s soccer alum that do that.

[00:29:52] It’s incredibly important. Uh, right now we’re talking about leading me to lead us mentally. We, um, so that’s kind of our curriculum, uh, right. And then after spring break, uh, we do transition outdoor, uh, when it’s not freezing here. Um, so we’re back out training about five days a week. And then we typically have maybe a handful of scrimmages, uh, in the month of April.

[00:30:15] And then may June, July, they go away and they get what they need to come back, uh, sharp from.

[00:30:22] Matt: Awesome. Well, it’s been great feedback. I’m going to leave you with one last question and it’s just the catch all here. What, what haven’t we talked about? What do you want people to know about your, your program, your school?

[00:30:36] Anything that we haven’t discussed, uh, or forever.

[00:30:42] Coach: Come on. Yeah, no, I would say this, um, and I’m putting this into practice myself is, you know, uh, be authentically yourself and it’s like, you know, the doors that you were trying to go through suddenly you don’t take them and there’s a path, right? So, uh, there is a path and I think that you have to, you know, kind of be faithful each step of that.

[00:31:02] I think along the way, you know, the world, so to speak, uh, you know, culture, if you want to call it. Uh, it says, Hey, go and do this, go and do this. Uh, and I would say, you know, in regards to soccer, the sport of soccer has grown tremendously in the last 20 years. A lot of good, but there’s also, um, you know, maybe misinformation, right?

[00:31:21] So, uh, I can speak, um, on my own behalf, in my experience at a Juco and, uh, and NAI, right. The world, didn’t say a culture, didn’t say, Hey, go to Juco. Uh, Hey go to D one and that was kind of the vision or the dream. Um, so it’d have big dreams, but make sure it’s your dream. Uh, not somebody else’s as well. So those are kind of my last 2 cents.

[00:31:44] Uh, so, so yeah, no, I appreciate it, Matt.

[00:31:46] Matt: No, that’s great. Well, coach, I appreciate the. Uh, wish you guys the best of luck in the upcoming season. And, uh, if I, you know, I, I wanted to go to Kansas city for the coaches convention. Uh, last month last I, I was unable to make it, but, uh, uh, so maybe, maybe next time, but, but thanks for joining and, uh, we wish you the best of luck,

[00:32:08] Coach: man.

[00:32:08] Absolutely. Thank you. Thanks.