Allegany College Men’s Soccer – Coach Dustin Wise
On today’s episode, I speak with Coach Wise from the Allegany Men’s Program in Maryland. We talk about the difference in Junior College divisions. He describes their small, family-focused campus. Lastly, we discuss their aggressive, counterpress style of play. Learn more about Allegany College Men’s Soccer.
Matt: [00:00:00] Hi everybody. Welcome to Discover College Soccer Today I’m lucky enough to be joined by Coach Dustin Wise from Allegheny College of Maryland. Welcome.
Coach: Thank you. I appreciate you having me
Matt: on. Yeah, thanks for being here. We had your neighbors Frostburg on a while back, and, uh, I, I know you guys aren’t too far from them, but you guys have a, a nice junior college there, uh, in what I would consider Western Maryland, uh, as, as I think most people would.
But, uh, let’s talk a little bit about, so I believe you just, uh, had one season on your belt. There is.
Coach: Uh, we just finished our second season. Oh, second season. Okay. Sorry. Yeah, so 2022 was the second season. Um, I got hired March timeframe, 2021. Um, and then the game plan for that was start, start a men’s program.
So we had had a co-ed program previously and 2018 was the most reason that they had had a, a season for that. We have not had women’s soccer since. 2007, I think, if, if my memory is correct. So right now, uh, myself and coach Randy, Jared, are actually also in the progress of, we’re in the process of starting up a women’s team for 2023.
So that part’s exciting. But yeah, 2021 got hired. Uh, Got late in the game. So whenever I came on board and tried to get all the locals, they were already going elsewhere. So we scraped together a 13 man roster, one of which [00:01:30] tores a c o, and are immediately following our first game. So, laid out the rest of, uh, 14, a 14 game season with 12 players.
So it wasn’t exactly easy score lines were not pretty . I bet. I
Matt: bet. But you managed it, you managed to do it. So, uh, congratulations on getting through the next season
Coach: and Exactly. You gotta get through it so, well, it’s all right. 21 and then got to 22 and brought in like 20 plus recruits and. Was a complete different story.
So now I like where we’re at. We’re on track now with what I kind of imagined whenever I first came on board. So. Well, let’s talk
Matt: about recruiting a bit. Obviously junior college is a little bit tougher cuz you’re recruiting twice as much. Uh, but you mentioned when you started, all the locals were gone, so it.
Now, what is kind of your recruiting philosophy in terms of, uh, locals versus regional versus national? What kind of events do you go to? What does that look like for you
Coach: all? Yeah, so pretty much anytime there is something at the Maryland Soccer plex, uh, We’re there? Um, as far as locals go, it all depends.
Like, like I said, 2021, I missed. I was too late to get any of them. 2022, I took almost all of the locals. And then now in 2023 because of where we’re sitting numbers wise and talent wise, uh, I don’t have any Allegheny County kids right now that are committed for [00:03:00] 2023. Um, in large part, some of that too is because a lot of the talent in the, in the county is 2024.
So I’m trying to keep some room for them. But, um, , it fluctuates. You know, I’m, I’m looking all over the place. We had this past year we had five or six international students had players from Georgia. Um, this coming year we’ll have Texas, Florida, you know, Alaska. So, yeah. So, well, let’s
Matt: talk a little bit about the international kids and, and, and I guess maybe even outta state.
So how does that work in terms of, you know, I mean, obviously, uh, I’m gonna take a wild guess here. And, uh, Allegheny College is not flying you outside of the country to go recruiting players. So how is it that, that international students are finding their way to, to Allegheny College? ,
Coach: yeah. Just through a lot of different recruiters out there.
Um, trying to keep in touch with as many as I can. And see, the problem is, I mean, when you look at out-of-state slash international tuition, we’re not exactly the cheapest even for a, for a junior college. Um, especially when you look at international students who are gonna come here and not have modes of transportation or anything like, they’ll live on campus, which we do have on-campus housing, which is a huge benefit, but, That price point obviously goes up with it.
So just reaching out and then having to be kind of selective with, with everything that you [00:04:30] have coming through. So we’re, like I said, not the cheapest. So looking for guys who have a, have a good budget that we can bring in and then try to, this past year, the past two years, it’s been easier because they know they’re gonna come here and.
It’s pretty early plane time now that we’re established. I’m having a lot more trouble getting internationalists who could go elsewhere for a little cheaper, but I think we’re laying the groundwork that I think we’re gonna be able to maintain having at least a few internationals yearly. Okay. Well,
Matt: in terms of.
You mentioned cost. So, you know, I’m not holding you hard numbers here, but what exactly is a student, whether that’s, may, may, maybe not break it up by, in-state, outta state, however you guys do it, but, but what is somebody really looking at in terms of their cost to attend Allegheny College? .
Coach: Yeah, so obviously Allegheny County kids, um, they’re pretty much able to come here for next to nothing.
Um, the out-of-state kids who do wind up living on campus, I tell them worst case scenario, you’re probably looking around 18,000 for the year, which is still cheap compared to most four year schools. Right. So, um, that’s kind of the ballpark. I, I’ve ranged it in as 18,000 that’s taking maximum credits and stuff like that.
So there are ways to get that number down a little bit. These past two years we were a division three junior college. Now we’re moving up to division two [00:06:00] junior college. So just like ncaa, we will have a little bit of. Athletic money to play with. Uh, not a lot for this first year, but it at least kind of gets us treading in that right direction now.
Um, so I’m hoping that’ll help with the internationals and out-of-state guys. Um, Yeah, 18,000 is probably like worst case scenario for, for a kid.
Matt: So you, you mentioned and actually had this question at the soccer fields last night. Uh, a parent asked me had, you know, Hey, do, do junior colleges offer soccer scholarships?
And I was like, well, yeah, but it’s, they got different divisions kind of like ncaa. You mentioned, uh, you just mentioned that you guys were division three. N J c a A, you’re moving to two. So what does the scholarship situation look like for the different divisions of junior college? Just a kind of a broad explanation for folks who may not know.
Coach: Yeah. Kind of structured the same as, as the, uh, ncaa, right? So D one, D two can offer athletic scholarships. D three, it’s all academic, uh, based. So these past couple years, like I said, it’s been, we’ve been a D three junior college now moving up to D two. . Our league in particular, we’re a little, we’re a little odd in Maryland, right?
So for example, last year we were a division three team, but we play everybody in Maryland. So whether you’re D one, D two, D three, we still play you. Okay. So that doesn’t exactly help. , it helps in recruiting, I’m not gonna lie, being able to tell you we’re playing against some of the [00:07:30] best teams in juco.
Like that isn’t a lie. Like we are truly playing against some of the best teams in junior college. Um, For example, we played a team out of Massachusetts last year. They were division three. We were division three. We beat them two. Nothing. They finished the year top 10. We finished the year with a losing record, like, because we’re, it’s not comparing apples to apples, really, cuz we’re playing a little bit of everything.
So the only thing I, I. Don’t necessarily like with our setup is there are some schools in, in our conference who are D two that have four or five, six times the amount of athletic scholarship money that I’m gonna be playing with. So you gotta kind of find ways to find ways to get on board with, uh, get on par with where they’re at talent wise.
Yeah, that
Matt: makes sense. Well, in terms. My kinda my last recruiting question for you, but you, whether you’re looking at international kids, you’re at an event, at the soccer plex or, or anything else like that, what is it that really kind of makes you decide, okay, this is a kid we want to offer and, and, and we want them to play for us at Allegheny?
Coach: Yeah, and I mean, I tell kids this all the time too on social media, whenever they’re sending me highlights and stuff, like, I wanna see what you do when you lose the ball. Like you’re gonna make a mistake in the game. I wanna see what you do after it, because I can’t tell you how many times I see a kid lose the ball and then they’re out of the game for the next five, [00:09:00] 10 minutes.
Like they’re just in their own head. So that first 15, 30 seconds after, I wanna see what you do in large part because I do a lot of counter press. , right? So as soon as my team loses the ball, I want to go and get it back. So if you’re the type of player that you lose the ball when you just give up or you’re in your own head now I’m not really looking for that.
being a junior college, we’re looking for guys who want to come in that feel like they were overlooked for, for whatever reason, right? So they may have had division three offers, but they want a division two offer. They want a division one offer. Try to get those guys, um, to come on, give them that little bit extra exposure, get them on a collegiate strength and conditioning program, stuff like that to try and better their chances, and then go that route as well.
I’ve had numerous kids who, you know, they had D two offers and it’s, it’s one of those conversations where the D two school is not gonna lose interest in you if you walk away for one, one season to go JUCO and better your craft. Like, they’re still gonna be interested, so why not play against other college players and, and improve in all, all aspects.
So, no,
Matt: that, that, that’s, that’s great. Um, well, let’s talk a little bit more about the school itself. You know, I know you, you’ve, you’ve been, I think, in that area for a while, uh, of Western Maryland. So what, what is it that you find is, you know, kind of makes that school al, makes Allegheny College kind of a [00:10:30] hidden gem, uh, of Western Maryland?
Coach: Yeah, so I mean, looking at just the men’s soccer portion of it real quick, like we’re the most further furthest west in Maryland, men’s soccer program, um, for junior college. So that aspect of it is pretty nice. Can kind of, we’re close to everything, right? So we’re probably about two hours, give or take from Pittsburgh, but, Two hours, give or take from Baltimore and DC as well.
So kind of close to everything. But we are in the mountains, which has a nice little landscape backdrop. You know, whenever you’re trying to look at the field, it, it looks nice. I’ve been a lot of places, um, I’ve been coaching now since 2008, so,
I’ve never felt as at home with faculty and staff as I do. Here. Um, and I say that too with even like our students, like I feel like they have a much better, which I’m not gonna lie, this is my first time outta junior college, so it might just be the junior college thing, but seeing their reaction and their relationships with staff, athletic staff, or even like their teachers, like they just, they seem to get it a lot better.
And I mean, everyone knows you by name because it’s a lot smaller. of a campus size, right? So you’re looking at classes that max, you might have 16 students [00:12:00] in your class. That’s, that’s nice. You know, you’re gonna get the help you need AC academically, which goes a long way, especially when you’re looking to then transfer on to your four year program.
Yeah, yeah,
Matt: absolutely. Well, in terms of. Going to class and, and, and kind of a, a typical day in the life of a junior college student at Allegheny. Can, let’s take it back to the fall When you’re in season, what, what would a typical week look like in terms of, of games, practices, classes, meals, all that kind
Coach: of stuff?
Yeah, so we have a strength and conditioning coach. Uh, he’s there on Mondays. So we basically have our guys check in with him on Monday, kind of get a workout plan for the week, and then that’s kind of their set goals for the mornings, right? Some of the guys schedule ranges. I mean, we would usually train between four and 7:00 PM um, on the field now classes would run anywhere.
Guys starting at eight, 8:00 AM the guys finishing their final class around 5:00 PM so we kind of would fluctuate a little bit with that. And then everybody’s, you know, when they’re hitting the gym and stuff like that, based off of their, based off of their, uh, class schedule. Right? All of our games are Tuesdays and Thursdays for the most part.
Um, we have a couple weekend games sprinkled in, but most of the games are Tuesdays, Thursdays. So try to get the guys to avoid those classes as much as possible. Um, or if they have classes on those days, get ’em in the morning and, and be good to go. [00:13:30] Um, but playing every school in Maryland, like there’s somewhere we’re traveling three, four hours to.
To a game and now that we’re out in the women’s program, like I can only imagine, we’re probably gonna have to be leaving the, leaving the school nine 10 in the morning and. , it doesn’t give you a lot of time, , you know, to, to knock classes out. So that’s, that’s another thing that we are stressing heavily, is try to avoid those days as much as possible.
Training would be, like I said, Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Then if we’re, if we’re playing games on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and those days would basically be based off of who we’re playing, how those games went, and kind of where we’re at injury wise. So Fridays would be sometimes just a full blown. Recovery session, get the guys ready for the weekend.
Occasionally we’d have Saturday morning practices to kind of recap everything from the week, give them that day to kind of push themselves. And then I give everyone Sunday off every week. Um, Unless, of course we have a game on a Sunday, but that’s a different a different story. Right. So, and that’s, that’s basically, I give them as much free time as I feel I can through the fall just to try and make sure that, you know, if they have to work and stuff like that.
It is still a junior college, so I’m trying to give you some flexibility with your schedule and get more, you know, acclimated to the academic side of it as well.
Matt: No, I think it’s a, it’s a great way to look at it and, and it’s nice to, to be able to give them that flexibility. Well, [00:15:00] let, let, let’s talk a little bit more about the team.
You know, I know you, you mentioned you, you had to duke it out with 12 in that first year. And, and hey, I was a division two head coach and my, the last game of, of my first season, we took 12. So I, I feel you, you know, it happens to even, even the , the bigger schools, uh, but how many players. , do you like to roster?
I if you had your druthers, what would be your ideal roster size for a typical season?
Coach: Yeah, I think probably 28, give or take, you know, 25 field players, three goalkeepers. Um, this past year I started the season with three goalkeepers. I finished the season with one healthy, um, which surprisingly was the starting goalkeeper for the majority of the season.
Like the backup got injured and, uh, Reserve came when he came on and then got hurt the very next day, again on the opposite end of his body, um, in training. And then our other goalkeeper, he got hurt in preseason, so we never even got a chance to roll him out. Um, so now this fall, I’m trying to have four goalkeepers, but similar.
One of those is most likely gonna be. He, he’s having shoulder surgery here coming up, so he’ll probably miss the whole fall, but we’ll see what happens. Um, but 28 give or take would be, would be ideal.
Matt: Okay. Now you mentioned you do have an assistant. Is, is that right? Is that what your staff kind of, is that round out your staff and what will that look like with the women’s [00:16:30] program?
It’ll be a, you guys running that program as well or a new. .
Coach: Yeah. So how we have it set up is there’s the head coach for one or the other, um, and then a paid assistant for one and the other. So how we did it this past year, whenever we started the whole recruiting process for the women’s team was I was listed as the head coach for both, and then Randy was listed as the assistant coach for both.
Um, what we’re looking at doing now. 2023 is Randy will assume the head coach duties of the women’s team. I’ll be the head coach of the men’s team. I’ll have a paid assistant, which was a volunteer for us last year, um, under the men’s team. And then we’re looking for a paid assistant, um, under the women’s team as well.
Now, I say all that to then say we plan on. Even though on paper it’s this coach and this coach or assigned to the men, this coach, this coach or the women, we’re planning on all four coaches kind of being both teams, just to get the most out of as much as we can out of the, out of the players.
Matt: Oh, that, that’s amazing for, for both teams.
That’s, that’s great. Well, how would you describe kind of your style of coaching and the team style?
Coach: Yeah. So like I said, I like to counter press with everything, right? Lose the ball, go and get it as soon as we can. Um, I’m very aggressive, , very aggressive. Um, so I think in, in some regards, that has hurt in, in some closer games or games that [00:18:00] we.
We had it close at one point, and then when we try to push a little bit more, we, we shot ourselves in the foot at different times against some of the bigger jucos. But it happens, right? So I’m one of those that we’re looking to counter. So if we’re, if we’re losing the ball, go and win it back as soon as we win the ball.
I want you full blown attack, moon, right? So the outside backs are kind of who provide all of the width and then, More times than not, it’s a 4, 2, 3, 1. But the three stay fairly narrow. So like I said, the width is coming from the outside backs and then that’s kind of where we’re, if we run it right, it results in good, good offense.
If we’re running it orally, it, uh, results in the other team getting some very good looks on us. So,
Matt: yeah. Well, hopefully it’s running more right than wrong. Right. .
Coach: Well, it, it varied last year, but like I said, with, with the amount of guys we have coming back this year and, and everything, I’m, I’m fairly confident for 2023.
I really am.
Matt: Well, good, good. Well, in terms of the off season, you know, we’re talking here at the end of February, so it’s non-traditional season time. What does that look like for, for you guys in terms of, you know, how much are you practicing playing? What does that. Off season look like in the spring?
Coach: Yeah, so we get about three days a week right now.
[00:19:30] Um, weather pending. obviously try to be on the field three days a week. Um, once we hit April, we have a couple scrimmages set up. Um, but they’re more, they’re more along the lines. Ornament style. I, I guess you would wanna say like, uh, we’ll go out to a division three school, we’ll play against them, and then we’ll also play against another local JUCO that will be playing there that day.
Um, going out to another. D three school where that one will actually be set up as a seven tournament where there will be four teams. So we’ll just kind of be doing like round robin thing on a smaller, smaller sided stuff. Um, and then I have one set up with a, a college club team and another junior college here, uh, beginning of April as well.
So hopefully get the guys as much experience as we can moving. A lot of the guys that we have working out this spring are only the guys who are intending on returning in the fall. We do have a couple guys who are gonna train this spring with us and travel with us that are still kind of looking for their, their four year school to go to and try to get them a little bit more exposure that maybe they, they missed out during the fall.
Um, but yeah, we’re looking forward to it. Okay.
Matt: We’ve talked about a lot of different things, covered a lot of ground. I always like to end these the same way, and that’s what didn’t we talk about. What else would you like folks to know, whether it’s about [00:21:00] the recruiting process, about junior college, about Allegheny College or anything else?
I leave you with the last word. .
Coach: Yeah. So I mean, like I touched on earlier with junior college, like, and I was one of the, one of the kids that was like this, you know, don’t look at junior college as being something that’s beneath you. You know, because it does provide a lot of opportunities that, um, you might just not be receiving for whatever reason at your high school or club level.
Right. So I remember, you know, coming outta high school, I had a couple division two offers. So in my head, I’m a division two player, right? And. every single junior college that was closer and a lot cheaper. I’m like, no, you’re beneath me, like 13th grade, right? Like, I’m, I’m good. So, uh, looking back, I wish I would’ve won a different route in that regard.
Um, gotten early plane time, but also gotten a chance to kind of go out and, you know, save some. Be a lot more local, um, which isn’t for everybody, but um, have that chance that I could have been local, um, and then build off of that, you know, build my resume against college athletes while getting the plane time and getting that strength and conditioning program in.
Um, yeah, don’t overlook juco. It is tough. Like there are some teams in JUCO that are scary, so,
Matt: I hear you. Well, good advice. There are a lot of fantastic programs out there that can definitely save [00:22:30] some folks some money and be very, very good soccer programs. So definitely, it was great to have you on, wish you the best of luck through the spring and into the fall and uh, hopefully you can, uh, keep, keep rising up the ranks and, and knock off some of those, those big time division one JUCO Maryland programs that you get on your schedule each year.
Coach: Yeah, I appreciate it. Matt: All right. Thank you coach. Thank you.
