Anderson University Women’s Soccer – Coach Jennifer Myhre
On today’s episode, I speak with Coach Myhre from the Anderson Women’s Program. We talk about their recruiting calendar is fairly dialed in. She describes how they look for I.M.P.A.C.T. players. Lastly, we discuss how they try to schedule extra games to get more players time. Learn more about Anderson University Women’s Soccer.
Matt: [00:00:00] Hi everybody. Welcome to Discover College Soccer. Today I’m lucky enough to be joined by Coach Jen Myhre from Anderson University in Indiana. Welcome coach.
Coach: Thanks, Matt. I appreciate you having me and looking forward to talk.
Matt: Yeah, me too. Um, I, I, I knew of Anderson a little bit when I was coaching down in southwestern Indiana.
You guys are just kind of on the north eastern side of Indianapolis, if I’m not, uh, mistaken.
Coach: Yeah. No, but our north of Indie, so. Small Division three Christian school and, you know, been here now 13 years going on. So it’s been a great place and, um, excited to share more about our program and what we have to offer.
Matt: Yeah, it’s great. Well, let’s talk about recruiting. You know, we’re here in the midst of, uh, the, the college showcase season. Um, at least it’s been busy down here in Bradenton. I can tell you, um, Are you, when it comes to the recruiting calendar as a division three, you know, kind of what does that look like for you?
If you already closed 20 threes and you’re just looking at 20 fours, still wrapping up the 23 class, kind of what’s your normal cadence there?
Coach: Yeah, basically once we hit January of that next year, um, really turned the page and so really heavily involved, um, looking at our 20 fours right now and then sprinkle in 25 so they reach out to us.
Um, our, thankfully for this year, our 23 classes pretty much wrapped up, one or two, still trying to decide, but we have really good group coming in and excited to, to have them join team and family in the fall. It makes our e life a little bit easier where we can then really concentrate on the 20 fours and, um, a lot of, yeah, trying to get ’em [00:01:30] either first visits or second visits on campus.
Um, last couple weekends, a lot of showcases up here that we were out and around. And then we’ll hit a little bit of some spring break period where it’s a little bit lighter. Some league games start here in Indiana when we have club soccer in the spring and then, Late April, early May, some big showcases, um, you know, state cup, all the different, those types of events.
Um, and then brings us into the summer where it’s, you know, try to do, we’ll do a couple ID camps, um, do some high school team camps, and then. Really in the fall, try to attack. Right. You know, we’ll get some offers out late spring. Um, some if they wanna do some overnight, late spring, even go to classes, do some recruit weekends heavily in the fall to get them that college experience.
Just being on the team, seeing a game, being around, and then. Yeah, our goal is hopefully by like mid fall to end of the fall, um, have offers out, get people once to get their financial aid packages, scholarships, um, academically honors program, and, you know, try to wrap it up by Christmas time and then start that next page again.
So.
Matt: Wow. Okay. You, you guys are dialed in. I love it. Well, you talked about showcases and tournaments. I know there’s the. Wonderful park, uh, that Indianapolis has with all the, the showcases. So, uh, what, what are some of the main tournaments and places that you like to go to each year?
Coach: Yeah, yeah. We’re very fortunate that Grand Park’s just about an hour away from us and host a lot of different either regional events, club events.
Um, and so we’re main ones, especially in the January, February timeframe. Um, the other weekend [00:03:00] was Ohio Elite, down in Ohio, um, circle City in Indiana. Our sort of, um, we’ve seen the niche market. It’s really like our region. And so really heavily Indianapolis area, the state of Indiana. Um, then out into Ohio we spend a lot of time, uh, coming up.
We’ll be a blue chip and crossroads. Um, and then state cups for Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky. And then we’ll do an occasional, uh, Michigan high school game or Illinois high school. Cause they’re in the high school season right now. Um, But yeah, those are sort our, we found our, you know, those are gonna come to Anderson in that two to four hour radius and getting ’em, go see ’em play, and then it’s nice at Graham Park and say, come play either a league game or something.
Then come visit campus as well as part of it.
Matt: That’s a great combination to be able to do that. Um, you, you mentioned ID camps earlier, you know, how important are those to your overall recruiting process? Do you, do your, your staff work, other camps as well? Or, or just the ones you guys put on?
Coach: Yeah. Uh, RD camps are, um, awesome just for, it’s an opportunity for them to be, you know, coach with us, see our style of coaching, style of play.
Um, our girls are a huge aspect of that, where they’re, they’re coaching, interacting with them. Um, they spend some time with the players. It’s like, Hey, like, all right, it’s. Get in small groups, talk about the program, ask them many questions, um, allows us to have some time with the parents as well to do an overview, just the program, the culture, who we are, um, and seeing campus.
So I think probably at least maybe 80% of the girls coming in have come to one of our ID camps. Um, we’ve [00:04:30] host those. Typically in February we’ll have a summer one, and then like later November, December, sort of wrapping up if some seniors haven’t been on campus or we haven’t seen them play yet. And then we’ll do some other ID camps.
Um, some of the ones where they’ll bring in college coaches from a different lot of different schools we’re put on by outside organizations. And then over the summer, uh, we’ll do this a couple other high school camps that will work. Um, we host high school team camps, which has been great for us. Um, so Leah, a little variety of both.
We wanna be out there and have people on campus, but also go out, meet the recruits where they’re at, um, and share about the program. Okay.
Matt: Awesome. Whether it’s at an ID camp or, or any of those amazing events you, you talked about, what’s your kind of hierarchy of things you’re looking for in a player, whether that’s on the field stuff or off the field stuff.
Coach: Yeah. We sort of broken it down this idea of like an acronym just called like, all right, is this gonna be sort of an impact player into the team and program? And first the I is like, is an institutional fit. So we’re a small Christian school, um, variety of majors and so are they looking for that type of environment, community that I think really Anderson offers.
Um, and then just. One thing we call like an M V T most valuable teammates. So that is the mentality that they’re gonna work hard, um, sharpen each other on and off the field, set that example, and really just wanna be bought in relationally too. And, you know, it’s not about me, it’s about my teammates and how I can be there to help them improve.
Then the p is just like the passion, the love for the game, but they’re gonna work hard. Um, someone that’s just like motivated just to get better each and every. [00:06:00] Today is the athleticism. So no good speed to play. Um, now are they strong on the ball? Um, quick and fast on the field? Good recovery runs. Then their competitive mindset, and there’s something that’s just gonna grind it out.
Each day wants to be the best version of themselves. And we say like, be a champion every day and every way. So it’s on the field, off the field, who they are as a person. And then. The T is just the technical, um, and tactical. So, you know, do they have a good first touch? Can they play, you know, one in two touch, you know, cut away, turn away from pressure.
And then the tactics of really reading the game. Um, good vision of the field, you know, making those off ball runs. Um, and. All of an attack, all of ’em. Defense, even if you’re forward, are you pressing high? We like our outside backs and even defenders get in into the final third in those areas. So it’s sort of a complete package.
And then finally it’s like, all right, just in our mix of our team, do they get along to that? We really treated as a family environment that they’re close, they do a lot of things together, um, and really invest in each other’s relationships. Um, and then in their faith as. No, that’s great.
Matt: Well, you know, as a parent, one of my biggest, uh, things is always okay, what’s this gonna cost me?
Right? Uh, you talked about the financial aid packages and stuff, and as, as a D three school, and I think most people know there’s, you know, with no athletic money, the academic and other merit aid tends to, to factor in a large part of that. So, Without giving, you know, I’m not holding you to hard numbers here cause I know they’re always changing, but, but can you just gimme an overview of what it, it would cost to attend, what, what a normal player might be looking at from, [00:07:30] uh, an aid perspective.
Coach: Um, typically an average cost tuition room and boards been the mid forties last couple of years in there. Um, and they have great academic scholarships. They range from eight to $18,000. Um, if you have a 3.75 or higher up to $18,000 mark, and then there’s an honors program that you’re invited to. Um, just going through the interview process, you get additional scholarship money and then if you’re in the honors program, um, which is at least two thirds of our team is, um, going into next year, which we’re excited about.
You’ll get additional honors money and then we have, um, church matching scholarship where sometimes they have church later of sponsors or donates towards, um, a person will match up the $1,500 of that. So it’ll be 3000. Uh, we. Christian high school scholarship, which is 5,000, and then a couple majors, um, right now education, anything in like the sciences, biology, uh, chemistry, and then engineering.
Um, there’s additional like a 5,000 scholarship for those majors in there. And so it’s, and then you get your financial aid package based on your no estimated contributions and all of that family wise. Right. But it’s nice where, yeah, we’re looking at those high academic kids who can get, you know, that top 18 plus maybe the honor scholarships.
And either a major, another high school on top of that, and you’re at least cutting that down to half and, you know, hoping to get a little bit under that as well.
Matt: Yeah, no, that’s fantastic. Well, let’s, let’s talk a little bit more about the school. Uh, you, you got some great insight having been there as long as you have.[00:09:00]
So what are some of the awesome things you, you like about Anderson that maybe I’m not gonna learn just by going through the.
Coach: I think the number one thing we talk about is just the sense of community that people here, um, they’re at a small school in an environment to really help people grow, um, both on and off the field or in and outside the classroom.
And so really, The idea of how do we help you sort of transform to who you’re meant to be, um, walk alongside you and be prepared for like that next step in game of life From an academic perspective, some really strong programs here. Um, we have a phenomenal nursing program, which actually works well with, um, soccer.
They might, you know, make sure they do both of those and they do it well. And typically our strongest students have been our strongest athletes as well. Um, and so it’s really hands-on. They’ve got a lot of clinical experiences. Um, they’ll do like a capstone research. They’re going in two weeks to seniors on a medical, sort of nursing missions trip that’s built into the curriculum.
Um, and the, we have two seniors in it and they’re basically no job offers and all of that, like, really good to get that next step. Um, a lot of opportunities going from here. Education’s another strong major. Um, then we have anything from the biology, exercise science, pre athletic training, um, psychology.
And then, uh, newer engineering program, but it’s really grown. Um, we’ve had one women’s soccer player go through it. So not huge for the women’s side, but in other opportunity. And then national security studies and criminal justice, are there key ones that we’ve really sort of focused on the last couple years?
I think the school itself, [00:10:30] um, Whenever someone comes on campus, they said it’s a little bit bigger than expected. So when they’re on campus, it feels a college campus. I mean, it’s good distance, 10, 15 minutes walking as they feel like you’re just not in a small, you know, couple building dorms from athletic facility side.
Um, we have an all grass soccer field that’s just for soccer. Um, a great stadium. That’s the last couple of years you keep adding to it. Um, so you’ve added. Stadium bleachers, um, banners, pavilion area, um, long-term looking to get lights to that. And then have a indoor, uh, wellness facility that has an indoor track.
Um, lots of things in the winter, both, um, basketball services that we can play on that’s puts all court wise and so think of a lot of the amenities here where it’s like you’re gonna get that great experience. But even on the student life side, a lot of activities, um, a lot of the athletes support each other.
So go into games, different events. Intermurals is really big. Here’s in our off season, um, a lot of the girls are on basketball teams, volleyball teams. Um, this past year we had the finals of the basketball. Were two soccer teams against each other, which is always fun to, hey, either way, end a win-win for us.
And then CAB is our campus activity board. They’ll plan an event each weekend. Um, they’ve done. At the beginning of the year, it’s called disco dancing donuts, which is just always a fun one. They did laser tag in the library over the winter. Um, they did like a bond, like sort of a game night, card night.
And so it’s nicer, something always, sorry, falls busy with soccer and everything else. But then outside of that, um, things get involved in and [00:12:00] then, Um, a lot of our players that are involved in afterschool, um, sort of like a tutoring, uh, mentoring program. Um, and so that’s nice where they go in, they’re paired up one-on-one with a student, um, just to really just relate, help them with reading, math, studying.
Um, a great way to give back to. Local community and a lot of other service opportunities from there. Um, and then from a campus ministry side, um, great way to plug in growing your faith if it’s hall bible studies, different small groups around campus. Um, and so we want that to be an important part of their college experience too.
And, you know, growing in their intellect, their character of faith while they’re over here these four years.
Matt: No, that’s, that’s, that’s amazing. Well, you kind of mentioned a little bit about the academic side of things. Uh, you know, some, some schools tell you nursing and a sport don’t mix, so it’s good to hear that it does at, at Anderson.
So, but uh, just in general, how do the players really kind of balance the demands of their sport and their studies and, and what kind of support systems does the school have?
Coach: A lot of ’em say they need soccer to help ’em just to be disciplined. Like they’re more, you know, managing their time better when they have structure, have classes.
Um, I always remind like recruits in college. You’re in class a couple hours per day, or in high school, you’re in class seven hours, maybe a class, and then you might have practice club or something afterwards. So it’s really in those off times. What are you doing? Um, are you studying, staying up with your work?
Um, most of our classes are done by three o’clock, which is nice. We typically practice around four. Um, so. [00:13:30] There might be an afternoon, or there could be a lab or an occasional evening course. But if it’s, Hey, you go to class, you come to practice afterwards, or if you need to leave practice early, then you go to class.
Um, so I think school does a great job helping them manage that. Um, the professors know that college, like their athletics is an important part of their college experience. And so as long as they’re showing up to class, being conscientious, hey, like, I’m gonna miss on Wednesday, maybe afternoon. Go work with them.
A lot of the professors are even out at our games and events, really supporting them. And so I think it’s, yeah, definitely freshman fall we say it’s like, right, take it first, couple weeks, get adjusted. Um, we have study hours, three hours per week for freshmen where they go in, just either study, get a tutor, um, or they can do a small group review session.
Um, and then after that, based on their gpa, we monitor, do an individualized plan and. This last year, the college actually, um, they created academic success coaches, which has been awesome. And so they’re for the whole campus, but they also are intentional where they’re paired up with sports teams. And so this past fall, um, they met with our freshmen every other week just checking in, just not even on class stuff, but adjustment.
How are things going? Um, and it’s been a good resource to have, um, just someone on more of the academic faculty side that can reach out as well and be an advocate for. Okay.
Matt: Well, let’s talk a little bit more about the team and the soccer side of things. And, and I guess it goes a little bit back to recruiting, but is there, is there a roster size that you find is ideal that you’re trying to hit each year?[00:15:00]
Coach: Yeah. Um, we normally try to like focus around like high twenties, thirties, um, but we will carry a little bit larger number just depending on the year. Um, so this past upcoming or this past year, or. Low thirties will be mid thirties, um, this upcoming fall. Um, but we keep it as one team so everyone trains, travels, practices, and then we get what we call it just extra games.
And so we’ll play a game on Wednesday, sometimes get a game on Thursday, and then those who just to get a lot of game time, we’ll then get game time on Thursday so that way everyone’s training developing. It’s helpful if we’re moving around position, Hey, let’s try it out in here. Um, we’re goalie use that way.
No. If you have a couple of them, they’re at least getting action. That’s really helped us and it’s helped too. Just so think just the team culture of, hey, like we’re all in this together and no matter what, if it’s a Wednesday game or a Thursday game, it all matters and we’re all there to support and courage and great just to see everyone grow, um, where they’re at and continually just develop as people, employers.
Matt: No, that’s, that’s nice to, to be able to offer that. Uh, what about your staff? Uh, what, how big is your staff? What is everybody’s role there?
Coach: Um, so on campus, really full-time is myself. And then we have, um, grad assistants, which have really been great where they’re here for two years, getting their mba, um, and really treat them as them, was a full-time assistant coach where they’re helping plan, practice, break down film, meet with recruits, um, and then.
We’ll do even just like individual player meetings, typically every like two weeks. Check in with them. Um, and that rotates. That’s been a great [00:16:30] help. And then we have, uh, last fall we had three sort of part-time guys that would come a couple days a week. Um, two of them are club high school coaches. One’s a former grad assistant.
Um, and so it’s great always at practice, have extra hands, um, extra eyes. Just say, Hey, let’s, what do you see? Share different information, um, bounce things off of, and so it’s. One of the part-time ones is a goalkeeper coach. Um, and he’s great. Does really good job the goal, he is been around for a while and it’s nice cause he just, you know, he coaches high school comes and then afterwards he just knows right, right away does a great job with the, uh, keepers.
Um, and then sometimes they’ll practice and do like some good build out, um, stuff with our team as well. So yeah, thankful for a lot of hands helping out, um, share all share roles that really value what they bring to the program and.
Matt: Yeah, that sounds, sounds great. Um, well, how would you describe your style of coaching and the team’s overall kind of style of play?
Coach: Yeah, I’d say my coaching’s very sort of like instructional, um, but structured like there’s sort of a system, a style of how we wanna play. We call it like possession to penetrate. And so we wanna move the ball around, switch the point of attack, let’s good, good combinations into the final third. Um, on the details, I mean, it’s, if you’re five, if you’re.
Soccer, still soccer. So the cutting, the passing, the turning. Um, so we do a lot of the technical stuff, stuff in the beginning, just how can we perfect it, how we can get a little bit better on those and then build it up to more and more of our day before a game. Go from the tactical side of it’s working on runs, pattern to [00:18:00] plays or offense defense from there.
And then big about just having, you know, them come in the office, let’s watch film, let’s talk through things. People learn in different ways, so some people need to see it. Some people need to talk through it. Some of people need to like, all right, ask questions, and so they really wanna. Equip ’em with the tools.
Um, from an even uh, uh, scouting report standpoint, we wanna be most prepared. Just, Hey, we have our game plan. We know what we wanna do, we know what’s gonna maybe come at us. Um, and then it’s, that’s the nice thing about soccer is the freedom too of, hey, we prepare ’em, here’s options, ideas, now it’s your, it’s game day.
So free to play. And that’s the fun thing. It’s like we’re not micromanaging during games. It’s sort of helping them prepare ’em and then it’s the players’ game. And then, Assessing that and how they continually grow and develop from there. So I think, yeah, overall instructional role, uh, really related too, where it’s like, Hey, I wanna be there for them.
You know, doors always open, come in if you need anything. Um, and just, not even soccer wise, but school-wise, life-wise as well. Okay.
Matt: Well, uh, we’re talking here in March, so it’s the off season. What does your typical off season look like, uh, for that spring semester?
Coach: So once they get back in January, um, basically there’s like an eight week conditioning period time.
They’re doing speed agility lifting a couple days of a week. Um, they play pick up, foot saw, um, as a group on typically Sunday nights. Uh, do a couple, like small group runs. So there’s, you know, t tremble runs, spin agility, some track work. Uh, there’s a fitness class that they can be part of as well that helps.
That way they can just all, you [00:19:30] know, work out if they wanna take that, um, if they get credit for it and everything. Um, and. We’re wrapping that up, uh, off season conditioning this week. And then we have spring break, and then after spring break we go five weeks of training. Currently it’s three days a week, and then we have one day to play in the spring, and then next year it’s actually gonna open up and they’re getting us a couple more days, which we’re excited about.
So, That’ll be nice to you, maybe some like small group technical sessions, um, in that February timeframe, and then go bigger as it gets nicer and we can get outside more.
Matt: Yeah, I think, uh, every division three coach I’ve talked to is very excited about those extra days. Uh, well, coach, we’ve, we’ve talked about a lot of different things, uh, and I’ve, I’ve, I’ve switched up the way I end these, so I’m, I’m, hopefully, I’m not putting you too much on the spot here, but.
Can you give me, you know, one piece of advice, one informational nugget, just one thing that you think all parents or recruits should know about the college recruiting process. Uh, something that, that you just feel strongly about that, that you definitely wanna share.
Coach: I say, I mean, remember that it’s a search process and so keep a lot of options open.
If there’s somewhere that you’re interested in or somewhere like reach out, it never hurts just to go look at a place or come visit or have a phone call. So I think, you know, take the initiative, be engaged, be involved, um, and that way it’s, there’s no turn like stone left unturned where it’s like you keep all your options open.
You’re always gonna learn something from a place where, hey, this is something that I like. Maybe this is something that, you know, I don’t [00:21:00] like, or I wanna make sure that there’s something in that college experience. So I think it’s, yeah, really be invested, be involved. You’re gonna put, you’re gonna get out of it what you put into it.
Um, just like in anything in life. And so really, no. And be involved, be invested in just, you know, enjoy the process too. Like, I know, I think about a lot of people are stressed about it or it’s, you know, take it one day at a time. You know, there’s no, you know, there is eventually an endpoint, but that’s why I start a little bit early and then we’re all here to help and support them.
So it’s like, hey, if even it’s not here, we want you to have a good experience. How can I help you for that next place as well? Yep.
Matt: No, that’s great advice. Well, coach, wish you the best of luck in the fall and really thank you for being here. And if you get down to, to any of the Florida, Florida events down here in Bradenton, gimme a shout and we’ll definitely get together.
All right. Sounds great. Thanks Matt. Really appreciate your time. Thank you.
