Baker University Women’s Soccer – Coach Sean McAlister

On today’s episode, I speak with Coach McAlister from the Baker University Women’s Soccer Program in Baldwin City, Kansas. We talk about how he balances recruiting during the busy season and what he looks for in players, including athletic ability, coachability, and how they interact with teammates and coaches. He describes the small, tight-knit campus community, the school’s strong academic support system, and its ideal location just outside Kansas City, along with the program’s new soccer-specific stadium. Lastly, we discuss the demanding conference schedule, his laid-back coaching philosophy focused on building lasting relationships, and how the team uses the spring season for individual player development.

Matt: [00:00:00] Hi, everybody. Welcome to Discover College Soccer. Today, I’m lucky enough to be joined by Coach Sean over at Baker. Welcome, Coach.

Coach: Thank you. Thank you.

Matt: Yeah, thanks for being here, and, uh, you know, appreciate you making time. I know it’s tough here. It- it’s, uh, end of September. You’re kind of getting into the heart of that season.

Uh, so one thing that I know a lot of kids are always asking, especially the, well, the seniors and, and juniors that are in heavy, heavy recruiting processes, “Is it worth, is it worth my time emailing coaches during the season?” So how, I mean, how much time are you spending right now recruiting for the next year versus working on the team and the season?

Coach: Yeah. Yeah. It’s a, it’s a hard… You know, you gotta, you gotta multitask. I think it’s, you know, uh, late night emails, responses, you know, getting home from the road. Uh, you know, we just played a game on Saturday, and we got home about 2:00 AM, and it’s, you know, trying to catch up with emails on the way home on the bus.

And so it’s a never ending journey. Um, but you know, it’s, it’s 24/7, so trying to keep up with them and, and [00:01:00] respond as quick as possible, ’cause you know, they could, uh, change day to day. So, um, yeah, it’s, it’s one of the fun, fun, fun jobs, um, but never stops.

Matt: Yeah. Well, when it comes to recruiting, where… You know, what, what are the events?

Where are the places you like to go a- a- and try to find players?

Coach: Yeah, we’re pretty lucky. Uh, Kansas City, we’re kind of a, a one-stop shop. It feels like sometimes, uh, people come to us. So we’re about 45 minutes away from Kansas City, um, so kind of in our backyard. And, you know, I still do the, I still do the club scene as well, so out at events on the weekends.

And, you know, in season is the hard one. But, um, you know, getting out, seeing them. And then for us here in Kansas, uh, we have high school soccer in the spring, so an opportunity for them to get out. Um, and, you know, I see them in a little bit more of a comfort state. Um, you know, I think club’s a little bit different, but seeing them who they are every day is kind of a fun thing, too.

So, uh, dual task, but yeah, um, we’re pretty lucky here in Kansas City the- that everyone kind [00:02:00] of comes to us. And obviously St. Louis is right down the road, too, so lots of opportunities around us.

Matt: Okay. Do, do you guys do ID camps there at Baker, or do you and your staff work external camps? Are they part of, uh, your process?

Coach: Yeah. So, um, took over two years ago, um, so haven’t, haven’t really bought into that yet in terms of just time on task. Um, but, you know, I think it’s one of the things we want to add to the, you know, the list. Um, our men’s team just started doing it kind of the last couple years, and they’ve had some success, so I think it’s, it’s an opportunity that’s worth, you know, taking the risk.

Um, but yeah, it’s just kind of time and availability is, is the hard part.

Matt: Okay. Well, whether it’s at a club tournament, a high school game, camp, anything, you know, kind of what makes up that hierarchy of things you’re looking for in a player?

Coach: Yeah, I mean, obviously can they do the job? You know, can they physically do the job?

Um, you know, I think there’s a lot of big fish, right? Um, but it’s how do they fit into what we’re trying to do? You know, is, is the level right? Uh, can they do the tendencies that, that make [00:03:00] them, uh, a piece of the puzzle that fits our puzzle? Um, I think that’s a big thing. You know, there’s, there’s a lot of talent, you know, but how do they fit us, and what are we looking for?

Um, you know, obviously athletes are, are a win. You know, so it’s can we, can we adjust? But, um, you know, I- it’s a big thing of, you know, how they act how off, off the field. You know, are, are they getting subbed off for a reason? Do they take criticism, or are they understanding? You know, eye contact. You can see how they react to coaches and, and just how they act around their teammates.

You know, are they, are they good people? You know, so it’s, it’s all the above, you know, but I think foremost they have to be physically capable of doing the job.

Matt: Okay. Well, uh, you know, things keep changing here in the world of college eligibility, recruiting, transfers- Yeah … all the things, right? So-

Coach: Yeah …

Matt: uh, uh, do you guys…

I mean, it looks, looking at your roster, you have a few international players, but does, does transfers come into play, junior college kids, international? What, how does that work in your overall recruiting? [00:04:00]

Coach: Yeah. I think it’s, it’s a piece of the puzzle for sure. Um, you know, something that’ll probably be heavier for myself going forward.

You know, this last year I had, uh, two junior college transfers and, um, one international. So I think going forward, you know, we’ll probably be in that, you know, uh, 60/40 range, 50/50 kind of. That would probably be the idea of internationals and transfers, um, compared to local talent, I think. The, the game is one language, right?

It’s all around the world. So, um, we’re, we’re recruiting the whole world. So what makes sense and what’s possible? Obviously, um, academics a- and financials are a big part of it, too, so.

Matt: Yeah. Okay. Well, when it comes to, um, the, the roster itself, uh, do you have a, an ideal number that you’re, you’re trying to hit each year?

Coach: Yeah. So, um, you know, obviously the school kind of steps in with that sometimes too, right? So, um, for me, you know, growing a roster I’d like to get to about 30. Um, we do not have a reserve team, so it’s [00:05:00] just, it’s just our first team right now. So growing that roster to 30, you know, have a, have a good, uh, a good baseline of possible and, uh, potential to have a deep bench a- and make our, our program stronger.

So, uh, right now we’re at 24, so this next year, you know, bring in a few more to, to grow the numbers and, and r- reach that kind of goal of having 30 to, to, to help the program.

Matt: Okay. Well, let’s talk more, uh, about the school. Um, some folks may be, you know, not familiar with Baker. Yeah. Yeah. Definitely nobody more familiar than you, right?

Uh, I think you, you’ve been there- Been there … since as y- y- you’re, as a player and haven’t left, right?

Coach: Yeah, pretty much. Pretty much. So it’s, it’s been a fun ride. Um, you know, just as a quick little tidbit, I, I was, uh, I was recruited at another school, and on the way home my, my dad driving home was kind of like, “Hey, let’s check out this school.

It’s, it’s behind this Sonic we always stop at.” And I’m like, “There’s not a school there. What are you talking about?” And next thing you know it just clicked. Um, and it was kind of… [00:06:00] It was just perfect. And, uh, I was lucky I had a good relationship with the coach that I played for, and, um, stuck around and became, you know, grad assistant, assistant, and all that sort of stuff.

And it just, um, I’m approaching that time now where it’s like I’ve been here longer than the, the freshmen coming in have been alive. So it’s, it’s been fun, but, um, you know, it’s like a second home, and I mean that. You know, it’s like e- I enjoy coming every day still. So, um, it’s been fun. But yeah, we’re, we’re Baldwin City, Kansas.

Um, so small little town, about 8,000 people. Um, we’re about 10 minutes south of Lawrence. Like I said, about 45, 30 from Kansas City area. So we’re kind of in that perfect area of w- we have the, you know, the neighbors, right? We can have the big city, we have KU right next door, we have, you know, all of Kansas City with the, the Sporting and the KC Current and, you know, the Chiefs and Royals.

So it’s, we’re right in that perfect area of we can have social and academics and do our job on campus. And so it’s really nice. Um, you know, quiet little town. You know, we grew up, uh, when [00:07:00] w- when I played we played at, uh, North Park, and it was a grass field, and across the street was a cow pasture. So the opposing teams always show up and they’re like, “Where are we right now?”

So we’re pretty lucky now. We got a brand-new soccer specific stadium, so it’s great turf field. So we’re, we’re pretty lucky. And so we, we dig it. We like it, so.

Matt: Awesome. Well, one of the hardest parts about becoming a- college soccer player is m-managing the demands of, of the athletic side and the academic side.

K- what support systems do you guys have there to make sure the students are successful in both?

Coach: Yeah. We’re, we’re pretty cool. Um, so we’re an academic first school, so from 8:00 to 3:30, we, we can’t have practice. So school comes first. Um, you know, and we have SAS, student academic success. We have free tutors.

Um, we have an online 24/7 connection now with the program that kids can hop on it and talk with a tutor all around kind of the country. They hop on on their time, and, um, so we, we have a- access to [00:08:00] everything all the time. So it’s pretty cool, and it’s, it’s one of those things, it’s a small, tight-knit community.

Um, you know, it, we have about a, 1,000 students on campus, so you know, it’s, you’re not just a number. You know, our classes, we average about 12 students in a class. And so professors know you by name. You know, they know what team you’re on. They know that you’re part of the women’s soccer team, and it’s, it’s pretty cool experience.

So it’s, it’s kind of one of those things, it’s hard to fall through the cracks. Um, and you know, people will reach out for help and, you know, I get emails all the time like, uh, you know, “Sean, Sean missed, uh, class this morning, you know. How, how’s he doing?” You know, it’s, it’s, it’s pretty hands-on, so it’s pretty, it’s pretty cool feeling.

Matt: Well, that’s great. Well, as you mentioned, you know, you’re in the heart of that conference season right now. Kind of you mentioned that the- the, the academic first schedule, but walk me through what does a typical week look like in terms of when is classes, meals, practices, game cadence, all that kind of thing?

Coach: Yeah, it’s tough. So we, we play [00:09:00] 14 games in our conference schedule, and so it’s, it’s Wednesday, Saturday, Wednesday, Saturday, Wednesday, Saturday for about 12 weeks. Um, this year our, our conference schedule, it’s anything over 400 miles is, is on a Saturday, so that’s us leaving on a Friday. So, you know, like this last Friday we, we debated on going 7:00 AM practice before class, but luckily we were like, “Hey, we’re good,” and we trained after and then we hit the road.

But that also meant we got there at, you know, 11:00, 11:30 PM and we wake up, have breakfast at the hotel, and then play the game at 1:00. So we’re pretty nice or, you know, c- kickoff times are pretty adjusted, you know, with the travel schedule. And so, um, the NAIA rule, you know, you gotta have one day off, so Sundays are usually our day off.

Um, and then Monday we, we get the Mondays to train. Monday’s kind of our training day. Um, and then Tuesday’s pre-game, Wednesday’s game, Thursday’s recovery, and then Friday we do it all over again. Um, so that’s kind of the game schedule for, for almost 10 weeks. Our, our conference bi-week is the second last week of the conference season.

[00:10:00] So we play 12 games straight and then we finally get a bye, um, which is just a Wednesday, a day. So we go Saturday to Saturday. But we’re, you know, we’re already got that one circled just with the, the extremes of the conference. Um, and then kind of from day to day we do a block, block class schedule. So Monday, Wednesday, Fridays are 50 minute classes and Tuesday, Thursdays are labs.

Um, they’re like hour 15. So depending on their schedule and their classes, you know, we have a lot that are heavy Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Tuesday, Thursdays are kind of their recovery day. So they’ll wake up, do breakfast, you know, go see the trainer, uh, get the recovery in, and then lunch, and then they’ll have kind of the afternoon to catch up on social, you know, go to the grocery store, all that sort of stuff, and then training every day at 3:30 for us.

So, um, we’re lucky, you know, the field’s right on campus, so it’s just a walk to the field and, and we- and we’re on our way. So it, it, it, it flies, right? It, it flies. But, um, it, it’s fun. It’s fun. So yeah, I mean, like I said, we, we, we leave on [00:11:00] Wednesday. Um, in two days we go to Fulton, Missouri. It’s about two, almost three hours away.

So we’re gonna be leaving, you know, we’ll be leaving around 10:00 AM, um, stop and eat lunch on the way, and then our kickoff’s at 4:30. And, uh, we travel with the men’s team, so you know, it makes it, it makes it for… You know, then we stay for their game. So it’s, it’s long days and, you know, they gotta bring homework and do it on the bus sometimes.

But, um, class, class happens 8:00 AM on Thursday morning, so it, it doesn’t stop.

Matt: Yeah, for sure. Well, let’s talk a little bit more about the team. I know we talked about the roster size and players, but talk to me about the rest of the roster, the coaching staff, the, the, the folks that help out with the program.

What role does everybody play there?

Coach: Yeah, so I have a full-time, uh, GA, uh, Lydia Brinker. She, she’s also a former, uh, Baker alum. She graduated here and stuck around and, you know, helping the program and m- moving it forward. Um, we, we share a goalkeeper coach with the men’s team. His name’s Philip Ejimadu.

He’s a, he’s a guy that played a little bit for LAFC growing up, um, as a kid, and, uh, moved out [00:12:00] here, and now he’s, uh, playing with the indoor Comets in the MASL. So I mean, he’s still trying to play, but, uh, he, he d- he, he loves it. He shows up and he, he kills it. Um, works hard and has the goalkeeper group doing, doing really good things.

So, um, that’s kind of our staff, you know. Like, uh, it’s … We’re trying to get a part-time, um, but as it goes, we’re, we’re also in that location of timing and 3:30, it’s always, you know, in that time zone. So, um, but we like it, you know. Um, and then our, our roster, just like I said, it’s probably right now about 70% local, and so within that, I mean, probably 30 minutes of campus.

Um, we have a lot of Olathe, Lenexa, uh, Shawnee kids that are from the Kansas side. Um, we have a couple from Western Kansas, uh, Johnson, uh, Junction City. So our starting goalkeeper, she’s from out West Kansas, so we’re pretty local. Um- We, we buy into the fact that there’s talent around us, and, and they can do the job.

And like I said, we have five internationals. [00:13:00] Uh, two from Spain, The Bahamas, and, um, uh, actually a dual citizen. She was born in Germany, but grew up kind of the military brat, um, sort of thing. Traveled a lot, and so she’s been around all over. And, um, you know, it’s, it’s a piece of the puzzle. Like I said, the, the whole world plays the game, so how can we expand that?

So yeah, it’s a good makeup, you know. They, they bring in their experiences, and we share our kind of Midwest values with each other, and they, they kind of go hand-in-hand together to make a, a good melting pot of a good product, so.

Matt: Awesome. Well, what about you? Talk to us about your coaching style and the style of play you, you play there.

Coach: Yeah. So I’m a little bit laid back. You know, I, I always kind of joked. I get joked around with, uh… I, I probably was, like, a, a surfer, uh, born in the Midwest. You know, pretty laid back, pretty chill. Um, but yeah, you know, it, it’s one of those things. Can we do the job in training and, and make the, the game day experience a product that’s worth watching?

Um, you know, I, I have the big boy voice if I need it, you know, sort of thing. But hopefully it’s, it’s, it’s, it’s a relationship. You know, [00:14:00] like I said, being on the men’s side for a really long time, that was the, one of the best parts about it. And now growing over to the, the women’s side, it’s, the relationships are really fun, and, uh, they, they grow.

You know, as I’ve gotten older too, I’ve gotten a little bit more laid back and not so high-strung, you know, so it’s, it’s a little bit more, um, enjoying it a- and creating those kind of rela- you know, everlasting relationships. Uh, you know, my coach said it a long time ago. We wanna make professionals on and off the field.

And, uh, you know, it’s h- how do we do that? How do we do that job to prepare them for what’s next, whether that’s on or off the field? So I, I would love to always have them come back in 10 years and just be like, “Yeah, this was fun. I, I, I did enjoy my time here.”

Matt: Awesome. Well, the one thing we didn’t talk about was that non-traditional season or the off-season.

What does your spring kind of look like, uh, f- over there?

Coach: Yeah. So, um, you know, we, we, we have it… It, it depends on the weather, right? Sometimes we get a foot of snow, sometimes we don’t. So during the winter, we’ll, we’ll kind of let [00:15:00] them go, you know. We, we just go on the red for four months in the fall, and then we got finals, so they kind of escape mentally, emotionally, and just relax for a little bit, go back home, see some family.

Um, we come back and, uh, at our school, we kind of do a semester within a semester. We do an inter term where they take one class for the month of January, and so some have to do it and some don’t, you know. You have to do two out of your four years, or if you’re a transfer, one out of two. So some, some will stay home for an extra month, and some will stay, um, and do it.

So we, we get that time to be around and, you know, we’ll hit the weights hard. Um, in season we do two days of weights, and then out of season we do three days. And then, um, you know, we start doing futsal inside in our gym, you know. So with the weather it’s… Like you said, sometimes it gets negative, right? So we can’t go outside.

Um, we usually head outside around spring break time. Hopefully maybe middle of February, end of February, depending on the weather again. Um, and then we have a, you know, well, this year w- hope- you know, six-game season, so this year we’ll have a little bit more, [00:16:00] um, opportunity to play and let them grow. But the, the spring’s kind of a individual growth time and, you know, the falls were the team goal.

And so we, we go from there. But, um, yeah, this year, you know, we can expand and have some more opportunities to play, but we stay local. You know, so we’re not really traveling too much, and, um, try and get some junior colleges to come to us and use that as a recruiting tool for the, the spring as well. Um, the new thing going, you know, kind of bringing some high school teams in, you know.

We, we did that this fall, have them come in for visit day and, you know, we can incorporate that to a recruiting day. So it’s been, it’s been good, but yeah, the spring is a, um, an opportunity to grow, an opportunity to grow.

Matt: Awesome. Well, I’m gonna leave you with one last question, and that is if you had one piece of advice for anybody going through this college recruiting process right now, what would that be?

Coach: Yeah. Don’t give up. You know, opportunities are out there. Um, continue to, to reach out and text and… You know, like we said, we’re, we’re in the NAIA, so we can text and email, and there’s opportunities abundant, you know, just what fits you. [00:17:00] But I think the biggest thing within that is, you know, you gotta set a, set a list of what you need and what you can do without.

Um, and, and make sure that your needs are met. You know, at the end of the day, this is your experience. Um, as much as I’ve loved my experience, it’s, this is for you and y- your experience. You gotta make sure it’s best for you. Um, and, and don’t, don’t bend from those values of anything. Like, you gotta stick to it, you know, what is and what isn’t a- and, and you can’t bend, so.

Matt: Awesome. Yeah. Well, Coach, really appreciate it. Wish you the best of luck as you finish out this conference season, and, uh, hope you’ll be hanging that banner soon.

Coach: Yeah. Appreciate it. Appreciate the time.

Matt: Thank you.

Coach: Thanks.