Bard College Men’s Soccer – Coach TJ Kostecky
On today’s episode, I speak with Coach TJ from the Bard Men’s Program in New York. We talk about how he looks at high academic, high character players when recruiting. He describes the school’s world class faculty. Lastly, we discuss how he makes sure everyone is competing every day in practice. Learn more about Bard College Men’s Soccer.
Matt: [00:00:00] Hi everybody. Welcome to Discover College Soccer. I am lucky enough to be joined by Coach TJ from Bard College. Welcome coach.
Coach: Hey, Matt. Great to see you.
Matt: Great to see you too. We were lucky enough to meet in person, face-to-face at the convention in Philly. Um, and as I always like to tell people, the college, well, just the soccer community in general, it’s not six degrees of separation.
It’s like two to three max. Uh, so, you know, we, we’ve got a bunch of, of the same, same mutual friends and it was nice to be able to, to connect in person due to, due to those great mutual friends. Um, and I’m excited to learn about Bard College. It’s not a, a school I’m familiar with. I mean, I know the conference and I know it’s it’s academic reputation, but.
But not much else. So, but first, let, let’s start talking about recruiting. It’s, it’s the high season of college showcases and everything else like that. Uh, as a division three school, are you still working on your 23 class, or is that pretty much locked and loaded and you’re looking at 20 fours? What’s that look like for you guys?
Coach: So, yeah, so I’m, I’m just kind of handholding the 20 threes to bring him across the finish line. Uh, Bard is a high, very high academic school application deadline has already happened. His passed, uh, January 1st. So, you know, even if I, I had right now the best academic player in the country that would want to come to Bard, it’d be.
it’s possible to get them in, but it would be more difficult cuz our admissions, uh, portal’s already closed. So I’m just kind of taking the two 20 threes that we [00:01:30] have. We have, uh, so far at this point, four committed and another five that are waiting for, um, some, uh, financial aid stuff, um, that we’re gonna hear from them in the next two weeks actually.
But we’re finishing up our, our 2 23 class and I’m starting the two 20 fours. Um, Actually next week because um, right now I’m finishing up my book as we talked about. Yeah. It goes to the . So the two 20 fours will start, start really focusing on our top two 20 fours next week. Uh, i e reaching out to them, getting ’em on Zoom, seeing updated video where they are.
If there’s been some changes in their, their performance to see where they are academically to, to read their transcripts. Cuz Bard is a very high academic, top level arts college. So it’s important that the transcript, first and foremost, has to meet the standards of Bard. Mm-hmm.
Matt: Well, and having said that, you know, it’s because of those high academic standards and, and that sort of thing, you look at your roster.
Players from all over, uh, the country, uh mm-hmm. obviously mostly, I’m guessing due to that, uh, the draw of that high academic standard. So for you, how is that recruiting wise in terms of choosing what events and where to go and, and that kind of thing? Cuz you kind of have the whole country that you probably have to deal with.
Coach: I do. That’s a great question, man. So, I travel around to, uh, college Showcase events. Um, um, you know, I’m, you know, I’m not here to advertise, but future 500 Exact Sports is [00:03:00] the one that I, I do a lot of work with. Um, I do leadership training for Exact Sports, and I’ve traveled to, I’ve spoken at six of their national camps and there’s anywhere from two to 300 players there.
And after I, I do a workshop on Leader. All of a sudden there’s emails from top student athletes that are interested in Bard now. Uh, so I kind of throw out a, a big net, uh, because we’re a very unique school. We’re two hours north of New York City. Uh, our alumni is global. We have partnerships in 50 countries around the world as well.
Um, Bard had the first human rights major in. We do a lot of work, uh, in really, um, the community. You know, the school embraces students that, that want to change the world, that wanna make the world actually a better place. And they, and they hold true to that, those ethos, which is phenomenal for me to be around these young people that are, uh, idealistic and realistic, but are really changing the world in, in amazing ways.
So, yeah. So it’s a, it’s a, it’s a national footprint of recruiting that I. As well. So
Matt: obviously it’s pretty easy to, uh, to get numbers in terms of G P A and test scores and all that when you’re recruiting. But besides that academic kind of threshold, what is it for you in terms of, of the things that make up your kind of hierarchy of what you’re looking for in a player?
Coach: Great. So, so first of all, on the ca, first of all, on the character side. So with the understand, well, let’s take a step. Once we look at video [00:04:30] or see someone play live, and I, and our, that player meets our standards on, on the pitch in terms of how they play. Uh, you know, one of the things that I train I work on is vision, um, vision training.
I actually have my own company that I’ve done for many decades that I train players how to scan and see the field. I have licensed coaches actually in this area. So as I watch a player on the field, I’m seeing who’s making consistently good decisions on and off the ball. , are they taking pictures? Do they have a high soccer iq?
So once they meet, you know, uh, good, a good, good character person on the field. When a goal is given up, how are they responding? You know, when they’re behind, are they encouraging their players? You know, are they pointing fingers? I don’t want any p finger pointers, but I want guys that are also holding folks accountable.
So we look at the character as a huge part. Um, so once we understand and match up what they look like on the field, Matt, that they fit our criteria. Then the next question is, I, you know, zoom has been a great thing just like we’re doing right here, cuz when you, you zoom with someone, you could see them face to face, make eye contact, and really start asking questions.
Is it, is this student a bar, fit bar where 1800 students we’re two hours in north of New York City? Very challenging academically to get here, but the place changes your life. So I want students that are well-rounded that not are just football, playing people, soccer, playing people. Obviously that’s the connection, but those that really are open to.
Learning to [00:06:00] discovering, uh, like you, like the name of your company over here, discovering their journey and how I can help them match up with their journey. So it’s, it’s a, it’s a deeper connection, which is really enjoyable for me at the D three level. I, I coached D one for 20 something years. I was a head coach and this, this is much more of a, a transformative relat.
Even though at the D one level level, I also also transformative, but it’s a lot of transactional. Cause people are like, are you winning or lose? You know, it’s all about your results On the D one level, at the D three level, how can I help the, the player that I’m recruiting become the best version of themselves on the soccer field and also in life.
So it’s a, a different, Uh, a little bit different from D one. I gave you a lot over here, but, um, yeah, no,
Matt: yeah, no, I, I I love that. Um, well, in terms of Bard itself, you kind of mentioned this a bit ago and you got a few players looking to find out what those financial aid packages are like, and I, I’m not holding you to hard numbers here, but it, it folks have the idea of a, you know, the northeast liberal arts colleges aren’t exactly, uh, cheap to attend.
So can you just give me a ballpark? You know, parent like me, who’s maybe my daughter’s thinking of going up to a school like Bard. You know, w what does it look like at a D three level with, with no ac athletic money? How does the full financial aid picture look and what does it look to to be there?
Coach: Great question.
Bard does not have any merit aid. We’re one of the few schools that, uh, does not give out merit aid. So if you’re a 4.0. [00:07:30] And it’s, that’s not how we measure it. We measure financial needs specifically, which was different for me when I came from a D one school where I had money to, to, to be able to, you know, give money to folks.
Uh, the model, I actually believe in the model because one is if someone can afford to pay the full tuition fees at an expense, expensive La Ross College. And they want to come here, then that’s, then they can do that. If someone cannot, then Bard meets their needs or close to meeting their needs. So, you know, regardless of where you are income wise, although we don’t have academic or soccer scholarships, Bard does a deep dive into financial aid and does a great job.
Doesn’t always meet everyone’s need. But does a great job meeting your need. So although the school is expensive and schools are very expensive these days, you know that I have two daughters that graduated from college, so I know what that’s like. Um, Bard looks at your financial aid and that’s where we’re working with things.
I’ve got players that have gotten great packages, have committed already. Uh, again, four of ’em. Like I said, I have others. Just waiting to see, you know, if they can work it, which they can, and also look at other options too. So I’m giving them some opportunities to look at other schools too, so. Okay.
Matt: Well let, let’s talk more about the school itself.
Uh, you, you mentioned it, you know, liberal arts college, kind of right there between New York and Albany. Uh, but y you’ve been there a a few years now. Can kind kind of give me the inside scoop. What are some of the really awesome [00:09:00] things about Bard that maybe I’m not gonna learn just by clicking through the website?
Coach: Sure. So first of all, it’s one of the most beautiful campuses in America. They have those poles, top 10 most beautiful campuses. Bard is in the top two or three every year. It’s a thousand acre campus on the Hudson River. So if you go online and you take the tour and you’re like, wow. When you come to campus, you’re like, oh my.
It’s even more incredible. It’s even more amazing. So it’s, it’s a world-class institution and a, and a gorgeous campus. Uh, our faculty, we consistently have faculty that, uh, the MacArthur Genius Award, I dunno if you’re familiar with MacArthur Genius Award. Uh, Bard has had over a dozen faculty that have received the MacArthur Genius Award.
And, and that that award, there’s like 20 to 25. They’re given out every year to, you know, world class people, artists, musicians, um, writers. Uh, the first time I came to Bard, they had two of the MacArthur Award winners came from bar two of those. Princeton had one, Stanford one. No one else had it. So our, our school puts invests in professors that are world-class professors.
That’s really the differential, which I’ve found from the other five colleges that I worked at that were also very good is Bards professors. There’s very much one-on-one mentorship and helping you in your journey. And the good news is that, You don’t have to know what you want to do in your life. In fact, cuz [00:10:30] that changes by the way, purpose changes.
So we embrace students that I’m not sure I like, you know, maybe economics in business, but I also like psychology. You know, I think psychology or anthropology is interesting. By the way. Those two are connected oftentimes . So we also attract students that maybe a science and art. So it’s a very interesting place where students are good at more than one thing, uh, or are interested in more than one thing.
Uh, so Bard has that part. Um, economics. We have New York. New York City’s less than two hours away. Our large alumni is in New York City. I’m doing a workshop, a career development office workshop for 43 students on Thursday, a leadership workshop that I do, and they’re gonna have, uh, they spend a week doing resume writing, interviewing.
Meeting when with alumni, connecting with alumni, and then going to New York City. We’re also doing in Washington, DC and meeting top flight alumni that are gonna help them in their career. So Bar does an incredible job helping you connect for the next opportunities in your life.
Matt: Well, you, you did mention, you know, the high academics and, and part of college soccer is also doing the schoolwork.
So at a high academic institution like bard, how do your student athletes really balance? Their commitments between the school and the sport. And what kind of support systems does the school offer to help them with that?
Coach: At Bard, you can get a, a tutor, a private tutor for every [00:12:00] class that you take for free.
Wow. My students do not have any . I mean, they, sometimes they have challenges with classes, don’t get me wrong. They’ll say they don’t, and we help ’em with that. But if they have a challenge with a. We have a learning center and they would get a, they get a tutor one-on-one tutor for every class they have.
Bar. We, we don’t do any, uh, study halls. We don’t have to do study halls. If someone needs help, we give them one-on-one attention to help them in, in their journey. So the support is incredible. We’ve been top, uh, top 25 academically, you know, with our gpa, how they do that, uh, you know, with the United Soccer Coaches.
So our p a has always been, we’ve received those awards about the top academic GPA in the, you know, top group. Yeah. PAs so the support is there. If you come to bar, you will succeed. You’ll find your journey. Um, unless you, unless you, you know, not gonna work hard. Unless you really don’t want to work hard, you know, which is not the place for you to be here or anywhere else.
Yeah.
Matt: Yeah. Well, take me back to the fall or, or fast forward to this coming fall. Either your choice. , but can you walk me through what a typical week during the season is gonna look like for a player? Just in terms of, you know, when do they get up, when are classes, winter meals, practice game cadence, that sort of thing.
Coach: Sure. So let’s go in the fall. So the fall at Bard, we also have the first years come in three weeks before the regular, uh, student body. So as a first year we call fresh, and [00:13:30] first year you have the run run of the campus. So you have a thousand acre campus with 450 students from all over the country and basically develop.
Your best friends on the soccer field and then also around campus. And then we start preseason in the middle of, uh, it’s called learning l and t is what it’s called. Language and thinking. At three weeks, basically acclamates you to college writing and the college setting. So we start preseason, which is a normal preseason like everybody has.
Um, and from preseason what we go into our regular fall season, um, class students have classes morning, afternoon. We train six to eight every evening, so there’s never a conflict with classes. We have a phenomenal field that overlooks the Hudson River. So if you go to our website, you’ll see this shot of the soccer field over the Hudson River.
You’re like, is that a painting or is that real ? It’s not a painting. It’s actually real. Um, and we share with women’s soccer, uh, women’s lacrosse is in, is in the, in the spring, so there’s no issues of scheduling. And what, what do we do? So we train, uh, four or five days a week and we play one or two, two days a week, depends on the schedule.
Always have a day off naturally. Um, and what does the training look like? We also have a strength and conditioning coach that works with us as well. So, uh, the day after a game, we do recovery, and then the following day we do strength and conditioning work, which again, is a pretty standard for all programs.
I think one of the differences in our training is we play a. We compete a [00:15:00] lot. There’s not a lot of drilling. I’m not a big believer in drills. I’m a big believer in we warm up a little bit, we touch the ball, and we might have a little bit of a functional exercise, but we get right into playing and we do competition.
We are competing. So every day you’re competing to get better within the game. We’re learning within the game, um, which is a, a, a, a facet of our training. I mentioned vision training to do as well. And that’s something that, um, is I think, unique to our program where we’re training players to scan, to see the field to play like a mess.
Madre, Iniesta, a Julie Foudy, Carli Lloyd on the women’s side. How do you get players to see the field and scan? This is something that I’ve been doing around the world for, for decades now, so we empower players to make great decisions. A little simple thing, those that are watching this game, watching this video, excuse me.
Just to help your game. If you add five looks every 10 seconds when you’re playing, your game can get 10 to 20% better. Just by adding that component. By looking five times, you’re gathering information. You don’t have to wait for people to shout on you. Man. Man. On turn. Gimme the ball, man. I’m open, blah.
That’s noise. The highest levels noise destroys flow. So we train our players already at this level to take pictures so. Have that information before the ball arrives. So that’s a little difference in our training that plays excel very quickly within their own ability level.
Matt: No, I love that. Well [00:16:30] let, let’s talk, you know, more about the soccer side and the team.
So is there a roster size that you find as ideal that you’re trying to hit every year?
Coach: Uh, 24 to 28, which is small for D three. If you, you’ll find some D three schools are in their thirties, right? Yeah, some are in the forties, so my number’s really 24 to 28. It might be a little bit bigger this year cuz I said I have about five or six that are really keen on bar with recruiting a long time.
So it might be, I think it’ll be high twenties the most. . Um, yeah, so that’s the roster size. Uh, what was the other question? I’m sorry.
Matt: Uh, that was the question, but, but, but the next one would be staff size. You know, how do, what, uh, what staff do you have and what role do they play?
Coach: So it’s myself, I have an assistant coach as well who’s very, very involved and knowledgeable.
Um, and I have, uh, strength and conditioning coach that works with us. Um, yeah, we have sports medicine, so we have a, you know, the normal, the normal what you would have hon honestly, at, at, at any other, uh, college. Yeah. Okay.
Matt: Well, you, you talked about it a little bit just in terms of the way you guys train, but, but how else would you describe kind of your overall style of coaching and the, and the team style of play?
Coach: The overall, my overall style of coaching is empowering players to make decisions, giving them the wherewithal, the skills, and believing in them. And not joystick coaching or over coaching. Okay. We start every session that we do with a circle [00:18:00] in the middle of the field, we sh we, our culture is very strong.
Right now. We’re re we’re we’re reading the book called A Culture Code. This is the fourth book, fourth year in a row that we’re reading a book. About culture, how to develop great culture. We talked about safety. We just had a meeting Wednesday. Vulnerability important as a leader to be vulnerable and to be safe, and to understand me as a leader, that although I’ve been doing this for a hundred years, I don’t have all the answers and I have more questions.
And it’s important that I lean on my players to help me find solutions. So we do a, we do a grateful list, grateful circle. We circle up, we start every practice, and we do shout. I would, if you were with us, I’d say, shout out to Matt to have me on this program. I’m so thankful that you’re here and that you invited me.
All right. We do that. Shout out to, to Bob for taking me over to, to get a haircut. Whatever it is. We’re just little things we’re grateful for and we recognize in each other that we’re thankful. So right away at the beginning of our training session, We’re at a high, we’re operating at a really high place.
We’re positive place companies, people that work in, in business education, performance. When you’re in a positive state of mind, you perform at your best. So we start every session that everyone is in a great place, and then we move from there.
Matt: Uh, that’s, that’s, that’s a great way to to, to look at it. And, and I love that.
Um, wait, now I’m probably gonna have to have you on again while we’ll just talk about the book when that’s ready to rock and roll, cuz I know you and I had discussions about that, [00:19:30] but, you know, w we have covered a lot of ground, um, talked about a lot of different things, but I always like to end these with what haven’t we talked about.
What else is there, whether it’s regarding the recruitment process, Bard College. Anything else? College soccer related, uh, what else would you like folks to, to know? And I’ll give you the last word.
Coach: Sure. So I have two daughters that played division, uh, one in division three sports. My oldest was a division one track runner.
My youngest was a division three soccer player. Both played a very high schools, great academic schools. I want you to think about this as athletes and also parents watching this. It’s important. That you are open to your journey and don’t feel you need to have the answers to what you want to study and what you want to do in your life.
Purpose changes. Purpose changes. I went to school to be a dentist cause my dad wanted to be a dentist. You know what? And, and my dad and I realized it’s my journey and not my dad’s journey. So that’s my, my my suggestion to everyone is, if you don’t know, don’t feel like, oh, I need to say something or know what I wanna do with my.
Absolutely not. Purpose changes. I know, Matt, you do several things. You do this, you do stuff within the book industry. Be open, be vulnerable, be passionate, and you’ll find your way.
Matt: That’s phenomenal advice. Coach. Really thank you for the time and, and being on here and I do look forward to seeing the book and catching up, uh, when that comes out.
And wish you the best of luck in the spring and [00:21:00] hopefully we’ll see you.
Coach: Title of the book is Eyes Up. That’ll be the title. It’ll be in Amazon and Barnes and Nobles December of this upcoming year. Eyes up.
Matt: Fantastic. Sounds like I know what I’m, uh, getting for Christmas . All right, thanks coach. Take care.
