Brescia University Women’s Soccer – Coach Andy Hines
On today’s episode, I speak with Coach Andy from the Brescia Women’s Program in Kentucky. We talk about recruiting for a program with not a lot of returning players. He describes the small college community in a riverside college town. Lastly, we discuss what style of play he hopes to implement moving forward. Learn more about Brescia 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 Andy Hines from Brescia University in Kentucky. Welcome, Coach.
Coach: All right. Thank you, Coach Baehr. How are you?
Matt: I’m doing well. And, uh, yeah, Coach Baehr, this is so, so it’s taken, 260 episodes, but, uh, I’m now interviewing somebody who played for me.
So, uh, that’s, that’s a fun, a fun little addition to, to this longstanding podcast here, but, uh, congrats on the gig there at Brescia. Although when, when, when you played for me, we played Brescia and, and, and I couldn’t stand them. So I don’t know if it’s, you’ve had to like kind of change your mindset.
There’s just one of those. Those rivalries. And now you’re, you’re, you’re, you’re, you’re coaching forum, but I guess that’s okay. You’ve, you’ve been in Owensboro for a while now, haven’t you?
Coach: Yeah, probably about eight years. So yeah. And then we, we play in the same conferences, our former school. So, you know,
Matt: yeah, it’s, well, that’s the funny thing, you know, when we were at Oakland city that we were division two, now they’ve transitioned to NAIA now they’re in the same conferences, Brescia.
So yeah, it’s, uh, you know, 20 years, a lot of things change, right?
Coach: Yes, it does. Yes, it does.
Matt: But I. But you, you look exactly, uh, like you did 20 years ago. So, uh, you’re doing something right there,
Coach: maybe a little heavier, but yeah, well,
Matt: you know, we’re not going to talk about that. Cause, uh, you know, that’s why I keep things, you know, from the neck down here, cause it’s, uh, it’s not something I want to talk about, but, well, Hey man, you, you, you got the job [00:01:30] in January.
Um, so, you know, you’re not even six months in and, and, and I know, uh, you you kind of inherited. Something similar to when I came on board at Oakland city, where you’re not returning, you know, a full 20 plus stock of players and things can be challenging. So what’s been recruiting like for you over this last 6 months?
What’s been your focus at this point?
Coach: Yeah, I mean, I mean, I think our focus has been getting players. I mean, we have 14 returning and so trying to build a roster. You know, my goal as a coach is to to kind of get a developmental team down the road. And so I would love to get to 30. I think we’re bringing in 9 right now.
Some international, some local girls, some girls from all over, but our goal is to try to get our numbers up. And so recruiting has been. You know, hard, um, hard core, you know, hard and hard core, but yeah, no, it’s just trying to drive our numbers up. We got some quality players come in and I think we have a good, uh, quality, uh, well, we have a good number of seniors that are going to return.
So, trying to finish out their senior year strong and so we’re trying to build upon that. So.
Matt: Okay. Well, now have you, you know, the, the, obviously it’s tough trying to get your, the big 24 classes as much as you can, but have you trying to been doing that parallel 24 [00:03:00] and 25 kind of recruiting at the same time and building that up and what’s that been looking like?
Coach: Yeah, so we, we definitely have been working on some 25. We had a good 25 visit last two weeks ago. And, um, um, so we’re still, we’re, we’re, we’re still working on the 25. Um, so we need about 2 or 3 and I would be happy with 2 or 3. I mean, I would be happy to take 7 more. So, but, uh, but yeah, obviously, um, we’re still working on the 20, 24, but we’re gonna, we’re, we’re, we’re open for anything.
We are not in that position where we can turn players down. So we’re looking for players, um, at all levels because we definitely want to have a developmental team. We have some JV games scheduled already. So I’m trying to get those numbers up to have that. Be able to have more JV games. So,
Matt: okay. Well, have you no mental games?
How, how, and how has your focus kind of been divided in terms of transfers? Juco’s international versus your traditional for your high school student type recruit. Uh, what, what’s that look like for you?
Coach: Yeah. So, I mean, for us, uh, a transfer is a little bit harder for us. Um, Just because of the money, because we do focus, we do have an academic and then we do have an athletic scholarship.
So, um, you know, our athletic or academic scholarship for transfer is very, very little compared to what it is if you’re coming in as a 4 year player. So, um, that doesn’t mean that it can’t happen, but, um. [00:04:30] You know, being a, we’re a liberal Catholic school, so if you’re a Catholic as a transfer, that benefits us tremendously.
So, um, we can kind of give a little bit more there, but, um, you know, our focus is if you’re a transfer, you know, we, we talk it, we try to see if you’re Catholic and then if you’re Catholic, we can give a Catholic scholarship. That’s a little bit more than what we could give as an academic scholarship. So, um.
You know, um, we don’t have any transfers. We’ve talked to a few, but a majority of ours had been four years coming in for four years. So, okay.
Matt: Well, in terms of, of recruiting the four year students or what have you been looking at in terms of tournaments? Where do you like to go? What have you been focused on from, from that recruiting side and, and has that different at all?
Based on whether it’s 2425 or where do you see yourself focusing as time goes on?
Coach: Yeah, no, I mean, um, I coach a lot of travel soccer. So I go to tournaments. Um, and we have an, uh, league or we have a regional league team on our. In our club, so I, I go to those tournaments, but my, my main focus this spring was getting my feet wet, but also trying to get 2024.
so, but going down the road, it’s definitely going to be where I’m going to go to more tournaments and get out there a little bit more than what I. Was able to do this year. I was coaching multiple teams in the spring, which made it more difficult than, you know, sitting around watching games and then running to another game.
So, um, [00:06:00] my goal for next year is definitely getting to more tournaments and getting out and getting brushes name out there. I mean, I think the former coach did a really good job of getting brushes name out there. But, uh, you know, just getting to a little bit more local tournaments and, you know, I don’t necessarily know if going to North Carolina has benefited us, but more so, you know, in our radius of the Midwest is, is, uh, a good place to look.
Matt: Yeah, well, I’ll say the last time I saw, uh, the former coach, Sean was at the Greensboro RL event last summer. So, uh, it was good seeing him there. But, um, in terms of. Things at the school, have you set up any camps? Are you working any camps this summer? Is that going to be part of your recruiting process at all?
Coach: No, I haven’t. I’m still coaching. I still have a team in the state championship that got rained out and we’re still so I haven’t set up. We are redoing our field. So that’s a big, big deal for us. Um, I think when we played. Russia, we’d play at Thompson Barry, but Russia has a soccer field now, but it’s, it was in pretty rough shape.
So they put a, um, 100, 000 into the field and the rebuilding the field. And so that’s, that’s been a big deal, but they just started that. So, that’s kind of pushed off the ID camps. So, my goal is to have an ID camp in, like, September and October when the field gets done. Um, but we’re doing a youth camp, um, you know, away from our field, but we’re doing a youth camp and we have good numbers with the youth camp and just trying to build up the program.[00:07:30]
Matt: Well, whether it’s class 24, class 25, any of these tournaments, what is it that you’re looking for in a player to help round out this roster? What are some of those attributes, whether it’s on the field stuff or off the field stuff?
Coach: Yeah. I mean, I’m looking for players. Whoa. When I’m looking for players that want to play.
You know, definitely want to play and want to be a part of something. You know, we’re trying to change the culture, um, and build a program that can be successful. Um, and for me, looking for a player, I’m looking for players that just are 2 foot of players, the players that can thank a little bit, um, quality on the ball.
Um, but 2 foot of players, I think if you can, if you can play 2 foot, you’re, you’re a good little player for a college game. So.
Matt: Yeah, it’s uh, it’s rare to find them, uh, in a lot of places, you gotta, you gotta look hard. Well, let’s talk a little bit more about the school, um, like you said, you’ve lived in the area for quite a while, but obviously you just got this position, so what was it about the school that drew you to it?
What have you found about the school that, that you think is, is spectacular? Some things maybe we wouldn’t even know by going through the website.
Coach: Well, yeah, the, the, the funny thing is, is I’ve never been into the school until I took the job and I live in the, I live actually a block away. So that’s crazy.
But, uh, you know, the school is really nice. Um, especially like, you know, when I compare it to our former school, like, we didn’t have much of a fitness room. They have a great fitness room. Great gym. Um, and in the [00:09:00] cafeteria is fantastic and then they just build a new building. So I was pleasantly surprised when I walk in for the 1st time about just the, just the school, because you’re going past it and it’s really tiny, you know, but at the same time, it was a, it was a really nice school compared to what I thought it was in my mind.
But as far as the town, I mean, the town, you know, we’re in the middle, we’re really centrally located. We’re, we’re not too far from Louisville. We’re not too far from Nashville. Um, we’re not that we’re not when you cross the river in Evansville, but the town, you know, I lived in Evansville for majority of my life and, um, or across the river and Owensboro is just.
To me, it’s, it’s amazing town. Um, there’s a lot to do, beautiful riverfront. And I think that’s the biggest plus and biggest draw. And it’s a college town, you know, literally a block down the road is K to, you know, so it’s a college town. And, um, but at the same time, it’s, it’s a pretty town with a lot going on.
Matt: Yeah, for sure. Well, you know, coming from, you know, your, your school teacher as well. So coming from that education side, um, you know, a lot of times student athletes that it’s a hard transition, you know, making sure they’re both successful in the classroom as well as on the field, and I know you’ve only been there a few months, but what are some of the support systems that you’ve seen that Brescia has in place that really helps students be successful?
And how can you, how do you and the other staff really help ensure success in both spots?
Coach: Right I mean, [00:10:30] um, the school is very athlete oriented, you know, majority of the kids on this on the campus are athletes for sports. I would say, like, 85 percent of the student population is athlete. So, I think, which is pretty much similar to our school that we went to.
But, uh, you know, what’s in place, I mean, there’s tutoring, um, you know, and then I does, you know, mandate those, you know, you have to have a day off and they’re very particular about, you know, making sure you’re at class, you know, especially in the spring. So, that kind of restricts us in the spring with, you know, not missing classes for games and spring schedule.
But, I mean, as far as, um, the school is very, um. Good with internationals as well, you know, a lot of the internationals, uh, stay and work and they try to make it where you’re going to be successful at the school. So, um, um, not just when you’re in school, but when you’re out of school as well. So,
Matt: that’s good.
Well, I know you haven’t had a season yet, so we’re going to look forward. We’re going to peer into the crystal ball, uh, fall season, that conference season. You know, what do you envision a typical week looking like for the players in terms of when his practices game scale, game cadence, uh, meals, classes, all, all the things.
Coach: Yeah, I mean, we did, we did have a spring season this year. I think it was the first time in two or three years that they’ve had a spring season. So we [00:12:00] played a couple of games. We played a local, um, travel team and then we played Kentucky Westland just down the road. So, I mean, with, uh, you know, we had some injuries and we have two goalkeepers.
So, you know, at 14 on the roster in the spring makes it pretty challenging. So, um, we trained and we did that, but we, we, we were building upon the fall and we played really well with. The short numbers that we had, so I think, you know, for us, um, you know, we, we train, we’re going to our conference games are typically Thursday, Saturday.
So we’ll typically train a Monday through Wednesday, you know, have a Thursday come back train on a Friday. Um, and then Saturday, most of our travel is is local within, like, a 4 hour radius. So we travel there and travel back. We don’t do a lot of staying the night. Um, we do have different conferences we play.
So games do fluctuate. We might have a Monday there early before the conference schedule, but, um. You know, for majority of that, and then we typically have a Sunday off. That’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to have a Sunday off. We’ll start our preseason with 2 days. And then, you know, we have a big intro to the school thing.
So, it kind of limits us, but, uh, and then we go right away, like, within a week and a half into our scrimmages going into the game. So, um, but most of our travel is, you You know, local, you’re back on campus. It doesn’t cut into much class, you know, class time, but it’s, you know, [00:13:30] a pretty good experience. I say, like, in Kentucky on high school soccer, you play about 23 before you get to your comfort district or regionals and all that it’s less games, you know, and which is.
You know, I feel like in Kentucky in high school, you play a lot of games. Um, but in high in college, it seems a little bit less spread out, which gives us a little bit more time to practice and plan.
Matt: It definitely does. Well, let’s talk a little bit more about the soccer side of things. So you’ve just come on in January did.
Did they give you, uh, some staff that you get to find or GAs or what, what other staff, not only on the soccer side, but maybe support staff in the athletic department that help out with the team?
Coach: Yeah, the athletic department is very, very supportive. So I do have a, uh, a GA, um, that actually works into the mission and athletic department.
And so she is very, very helpful. Um, she’s internet, she was a former player, international girl, and she. Definitely helps us on the international side. Um, and then my, my assistant came from me came with me from high school. So he’s been with me for 4, 5 years and good friends played at Russia. So, he’s a brush alumni.
And, um, so that’s a, that’s been a big plus as well. But, um, yeah, so we have 3 of us right now working and trying to, uh, draw those numbers up. But, um, yeah, on that, you know. Three assistants and and one of them, but they’re all part time. So. [00:15:00]
Matt: No, it’s still, it’s still a good number of folks. Um, in terms of, you know, what you’re going to try to do, uh, here in the fall, uh, you know, you mentioned you, you’re, you like the players that can play with both feet, but what else would you say?
Uh, something that that we can, you know, learn about your style of coaching the style of play that you want to play there with with the team that you’re bringing in.
Coach: Yeah, so, I mean, we are a very possessive. We focused in the spring on, you know, building a kind of a. Building our identity, um, and, you know, creating a competitive environment.
So, um, my style play is definitely possession base. You know, I’m looking to control the ball control the tempo of the game. I’m looking to try to break those lines down and and build up on that. So I’m looking for players that can build out of the back and play for the middle. So, um, you know, as far as.
Um, what’s going on in the fall is our goal is to go compete in the conference. I think the last 2 years, they’ve actually tied the conference champ. So, you know, we’re looking to try to, you know, knock down something that that conference champion champion off. That’s our main goal. And I think we have a squad that can compete with it right now.
And with adding a few more players, I think we’re going to, you’re going to see a different brush of team that’s been in the past, so.
Matt: Okay. Well, you did mention that you did get a little bit of a spring season in, um, tell me more about, but what, what the players did, how long that was, what, what can players [00:16:30] expect in terms of an off season?
Coach: Yeah. And the off season. So the NAIA, you know, like I said, is they, they don’t want to see you miss classes. So, um, you know, that kind of limited you a weekend games. Um, the, the good thing is, is that we have Kentucky Wesleyan down the road. So that makes it really easy where we don’t have to travel when they’re division two and we can Play each other and that’s a good competition for us.
So, uh, typical spring for us. We started after our spring break. We did some weight training prior to that. Um, they did that on their own where I would monitor it through a with through an app and, um, and then we went into the spring season. We did 3 day practices in the spring and we played. Two out of the three games that we were allowed to play.
So, um, you know, going forward, I think you’re gonna like, my goal is to have three spring games. Um, it just kind of fell into that late place where people already had their game set up. So, you know, um, you know, a typical spring season goes for us from spring break until right before finals and, and then we’re out and then I’ll see him in August.
So,
Matt: okay. Well, Is there, um, I mean, you mentioned the monitoring stuff through the app. Do you guys plan on or currently use any other sorts of, of, of technology, whether that’s game film or trackers or, or anything like that, that, that you guys are using?
Coach: Yeah. I mean, we definitely use Huddle. You know, we plan on in the fall, you know, using film and doing film sessions.
Um, you [00:18:00] know, my goal into down the road is to definitely get tracking our fitness a little bit better than what we’ve had in the past. But it’s, you know, it’s just, we’re making small changes and going forward.
Matt: Yeah, can’t, can’t change everything all at once, right? You gotta, gotta, we gotta use your way into it.
Well, Andy, I, I appreciate the time and insights and, and I just got one last question for you and, and that is, uh, if there was one piece of advice you could give to anybody currently listening to this or watching this in terms of the recruitment process, what would that piece of advice be?
Coach: Yeah, I mean, it’s a really good question.
I think it’s just like being honest with yourself of where you, where you fit in. I mean, I, I think a lot of people have that high standard that they want to hit a D one, D two, you know, and they, they’re not open to maybe an NAI school. But, you know, for us it’s, it’s an opportunity to come play, you know, in, in, if you’re a quality player, even, you know, a player that maybe just wants to look for some, you know, an opportunity to play.
There’s definitely chances at these, at this smaller NAI schools and some of these smaller NAI schools, you know, I think back in the day we would play brush and they were pretty darn good on the boy’s side. Um, but, uh, you know, I think just being honest with yourself or where you kind of fit looking, looking and, you know, at the right school, looking at the right fit, um, and, and making sure you get that opportunity.
Matt: So for sure. Well, Andy, I really appreciate it. And of course I wish you nothing but the best and, [00:19:30] and wish you luck. And, and hopefully, uh, you know, if you decide that the coming down to Lakewood ranch, to one of the ECNL events down here in Florida, you know, uh, you can always, uh, crash on my couch, help you, help you save on those funds if you need.
Coach: Yeah. Yeah. I appreciate it. I missed that one on that, on that weekend, but, uh, um, thanks for having me coach. I appreciate it. So
Matt: yeah. Yeah. Wish you luck, man. All right. Take care. We’ll talk soon. All right.
Coach: All right. Thank you.
Matt: Yep.
