East Carolina University Women’s Soccer – Coach Gary Higgins

On today’s episode, I speak with Coach Higgins from the ECU Women’s Program in North Carolina. We talk about the places they recruit and the importance of their ID camps. He describes their college town and how it is truly a special place. Lastly, we discuss their off season and what they do in the spring. Learn more about East Carolina 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 Gary Higgins from East Carolina. Welcome coach. Thanks for having me. Yeah, thanks for being here. Appreciate it. Um, You know, we’ll just jump right into it. It’s, uh, the high, high time of key showcase season, uh, in the recruiting world.

So, um, are you guys done with your 23 class and looking at 20 fours? You still finishing up the 20 threes? What, what’s the timing of your, your recruiting usually?

Coach: Yeah, we’re almost finished with 2023. So, um, I got the job back in March of last year. So we were a little bit behind in terms of 2023 and 24 recruiting class.

but we finally flew after these last few showcase events and over the Christmas and New Year period, we, we had a few visits, um, after we got back from, from Christmas. And, um, we pretty much finalized our 2023 class and had a couple of 24 commits. So, um, yeah, we’re finally, Feeling a little bit settled, um, from a recruiting standpoint.

Matt: Well, you mentioned events are there kind of must go-to events on your list that you hit every year. I mean, you, looking at your roster, you guys kind of represent the whole country really. Um, so where is it that you like to make sure you spend your time seeing players? Yeah. Um, 

Coach: I think when you look at the E C N L events, we, we definitely make sure that we go to, at.

Three of those a year. Um, preferably four. We don’t have the luxury of going to all [00:01:30] of them unfortunately with, um, our budget and stuff, but we try and get at least three to four of those a year. Um, so we just got back from like ECNL Florida. Um, and we’ve done Tennessee, um, before Christmas. Um, recruiting is just any, any chance you get to see some good players, you’ll, you’ll take that opportunity.

So we do some local events, we’ll go to some local games, um, on some weekends, but yeah, three to four E C N L events. And then, um, some other events. So for instance, the Jeff Cups coming up, that’s a reasonable drive away from I as well go to that. Um, I’d done a couple of showcase events internationally and um, I was also at the junior college championship.

Just trying to see as many players, um, and find some, obviously find some good players for the future.

Matt: Yeah. Well, and, and I know, uh, cuz you’ve got ’em listed on Discover College Soccer, but you guys have a few camps as well. So how do camps kind of fit into your overall recruiting process? 

Coach: Yeah, camps are huge for us because it’s an opportunity for, um, to get kids on campus and show them what we have facilities wise and resources wise.

So if they’re interested, it’s good. Us to see them in our environment. And that’s the only opportunity we really get to, to do that in terms of them coming on our field and getting to, um, do a few sessions and, and play some games on our field with our coaching staff. So, um, it’s [00:03:00] definitely an advantage, um, for, for us, but also for them to kinda see our environment.

So I highly recommend, um, people doing that if they can. 

Matt: Yeah. Well, that makes a lot of sense. Well, you mentioned, uh, looking at some junior college players and stuff, and, and obviously the, the transfer portal has exploded in it, in its usage and, and as you mentioned, trying to do some international stuff. So how do those kind of things both, uh, transfers and, and international recruiting h how does that kind of overall fit into to what you guys do?

Coach: Yeah, so we didn’t actually have any internationals when I first arrived here in, um, I think they’ve had a couple in the past, um, in, in past years. But, um, it’s something that I think is trending in a positive direction in terms of the standard of some of these players coming out of these other countries are, is very, very high.

Um, so if you look at the, the trend of college athletics, um, even high level division one, they have some fantastic international players. We don’t want to be behind the ball on that, and we’re looking for the best players possible. And if they come from a different country or if they come from Greenville, North Carolina, we are not fussy

Uh, we’re just trying to find the best, the best players possible to, to help us win soccer games and help us establish a really good culture here. So, um, yeah, again, we’re just trying to, um, cover as much ground as possible within our [00:04:30] means to, to find the best. 

Matt: Well, you mentioned finding the best players and finding the ones right for culture, so, so what are ex, you know, if you’re at a Jeff Cup and you’re looking at players, you know, what is it, what are, what’s that hierarchy of things that’s really ticking the boxes for you when you’re looking at a game or, or looking at a profile or a highlight tape or anything like that?

Coach: Well, I’ll give you the, the generic answer first, which is what all coaches look for, like in terms of obviously, Technical ability and, and athleticism and, and these things that we do, we do like to try and be as, uh, specific as possible in terms of bringing a player in for a position. We don’t, we, we like having versatile players, but preferably we’re looking at them in a certain position and really trying to excel in that position.

Um, but without sounding too cliche, we are looking. Recruit really good people and, and what are they doing, um, on and off the field And, and we’re watching very closely with that type of thing because, um, those are the standards and the habits that if you’re doing all of those things on a, on a consistent basis at a high level, then you’re gonna be a good teammate.

And if you’re gonna be a good teammate and hopefully add the technical and tactical and physical attributes to it, then, then that’s when you start to build a really good program. , um, just like every other institution and university, they’re, they’re looking for the same type of player, but, [00:06:00] um, we’re, we’re kinda looking for the full package if we can find them and, and if not, if they’re not the full package.

Cuz obviously these girls are still quite young coming outta high school, we’re looking for the potential that they can really develop into a good player and a good. . Okay. 

Matt: Well, I’m not holding you to any hard numbers here, but as a parent, you know, I’m always wondering, okay, what, what’s, what’s the price tag on, uh, on.

Wonderful division one institution like yours. Uh, so in terms of just between tuition and rumor board and then what financial aid options are there besides the athletic scholarships, cuz obviously, you know, you’re not football, not everybody gets a full ride, so, so just gimme a rough idea of what an average, uh, student walking in as a, as a soccer player might be looking.

Coach: Obviously we are a state school, so it really does depend on, um, if the player is in state or out of state. So, um, east Carolina, if their, if their grades are good enough and they’re a good enough soccer player and they’re in state, then it’s gonna be really affordable straight off the bat. And, uh, we are in a situation where we only offer athletic scholarship.

Really, we can’t stack in, in terms of, um, academics. So there is instances where they do get academic, but it’s more for like specific. Academic programs like engineering or things like that where it’s a little bit more unique. Um, but then they can obviously apply for outside scholarships as well, whether it’s through their high school or, or anything [00:07:30] like that.

So, um, in state, definitely cheaper, um, um, amount to, to go to university here and then outta state would be pretty standard to, to what most universities are or, or, um, Pretty standard price. Really. Yeah. But it obviously, if we are not getting them to a massive scholarship in terms of athletic scholarship, then it’s gonna cost a little bit more for them to, to come to, to E C U, but definitely reasonable.

Um, with us being a state school, it’s, it’s definitely reasonable for instate and state. Yeah. 

Matt: Well, Let’s talk a little bit more about the school itself. You know, I’m sure there’s a lot of people out there that are familiar with E C U, at least, you know, seeing the name once upon a time, but may not be o overly familiar with with it.

So, you know, you’ve been there now, uh, almost a year. So what are some of the awesome things about the school that you’ve found or, or other great things about E C U that maybe I won’t learn just by clicking through the. 

Coach: Yeah, so when I, uh, came on my interview here last March, uh, as soon as I stepped through on campus, I knew it was a special place.

Like the resources and the facilities are first class, um, Greenville’s not like a massive city in terms of like some of the biggest cities in the state or around the country. But what my family and I loved about it is it’s a true college town and, and we’ve been involved in college athletics for a long time now, whether it was me as a player or as a coach, When you’re in a [00:09:00] college town, there’s nothing quite like it because everyone, um, in Greenville kind of bleeds purple and gold and, and they’re really passionate about Pirate Nation and, and supporting all the athletic teams.

So we absolutely love that buzz around the, the town of Greenville that really supports the e c Pirates. So, um, we love that. Um, but. Yeah, we just think that we have everything here to become the best player or coach or student athlete possible in terms of like, if you are committed as an individual and you’re really pushing yourself every single day for your four years, you’ll have a chance to become a much, much better player and really contribute in a positive way to less team and, and hopefully the success that that comes with that, you know, so.

and we’re also only about an hour away from the beaches. So that’s always, uh, a perk if, if you have a day off that you can just make a little day trip to the beaches of North Carolina.

Matt: Yeah, I mean, location-wise, Greenville, just in a, in a gorgeous part of the country. Um, what, you know, besides the soccer part though, again, PA parents are also concerned about the, a academic part. Um, so. That striking, that balance between being a division one athlete and making sure you’re getting good grades and getting through, uh, all your schooling is, is always tough.

So [00:10:30] how do your student athletes really manage the balance between the two and what kind of support systems does the school offer to help them with that? 

Coach: Yeah, so obviously it’s the, at the end of the day, they’re coming for a degree and, and that’s the most important thing and we’re really striving for that excellence on and off the field.

So we always tell the girls or the recruits, The habits you have in the classroom bleed onto the soccer field and vice versa. The habits you have in training every day bleed into the classroom. So we’re talking about. Striving for that every single day. And, and, and ECU is a prestigious, um, school for a lot of academic programs and, uh, we’re a very big health in science school and, and in medical school.

So, um, if you’re coming to E C U and, and getting a degree in any field really, but some of those particular fields, then you’re gonna be set up for life. And if you. A student athlete on top of that and able to really do that well then I think that’s really attractive for an employer that, um, you’ve been able to balance all those things and, and do them really, really well.

So if you’re going up against a, another candidate for a job and, and maybe they weren’t a student athlete, then that’s gonna work in your favor. So, uh, um, we also allow our players to take a nursing degree and not, I know not every program or coach allows that. We tell them straight off the bat, it’s very difficult, but it’s possible if you communicate with your professors and your coaching staff and, and your [00:12:00] academic advisors and, and everyone’s on the same page, it’s, it’s, it’s possible.

And, and we’ve had many people graduate with a nursing degree from E C U, which is again, very prestigious honor. And, and we’ll set them up very. . Absolutely. 

Matt: Well, in terms of, of managing a day, if you’re a soccer player, can you take me back to the fall? Uh, it’s, it’s in season. What does a typical day for a player look or a typical week really look like for a player in terms of winter classes, meals, practice?

What’s kind of the game cadence that, that you guys are used to? What does that normal week look like for. 

Coach: Yeah, so air fall’s obviously different to a spring, but in the fall we have a couple of weeks of preseason where you’re basically like a professional athlete, you’re just going to practice and film and, and all that good stuff.

So it’s a, it’s a very enjoyable, it’s a very demanding two weeks, but it’s a very enjoyable, uh, two weeks cuz it’s just all soccer. And then when classy start, um, We prac. So our day off is usually a Monday, cuz we play on a th a Thursday Sunday. Um, normally when the, when the season kicks in. So Monday would be a day off.

Uh, Tuesday we practice in the morning, um, before classes from basically seven 30 to nine. And then, um, Wednesday we have a pre-game practice in the morning, and then we’d have some game film or scouting report Wednesday evening, and then game Thursday, Friday, we’d train in the a. It’s like a recovery session for those that played or a, or a regular session for those that [00:13:30] didn’t.

Then Saturday morning we practice after practice on a Saturday morning we do a game film or scout report, and then Sunday we play and that usually once we get in the thick of things, that’s usually a standard week for us in the fall, it’s. . 

Matt: Okay. Well, let’s talk more about the team and, and how that goes.

In terms of recruiting and, and your team’s size, is there a roster that roster size, a number that you like to hit, that you feel is ideal? 

Coach: Yeah, we feel like 28. Um, not any more than that for sure. And, and you don’t want to go too far under that either really. Cuz injuries happen and obviously you’ve got goalkeepers on your, on your roster, which we have three of.

So that takes us to 25 straight away. So 20 eights we feel is a, a good number that works well for us. Okay. 

Matt: Well besides the, the roster of players, what about your roster as staff? Besides you, what, what other staff members do you have? What role does everybody play there? 

Coach: Yeah, so we have, um, basically, um, four of us, so myself as the head coach and then Emily and Evan are the assistant coaches and, uh, Dara as our director of ops.

So we have a staff of four, which I’m very thankful and grateful for cuz we can kind of delegate different things and we can, um, We all communicate with one another on a regular basis, and I’m always looking for input from my coaches and my director of ops. And, um, yeah, it feels as if we’re a good team that work well together and, and challenge each other every single day.

And, um, we are as prepared as [00:15:00] possible, which I think is the, is the first step in making sure you can be as prepared as possible so you can really tackle all the problems that, uh, come with, uh, being a, a college. 

Matt: Absolutely. Well, in terms of, you know, your coaching style team style of play, what does that look like?

Coach: Yeah, so, um, we obviously want competitive players in our program that are competing every single day and, and really focusing on a high performance environment every single day to where you’re pushing yourself and you’re committed to becoming the best player in person if possible. And I feel if. Um, if that happens, um, if you’re doing your job from a recruiting standpoint and that happens and you’re developing every single day, then you can be a little bit adaptable to certain formations and styles of play.

Obviously it depends on the personnel that you have that year, or it depends on injuries or it depends on the opponent. But, um, I think being adaptable at this level is, is something that has to happen now long term. Um, and if you look at my history as a coach, I do probably. Lean mode towards like an attacking style, like 4 33.

Um, but again, um, during transitions, uh, coaching transitions and things like that, it’s important to be competitive as soon as possible. So, uh, long term, I, I like, um, possessing the [00:16:30] ball and attacking with intensity, um, quickly and, and creating quality chances and, and trying to score as many goals as possible.

But while you’re. defensively disciplined and as organized as possible. So, um, but I think just being passionate and competitive are the almost non-negotiables for me. You have to have those things to be competitive at this level. Yeah, I. 

Matt: Couldn’t agree more with that. Um, as you mentioned, we’re, you know, we’re speaking here, it’s, it’s the end of January, so it’s the, it’s your off season.

I’m sure this kids are just getting back into to spring classes and everything. So can you give me just an overview of what your off-season plans look like? 

Coach: Yeah, so obviously we’ve got a lot of recruiting done there and, um, still kinda doing that a little bit and then, um, The girls came back and, and to be filtered and done really, really well in their fitness tests at the start of the spring semester, which we’re really happy with cuz it’s not always the case coming back from Christmas break.

But, so we’ve done those, um, and um, They’ve done really well. So that was a great start. And now we’re training basically three times a week and lifting weight twice a week while we are in our eight hours. So the NCAA allows you to do eight hours a week and, and four of those can be with like the ball basically, or skill instruction.

So we’re doing that. Um, and then when we get into our 20 hours, Which is basically a spring, um, [00:18:00] season. Then we can add a training session and, and, um, play five dates of competition. So we’ve got a decent schedule for the spring. We’ve got NC State, NC State, um, Campbell, U N C, Greensboro, V C U, and Old Dominion.

So five really good teams that are going to provide a lot of competition and, and really good competition to help us improve in the off. 

Matt: Yeah, for sure. Well, coach, you’ve been very generous with your time and we’ve covered a lot of different things and I always like to end these the same way and that’s what didn’t we cover?

Uh, what else would you like folks to know, whether it’s about the college recruiting process, about E C U in general, the the team or, or anything else? I leave you with the last word. 

Coach: Yeah. So what I always tell people in the recruiting process is, Don’t panic if your friends have committed and, and you haven’t, like everyone’s journey or everyone’s pathway is completely different.

Um, so there’s a good fit for everyone. And if you are doing the right things and, and you’re a good person and working really hard and showcasing what you can do on and off the field, then you’ll eventually find the right fit. But go out and go out and look at as many different universities as you can, um, and.

That’s the only way you’re gonna truly know what’s the best fit for you. Um, so highly recommend that. And, um, in terms of an ecu, we’re just extremely lucky and, and grateful and excited to be part of Pirate Nation. Um, it’s something that you don’t [00:19:30] really get a. True feel for if you don’t step foot on a campus and attend a football game or a baseball game, basketball, soccer, whatever it may be.

Um, once you come on here and you get a true feel for how passionate our fan base is, how good our resources are, we actually hosted the NCAA tournament during the Covid season in 2021 in the, and the ma in the spring when they had that abbreviated championship season, and it was all in North Carolina.

So we got to host a. NCAA tournament games and every single team that came here were like, wow, this is a, a really good environment to, to play soccer in. And, um, so we get to do that every day and we’re extremely blessed and we want other people to come and experience it. And, um, hopefully we bring good people into our program that can, um, help us achieve great success for, for a long.

Matt: Great. Well, I’m sorry I missed you when you were down here for, uh, the ECNL event. It’s, you know, three miles from my house, but if you come in March, uh, we’ll we’ll have to catch up and, and grab a coffee or something. 

Coach: All right. Definitely. Well, it was really nice to meet you and, uh, uh, all best mate., 

Matt: Yeah likewise.

Coach: Thank you, coach. All right, see ya. Bye.