Hope College Men’s Soccer – Coach David Blahnik
On today’s episode, I speak with Coach Blahnik from the Hope Men’s Program in Michigan. We talk about how he gets excited for recruiting. He describes how the school has high academics and is in a desirable location. Lastly, we discuss what it’s like to manage a roster that creates a positive culture. Learn more about Hope College Men’s Soccer.
Matt: [00:00:00] Hi everybody. Welcome to discover college soccer today. I’m lucky enough to be joined by coach Blahnik at Hope college up in Michigan. Welcome coach.
Coach: Thanks. Thanks for having me. Appreciate
Matt: it. Thanks for being here. Congrats on your season. Nice run. Uh, unfortunate ending in the tournament there, but, uh, but Hey, it’s good to be playing as late as you were, so you got to be happy with that.
Coach: Yeah. Yeah, definitely. I. I obviously were as coaches were competitive and we always want a little bit more, but, um, I tried to kind of a 24 hour rule before I try to think or say too much after a top, any type of emotional game, whether it’s a win, loss or draw. And I think, yeah, once you get 24, 48 hours after, you can kind of start to see, like, hey, we didn’t necessarily maybe achieve everything we wanted, but we, we did it, we did achieve a decent amount that we were going for this year.
And so, uh, I got to keep that in perspective and, and, uh, You know, like I say, I always tell our A. D. I was like, Hey, sometimes it’s like soccer sucks. And like, you know, we may be more than any other sport. Just lose a tough game that maybe we deserve to win or sometimes don’t deserve to win. But we’re right there.
And, you know, so, um, this is what it is. But no, we’re happy with it overall, but obviously still wanted a little bit more and gives us a little, you know, fuel to the fire, I think, for the guys in the off season.
Matt: Well, and, and being, you know, a high level division three men’s program in terms of, of your recruiting that, that, you know, the [00:01:30] season ends, I mean, how, how fast are you in recruiting?
How much recruiting are you doing during, during the season? How much of your 25 class is done already? Kind of, where does that all stand for, for a D three program like you guys?
Coach: Yeah, I think we’re. We’re fairly far along in our 25s, uh, maybe one or two more guys. Um, and we have a larger roster, larger than I’ve ever had, uh, at any place I’ve been, but, um, So it’s not necessarily a need roster size, but just trying to find the right guys that fit not so much our program, but hope college, I think we’re a pretty unique school.
And, um, so honestly it’s, it’s very difficult for us to, to recruit during the season. I don’t have any full time assistants. I don’t have any GAs. I have guys that, um, help me out, but they work day jobs. And it’s just the reality of of our situation. But I’m also fairly involved in the club world and and work camps.
And I love it. Like, I love to recruit. It’s by the first thing that attracted me to, like, deciding as a young coach, whether I want to do this full time or not, was I loved being on the road. Meeting people, watching games, talking to parents. I just really, really enjoy that. So, um, for me, uh, I never worry too much about recruiting, not necessarily like in an arrogant way, but just because I get excited for it.
And I think when you’re at a good institution, [00:03:00] um, there’s, there’s always going to be opportunity to find players, whether it’s in September or, or April. But, um, this was my third year and we’ve. We’ve been pretty early each year on the on the class side of things, uh, mostly because of how we do things, but also, um, it’s kind of like the nature of our school.
I know when you talk to maybe some U. A. S. or some Nezcax somewhat similar to where, um, you know, I, most years I couldn’t get a kid in April or May if I wanted to. If I, if I could, it’s gonna be, it’s gonna take some time, you know, so, um, in a perfect world, I try to be 75 to 100 percent done by, you know, Uh, you know, end of first semester.
Um, but I’m not one of those guys who’s like married to a number. Like I get to 28 and I’m done. Like the kid’s the right fit and he can help us and it’s a good fit for them. You know, I’m always willing to have that conversation.
Matt: So with that timeline in mind, where is it that you like to go see players?
What are your, your main haunts, places that are on that must hit list every season?
Coach: Yeah. Yeah. So, so Hope College, the institution is a. Fairly desirable academic school and fairly well known here in Michigan in the Midwest. So, we, we have a lot of, you know, prospective student athletes who are already reaching out to Hope as a school.
Um, in certain areas of education where we’re just outside the [00:04:30] Ivy Leagues. You know, in certain things. So we have a lot of of PSAs that are already really interested in us. Um, so I, I will look and go anywhere, but I really can find for the most part what we need in Michigan or the Midwest. Uh, we have a strong Chicago contingent.
I’m from Chicago. I spent my first part of my coaching career in Chicago, and we have a good amount of alums in Chicago as well. So, um, I would say the overwhelming majority of our team is going to be, it’s going to be Michigan based, and then we’re going to have anywhere from 4 to 6 Chicagoland guys. And then a few sprinkled in here or there.
Um, so, uh, I don’t have to travel a ton. Um, but I still like to go and, and see what’s out there. Um, so mostly Midwest based, but doesn’t have to be, it’s just kind of nice. I don’t necessarily need to leave the area to try to go find kids.
Matt: Okay. Well, you, and you mentioned camps, do you guys do your own or do you work others?
How important are camps to your process?
Coach: So camps, I think from a recruiting perspective are. They’re, they’re important. We don’t have a JV team. We don’t have a reserve team. So, like, in my last program, we had a large one. So, so those camps are crucial to help fill that that side of the roster at minimum.
Um, here it’s. You know, we’ll do 4 to 6, 1 days a year. I did two, uh, within the last four weeks and I cap them at 50. I make them as, as affordable as possible. Um, and [00:06:00] we’ll, we tend to sell out all of those ID camps. Uh, one of the things that I would say that. Maybe once every two years, are we seeing a kid for the first time at our ID camp and like, holy cow, offering you on the spot, you know, um, it’s typically an opportunity for us to, you know, try to invite some kids or talk to them about coming to ID camp who, um, we’ve already chatted with, but maybe they haven’t been on campus or it’s just like, hey, like, I obviously like you, but it’s important for you to like me and in our locker room and our field and my assistant coaches, you know, you’re checking us out just as much as we’re checking you out.
And so it’s really kind of trying to get those kids that, um, maybe we really like, and we just want to get them on campus. And it gives us that reason to get them on campus for a specific date, or it’s those kids where we’re not entirely sure. It’s like, Hey, we’ve seen just enough of you. We like you, but, you know, come check it out.
And then, and then honestly, for us, it’s. It’s because we’re a fairly desirable academic school here. We get a lot, a lot of, you know, the cold emails and things like that to where it’s just like, Hey, we can’t come see all of you. We can’t watch every video clip that you send in a perfect world. We could, but we just can’t.
And. You know, here’s an opportunity for you to come and be seen. And I think that’s just a conviction. I have as a person is like, that’s why I try to make it affordable. And that’s [00:07:30] why we try to offer enough. And that’s why we kept out those at a smaller number is because I have to say no to a lot of kids, but I at least want to make sure I can sleep at night knowing I said, hey, You know, we’re not trying to make a ton of money off of you, and we’re trying to have a more intimate camp to where you feel like there’s not 200 kids there, and that if we say yes or no to you, at least, we at least feel like we gave you a fair look, if that makes sense.
Matt: Yeah, absolutely. Well, whether it’s a camp or a tournament or something, what is it that makes up that hierarchy of things that you’re looking for in a player, both on the field and off?
Coach: Yeah, I think it’s, so it’s changed a bit for me. I spent my first part of my career, I was head coach in my alma mater, uh, Olivet Nazarene, which is a, uh, Chicagoland NAIA program.
And I, I recruit fairly differently here than I did there. You know, for us to be a successful and I program, I had to mix in a few of the International Academy type players. Um, while still not becoming all that, but for me here at hope, um, you know, it’s really important for me to find kids that want to be at hope for more than just hope soccer or more than just to play for me.
I think that’s part of. Of having a good culture and a program that you can kind of rely on to take care of itself when you’re not around, if that makes sense, um, is that if they have things to do, and they’re a part of, they’re a part of campus, they’re a part of the things outside of, uh, soccer that, um, that’s only going to be helpful.
So, you know, it’s important for [00:09:00] me to find that. Now, obviously, I’m looking for. You know, good soccer players, you know, uh, an old, you know, coaching mentor of mine, you know, told me one time, you know, when you’re a young coach, it’s hard to say no to people. You don’t want to hurt their feelings is like, Hey, he’s gotta remember you can’t, you know, you can’t take a meal to a horse race, you know, might be the hardest working nicest meal out there, but at the end of the day, like, you gotta make sure they can play.
Um, so we’re pretty You know, I, I’m really looking for guys who, you can tell, want to grind on their own. Whatever that means. That can be, uh, maybe in warm ups, that can be within a game, that can be, you know, uh, effort, how they talk, you know, how they’re looking off the ball. But guys, I really don’t want to spend time at this level having to, like, try to constantly persuade guys, I don’t care how good you are, if you’re the state player of the year, you score a million goals.
If I feel like I’m gonna have to spend a lot of my time wanting you to be a gym rat when you’re not already a gym rat. Um, then it’s probably not the best fit for me, but also for them, you know, uh, so guys who you can tell, like, I use the phrase gym rat a bit, you know, I’m from kind of originally from Indiana, but like guys that wants, I don’t have to worry about them in January.
I know they want to grind without me having to tell them anything. You know, they want, in a weird way, they want the challenge of preparing for the fitness test. You know, and sometimes you can kind of just, you know, see that within a kid. So, um, but the actual soccer side of it, you know, I’m typically [00:10:30] looking for guys who, who are aware.
Like off the ball, recognizing transition moments, guys that are kind of already those things that sometimes can be hard to teach. I’m seeing those because I always feel like I can get them a little cleaner on the ball. I can teach them how to defend well, but it can be pretty hard to teach that other stuff.
So I’m more so looking at work ethic. How they’re interacting with people, how they respond to the mistakes that are happening, how they respond to the difficult circumstances. Um, and then obviously are already a pretty decent player. Um, but I more so look at that stuff than counting passes and doing all those types of things, um, which by no means I think are wrong.
It’s just not the way my brain works. Um, and so it’s, it varies, you know. Um, So, but I’m open. I’m kind of always trying to evolve and, and not just be married to one style of player. So, um, that’s kind of the, the way I look at it right now, or at least at this point, maybe that answer changes in a year. I don’t know, but, uh, it’s worked for me, uh, here and it’s worked for me at my last place.
So I’m kind of sticking with that.
Matt: All right, well, let’s talk a little bit more about the school. Some folks maybe not familiar with hope. Um, you know, you’ve been there for a few years, you said. So what are some of the things that you found about the school that are outstanding? Some things maybe folks wouldn’t even know by going through the website.
Coach: Yeah, so, you know, hope college is in Holland, Michigan, which is, you know, and I’m not from here. Here’s what I say. I was head coach, my alma mater, [00:12:00] and I wanted to be here and I love my alma mater, but I wanted to raise my family, my wife and kids. We wanted to be young. Lake Michigan, uh, Holland, Michigan, um, downtown Hollands.
Okay, so do the
Matt: hand test ? Yeah. Well,
Coach: I’m, since I’m not a true Michigander, I married into it, which the nice thing about marrying into it is when it’s cool to be a Michigander, I can be a Michigander when it’s not, I just say it’s my wife’s state, you know? So
Matt: I I did the same thing. My wife’s from Detroit though.
I gotcha. Okay.
Coach: You, you get it. So we’re only about two, two and a half hours from Chicago. We’re kind of just over the nano border. You’re on your way to Grand Rapids. Um, so, uh, but. But Holland, Michigan has won numerous national awards for, you know, best tourist city, best weekend getaway. Um, we’re part of, of 8th Street, downtown Holland, uh, which is, is just one of the coolest things.
So like, we’re very confident if we just get a kid on campus, he can kind of maybe see the difference in that right by the lake. Um, uh, about 3, 500 students, undergrad students, give or take, we don’t have post grad, that’s why we’re still a college, Hope College. Ah. And. Got, you know, 90 to 100 majors. Um, so we can pretty much offer anything.
I did have a kid 1 of my 1st times here. I was talking the other day and you really wanted aviation. So that was really like, the 1st time. I was just like, hey, best of luck. It’s probably not a good day for either of us. But typically we have everything you need. We’re, we’re nationally ranked, uh, in, like, different types of research and engineering, um, fairly academic school.
Uh, we are a foundationally [00:13:30] faith based school, uh, at the Reformed Church, but, um, I would say it’s not, uh, uh, it’s, you know it and you notice it when you’re here and it’s important part of who we are. Um, but it’s not similar to some of the other ones that you may think of as far as, uh, I want to be careful what word I use here, but, um, rules or, or legalistic, if that makes sense.
I’m comfortable saying that because I, I went to a more strict religious school and I coached and worked at one before. Uh, but, um, you know, so I think you’re coming here because of that. You’re coming here because of. Holland, Michigan, that location by the lake, downtown, you know, cool area close to Grand Rapids, high academics, um, and it’s very well respected as far as Um, whatever you graduate in are, are, you know, assignment rates as far as whatever they work for.
So I want to get into are pretty impressive. Um, and, you know, I would say that I’ve yet to really come off to meet an alum who isn’t like, yeah, I want to send my kids there. Yeah, so, um, but it’s and we have amazing facilities. I think we have one of the best college soccer facilities in the in the country.
It’s a beautiful field, uh, soccer specific, you know, brick building, tree lining, uh, behind the scoreboard, which you get the beautiful fall leaves second half of the season. I think it’s just a really, really cool place to be in a cool place to play.
Matt: Yeah, [00:15:00] it sounds like it. Well, as you mentioned with the high academics, you know, for, for kids coming into college, making that leap to dealing with high academics and, you know, being a college athlete can be a challenge.
Kind of what, what support systems as a school offer to make sure those student athletes are successful in the classroom, but on the field as well.
Coach: Yeah, we have, we have several like, like. Probably most schools do, um, but ours are, are, I would just say this, the person that kind of heads up our student athlete, uh, you know, Center for Student Success was a, a head coach here for a long time.
So, um, the school here is, is really, there is a really good merge between athletics and the rest of the school. I know at some places there’s almost a separation of, oh, it’s athletics, oh, it’s everybody else. Here, uh, there is almost a mid major Division I level feel as far as support, uh, at our games. In most of our sports, we rank in the top 10 in D3 in attendance and things of that nature.
You know, if you look at it, we’ve got several top 10 or national championship type teams. Um, so with that kind of, you know, being said, uh, there are several positions. So we have, like, an admissions liaison for athletics who, um. Was the wife of our former baseball coach who has spent her whole time, you know, coaching with her husband are our head of center for student success for athletics is our [00:16:30] former softball coach, you know, so for us specifically as student athletes, it’s I think most places have those, but I do think that ours are fairly unique, or at least I know they work really well here.
Because there are coaches kind of leading the charge for that or former coaches leading the charge for that, which makes an easy bridge for them to connect with our student, with our student athletes. Um, they understand what it’s like to be on the road and not maybe be a starter and get injured and then not play or whatever that may be.
Um, so I think we do a good job. It is a fairly academic school. So most of the students that were that are already coming here. Are have proven one way or another that they’re, um, they’re able to handle academics. Now, every kid obviously deals with becoming a freshman for the 1st time. And maybe it’s, you know, I think in a place like hope, those that do struggle a bit, it’s less about the actual academics and it’s more about adjusting to, you know, being away from home and college life and and all those types of things.
So, um, but we, we just try to stay ahead of it. We do a 2 week or a 3 week check at the beginning of every semester, just to make sure everybody’s, you know, not. Yeah. Not falling off or anything like that. Uh, and those that are, we stay pretty active with them. Um, we just do a lot of encouraging. Um, we really do.
It’s part of our recruiting pitch. I think if you ask anybody that I’ve recruited here in my last school, they’ll say it may be one of the more unique pitches. They’ve they’ve heard, uh, as far as the things I talk about versus what they’re expecting me to talk about, but it’s typically that we’re big believers in that.
If we [00:18:00] encourage, um, and help motivate, um, For all of our student athletes to, uh, you know, in a general cheesy sense, be the best person they can be, then they’ll end up being a better soccer player, rather than the other way around. Rather than only worrying about soccer, and then like, a fear based, like, hey, you better have good grades or you’re gonna have to run sprints tomorrow.
You know, ours is kind of that, hey, if you can, if you’re killing it in your academic life, you’re killing it in your personal life, um, if you’re taking advantage of, of the non soccer things at Hope, you’re gonna come to practice for two to two and a half hours a day, you’re gonna come to training. free of mind, more mature, excited, which then means we can really worry about being better soccer players at that point.
So I’ve yet to really deal with in three years a lot of academic issues, to be honest. Um, and when we have, we notice them fairly quick and we’re able to try to intervene and help as quickly as possible. I know that was kind of maybe a long winded answer of it, but um, there are definitely like school resources and then like the things that we kind of just do within our own program.
And it’s more about trying to Stop the issues before they happen or help encourage. So the issues don’t come up.
Matt: Okay. Well, rewind back to October, kind of the heart of that, that M I A A season. Yeah. Walk me through a typical schedule, uh, for, for your, for your athletes, you know, winter classes, meals, game cadence, all that kind of stuff.
Coach: Yeah, we, you know, I’m, I’m big on like consistency for them. So. we try to do. And, you know, that’s [00:19:30] obviously a question that comes up. I think it should come up from recruits is when we practice how much class we miss. Um, I think my first year I took over, um, you know, I took over from Coach Brandt and I actually I was an assistant coach with Coach Brandt for a year back.
Back in 2019 and, um, it is a little, we have a smaller league and it can be a little more difficult to find non conference games here. So, um, we kind of have to that 1st year. We, we had a pretty difficult travel away schedule as far as. Missing class. So right away, it was 1 where I was like, hey, we want to miss as little class as possible.
Um, so that’s big for us, but we’re going to train every day 3 15 to 5 or 5 45 consistent consistently with that. And then we want them to go be students and we’re, we’re rarely missing class. For games, I think this year we had, we had three days where we missed class and it was really only if you had class afternoon.
Um, you know, obviously we had, uh, you know, we missed a day of class and we go play. Oh, and you and Ohio Wesleyan, uh, and then we, we miss a day or two a class when we’re in the national tournament. But besides that, it’s very important for us to, to miss as little class as possible.
Matt: Well, let’s talk a little bit more about the team.
I mean, I know you mentioned there’s, there’s no, JV or secondary, uh, team there, but in terms of roster, what, what is the number that you kind of like to be around?
Coach: I would say in a perfect world, I’m 30 [00:21:00] to 32 with four of those being goalkeepers. Um, this year we had a bigger roster. We were. Closer to 34 35.
We had a couple of guys who who had, you know, injuries either in the spring, summer or things like that. Um, you know, my first year here, uh, I, I decided I kind of switched middle of the season, decided to have about three times the size of recruiting class that I was thinking I would. Um, and brought in a really large class year one, um, just to kind of try to, you know, all great guys that were here, but kind of change the culture a bit in the sense of, um, some guys, they were, they were players that helped us as far as players and some, they, they helped the culture, they helped the training environment, they helped the locker room.
So. Right now, this year, we’re at, I’ll say, 34, um, but the goal will be to kind of trim that down, but honestly, like, a lot of people think that’s too big, and it can be sometimes logistically with only one team, um, but if you ask anybody in our program, nobody will say they felt like they were forgotten, or they didn’t play a role, um, you know, I, I probably spend more so than anybody else.
Really trying to make sure the guys that are technically on the end of our bench are our guys that bring value in other ways. Um, and then I’m extremely honest with them about that role before they decide to come here, which I think is why you maybe if you spent a week around our team, I think you’d probably notice.
Not saying we’re the only good culture team, but I think you’d notice. Something kind [00:22:30] of cool and unique about our culture. Uh, I think it’s because of that. But it’s not always simple, but uh, the goal is to get it back down to 31 to 32 probably next year and kind of stay right around that point. I always like to be able to have enough field players to play 11s if we can.
Um, and obviously it’s inevitable that you’re going to have some injuries. Um, so as long as I feel like we have enough to where we can do that. Um, then that’s kind of the number I’ll, I’ll go with that year.
Matt: Okay. Well, talk to us about your coaching style and the style of play that, that you like to play there.
Coach: Oh, um, I’d say it’s. But, you know, I’ve coached club, college, some semi, some USL2, and I’d say I coach those all different, you know, so I kind of view, I was a full time coach for 12 years. I got out of full time coaching for 3 years, worked in the sports business world. I got back into full time coaching, so that kind of changed my perspective on a few things.
Um, as far as that. And so, like, I’m extremely competitive and want to win, but, uh, part of the reasons I got back into full time coaching was, uh, I kind of missed all the other stuff. I was coaching next and all that. So I was fulfilling the soccer side of it. But, um, I think I’m really trying. Yeah, I want to help these guys be better soccer players and win games.
Yeah. But I’m really trying to also, like, hold them to a standard to [00:24:00] help them be successful, you know, men when they graduate. Um, so, you know, I think when I talk about coaching style, I would say the biggest words are, like, disciplined and mature. We talk a lot about being. You know, it’s easy to say we’re the hardest working team in the country, or we’re going to win every game.
Like, everybody says that, but like, we really believe we can be the most mature team in the country. Um, so we have a really high standard in our training of that. But I would say extremely disciplined defensively. Most of our teams have been top 10 in most offensive categories. Um, Here, and then at my last school, that’s not a low block, blah, blah, blah.
It’s a, we’re going for it. We’re going to defend most situations full field. It’s less about where we’re defending and it’s more about the decisions and the risks we take in the areas of the field. And so we feel like we defend extremely well, which allows us so extremely disciplined. Like you want to see, I’ll get on guys if they’re not following our defensive rules.
Very rarely will you see me get on guys, they make offensive mistakes. So it’s very much a like a extreme defensive discipline so we can get the ball so we can have the ball so we can transition. And then let’s, let’s go for it when we get it. Um, So, we like to play, we like to play defeat, but not a ton of tiki taka, short passes, things like that, if they’re there, they’re there, but we’re looking to play quick, switch the field, get the ball into the offensive middle third, to the offensive third, uh, as quickly as possible, and [00:25:30] then that’s where we’ll, we’ll try to move the ball and maybe try to break you down at points.
I’m not, I’ve kind of changed a little bit, I’m, I’m not a big believer in just like hitting in low percentage crosses, Based off of who we’re playing, their center backs, their keepers. So we’ll, we’ll try to move and I’ll try to get guys in the field that can, can dance on the ball a bit and, and go one V one.
And then we score the majority of our goals within the 18 cutback balls, you know, things like that.
Matt: We’ve given us a lot of info, really appreciate it. Going to leave you with one last question. And that is, if you had one piece of advice for student athletes going through this recruiting process right now, what would that be?
Coach: Don’t be scared to ask questions and, you know, really try to find a place where you don’t have to love. I call it all 4 areas. So, like, faith or greater purpose. Um, even if you’re not religious, you should have a greater purpose, like, besides selfish desire, um, social aspect, the academic aspect, and at least the athletic and athletic aspect.
And I, I say it in that order. Um, and I just. Try to tell kids to to, you know, make sure they see it being a good fit, you know, in a perfect world. All four are a pluses. That’s really rare. I think there’s only a few places that probably really offer that. Um, but, you know, you should, you should hope that there’s, you’re checking off 2 or 3 of those because in a 4 or 5 year process, you know, things on the field aren’t always going [00:27:00] to go perfectly well and make sure that, um, you can find yourself enjoying kind of those other areas of the school.
And I think that’s those questions. I often tell kids, I often tell kids like, Hey, if the moment a coach starts guarantee guaranteeing you anything, run like run, you know, the moment a coach guarantees you’re going to be a captain, all American. Blah, blah, blah. You’re going to start I’d run because you’re likely going to find out.
They’re telling that, uh, to pretty much everybody else. Um, so just to ask questions and, and remind them that you’re also looking at them. They’re not just looking at you, you know, so make sure it’s a good fit and, and feel like they’re, they’re really challenging you with the questions they’re asking.
Matt: Absolutely. Really appreciate it coach. Well, Hey, thanks again. And, uh, wish you the best of luck as you wrap up that recruiting class. And hopefully we’ll see in that national tournament again next year.
Coach: Great. Thank you, sir. Appreciate it.
