Kutztown University Women’s Soccer – Coach Erik Burstein

On today’s episode, I speak with Coach Erik from the Kutztown Women’s Program in Pennsylvania. We talk about the importance of ID clinics in recruiting. He describes how D2 is the right balance between sport and school. Lastly, we discuss how he makes sure his program has a focus on mental health as well as conditioning. Learn more about Kutztown University Women’s Soccer.

Matt: [00:00:00] Hi, everyone. Welcome to discover college soccer today. I’m lucky enough to be joined by coach Eric from Kutztown up in PA. Welcome coach. 

Coach: Thanks, Matt. Thanks for having me. Appreciate it. Look forward to talking to you. 

Matt: Yeah, me too. I’ve, I’ve, you know, I grew up in Ohio. So I was always familiar with all that, that the, the PSAC, the, the big D two conference up there.

Um, so very interested here, but, but you know what? Yeah. Just because I just got back from Las Vegas and the player showcase, and I know it was also the Jeff cup weekend. So it’s, you know, we’re in the midst of the, the college showcase season here. Where are you guys at with your class at 24 stuff? Kind of what’s your normal timeline?

Uh, are you, are you still looking at 24? Is this all 25s now? What is it for you guys? 

Coach: Yeah. I, I don’t think anyone’s ever done recruiting technically. I mean, they tell you there’s dates, they tell you that, you know, Hey, we’re gonna close and, and, and, and on some level we do. I mean, yeah, you can only fill so many roster spots.

Um, but for us in 24, um, I mean, we’re, we’re, we’re done. I mean, we’ve been done for quite a while. Uh, 25, you know, we’re, we’re actively recruiting. I mean, recruiting has changed a tremendous amount, uh, especially in the last 5 years, you know, clubs have have employed college prep directors. A lot more people are meddling in the recruits processes.

So, a lot of people don’t know where to go, where to turn. And ironically, there’s still a lot of misinformation out there about the process, even though schools go through it differently. So, for us with 25, it’s been a bit slower than normal. Um, but really, the process [00:01:30] is dictated by the people we recruit.

Um, so some years are gonna be fast. Some years gonna be slow. 25 has has been a bit slower than most classes. But you know, that’s just where we’re at in this process. And in this recruiting cycle, 

Matt: you mentioned, you know, kind of depends on on the roster stuff, but is there a roster size that you Find as ideal that you’re trying to hit each season.

Coach: I really like to be between 28 and 32. Um, I know that seems high, uh, because a lot of youth soccer organizations or state associations only let older teams roster 18 to 22. That’s just not ideal in college and it’s rare. That you’re going to find programs and with the higher education being in the situation it is, you’re going to find a lot of schools, um, you know, public and private at some point may go to JV style programs where they bring in 40, 50, 60 kids.

That’s not uncommon. Uh, and parents and players are kind of shocked by that. Uh, at Kutztown we’re fortunate. We don’t, we’re not in that position. So we’re, we’re only looking at about 28 to 32 per year. Uh, we will hit a, a covid bubble this year, so we did have a number of 50 year seniors decide to stay, uh, which we’re very excited about.

Uh, but that’ll give us a bit of a larger roster for 24. And then once we hit the end of the season, we’re gonna lose like almost 50% of our team, uh, to graduation. So , so 20, we’ll, we’ll the spring of 24, uh, 25 will be very, very light. 

Matt: Wow. Okay. Well, I mentioned a, a, a couple. Uh, different showcases, but, uh, are any of those ones that you like to [00:03:00] attend or what are the big events that you like to attend to, to see players at?

Coach: Well, I think it’s changing, uh, because, you know, the JeffCup this year was great, great experience, but there’s 19 complexes. So it’s like, you know, no matter how many staff members you have on the road, It’s incredibly difficult to navigate. Uh, and the other thing that you run into is, you know, when you sign up for these recruiting events, you get a lot of emails.

We all do. And we’re, we’re certainly grateful for that. However, how do you really know those kids are truly interested? How do you know they’re not being told to reach out to a bunch of different schools at division one, two, and three levels just so you get, so it’s hard for us to navigate who’s truly interested.

Um, so, um, the showcases are great. There are a number of really good ones. Um, we’re trying to do a little bit more through our ID clinic because I think that kind of, um, you know, filters out some of the kids who are just writing to write versus the kids who are actually truly interested, um, in our program.

So, uh, we are doing a little bit more through our ID clinic. We’re seeing about. 60 ish percent of our incoming classes come from our ID clinics. And then what we do is if they’re there, they perform well, we send them an email and say, Hey, great job. Send us your, you know, your, your, uh, tournament ID or, and your college showcase schedule, we’ll come out and take another look at it in a more competitive environment.

Uh, and then we kind of go through our process like that. Uh, not to say that we’re not going to find good kids sight unseen, just going to a showcase event that still does happen. Um, and it is, and there are a lot of good players. Uh, and there are a lot of good showcases, but now you also have, uh, you know, a lot of different leagues at the youth level.

So leagues are running events. [00:04:30] Showcases have events. It’s almost. overwhelming to really decide how are we going to navigate the recruiting process as coaches? 

Matt: Yeah, for sure. Well, whether it’s at an I. D. Clinic or a showcase, kind of what makes up the hierarchy of things that you’re looking for in a player both on the field and off?

Coach: Yeah, I mean, I think, you know, we’re always looking for people that have a combination of tremendous athleticism, pace, physicality, But are also technical can also play a bit. And then I think what you look for is, you know, when you find the player has all of those things, and they’re really, really good, they’re typically going to a power 5 school.

So, um, you know, so really, we’re looking for someone who can, you know, check all the boxes in terms of technical ability, um, athleticism pace, physicality, but if they have 1 or 2 things that shine a little brighter than those other pieces, as long as those other pieces are still there. We’re usually there’s usually an interest.

I mean, our conferences, you’ve kind of alluded to in the beginning of the conversation. The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference is the real deal. Um, I came to Kutztown from Bowling Green State University in Ohio. Uh, so, you know, uh, and I, and I look at that as a, as a mid major division 1 program. Um, the quality of the play in the PSAC is not that far off.

Um, I mean, the teams are incredibly gifted. There’s great athletes, there’s great coaches in the conference, and it’s top to bottom. So we’re really looking at kids. Who will fit at a lot of mid major division one schools. So the process for us, I think, in our conference and other conferences as [00:06:00] well, uh, division two or three becomes very, very competitive because you’re also up against a lot of mid major and lower level division one institutions when it comes to getting really good quality players.

Matt: Yeah. Oh, absolutely. Well, one of the things that seems a little more prevalent, especially on D two rosters these days is, is international players. Um, which is something that’s oddly, oddly enough missing from, from the Kutztown roster. I see. But how, how does international recruiting, the transfer portal, junior colleges, let’s just call it the non traditional recruiting.

How does that fit in for, for you guys? 

Coach: Um, well, I do think well, first off internationally on the women’s side for division two. I don’t think it’s as heavy, especially not in the peace act. The men’s side. I think it’s a different story. Um, so we, we do not, um, we just don’t really dip into the international market.

Not that there’s not good players there. Um, I think we have a lot of really good talent in the United States. I think we have a lot of really good talent in the northeast. So we don’t have to, uh, Search that far, I don’t think, um, and not to say these international players couldn’t come in and make an immediate impact in our programs.

Um, we just have never really gone down the route of trying to recruit internationally, um, for whatever reason, but, um, you know, I do think obviously in the men’s side, it’s a little bit different. Uh, they’re a little bit more heavy on the division to in the international side. The transfer portal is going to change recruiting.

I think across the country. Um, you know, we have not gone too deep in the transfer portal. Oh, this past year we did have. A [00:07:30] couple of players that did transfer in. Um, but I think what’s happening now is, is different rules in terms of being able to transfer more frequently without, you know, outside of the 1 year exception.

It looks like people are gonna be able to transfer kind of whenever they want to. I think what’s going to end up happening is, I think coaches will ultimately look to fill classes on both ends. They’re going to recruit traditional high school seniors, but they’re also going to look to You know, in the transfer portal, and I think I don’t know that we’ll do that.

I’m not 100 percent sure, but it does look like it’s starting to kind of infiltrate its way into our recruiting process a little bit more than it did even 2 3 years ago. 

Matt: Yeah, that makes sense. Well, let’s talk a little bit more about the school. I’m sure there’s some folks out there, maybe not familiar with Kutztown.

So what are some of the things about the school that you find kind of awesome things that maybe we wouldn’t even know just by going through the website? 

Coach: Yeah. I mean, the people, I mean, I think, you know, what makes Kutztown, what it is, is the people, uh, same thing with our program. I mean, we have a very successful women’s soccer program, but it’s the people that make it successful.

And we’re not just talking. Coaching staff or players. We’re talking athletic trainers, professors. It’s a really great place to be. Um, the people are very accommodating. Uh, they’re very student forward. I mean, you know, from the president, even the custodians, they’re just incredibly awesome people to be around.

Um, you don’t have a lot of people that seem disgruntled about being at work. Um, everyone really seems to enjoy being there and it makes, you know, being that they’re enjoyable. Um, campus is [00:09:00] absolutely stunning. Um, it’s a really nice size. It’s a mid size school, um, has a really good on campus population.

Um, and our off campus, you know, commuter population are all basically in the town of good town. So this is a true of a college town as you, as you really can get. Um, and the location, although it seems in like a weird pocket of Berks County, we’re right outside the Lehigh Valley. Um, so it’s, it’s, it really is a remarkable location.

Just a little bit harder to get to, but 10 minutes off campus and you’re, you know, you’re at a huge amusement park, shopping malls, movie theater. So, there’s a ton of stuff to do in the area, but you’re right. Tons of people don’t even know what Kutztown University is, or they’ve never heard of it. So, but yeah, it really is the people.

If I’m, if I’m picking 1 thing, the people make it really what it is. 

Matt: Well, one of the things that can be tough for people just going into college, especially playing a sport, is really balancing their studies and their sport. So at Kutztown, how do your players really manage the demands of being a high level soccer program as well as keeping an eye on their studies?

And what kind of support systems does the school offer to make sure they’re successful? 

Coach: Yeah, I mean, we’ve we’ve done a lot. I mean, the 1 thing that I think is really nice about division 2 across the country is there is a balance. Um, and, and, you know, division 1 is great. And I coach at that level and I’ve enjoyed it immensely, but you’re seeing it even with conference changes where you’ve got, you know, teams that are going to be flying across the country for a midweek tennis match in our conference.

We’re basically at our [00:10:30] competitions and home the same night. So, with our school, for example, we have a lot of science majors. It’s a very big program at Kutztown is very competitive. Our kids aren’t missing a ton of labs. They’re not stressed out for having to make things up or trying to find ways to get their lab hours.

And it’s pretty easy because, you know, yes, we’re in a highly competitive conference, but everybody’s within an hour to 3 hours away. So we’re not doing a ton of overnight travel. Um, so I think that takes some burden off of the student athlete when they’re not on a bus or on a plane constantly and really kind of traveling more than they’re on campus or in class.

Um, so I, I think, you know, that’s that in itself is hugely helpful, but in terms of the academic support structure, I mean, it mirrors, you know, what, you know, a lot of these mid major division one schools have. We have, you know, an academic success center where students can go for for tutoring, you know, proofreading of papers.

We have individuals individual. People on campus that we can talk to, uh, from everything from the disability services center, uh, to the registrar’s office admissions. So there’s always a liaison in every department where we can kind of reach out and say, hey, this student athlete needs some help. The other thing that we’ve used, and I think a lot of schools are using is something called starfish.

Which is a kind of an online like a workflow portal where everybody or even students can kind of log in and say, look, I need help with this class. And once they do that, everybody gets notifications that need it. So that we know that that student can get help, whether it’s tutoring meeting with a professor, and it gives you reminders.

If this isn’t like, is if the, if the request isn’t [00:12:00] sorted out and solved right away. So we’ve done it kind of online and it’s been really, really nice because absolutely nothing falls through the cracks whatsoever. Um, but it makes the personal connection sometimes a little bit difficult because you don’t have to step in anybody’s office to do anything.

You just log into an app, hit a button and everybody knows what you need and you get it right away. So, um, but it’s, it’s made the academic support process for us seamless and, and instant really for all of our student athletes. 

Matt: Alright, awesome. Well, let’s rewind, take us back to October. You’re kind of in the heart of the conference season.

Can you walk me through what a typical week is going to look like for your players? When is classes, practices, meals, the game cadence? What does a typical week look like for a player? 

Coach: Sure. So for us, I mean, we typically do our training sessions for 30 to we have the block of time from 4 to 6 30. We’re never on the field for more than I would say an hour and 20 hour and 30 minutes max in season sessions typically run really, really quick.

And they’re really, really sharp. Girls are typically in the class in classes between like 9 and 1. nine and 11, depending on which days are taking it. But they’re, you know, they, they do have conflict avoidance scheduling. So they do get priority registration. So they’re able to pick classes early so they can avoid any of those conflicts.

Uh, for us games are Wednesday, Saturday, we’re always giving our kids off on Sunday. Uh, they have to be given off one day per week. Uh, so we typically, Sunday just tends to be a really, really good day. Um, so we, we give them off on Sunday. Monday [00:13:30] is our more intense training session day. Uh, they do lift also in the fall, which is a lot of just kind of, um, maintenance work, recovery, stretching, mobility type stuff, uh, and injury prevention.

So we’re, we’re working in a periodization model of training. So we’re taking into account how they feel. Um, a lot more than we’re taking into account what they need on the field. We cover a lot of that stuff in in preseason to be honest. Um, so we’re really trying to maintain the workload. So they’re not overworked, overtrained, exhausted because we want them in that time frame that like, you know, middle, late October to feel really fit.

not really fatigued. Um, so sessions are short and sharp, uh, and that’s, you know, more intense Monday, lighter Tuesday, game Wednesday, recovery Thursday, light again on Friday, game Saturday off Sunday is basically what it looks like. 

Matt: Yeah, that’s, uh, got to love the compact college soccer schedule in the fall.

It’s just, uh, fun for all. Um, Let’s talk a little bit more actually, you know, about the soccer side of things. And, um, we talked about roster size earlier, but what about staff size? How many staff do you have? What roles does everybody play? What kind of support staff maybe are in the athletic department that help with the team?

What’s that look like? 

Coach: So we, we just, uh, just had the luxury of hiring a full-time assistant coach. And now, uh, and she’s been with us now going on three years. So, uh, we are one of only, I believe, two schools in the eastern part of our conference. ’cause our conference is divided, um, east and west with a full-time [00:15:00] assistant women’s soccer coach.

And our responsibilities are 100% soccer. We don’t teach courses. Uh, we’re there for the student athletes. Uh, so the support system is great and my assistant coach has. A background in strength and conditioning and sports psychology. So we do use that, uh, to help also kind of, you know, train our players from the mental strength standpoint so that they have tools that they need mentally to kind of deal with the challenges of our conference to deal with the challenges of our program, um, you know, things like positive self talk, avoiding that fear of failure kind of complex.

So we try to take kind of more and more holistic approach to make sure that. What we’re providing our student athletes, you know, from a training and development standpoint, isn’t just in the weight room where we have two full time strength and conditioning coaches. Um, not on the field, but also mentally, how do I deal with all of the, you know, the pressure I might put on myself?

How do I get myself to play in an environment where everybody is very talented and very, very good? Um, and obviously we always communicate with our players that, uh, you know, the open door policy, which most coaches do anyway. Um, and it’s a very collaborative. Type of effort with our players. Um, I think we all we’re definitely all on the same page.

We’re all there for the right reasons. We all want to competing for the right things. Um, so it’s a really good environment. I think, um, unique to anything I’ve been a part of as a head coach or an assistant, uh, where I think you have 2, Full time coaches kind of working in collaboration with your roster and with your team to make sure that we are providing everything that we need from on and off the field.[00:16:30] 

Um, physical conditioning, tactical awareness, mental strength to make sure that they’re the best versions of themselves. Yeah, 

Matt: no, that’s terrific. Well, in terms of you specifically as, as the head man, how would you describe kind of your style of coaching and the style of play that you’re looking to implement there?

Coach: It’s it evolves, you know, I’m not going to I’m not going to implement something that doesn’t work for the group. I have. I mean, I can tell you that the last couple of years. I really enjoyed the way we’ve tried to play, but I can’t tell you that next year. It’s going to work for that group. So, you know, I, I’ve always tried to be someone who evolves through a process.

Um, you know, I may like a system. I may like a style of play. But ultimately, there’s two things I need. One, I need results. Two, I need to be able to articulate exactly what I need from my players and they have to be able to understand it and execute it. So, doesn’t matter what I think or what I like, it’s what works for the masses.

So, that’s always what we’re doing. We’re always trying to evolve and change, make things better, um, and trying to make and simplify what really is a complex game. So, um, you know, we do that every year. Our system’s a little different every year. Uh, we play in, in, you know, shape sometimes that you would never think someone would play in, but it works for the group that we have.

So really, we look at the players, and what they can handle, and what they need, and what they can, can execute, and that’s kind of where we go. 

Matt: Okay. Well, one of the things that seems to be, uh, Used more and more, even at the club level now are various technology resources, whether that’s video [00:18:00] or GPS or any of that stuff.

Do you guys employ any of that in practice and games and how do you use it? If you do. 

Coach: Yeah, we, our stadium is, is equipped with a huddle camera, which has been great. Uh, we do film absolutely everything. Um, so like. Unfortunately, my assistant and some of the girls were out this morning very early doing some technical work and we filmed it.

So we’re able to watch, you know, anything from a passing pattern, um, you know, whether regardless of what we’re doing when we play on Friday nights, we’re able to analyze that video and our players have access to that whenever they need it. They want to, um, and we’ll only do film sessions when it’s absolutely necessary.

Um, you know, I think club soccer is a place, unfortunately, where a lot of kids come in over trained and a little burnt out. So when they get to college, they’re going to do a bit less, but the intensity and the focus is a lot more. So we don’t try to overload them with things they really don’t need. We try to give them exactly what they do need.

Where they’re kind of still left hungry for more and never going like, Oh God, again with the film session. Uh, so we have it and we use it. Uh, we haven’t gotten into the GPS stuff. I think a lot of my friends and colleagues who I talk to, um, they do like it, but I think they dive way too deep into analytics sometimes with it.

Um, and I certainly are, they’re beneficial and we have, Investigated whether or not we want to add that to our program. But right now we go with the good old fashioned communication. How are we feeling our legs heavy? Are we tired? Are we fatigued? What does that feel like? What are they doing in the weight room?

Okay, we have to modify training today. So I like it to be more communicative. Um, I think our players know that they can be open and honest with us. So even if we have a big game coming up, [00:19:30] if they feel like they’re fatigued, um, Uh, you know, we could do more of a relaxation type of a session, do some recovery, some technical work, stretch, do some breathing techniques to kind of give them 10 or 15 minutes to come down and relax and then let them go for the day.

Uh, so we’re, like I said, adaptive. We’re always adapting to the needs of the team and the players. 

Matt: Well, we’re talking in spring. So it’s the non traditional season as they like to call it. Um, can you talk me, uh, talk me through, what do you guys do? What is your non traditional season look like? What are your players working on right now?

Coach: Sure. So, I mean, we are, you know, we’re big in the weight room, uh, in the spring. So we’re in, uh, you know, we’re in strength and conditioning three days a week, uh, for about an hour, 50 minutes to an hour each session. Uh, and then we’re training about three days to get together as a team on. Then we do one day of like, you know, like, uh, small technical sessions.

Uh, so we’re not even using, you know, we’re only on the field, I think total athletic activity hours. We’re looking at about 12. We’re not doing it. I’m not using the max amount that we’re allowed on. Then we start our games and we start our games and training sessions will be a little bit lighter. Um, and a little bit more like walk through related and functional.

Um, and really what we’re covering. I mean, you know, we’re kind of implementing some new things for the fall. I typically don’t do that in the spring. I typically make our sessions a little bit more specific to, you know, individual type things that are needed from whether defenders, midfielders, forwards, whatever.

We’ve kind of gone with a little bit of a different approach. [00:21:00] Um, So that we can iron out some things we think are going to work in the fall. But then again, we welcome 11 freshmen. So then they get there and I might go, well, none of this is going to work and I’ve wasted the spring. Um, but we’re, we’re playing a lot.

You know, it’s, it’s, it’s not as intense as it would be in the fall. Um, these sessions are short. Um, so it’s been really, really good. We’ve also done a lot of community service work. Um, so we’re, we’re, we’re building that, you know, community service time into our, our training schedule. So, like, last night, we were working with 1 of the charity organizations we like to work with instead of having training.

So we’ll do that as well. So it’s really broken up pretty nicely. So it’s not an overload of soccer in the spring. 

Matt: Okay. Well, you’ve been super generous with your time, told us a lot about, uh, Kutztown, but I got one last question for you and just taking a step back and, and just looking at the overall college soccer recruiting landscape here.

If there was one tidbit of information, one nugget you wish every parent, player, family who was going through this process would know. What would that be 

Coach: to own your process? Um, and I’ve heard other people that have spoken, you say the same thing, but you know, the recruiting process is difficult for parents and student athletes to really understand.

So virtually their first thing to do is try to get information. So they’ll talk to their college coach, a college prep director, a high school coach, and these people are a wealth of information. However, the recruiting process is unique to each and every institution and no one knows how it works everywhere.

I only know how it works. It could stop. So [00:22:30] even though I coach and I do the recruiting, I couldn’t tell you how things are going on it. Some of our other institutions in our state system because they do their thing how they do it. Um, so I think players have to own their process. They have to do the research.

They have to have an idea what they’re looking for. They can’t rely on outside people to say, oh, that’s a great fit for you. Because ultimately, those people don’t go to college with you. You have to be comfortable with where you’re going to be. You have to be comfortable with the academic offerings with the coaching staff with the location.

It has to feel right for you, the student athlete and then the parents have to say, okay, financially, can we make this work? And I think that’s the 2 people that get involved. The 2nd, you take a complex process like recruiting and you add all this complexity with people’s ideas and and input. Right. It just makes everything slow down and it makes it much more stressful.

So I think the players and the parents really have to work to be, you know, just researched and ready and, and, and know what they’re looking for and have an idea, um, and, and, and, and visit the college, the club soccer landscape right now, I mean, there are practices three times a week. The events every weekend, these kids have to get on campus.

They have to see places. And doing it, you know, on a weekend isn’t always best. ’cause it, schools aren’t always active on the weekends. We’re doing it during a holiday period. Not always the best time. They’re gonna need time during the week. Uh, and they also have to go to school. I mean, who, you know, who, who would’ve thought?

Uh, but yet they, they need more time to be able to, to go out, see places so they can make really good, informed decisions. So own your process is really what I’m saying. 

Matt: Yeah, [00:24:00] absolutely. Couldn’t agree more. Well, coach really appreciate the time. Wish you the best of luck, uh, finishing up the spring season and onto the fall.

Coach: Thanks, Matt. Appreciate it, man. It was good talking to you. Matt: Likewise. Take care.