Marywood University Men’s Soccer – Coach Brian Osborne
In today’s episode, I speak with Coach Osborne from the Marywood Men’s Program in Pennsylvania. We dive into the challenges of taking over a program mid-year. Coach also shares the values of the school and its commitment to support athletics. Plus, we discuss his coaching style that looks to instill confidence and let players play. Learn more about Marywood University Men’s Soccer.
Matt: [00:00:00] Hi everybody. Welcome to discover college soccer today. I’m lucky enough to be joined by coach Brian now at Mary wood. Welcome coach.
Coach: I’m glad to be here and I, I always appreciate what you’re doing over there, Matt. So keep it up.
Matt: Well, thanks. And, uh, don’t adjust your screen folks. Yes. A year ago, coach Brian, uh, graced this very, very stage, uh, when he was at Central Penn.
But as of a week ago, he is now part of Marywood, uh, but still there in PA. So, uh, congrats coach.
Coach: Yeah, I appreciate it, man. I knew I was going to make a jump, but I didn’t know it was just going to be two hours up 81. Um, so it’s, it’s, it’s bittersweet.
Matt: Yeah, well, I’m, I’m sure, uh, you’ll be able to, to, to help them, uh, over the hump and, and get back to, to glory there, um, you know, just got to make sure don’t schedule my Catholic University Cardinals, cause you don’t, you know, you don’t want that smoke, no, but, uh, but hopefully I, I will root for you to beat up on, uh, [00:01:00] on, uh, Marymount, cause that was, uh, always, always something I enjoyed doing.
So. Duly noted. Duly noted. Well, I, I mean, it’s, it’s February 4th. Uh, you’ve been on the job, uh, not too long here, but, uh, so kind of give me your mindset in terms of, you know, taking over at the beginning of the year, trying to lock down the recruiting class, kind of where does that sit? What’s your, what’s your focus there?
Coach: Yeah. I mean, if you want to compare it to Central Penn, it’s a, it’s a different dynamic, right? So I came in at Central Penn, um, and I didn’t have a roster, so I could recruit the guys that I wanted. That I liked that were my prototype. Um, now it’s different beasts. So I’m coming in and I’m inheriting 24, 26 guys, uh, that had been on the roster for two, three years.
So, um, so that’s a different animal that I’m attacking right now. Getting, getting to know these guys, [00:02:00] having one on one conversations. Uh, my team meeting, first team meeting is going to be next week. Um, and then I have to evaluate the recruiting scene, uh, meeting with the former assistants. Um, seeing where we are, we’re at with our, what we need and what we want to compete with, uh, in the Atlantic Eastern Conference.
So, um, a lot to do right away. As soon as I’m moving in, I’m, I’m getting stuff on my desk. So, uh, it’s, it’s fun. Uh, it’s something that I’ve always wanted. Um, and I think what Merriwood needs is something that I brought to Central Penn. And I think that’s the reason why I was hired.
Matt: Yeah. I mean, I can only imagine.
Um, and In terms of a roster size, have you been given a mandate by the school? Is it up to you to choose how many kids you think you’re bringing in? Does it seem like everybody’s going to stick around? Like what, what does that kind of look like?
Coach: Yeah. I mean, I think it was a good. inclination of where the guy’s mindsets were when [00:03:00] not a lot of them entered the portal.
Um, only graduated a few, um, very young, talented team. They made the conference semifinals last year, uh, at six, nine and four. So, um, what I can do to turn those four draws into some wins and, uh, and, and make sure there’s, there’s stability within our coaching staff is, is really important. So, um, I mean, I’m aiming for 25 to 30.
I don’t like too many. I’m not a big fan of like the whole reserve team idea. Uh, I want guys to compete on that depth chart every day to move up. Um, and if you’re moving up, you’re staying up. And, um, so I, I’m, I’m sure there’s going to be some guys coming in that are going to be hungry, but I think the guys on the roster currently are just in need of a new, a revamp, a facelift.
And, um, I think they’re excited to get started.
Matt: Okay. Well, are you going to be out and about this showcase season? Uh, and if so, are you, do you look at it through a different [00:04:00] lens being at Merriwood versus when you were central Penn? What, what, what kind of places you go on to find players?
Coach: Yeah, it’s, it’s, it is interesting, Matt.
Um, Mary would has a very high academic standard. Uh, if, if you have above a 33 above a 35, especially, um, you get a lot of assistance just right off the bat. It’s a lot of merit based scholarship. So, um, uh, it’s kind of weeding out some, some of the, uh, recruits were at Central Penn. I could, I could turn a low GPA into a, into a high one and they could get some, some money and some housing scholarships.
Like I talked to you about 2 years ago, but, um, yeah. Yeah, a little bit different that the physicality is at the next level is, is different. Um, and then adding the academic standard and it’s a lot. Um, so Um, I’m not sure I’m looking for different, uh, intangibles in guys, but I think the tangible stuff is, is, is hard to, to get [00:05:00] over.
So it’s, it weeds out everybody’s who maybe struggled academically that I used to look at, keep on my list at Central Penn.
Matt: Okay. Well, I mean, I mean, let’s dig into that a little bit more. What is it that you’re looking for, both intangible and tangible, you know, what, what. It’s going to make a player jump out at you and want you to recruit them.
Coach: Yeah, I mean, I think number one for me has always been high character. Um, and, and what I, I test high character on is like, who are they when no one’s watching? So one, one thing I like to do, and, um, I don’t think many college coaches do this and maybe I’m, maybe I’m nuts, but, um, I, I like to, Go to their high school games if they’re playing high school still go to their high school games and not tell them not where Mary would and so kind of see them when there’s no eyes on them like showcase.
Everybody can put on the front and support their [00:06:00] teammates and listen to their coaches and because they know people are watching. I like to go to high school games and see how they treat maybe a less talented teammate, um, maybe a less experienced coach. Um, maybe they get pulled out of the game and see how they handle that when they don’t need to think about how many college coaches are watching them.
So, um, I think that’s really important. I think that makes or breaks, uh, the culture at the next level. Um, I also look at how they handle mistakes. Um, I always look at mistakes, mistake avoidance compared to mistake recovery. So are they trying to avoid mistakes or are they making mistakes and able to recover right afterwards?
I think that’s a big, big deal. Um, the game of soccer doesn’t demand perfection. It just demands persistence. So I think Throughout the games, I look at how many mistakes they make and how many times they recover from it. Um, [00:07:00] obviously, I, like, I love, I’m a, I’m a forward. That’s what I played in, in college.
Uh, so I look at bravery. So are they brave going forward? Are they always, while they have midfield, they’re always bouncing back to their center backs or are they turning and going? And, um, I also consider bravery as in like good body language, um, the way they carry themselves, the way they communicate.
their eagerness to get forward. Like, I just, all that stuff kind of resonates with me. And then I think the one of the biggest ones, and I think I don’t want to sound old and talk about this generation, but I look at, um, win versus cool. Do they want to win or do they want to look cool? Um, because what it takes to win isn’t cool.
Uh, it’s communicating, proactively communicating nonstop. Um, it’s recovering on defense. Uh, when you missed a shot, it’s it’s [00:08:00] those kind of things that I think, um, could really put you over the hump in college as a program is if you can find guys that just, they don’t care about how they look. They just want to get the job done.
Um, and that’s really important to me.
Matt: Yeah, no, I, I agree completely. Well, let’s talk a little bit more, uh, about the school. Uh, you know, you must have, something must have drawn you away from Central Penn and drew you to Marywood. So in your short time there, and in your interview process, what have you found that stands out about the school?
What are some things we should know?
Coach: Um, well, to be honest, I, I, I always knew of Marywood cause I, I went to Mizzou Court of University and played soccer, ran track there, and my parents are from NEPA area. So I’m very familiar with, with the university. I didn’t know that my core values aligned so well with theirs, and I think that’s what really solidified my interview process and why I wanted to make the [00:09:00] jump so early with Central Penn because I love Central Penn, and that’s a program I started.
I will always have a special place in my heart, but. When my core values are, uh, empowerment, respect, character, and service. And three out of the four of those, uh, three out of the four of those are three out of five of, uh, Mary Woods. Ironically, I just, I didn’t know that until I was interviewing. Um, so I think that.
That was a big, uh, a big green flag for me. Um, it’s I mean, it’s a private Catholic school. I went to Catholic school my my entire life growing up. So I think there’s some, uh, moral and values and core values that are in line with that as well. And then really, that really doesn’t, you don’t have to be Catholic to just have faith.
Um, so I think that’s a big, big reason why. The academic programs are amazing. There’s over 80 undergrad, grad, and doctorate, [00:10:00] uh, degrees available. Um, and it’s a nice campus in a, in a residential neighborhood that, um, it’s growing. So even in my interview process, I was, I was told by my athletic director that there’s projects involved of like this summer they’re putting in.
About an 800 seat bleacher, um, structure with a press box at our soccer field. And there’s, there’s plans of adding a track and, um, another turf field. And I just think the trajectory of, of Marywood was really appealing to me.
Matt: Okay. Well. I know you haven’t had a season there yet, but uh, and you’re just getting to know your players, but you talked about the values of the school and the high academics, so what have you found that is there at the school that really helps those players navigate the challenges of being a student athlete and being successful in both, both areas?
Coach: I think there’s a lot of support, [00:11:00] whether it’s academic, whether it’s, it’s, uh, psychological, um, In the athletic department, empowerment such a such a crucial thing at this level, like giving giving the student athletes the ability to make decisions on their own, giving them some accountability and some ownership of things that we’re doing.
Um, I think instills some confidence in them to navigate. Whether it’s on the field, whether it’s in the classroom, whether it’s in real life, um, so I think they do a really good job at giving the tools to the student athletes that they need, um, throughout the semesters, but also after graduation. So I think that is one thing that when I heard it in the interview process, I was like, man, like, that’s, I’m all about that.
Like, yeah, wins are great. And competing is a lot of fun. But, um, I love building leaders and whatever they do afterwards, whether it’s relationships, family, work, um, their coaching of their players. So I think just building [00:12:00] leaders, leadership qualities is something that Mary Wood is very fond of.
Matt: Okay. Well, let’s fast forward to this fall season.
Um, what can players expect out of a typical week? Uh, you know, in terms of classes, practices, games, all that kind of stuff.
Coach: Yeah. I mean, it’s, you know, more than anybody you play here at every day that it’s just a rigorous grind when, when you’re in season and you’re in the middle of a semester, especially your first semester.
So, um, I think, but, but it’s structure, right? So like giving student athletes structure throughout the week. Um, even if they’re not in class, whether it’s preseason or the summer is so crucial. So I try to structure the summer as well. I try to give them a weekly daily schedule that they can abide to. Now it’s up to them.
It’s optional. So like we’ll see who who followed it and who’s consistent over the summer come [00:13:00] preseason. But, um, yeah, I mean, classes in the morning. I like to do team stuff in the afternoon practice whether if it’s practice, whether it’s, um, lifting study halls, uh, making sure that it’s consistent. Um, and it’s it’s.
Just stable throughout the week is is really important. I like to get these guys. I like to mr. Miyagi them So they realize how how much they’re improving without even knowing it. So It’s uh, yeah, it’s I can’t wait. It’s gonna be fun. It’s gonna be different than central Penn clearly those guys had a lot of freedom and Uh, flexibility here.
It’s more of a rigorous grind and some of those guys are coming with me, which is, it’s a lot of fun, but, um, yeah, I’m getting, I’m getting to know these guys and, and, and figuring out what’s going to suit them come fall.
Matt: Okay. Well, what about now in the spring? Uh, you do, you do, you do get a preseason with them.
So what’s that looking like? [00:14:00]
Coach: Um, are you talking about spring?
Matt: Yeah. Yeah.
Coach: Yeah. Um, we’re going to have a spring season. We’re going to have some spring training. I got to get my coaching staff, uh, on board. Um, and then we have some, we have a play date coming up with some neighboring schools. So, uh, that’s going to be.
A chance for me to just get acclimated with the guys, see who who stands out, see who needs work. Who’s who are the leaders? Um, that’s that’s gonna be because most other colleges college coaches are using that spring season as kind of like, All right, let’s get back into it. I’m just getting my feet wet with these guys.
So, um, that’s that’s a little unorthodox, but, um, Yeah, I mean, these guys are already grinding. They’re playing futsal twice a week. They’re in the weight room together. They’re running. Um, so I’ve been impressed with how they’ve handled this transition. And during the [00:15:00] vacancy, I think they’ve done a great job.
So, um, I’m trying to just build on that for the spring. Okay.
Matt: Well, you talked about, you know, building a staff. Have you got anybody on board yet? Are you still working on that? What do you foresee is your staff looking like?
Coach: Yeah. Uh, I was fortunate enough to get in touch with Anthracite FC is a club program up here.
Um, and they’ve been kind of helping me, giving me some advice about local. Coaches that could help. Um, I may have, uh, our assistant stay on board, um, from last year. Who’s who’s an alumni? Um, that could help just with building the relationships and but gonna need to, uh, I’m a big, big advocate for goalkeeping coaches.
I know they’re like a unicorn behind. It’s impossible. A good goalkeeping coach. But, um, yeah, I want to make sure that Whoever I bring in goes back to the core values and the lines with that, because now I’m trying, I’m trying to change a [00:16:00] culture, not build one, which is, I think, a lot harder to change it than build one.
So making sure that we’re, we’re on the same page and we’re navigating the waters together. And, um, yeah, it’s going to be, it’s interesting that. I had a great staff at Central Penn, and now I’m like, man, back to the drawing board. But, um, that’s also an exciting part, trying to find someone who you can work alongside to who you can be in the trenches with.
And, um, yeah, that’s gonna be interesting coming up.
Matt: Absolutely. Well, what about you, uh, in case folks hadn’t heard before, I’m guessing this part isn’t changed, but, uh, how do you describe kind of your coaching style and the style of play you wanna implement there?
Coach: Yeah, I, I, I’m, I’m, I’m a res reserved coach.
I mean, I know a lot of. Crazy coaches say that they’re reserved, but, um, I’m one of those guys that I like to, um, I like to evaluate, I like to let the guys make decisions on their own, um, but when it comes down to [00:17:00] it, uh, making sure that we all are confident in what we’re doing. I’m not a coach that says, Hey, listen, we’re going to play a 4 and that’s it.
You have no say in it. Um, and when this is the style of play we’re going to do, this is a pattern of play we’re going to play, we’re going to implement, um, I, I like to collaborate. Great. I like to talk to the guys. I ask questions a lot, um, just to make sure that they believe and they’re confident in what we’re doing, because I feel like if they’re not if they’re If they’re questioning things, then that’s when mistakes happen, or that’s when, uh, that’s when conflicts arises is when people aren’t believing in what we’re doing.
So I do a lot of individual meetings, I talk to guys, I ask the questions and making sure that we’re all on the same page. We have the same goals. In mind and we’re working towards those. Um, consistently. So, uh, I’m a in [00:18:00] training. I’m I make sure training is a lot harder than the games. So it just comes easy.
Um, so training, I’m a little bit more intense, but on the sideline, you won’t see me going nuts or getting after the refs or coming down on players. I make sure that we have those conversations and every player responds differently. So, and everybody, every player takes coaching a little differently. So I’m one of those guys that stands back and make sure that make sure that I’m getting it right.
Um, so, yeah, I feel like I’m a relationships coach over in X’s and O’s because I feel like if you don’t have those relationships, then the X’s and O’s are out the window. They gotta believe in what you’re doing and making sure that everybody’s in the trenches together, not throwing grenades at each other.
So, um, yeah, I mean, it’s, it’s, I’m relatively young, I like to say, so, uh, I could, I could get into the training sessions when I, when I’m flexible enough, [00:19:00] um, and not pulling anything. But. Um, yeah, I like, I like getting in the weight room with the guys. I like doing these things. I like going on the runs with them.
Um, it just builds relationships, I think. And that’s so important.
Matt: Yeah, absolutely. Well, coach, we wish you the best of luck in this new role. And, uh, gonna, gonna ask you to leave us with one piece of, of advice or, or information that Anybody going through this college recruiting process should know.
Coach: Um, man, I would say, if you’re good enough, they’ll find you.
But also, build relationships. Don’t be so transactional. Get to know your coaches, get to know the players, making sure that your boxes are being checked. And make sure it’s just a right, it’s a good fit. Uh, whether whatever level you’re interested in, um, just make sure that you’re going to be valued as much as we’re going to value you.
So, um, yeah, I mean, I [00:20:00] build relationships with coaches. I think that’s the most important. Don’t just be a transactional. Here’s a text. I’ve responded this text. Here’s an email. I’ve responded this email. Just get to know him. Um, And I think that’s, I think that’s the beauty of the process of the recruitment process.
Matt: Couldn’t agree more. Well, coach, really appreciate it. Uh, wish you the best of luck. And, uh, if you get to any of the events down here in Bradenton, give me a shout. All right.
Coach: I will. I appreciate it, Matt.
Matt: All right. Take care.
