St. Mary’s College Women’s Soccer – Coach Farkhod Kurbonov

On today’s episode, I speak with Coach Farkhod Kurbonov from the St. Mary’s College Women’s Program in Indiana. We talk about how he recruits players he sees as difference makers on the field. He describes the school’s relationship with Notre Dame and Holy Cross. Lastly, we discuss how he is building a player-oriented team that demands a lot from the squad. Learn more about St. Mary’s College Women’s Soccer.

[00:00:00] Matt: Hi, everybody. Welcome to discover college soccer today. I’m lucky enough to be joined by coach Farkhod Kurbonovfrom the St. Mary’s college coach. Welcome.
[00:00:11] Coach: Thanks for having me here.
[00:00:12] Matt: Appreciate it. Thank you. I mean, I know there’s a, it’s like, uh, between St Mary’s and Trinity, there’s probably like 15 of ’em, uh, you know, across the country, but you’re the one up there in Northern Indiana, near Notre Dame if I’m not mistaken.
[00:00:26] Coach: Yeah, Notre Dame is across the street. We are part of the. Tri-campus area. So it’s us Notre Dame and holy cross college.
[00:00:34] Matt: Yeah. Fantastic. Well, uh, I’ve, I’ve been up to Notre Dame once when I was a very, very little kid as, uh, but, uh, go gorgeous area. I, when I was coaching, yeah, I was, I was down south near Evansville, so I didn’t, I, I didn’t get up north fair very often, but, uh, but let’s talk a little bit, I mean, I know you’re new to the program there.
[00:00:51] It’s a nice division three program. Uh mm-hmm up there, but you know, Uh, with recruiting and you can even talk about some of your previous college experience, but mm-hmm ideally, when do you wanna start talking to players, you know, getting players on a list and really starting that recruitment process?
[00:01:08] Coach: Yeah, of course. So, um, obviously recruiting is the biggest part of the job and, uh, from my past, um, like junior college wise, when I was a junior college, it. It was a last minute thing every year. It’s, uh, there’s a lot of different factors compared to when you recruit in a four year school. Uh, here, we also were last minute, uh, recruiting here because I, I started the job end of March, beginning of April.
[00:01:38] That’s when we had our spring season. And, um, I was also like, Finalizing what the previous coach was recruiting. So I was talking to those recruits and, uh, get, get to know them, obviously. I don’t know none of them. So that was a, that was experience as well. And, uh, so far we bringing 11 freshmen this year in coming freshman.
[00:02:02] So, um, it was once again to last minute thing, which I’m not planning to do from now one, obviously. So we can have our. um, events that we want to go our own, uh, uh, coaches that we wanna talk and all as, as many as we can, right. All under the one 10. Uh, but recruiting wise, we usually, I usually prefer to start, uh, talking one day in their end of sophomore year, junior year.
[00:02:27] So that would be a good time, but, uh, I also got some emails. 2020 fives. And always I’m not gonna ignore him or, uh, or we will still be in touch, we’ll see in data. And I’ll, I’ll like to know how her career is going and just to be, just to be in touch. And, um, I even had 2026, so I was like, I, I don’t know what you want me to do with that but, uh, okay.
[00:02:52] Let’s uh, let’s, uh, see you in camps and all things like that. But I would say end of the sophomore year, beginning of junior year and obvious. There’s some seniors here and there, but, uh, that’s, that’s ideal time for us start recruiting and start getting to know each other and like kind of feel each other saying if you were a good fit for you, if you’re a good fit for us and making sure we check in all the boxes in that regard.
[00:03:15] Matt: Sure. Well, when, if, if a, if a player, whether it’s a, a 24, 25 or a 26 reaches out. Yeah. Uh, what, what do you like to see in that, that first communication from a
[00:03:24] Coach: recruit? Well, funny enough, first of all, put what year you’re graduating. That’s I, I had couple, uh, videos, a couple emails saying like I am, um, from this high school, from that club in all nice.
[00:03:36] Well, I, I don’t know. What year are you a junior college transfer or are you a, uh, sophomore, freshman, senior, or whatever? I would say be very, uh, detailed in your email saying like, that’s, this is me. That’s my high school that’s year of graduating. This is my GPA, which is pretty important for special, but D three schools.
[00:03:57] Cause we are very academically driven school and, um, and just be more detailed about, uh, here’s your schedule as well. And the highlights play a massive role as. So, and not just the highlight, cuz some of them feeling pressure, putting a perfect highlight from, um, which is nice. But if you have full game, send a full game, um, like little things like that goes a long way and obviously the email, right?
[00:04:23] How you put the email. Um, I, I had a lot of emails in past a lot of experiences with emails. Where they talking to me, like, I’m their buddy next? Hey, your coach. I was like, we don’t talk like it’s the first time me, uh, listening from me or make sure to do a quick research about the school. I was talking that story in last camp that I was, um, the recruit emailing me saying like, Hey, uh, my brother went to your school and he really enjoyed it.
[00:04:56] We are all female schools. Like, I, I don’t think it’s. That’s that’s true. Or my name is in different font and color and the rest of the email, just generic, which is fine. Like I know I’m not the first or last coach you’re emailing and vice versa. Right. And you’re not the first player I’m talking to, but at the same time, you want to have a little research about where you going or where you, uh, sounded like you wanna spend the next four years of your life.
[00:05:24] And, um, so I would say the little appropriate email in that regard is goes a long way and catches my attention.
[00:05:32] Matt: Yeah, absolutely. Well, when it comes to, you know, you, you, let’s say you get a few players that, that reach out and, and, you know, you’re, I’m sure you’re, you’re on the tournament trail, uh, watching games and things.
[00:05:44] So what are some of those tournaments that you specifically like to make sure you go to each year and places you like to see players? Um,
[00:05:52] Coach: We have a grand park, which is in Westfield, Indiana. Yeah. It’s it’s massive. I dunno if you’ve been there before or not. It’s a massive place facility.
[00:06:02] Matt: Yeah. I’ve heard, I’ve heard lots about it.
[00:06:03] It didn’t exist when I was recruiting in,
[00:06:05] Coach: in Indiana, but, uh, they they’re relatively new. Cause when I played 2010-2014, so I don’t, I don’t think it was there when I was playing here. But, uh, again, it’s, it’s amazing facility to recruit. We have the, uh, state tournaments there every. We have the Memorial tournaments there.
[00:06:22] We have all bunch of, uh, little tournaments, but they, um, they have big clubs down south, which is indie premieres and junior Irish. And I’m sorry, junior year, um, um, all the indie teams from there. Yeah. And they throw pretty big showcases. So I’ll make sure to go to those tournaments. Obviously starting this year, we’ll start going to the, uh, high school games here.
[00:06:46] Um, cuz we have a lot of quality high school teams here in the area as well in grander and Mishawaka and uh, south bend and four twin areas and so on and so forth. And obviously Michigan is not that far. We are about five minutes away from Michigan. It’s like Niles, Michigan is right in the corner and uh, we’ll try to go there, but um, yeah, those are tournaments mostly.
[00:07:08] I would. But, uh, again, it’s in this time of the age, like it’s internet is helps a lot. Yeah. Obviously I go to see girls from California who wanna come here, so highlights and full games and little things like that. That’s what, that’s what we’re doing right now, especially for our team. Cuz we, we are, we have a lot of out of girls and uh, just this year we bring girls from Texas and from California and from uh, east coast and so on and so forth.
[00:07:37] Emails go a long way. Going back to the, our first question. Yeah.
[00:07:41] Matt: So what about camps? How do those fit in? Do you guys do your own, do you or your staff work, other camps? Is that, or is that gonna become a, a bigger piece of your puzzle?
[00:07:50] Coach: Yeah, I came pretty last minute said in April. So by that time, the camps should be already out there and advertised and, uh, registration, but fortunately it was not a case in this place for right now, cuz every year they had a cam, but this year we did head.
[00:08:05] Next year, we’re planning to have one in the summer. It’s, um, we haven’t finalized on dates and on other details yet, but it will be one, uh, myself. I, I try to do a lot of camps with the different schools where, um, can work with the high school kids with the, with clubs and so on and so forth to, um, it’s a little bit of self exposure as well, but in the school of, uh, telling him about St.
[00:08:30] Mary. Um, so like earlier I was at, uh, Anderson university camp, which, which is great camp and great campus and everything. I had a great time get to know other coaches obviously, and promote your school and your program there as well. And there was a lot of, uh, quality high schools there as well. But, uh, from camps do, uh, Notre Dame camp, which is across the street, uh, holy cross college, which usually throws a, uh, quality camps for, uh, for ID camps and youth camps.
[00:09:00] We’ll see for next year we have some plans, but as I said, it’s not fully confirmed yet. Um, but yeah, we are planning for one for next year for sure.
[00:09:07] Matt: Okay. How much, uh, you know, you mentioned film, you know, obviously being important, especially without state players and maybe you don’t get to see, are you talking to club coaches a lot and how much does their impact or your network of coaches really help impact your, your recruiting?
[00:09:24] Coach: Uh, yeah. The putting the information of your club, coach, and high school coach that plays a, that plays a pretty significant role. I would say more towards, um, I would say end of the, uh, conversation with the player, because I want to talk to the high school coach, see how she did throughout the whole time.
[00:09:45] Cause I, I only seen what she’s doing on the field and I wanna see what’s what’s going on off the field. Her like attitude, what type of student she is? Is she coachable like little things like that. So for me as a coach, um, I’m, again, doesn’t matter what level I’m coaching at. I’m trying not to put just 11 best players on the field, but like combination of best players that, um, will stand for what we stand here as a program, as a school and as a, as a program in general.
[00:10:15] So, um, it, it plays a big role, but, uh, uh, going back to your. Question. Yeah, I, uh, I do talk to the coaches and maybe there’s someone I missed. Uh, he can, or she can, uh, bring it back because showcases are great to go there, but I always felt, um, just not poking in the eye, uh, at the sky, but, uh, it’s, we’re trying to see four or five games a day.
[00:10:43] And there’s hundreds of kids and I, I just cannot watch every single one of ’em individual, as much as they deserve, you know, like maybe that day of that minute, that kid did not perform well. And all of a sudden in our books, she’s not a good player, which is wrong. Um, so that’s when, uh, communication with a coaches came handy because he can, or she can.
[00:11:06] Tell us a little bit more like what’s our strength, what’s our big weaknesses. Uh, what I saw in my notes, do they match what he has in his notes or, uh, and so on and so forth. So yeah, I would say it’s, uh, it’s a very important for, to build that relationship with the coaches. That’s what, um, I’m trying to do right now here with our local high school coaches with a club coaches.
[00:11:27] And, um, several of ’em asked me to come to run a session with their girls during the summer or something like that. So I’m always open to. So the kids can see, um, kids. Well, some of ’em taller than I am and I’m, um, uh, they, uh, they wanna see the different type of coaching, the different type of language, the different type of, um, just philosophy in, in coaching in general.
[00:11:53] So again, I’m always, always, uh, down for that and I’m happy to do that. So, yeah. Building relationship with the coaches club coaches and the high school coaches is very, I.
[00:12:02] Matt: Okay. Well, you mentioned it a little bit in terms of, you know, what, you’re, what you’re jotting down on the sidelines. And when you’re looking for players, what, what is that hierarchy of, of attributes that you’re really looking for?
[00:12:14] Whether it’s on the field or off the field stuff, what makes a, a player that you want to sign for, for your college?
[00:12:20] Coach: Well, obviously on the field, there’s so much we can see. So, um, I would say a little bit of everything to go into. Deep details. Like how’s her first touch, right? How she sees the field, how, excuse me, how she, um, talks to her teammates or if she walk, if she’s not vocal, if, and uh, so on and so forth.
[00:12:41] But for me, the, the biggest one is being a difference maker on the field. And, uh, if she, if she gets, when she gets the ball, if something’s happening there and it’s not, not necessarily something crazy and fancy. Right. But, uh, if you’re center back, how, like how you handle this step in the back with another center next to you, or, uh, your communication with a keeper or communication with a coach and coach when trying to change something, are you working with your coach towards that?
[00:13:13] But technicality wise, obviously, uh, as I said, first touch, um, the, how you both feed and, uh, accuracy of passes, playing simple when it’s needed to be. And, uh, little things like that. Uh, for me also nonverbal the communications and, um, I can bring examples. Uh, I was. I don’t remember which college was it, but I was, uh, watching a junior college game when I was recruiting for our school.
[00:13:43] And, uh, the kid was fantastic. It was, I don’t remember where he was from, but it was, it was fantastic. Great. Uh, uh, athletic mobility was on point. His first touch was everything and I was, I was assistant coach cause I was calling our coach. Hey, get the scholarship ready? Right. We have a player. And then the kid scores the golden last minute and then runs through the crowd and start cussing, cussing out someone on a, on a crowd, cuz something was going on there.
[00:14:10] I was like, oh, okay. Hothead. Like we, I don’t think we need that. And just like that kids lost the scholarship, like little things like that. Or when coach would say something, look back and just like going back at the coach, it’s just. I don’t think they realize there’s other people are watching and there’s like a career changing moments gonna happen there.
[00:14:30] But, uh, I, I look at that as well. How they, um, again, can be all aggressive. You want on the field, but there’s boundaries as well, right? Yeah. Um, but not nonverbals is a big one for me. It’s um, when technicality wise, when you press as a team and you are the only one who’s not pressing and you’re not doing your work, then there’s a holes in your game.
[00:14:50] And then there’s a holes. In your press. So little things like that, cause of that, the whole press gonna be useless, for example. So I would say on, on the ball and obviously off the as well. Sure.
[00:15:02] Matt: Well, let’s talk a little bit about the, the more about the school itself. Um, you know, Parents are always curious about what that, uh, what that college education’s gonna do with their pocketbook.
[00:15:15] Um, so, you know, being division three and not having athletic money, what is the overall, you know, I’m not holding you to dollars and cents here mm-hmm but gimme a, a picture of the overall financial aid, academic scholarship. You know, tuition picture at, at St. Mary’s. Yeah. What what’s that look like for
[00:15:34] Coach: somebody?
[00:15:35] Um, obviously for someone who doesn’t know much about the divisions at division three, we cannot offer athletic scholarships, um, which is good and bad in a way bad. And obviously we cannot track certain recruits, but in a good way, I don’t have a headache of splitting up the scholarship budget and competing with schools who have way more scholarship budgets, things like that.
[00:15:58] So that. That’s a across and cons there, but, um, we, we do offer a lot of academic scholarships. So that’s one thing that’s good with, uh, majority of division three schools, the academic scholarship there. They’re fantastic. And they start from, uh, pretty high and goes all the way. Almost covering almost tuition.
[00:16:19] Right. Uh, we do have need. We do have a lot of, uh, clubs that can, uh, contribute towards tuition. For example, we have ROTC, which is at, uh, Notre Dame, so they can, uh, involve in that we have some girls on the team who’s involved on that. And, um, there’s, uh, other again, academic ones that I don’t even know.
[00:16:40] There’s, there’s a lot of ’em and. I, uh, you can go to the website. yeah, it’s all, it’s all out there, but me being relatively new to the school, I’m not familiar with all of the scholarships, but there are a lot of them. There’s lots and lots
[00:16:53] Matt: of them. Well, it’s funny you, you mentioned the website and perfectly into my next question as is.
[00:16:58] So obviously, you know, when, hopefully when people are doing their research, they’re going to the school’s website and learning all they can. But so as someone who’s brand new to the school, you know, what are some of those awesome things that you found so far about St. Mary’s that maybe I won’t find on the website?
[00:17:14] Coach: um, academically we have.
[00:17:19] Some programs that are connected with Notre Dame. So that’s, that was the, that was a very, very cool thing that I, that I didn’t know about. Uh, for example, engineering, we have a program that is four plus one program where you go for four years at St. Mary’s and then by your junior and senior year, you’ll be, uh, meshed with some of the classes at Notre Dame.
[00:17:41] So you’ll take two or three classes. By your junior year, you’ll take half and half your senior year. And by your fifth year, you’ll be fully in Notre Dame student. And when you graduate, you’ll get, send Mary diploma and you’re gonna get Notre Dame diploma. So that’s just, that’s. That’s awesome. And we have a lot of interest in that program.
[00:18:00] Um, major wise, we offer a lot of majors here for undergrad and, uh, we have obviously have a grad school here as well, which is, um, such expanding, I would say for, um, For a small school that we are, we actually have a lot of majors. And we, again, going ahead on myself a little bit, the campus itself, we only have 1500 students, I believe, plus minus, and the campus is massive and it’s absolutely gorgeous campus here.
[00:18:28] And obviously I’m previewing from Midwest. You can appreciate the false here and Springs here. They’re just absolutely gorgeous. And, uh, once again, I’m being part of the tri. Campus is, um, being a St Mary student, you can go to holy cross, all Notre Dame and use their facilities as you are their, their, uh, their student.
[00:18:52] So, and they can come obviously to us and use our facilities and so on and so forth. So. You have a small school, you can be part of a small school, but have the opportunity to enjoy like a big, uh, university life here as well. And obviously when lore Dame plays this place, perhaps completely the city and, uh, yeah,
[00:19:14] Matt: no, that sounds awesome.
[00:19:15] Well, you know, you mentioned the academics and, and things and, and. You again, you may not know all this at this point, but you know, with your team and, and that sort of thing, how do you make sure that the student athletes are able to balance the athletic part with the academic part?
[00:19:33] Coach: I, again, I see I’m pretty new here, but so far for what I’m seeing, I don’t think they need my assistance to do anything that, um, they’ve been.
[00:19:46] Think every year, almost team academic awards for, uh, coaches United. Yeah. They, every year we get this, uh, certificate. So this year the team GPA was 3.5 and, uh, last year I’m pretty sure it was, uh, very, very similar. So every year, uh, GPA was, I don’t have to worry about. And, um, obviously they do their study hall hours, which I, I don’t control.
[00:20:11] They just get together and it’s a team thing. They all, uh, they all come to the athletics and they have, uh, uh, meeting rooms here and they do their homeworks. And, uh, again, academic wise, uh, we, we are pretty strong. We, we are very, very strong and, um, all the girls who are on the. They, they, they know what they want to get from, from this school, put it, this one, they, they know what they wanna get.
[00:20:35] They want what it would be after the college as well. So maturity wise, academic wise, responsibility wise. I’m, I’m very, very, very impressed with, uh, with the school, with a class that’s coming in and the class that we’ll already have. Okay,
[00:20:50] Matt: well, you and I were talking just before we got on you guys are getting ready to start, uh, here in a couple weeks with the players reporting.
[00:20:56] So can you give me an idea of what a typical week is gonna look like in the fall for your team in terms of when’s practice, winter kids making up and going to class and what game days and how, how you’re, how the season’s just gonna look from a, from a regular week perspective?
[00:21:12] Coach: Absolutely. So, um, it, it all depends where we are in season.
[00:21:16] Obviously the pre-season portion of the week would be a little bit different compared to when we’re dead in the middle of the season. Sure. So, um, I would say in the middle of season, what we are planning to do is, uh, obviously I get all of their schedules, so the classes where, where they are. And, uh, uh, for example, in the spring I had their schedule and their classes were all over the, during the day.
[00:21:41] And, uh, we have lights in our, uh, in our soccer field. So we practiced seven 30. Uh, and I, I don’t see why not to do that during the fall as well. Cause again, we have lights, we have beautiful indoor facilities and, um, we can accommodate at any weather and, um, yeah, it’s, it’s all depends how their how’s their classes scheduled again as being academically driven school.
[00:22:07] But. And, uh, obviously what we do during the week, right? If we have two or three games, which is crazy to play three games a week, uh, but if we have it, which is possible, um, there’s gonna be a lot of film sessions, a lot of recoveries, a lot of yoga sessions, uh, just there’s no time to actually have a full session.
[00:22:30] and without disturbing your prioritization for that week, cuz we have a game after game after game and it’s just absolute crazy, especially with D three schedule. Um, but yeah, so that’s, that’s what we’re planning to do for right now. A lot of, a lot of film sessions, a lot of recovery, uh, yoga sessions and just a lot of S and as well.
[00:22:51] Okay.
[00:22:54] Matt: In terms of, you know, the team and, and that sort of thing. Is there a, I know it’s this, year’s probably gonna be a little different, but is there a specific roster size moving forward that you’re looking to hit every year?
[00:23:04] Coach: Yeah, absolutely. Um, we, we don’t have a JV team here, so it’s, uh, it’s only varsity.
[00:23:11] Um, again, ideally I don’t want to go past 20. and I, I have at least 24, so somewhere between 24 and 28. And that includes, uh, uh, the goalkeepers, I would say. Um, again, we going for qu, uh, quality right here and at the quantity where, uh, in the schools that I was in past, uh, the JV thing was, uh, uh, implementer as well that I got, have a JV team and, uh, the certain roster size here, we don’t have.
[00:23:47] But me as a coach, would I, um, to have a, a scrimmage inner squad scrimmage during the, during the week that we don’t have a game or having small sided games or have a full session? That’s I think the numbers that, uh, that’s ideal for me and for my coaching stuff, what we are planning to do, and obviously injuries happen with our crazy schedules, uh, injuries happens and that’s, I think that’s optimal size for.
[00:24:16] Matt: Okay. In terms of, uh, and, and again, hopefully this is, it’s not too early to ask this, but yeah. Have they, uh, what about your staff or, you know, are, do you have a staff at this point, are there other support staff in the athletic department that help out whether that’s trainers, strength and condition coaching, anything like that?
[00:24:33] What’s the staff look like?
[00:24:35] Coach: Absolutely. So, um, yeah, we have a, our athletic trainer. Who’s obviously full time and we have a, a beautiful athletic training room here. And, um, we have a person at the athletic school, helps them with their academics and, um, and there’s some professors who, uh, who wanted to volunteer with certain teams.
[00:24:57] So every team has a, uh, someone from, um, academics so they can help them with that. Uh, soccer wise, obviously it’s me and I have assistant I’ll have one assistant for right now. And, uh, we are planning to. Another one or another two for staff. So it’s, again, it’s all depends on who’s available, obviously. So again, we go in for quality and not quantity where you have seven people in your coaching staff, and they’re all just sitting, doing the practicing, doing nothing.
[00:25:28] So I trying to avoid that part. So trying to utilize my assistant and, uh, hope, hope, hopefully for the, for the next one as well. So that helps with the recruiting. um, obviously we break down the films and coaching and day to day operations.
[00:25:43] Matt: Yeah, for sure. Well, how would you describe your style of coaching and the style of play that you’re hoping to, to implement this season?
[00:25:49] Coach: Um, I would say very, very physical, very, very physical demanding. So every time we, uh, implement to players that, uh, endurance and fitness and strength and conditioning and all that, uh, is a very, very, very important and. A lot of, a lot of teamwork, I would say. And, um, very organized in, uh, both defensive and offensive.
[00:26:17] And, uh, but I would say just, uh, physicality plays a big role. It’s not just physicality from a way you gotta be, uh, Certain height and certain like physical attributes and all that stuff. It’s just the, the mentality of it. That’s when we, for example, again, when we press, we press together or, you know, what you doing when you’re pressing and you don’t wanna be that hole in a, or gap in a, in a line or waves of pressing that, um, that we’re trying to do and then will become useless.
[00:26:45] Um, I would say very, very player oriented as well. So I would like to have that conversation with the players and, um, If there’s something, they have some questions or they have some, uh, concerns or whatever, so they can, uh, feel free to come and talk to me, actu uh, as well. So I don’t see that, um, that be a barrier between them.
[00:27:08] So there’s a team and there’s a coaching stuff. Um, Yeah.
[00:27:12] Matt: Okay. Well, you know, we we’ve, we’ve covered a lot of ground, talked about a lot of different things and I always like to end these the same way, which is, uh, what didn’t we talk about? What else is there that you want players, parents, PE, anybody to know about the school, the program, or anything else about the recruiting or college soccer?
[00:27:30] Now’s the time and the floor is yours.
[00:27:33] Coach: Yeah, absolutely. It just, uh, be. as a recruit. I there’s a lot of, again, high school players. I work with a lot of youth players and so on and so forth. And, uh, obviously a lot of them want to go to as bigger schools as possible, which is great, which is awesome. But don’t just limit yourself to certain conference or division or, uh, what I’ve started programs.
[00:27:57] Right. So make sure you ask yourself. Yeah, they want me, but the same time do I want them as well? So it should be a good match of, yes. I see myself playing there for next four years or two years if it’s a junior college. Right. Um, but as a school here, as soon as someone comes to the campus and see the campus, see the people, which was actually one of the main reasons I, uh, I accept the offer from here and not the other schools and just the people who work.
[00:28:27] The, just the culture of the St. Marys that they are just, they’re proud to be send Mary students, even though we have Notre Dame bread next to we embrace Notre Dame. We would love Notre Dame here, but at the end of the day, we are send Mary students and the girls are just proud of it. And we have very, very, uh, A big alumni group from our, uh, soccer and just in general from athletics and to see all of them doing some unbelievable stuff out there and they are, um, St Mary’s alumni.
[00:28:59] So when I share that with the parents and with the girls who are finishing their high school, it’s like, sky’s the limit. Right? You can do everything you want, but, uh, you gotta make sure that next four years that you’re gonna spend somewhere it’s. It’s you, you’re getting closer to your goal, whatever your goal is, right?
[00:29:16] Yeah. But, uh, campus wise, again, it’s beautiful campus. When I bring the family or the recruits to the campus, I, I don’t have to sell it. which it’s a, I it’s a bad war to sell something. Right. I’m not a salesman to sell the school, but they just see that how close the people are, how when we go to. Have a lunch with a family.
[00:29:37] We have about 20 people every time around us, uh, coming saying hi and saying like, Hey, I’m a, I’m a softball player. I’m a, a soccer player, you know, so on, they all wanna come and say hi and just see who’s who’s the next who’s coming in. And so on. So forth. So little things like that speaks volume swimming and, um, but again, beautiful area.
[00:29:56] Notre Dame across the street. You can go to a football game and they’re massive. and, uh, Chicago is not that far. It’s about hour and a half hour 45 Indianapolis, about two hours and lake Michigan is very close and that’s beautiful. So you can get little bit of everything while you can be in your own globe.
[00:30:16] Camps as well.
[00:30:18] Matt: Oh, that’s great. Well, coach, I wish you the best of luck in this first season. Hopefully you, uh, take it to ’em and, and have a great successful one. And if you ever make it down to Florida for any recruiting, gimme a shout. And, uh, absolutely. We’ll we’ll, we’ll show you round down here, but, uh, best of luck and thanks for the time, coach.
[00:30:34] Coach: Thank you very much. Appreciate it.