St. Mary’s College (MD) Women’s Soccer – Coach Peter Krech

On today’s episode, I speak with Coach Peter from the St. Mary’s Women’s Program in Maryland. We talk about the benefits of coming to campus during the recruiting process. He describes how when recruiting, he looks for great people and teammates. Lastly, we discuss their roster size and how he makes sure he has enough to protect the team from injuries. Learn more about St. Mary’s College Women’s Soccer.

Matt: [00:00:00] Hi everybody. Welcome to discover college soccer today. I’m lucky enough to be joined by coach Peter from St. Mary’s college of Maryland. Welcome coach.

Coach: Thank you very much. Appreciate you having me.

Matt: Yeah. Thanks for being here. I many, many moons ago played, uh, played a couple of games. It’s at the old St.

Mary’s college fields. And, uh, I was just telling you my, my last college game was hosting St. Mary’s where we outshot, I outshot. 40 to four and somehow lost one, nothing, you know, one of those games. So anyway, I won’t hold it against you. You’re on the women’s side. So, uh, no hard feelings there, but, uh, and you’re, and you’re, and you’re quite a few years younger than me anyway.

So, so we won’t have to worry about that, but we’re talking here in February. Um, it’s kind of the height of the college showcase season. So. You know, what kind of tournaments have you been going to? Where have you been spending your time? Kind of what’s your focus? Are you locking up the 24 class? Are you already moved on to 25s?

What does that look like for you guys? 

Coach: Yeah. So, uh, overall we were pretty, uh, much wrapped up with our 2024s, um, having one or two little conversations with a possible transfer or somebody else. But, uh, not really looking for additional numbers, pretty happy with our roster depth, positional depth, all those kinds of things.

So, um. Might see one or two more additions in that class, but for the most part, we’ve kind of recently shifted gears to fully focus on the 2025s. Uh, we don’t have any 2025s committed yet, although [00:01:30] we’ve had some good conversations with a number of, uh, players over the last several months, and, uh, we’ll hopefully be looking to get some more people on campus over the next, uh, couple months of the spring semester here, uh, offer a few spots out, um, this spring, and then continue that process into the summer, into the fall.

And look to try to have that class wrapped up by the end of the calendar year. Um, certainly while we’re focusing on them, we’re also looking at the 2026 players a little bit. I know there’s a lot of teams that have both, you know, players that are two different graduation years. So, um, you know, if we’re watching a game, there’s 2025s, but there’s 2026s as well.

We’ll certainly make a note and reach out to them. Um, although our main focus is really kind of junior year. Um, that’s really the sweet spot for us. I know some programs are a little bit ahead, some programs a little behind. Um, junior years is our sweet spot. So I know in the fall we went to the, the, the showcase in Maryland, uh, with us being a Maryland state school.

Um, typically we go down to castle, the NCFC showcase in Raleigh. I didn’t end up going down this year for a few factors. Um, some of it is just the way that they’ve started to use different fields and just scheduling conflicts and different things. But, um, recently was at the Maryland United showcase. Two weekends ago, the features showcase weekend, the week before that, um, I will be at the Loudon showcase here, uh, March 1st, 2nd, [00:03:00] 3rd, that weekend.

And then the big one that’s coming up will be Jefferson Cup, uh, mid March. So there’ll be a few other things, uh, Memorial Day events and things. Um, and then we also hit club games and practices and those kinds of things in addition to the actual showcases and tournaments. 

Matt: Okay. Yeah. A lot of, a lot of coverage there.

A lot of places you got to be one of the other things. It seems to have, uh, have really become a big part of a lot of schools recruiting our ID camp. So do you guys host your own ID camp? So your staff work other ID camps? Are they, are they a part of your recruiting mix? 

Coach: So a little bit of both. Um, certainly, uh, we, we have run them here on campus.

We ran one in October. Uh, we don’t have one set as of right now for the spring. Um, so realistically, if we do add one, uh, it will be sometime in the summer. And we will probably plan to do our fall one again as well. So, um, I would say worst case scenario, something in the fall, uh, with possibly something in the summer as well, but no, no summer dates or anything set as of now.

Uh, we do work other ID clinics when we’re invited in, whether it’s at other schools or just other. Uh, groups that run, uh, ID clinics. I’m supposed to be at the Coppermine ID clinic in a couple, uh, weeks. Um, worked a, um, kind of an academic, um, collegiate scholar soccer camp, um, a couple of weekends ago, uh, that’s put on by the head coach at Dickinson.

[00:04:30] Um, so a couple of others that just, uh, again, when people reach out, uh, usually we will, if, uh, we are able to come out, we will try to support those events. So combination of what you said, our own ID clinics, working others. And then, you know, it’s part of the process. It’s not a requirement for somebody to be recruited here that they go through an ID clinic.

Um, I think typically, um, the ideal scenario, we get to see players play a couple of times with their club team in an environment where they’re more comfortable, they understand their teammates and system and shape and all of those kinds of things. Um, in addition to that, we’d like to get to work with them individually at an ID clinic.

Just be able to see them in their training environment. Um, be able to interact with them a little bit more directly, uh, find out, are they coachable? How do they pick up information and implement information? Um, and I always tell the recruits that, you know, the ID clinics are also an opportunity for them to assess us.

Um, it’s not only us coming in and are you coming into our program and being able to go through an evaluation or assessment, but it’s, you know, the recruits opportunity to get to know the coaches, the players, um, the activities that we’re doing in training, the way that we speak to players, the topics and, um, tactical things that we’re highlighting.

Um, opportunity to see the campus and the fields and the facilities. So, um, you know, that extra benefit of not only us getting to work with the student athlete, but the student athlete getting that extra [00:06:00] experience on our campus, um, assuming it’s one at St. Mary’s, but. Um, and then the third piece of it would just be making sure that we get those, uh, interested student athletes to visit campus.

Um, you know, most schools, what you see on a website or pictures, um, being able to see it live is going to give you a little bit of a different feel. St. Mary’s is certainly one of those places where we are on the water, um, the sunsets here are phenomenal when you catch them on the right. Right evening, right time.

Um, and it’s a really, really beautiful place. So we always say if we can get a recruit to come down and visit, then we have a chance. Because the campus will sell itself. Um, students will either connect with it or they won’t. And obviously if they don’t, that’ll be a little disappointing, but I’m very big on making sure students find the right fit for them.

And it doesn’t matter how much I might want a player, rate a player, if St. Mary’s is not the right fit for them, then I will be the first one to tell them don’t come to St. Mary’s and pursue something else. Um, but. If you get them on campus, um, a lot of times the reaction is, wow, I didn’t know this was down here.

Um, this was a lot bigger than I thought it was going to be. It was a lot just better of an experience than I was expecting, anticipating, um, because we are a little bit geographically, uh, landlocked. We’re not super close to a major city. We’re about 90 minutes south of D. C. Um, hour 45 minutes from Baltimore, two hours from Richmond, Virginia, those [00:07:30] type of, uh, you know, bigger cities there.

So, um, and we’re a smaller school, only about 1600 students or so. So I think people just assume that we’re this tiny place in the middle of nowhere. Um, and really the reality is a little bit different. So, um, but yeah, it’s definitely a kind of a holistic approach to recruiting, not limited to one. One event, one, um, opportunity to, you know, work with a player, talk to a player, those kinds of things.

Matt: Makes a lot of sense. And I can attest it is a, it is a gorgeous, uh, part of Maryland. That’s for sure. Um, well, in terms of. Actually deciding what players you want on your team, whether it’s at an event at a camp or a tournament, whatever the case may be, what are those things you’re looking for in a player, whether they’re on the field attributes or off the field stuff?

Coach: So I think that’s a great question. And I think it’s a, um, unfortunately, there’s a lot of pieces to it. Um, you’re not looking for just, you know, a couple things you’re looking for really the whole package as well as how does that player everything that they can offer and bring to the table. How does that fit in with everything else that you have?

Um, it’s like putting a puzzle together and making sure that you have the right pieces and, uh, the pieces compliment each other and work well together and all of that, but, um, purely from a soccer perspective, I always say we’re looking at four main general categories, you know, technical, tactical, uh, psychological and kind of physical.

So physical is, [00:09:00] um, you know, things related to speed, acceleration, um, just general endurance, strength, vertical, um, those type of physical qualities. Um, from the psychological, we’re looking at, you know, what is your attitude like? Are you a good teammate? Are you positive? What’s your communication like? Are you coachable?

How do you deal with adversity? How do you deal with setbacks? Um, technical ability. Your ability to drive a ball, chip a ball, curl a ball, uh, ability to use both feet, uh, shooting and finishing with different, uh, techniques, uh, heading, which is a big, uh, skill set that I think has been lost, especially in the girls game, um, now that we’re not even allowed to head the ball when we’re younger.

Um, I just think it’s a skill that’s kind of not being, uh, trained as much. And, uh, at older ages, we’ve kind of lost that skill set. So somebody that is dominant in the air stands out very quickly. Um, but your individual defending is a technical, um, aspect to that. So, and then you’re tactical, so it’s your understanding of formations, uh, ability to be versatile and play in different positions.

Um, can you be somebody that can play as a forward and a two front and a 4, 4, 2, can you play as a single forward and a 4, 5, 1? Uh, can you play in a free, uh, three front in a four, three, three and understand, uh, roles, um, responsibilities when you’re central, when you’re wide, how you interchange, um, you know, [00:10:30] I think versatility is a great asset because it gives us as a coach and program more opportunities to utilize a player.

And it gives that player more opportunity to be able to challenge for time on the field. Hey, I come into the program. You’ve got an all conference. You know, center forward. That’s a junior senior. Um, and I can either wait my time till they graduate in a year or two, or you know what coach I can play as an outside back, right?

I can play as an attacking midfielder. Um, give me an opportunity that I can, you know, make an impact in other areas. So, um, that’s kind of the general, general categories we look at. And at this level, we’re not bringing in national team players. There’s no perfect player here. So we’re looking at the combination of those four categories.

So an example could be a player. That’s maybe not as athletic, um, a little bit slower. Maybe they don’t have the size or the physical qualities there. Um, but maybe they make up with lack of physical speed with, uh, mental speed, speed of thought, being able to read the game, make decisions quicker than the average player.

Maybe they’re just superior from a technical standpoint. So they’re not going to beat you by running by you, but they’re going to beat you on the dribble. They’re going to be able to protect the ball, right? Keep the ball and then find the pass that opens up space or creates an opportunity. Um, You know, maybe you’re an average athlete and average technical player, but you’re the hardest working player on the team, right?

You set the tone in practice, you bring, uh, [00:12:00] everybody up around you and you’re the, the energy for the team. And maybe that’s where you kind of, you know, add something a little bit more. So, um, it’s about the balance and, and the, the overall kind of package that you can bring if you’re lacking in one area, no problem.

But what do you bring in other areas to kind of compensate for it? Um, the soccer piece, believe it or not, is, uh, is only a part of what we look at, you know, St. Mary’s College is an honors college. So every single student here is an honor student. Um, and so there’s a little bit of a kind of expectation from professors and, um, with classes that you come ready to go.

You come prepared. You’ve done the readings. You come ready to participate and be engaged. So we’re looking for students that can handle the academic rigor. Uh, we’re looking for students that are going to be. Open minded stepping into a new environment that are going to look to challenge themselves in the classroom, be engaged in learning and discussions and lab work and, and those kind of things.

And then what I say all the time, we’re looking for good soccer players and we’re looking for good students, but we’re looking for great people. We want people with great character. We want great teammates. Um, we want to enjoy the experience together. The experience is a year long experience. It’s not just when you’re in season.

Um, and if we’re going to spend this much time together and invest in each other, um, you know, we want to enjoy each other. So I always say we don’t need to be best friends with 25, you [00:13:30] know, other people. Um, that may not always be realistic, but we need to respect each other. Understand that we have the same common goals, but both individually, a lot of times, as well as collectively, um, we need to support each other.

Um, and I always look at my teams as more of a family and anybody that has siblings, you may love your siblings. That doesn’t mean that you don’t get into it with each other, fight with each other, argue with each other, wind each other up at times. Um, but it’s the mentality that, you know, I can. Click on my little brother and sister, but nobody else can type mentality.

So, um, I can get on my, my, you know, teammate, my friend and my sister here, but when they need help, when they’re struggling, I’m going to be the first person to be there for them to support them. Um, you know, we talk a lot about relationships and the foundation of relationships is communication and, um, that it’s doesn’t just magically happen.

When you talk about culture and you talk about, you know, positive relationships, uh, most of the time they don’t just naturally kind of click in the place. It takes work. It takes effort. Um, and so we’ve talked to the players a lot over the years about. The importance of investing in themselves and investing in each other.

And when I talk to our captains or even potential players that are maybe interested in running to be a captain, you say, look, it’s not about sending out the schedule and, you know, being the main voice at pickup, right? Those can be elements of being a captain and a leader, but you should really be investing in your teammates and getting to know them better and [00:15:00] understanding their.

Frustrations, their, uh, anxieties, and then how can you help those individuals through those challenges to now develop that level of trust, that level of respect, um, where now that player will run through a brick wall for you because they know you care about them and you’ve put in that time and effort.

So, you know, we’re looking to bring in people who we feel like can be good team, teammates, good members of our program. Um, off the field and division three level. Unfortunately, we don’t get to play your route. You know, we don’t get five spring games like the division ones and twos. Um, get, so a lot of our time becomes optional and voluntary in terms of off season workouts and lifts and those kinds of things.

So we want people who, you know, like the grind and understand that to get better. It takes that individual effort and commitment beyond just what you do in practices and the required mandatory team stuff. So we’re looking for players to understand that and don’t view that as a punishment or a consequence.

It’s just a, you know, necessity to be able to improve and be able to give your best individually and ultimately. Uh, hopefully collectively overall. So, um, sure. There’s some other things in there, but that’s a lot of, uh, stuff for you. 

Matt: So, yeah, for sure. Great insights. Well, let’s shift gears, talk a little bit more about the school.

You know, folks may not be familiar with it. You mentioned the location and, and the gorgeous sunsets and that kind [00:16:30] of thing, but, but kind of what else makes St. Mary’s college special? Some things maybe we wouldn’t know just by going through the website.

Coach: Sure. So. For anybody that doesn’t know much about me, I’m finishing up my 10th year here at the college as the head women’s soccer coach.

Um, prior to that, I was a student athlete here. So I played my four years on the men’s program. I actually graduated in three and a half years, um, and was able to join the coaching staff in the spring of what would have been my senior year, um, on the men’s side. So I was an assistant coach on the men’s side for three and a half years or so.

I was also in charge of recruiting. Um, and so. You put it my three and a half years as a student athlete, three and a half years as a men’s assistant and my 10 years as a woman’s head coach. And I’ve been here for almost 17 years now. So admittedly a little bit biased possibly, but I can genuinely say that, you know, this is home for me.

This is a place that I’ve, um, you know, really, really. Had some amazing experiences with both as a student athlete as well as a coach. Um, I feel supported here and, um, you know, the, the overall group on campus, what’s kept me here for so long, it’s the people, it’s the community. St. Mary’s and I don’t know how to describe it fully.

It’s something you almost have to experience, but we’re very eclectic. We have a little bit of everything. We have a saying called keep St. Mary’s weird, which I love. We have anything from, you know, the [00:18:00] normal, what you would think of, you know, sports and athletics and, you know, those types of things to.

Fencing club to humans versus zombies, um, to just different student run things. And, you know, you could walk around campus and kind of see a group doing their own thing. Okay. That’s a little strange. That’s a little weird, but great. Let them do their thing. And, you know, we’re not going to judge them. We’re not going to go blow that up.

We’re going to allow them to, you know, enjoy their time together. And, um, then there’ll be other things that other people look at differently, but, um, it’s. The students here, not only the athletes, the student body in general, they’re a very curious group. They’re very intrinsically motivated, motivated in terms of the academic stuff.

Um, it is not this environment where it’s cutthroat. I’m not going to help you because if I help you, you might do better in the class. You might get a better leather recommendation. It’s not that. Kind of vibe and all here. It’s that we’re going to help each other. You know what we can both get letters recommendation because we’re in smaller class sizes and the professors know all of us.

Um, you know, let’s do this as a collective group. And then, you know, we’ll work hard. We’ll study will practice and then we’ll go out and then we’ll enjoy our time and our social life and the college experience as well. Um, we are located. In St. Mary’s City in St. Mary’s County on the St. Mary’s River. So there’s no religious affiliation.

I get some emails every now and then from people to say, you know, I’ve gone to Catholic school my whole life. I want to continue that. And I [00:19:30] say, look, you can major in religious studies. You can go to church on campus or off campus. Um, and certainly that’s important, your faith and things, but we are not a Catholic school.

So, Um, I do always make sure that we mentioned that as I’ve mentioned before, we are an honors college. So every single student here is an honors college. You could be the bottom student. If we were to rank you class ranking and you’re going to graduate an honors degree. The cluster taught at an honors curriculum standard.

And I think that’s something that in terms of the academic side of things is very important for people to know. Um, we are a Maryland state public school. So we are any there’s going to be a difference in tuition for anybody that lives in Maryland compared to anybody that’s from out of state, with a couple exceptions.

If your state doesn’t have a major that we offer, then you could actually come a lot of time come to school here and still get in state tuition. Again, certain colleges and programs have to be in this, uh, part of this program to make that work. But there are some exceptions, but, um, we are not a private school, though.

And I typically for the ones that, um, your listeners, your viewers here, not sure if they all. Um, understand the full differences between the privates, the in state and the out of state piece, but I typically kind of say the privates are going to have a higher sticker price, but they’re going to be able to give more money to be able to cut down that price where [00:21:00] the in state school is going to be less of a sticker price, but we’re not going to have as much money to be throwing around and handing out.

Um, so you may look at a school and say, well, I’m You know, I got a 6, 000 scholarship from St. Mary’s, but I got a 20, 000, you know, 20, 000 scholarship from this other school. Clearly, St. Mary’s doesn’t rate me as high, and that’s not always the case because that other school could be 60, 000 a year, and they’ve given you 20, 000, and now you’re looking at 40, 000 net.

For that year, St. Mary’s could be 27. You get six. Now you’re looking at 21, right? Net 21, 000 net for for that year. So, um, it is important for people to know we are Maryland State School that we’re certainly we have out of state players. We’ve got a couple from the Carolinas. I think one from South Carolina, one from North Carolina.

I have one from Virginia. Um, we have one from Pennsylvania, um, so we’re not opposed to out of state players, but there is unfortunately a little bit of a tuition jump for the out of state ones. So, um, but the campus is much bigger. Um, it’s, it’s around 360 acres. So it’s not this little tiny little place.

Um, we’re on the water. You can take, literally take sailing as a class. Get credit for it. If you don’t know how to sail, they’ll teach you. Um, and then once you know how to sail, you’re able to check out the sailboats for free. Uh, not only as a student, but as an alum. So if you come back, you graduate, you want to come back, you know, and hang out for the [00:22:30] weekend or bring your family back or something, you still have access to, um, the waterfront, but you can check out sailboats, paddleboards, kayaks, all for free.

Um, so imagine being able to go to class, uh, pop out of class. Go check out a paddle board for 45 minutes, go get lunch, then go to your next class, um, then go to practice, go back down to the water, watch the sunset, um, go grab dinner, right? It can be a pretty cool experience for you, so. Um, can go on. I don’t know if you’ve got any specific questions about the school specifically that you want me to address.

But again, that’s a little bit and happy to elaborate on anything. 

Matt: Yeah, no, I think it’s a great overview. You know, we only have so much time, right? This is just kind of helping people learn more about St. Mary’s, especially if they’re unfamiliar. Um, so I think that was a good overview of the school and let’s shift gears a little bit.

Talk more about the team and the soccer side of it. You know, you, you’ve talked a lot about your recruiting and kind of your focus. Um, let’s talk about the rest of the, the, the roster makeup, right? Like, is there a roster size that you’re trying to hit each year that you find is ideal?

Coach: So this upcoming year will be slightly different in the sense that we are projected to have 29 to 30 players.

Um, the biggest roster I’ve had in my 10 years up to now has been 27. Um, and my sweet spot has usually been between 24 and 26, um, but [00:24:00] combination of, of just some of the, um, just admission kind of stuff, um, our enrollments going up a little bit slightly, uh, which has been good. So, you know, opportunity to add one or two players and really it’s to protect against injuries that 24 to 26 is great when everybody’s healthy, everybody’s there.

But, you know, when you have an ACL issue, you’ve got somebody out with a concussion for a week. You’ve got somebody that has to miss something for an academic reason. You’ve got somebody that had to go home for a funeral or a wedding or some family commitment. Right. All of a sudden, you know, your numbers drop a bit.

So we are open again. The prerequisite was that the recruiting class that we brought in, they were good people that they were going to be, you know, good teammates that, you know, we were going to be pretty open honest with them in terms of what we thought their roles might be. And some players are offered roles with the caveat that, you know, you are coming in as a role player, you know, you’re not looking to come in here and start right away.

I can’t guarantee you any playing time kind of, you know, for second year, and we don’t typically go beyond that because anything can happen over a one, two year period with, uh, development injuries, just other factors, but, um, you know, there are certain players where it’s like, look, you’re going to be awesome for our culture.

You’re going to be an awesome teammate. You’re going to crush it here. Academically. Um, perfect fit for you at, you know, major wise. Um, but you’re going to be a player that’s going to help us prepare to win. Um, as [00:25:30] opposed to a player that’s going to be on the field on game day a lot of the time. So, um, you know, we do have those conversations, but, um, yeah, we want to make sure that we can give everybody a positive experience.

You know, if I have 35 players on my roster, I just don’t feel like I can give players, you know, 30 through 35, any playing time at all. Um, and that’s tough and we know it’s tough. So, uh, we also, because we talked about being a team, being a family, we don’t have a travel roster. So if you’re part of it, you get to come to everything.

And so, um, that’s another piece that I don’t want to have a bigger roster and now have to leave five players home. When we’ve said you’re a part of this program, you matter to us, you’re important, but today you’re not important enough to be on this bus with us, to be on the, uh, you know, sidelines with us to, you know, enjoy the meals and everything else that comes along with the experience.

Um, so that’s a little bit of why we’ve kept it smaller. 

Matt: Um, yeah, that makes sense. What about your staff? Uh, how big is your staff? What role does everybody play? What kind of support staff are in the athletic department that helps with the team? 

Coach: So we have unfortunately, I don’t have any full time assistant coaches, but I’m lucky that I have basically 5.

Part-time, volunteer coaches. So we have a goalkeeper coach who, um, just retired from the Navy. Um, so one step below the admiral phase and, um, just wanted to step away, allow his wife to kind of pursue some things in her career and, uh, be able to take the [00:27:00] backseat and support the family and things. So that’s been a great addition for us because when he was coming, maybe once or twice a week.

over the last few years. This past fall, he was able to come to the majority of things during season. Um, he works with both our men and our women, uh, doing goalkeeper training, but also just helping out, um, you know, field players and just the programs overall. Uh, I have four other assistants, two of them, um, basically come, you know, one to two times a week when they can.

Um, and then the other ones basically come to as much as, uh, they can, uh, work per minute, so they all have other jobs and other things. Um, but they are able to come to the majority of games, the majority of training sessions. They may be, you know, Hey, I’m away for this week on travel. All right. No problem.

We’ve got it covered. In addition to the, my little group of assistant coaches, we have a strength and conditioning coach, which has been an awesome addition as of the last year at the college. So in the off season, our student athletes were able to work directly with him. Um, he was able to create workout packets for them during the winter a break when they were at home and, uh, work with them prior to the winter break to go over the packet, make sure they were comfortable with it, prepared for it, all of that.

Um, in the fall, he worked with them twice a week, once in the weight room, once on the field, um, currently he’s working with them two times a week with a third, like supplemented day that they do on their own. Um, and [00:28:30] then in this, once we start our spring training, which starts next week, um, that will go two times a week, plus an additional third time week on the field with us.

So, um, Coach Kyle has been an awesome addition as a strength coach. Um, we have Becca Webb, who’s our athletic trainer, who works directly with women’s soccer. And we do have a training, uh, athletic training staff of Four main, uh, trainers that work with varsity athletics, plus one that works with our club sports and helps out.

So, uh, the trainers are certainly part of our staff and the support staff. And, uh, we couldn’t do it. We do without them doing what they do to keep the players, uh, on the field and active there. So, um, but again, I’m lucky that I’ve got. A great group of coaches with me out of my five assistant coaches. Uh, one of them joined this past year, but she was a five year player for me, team captain.

And I’ve actually known her since she was maybe nine or 10 years old. Um, she played for the club that I coached with. So, um, even though she’s only been on the staff for one year, she’s been part of the program now for six years. Um, and then all of my other coaches have been with us for at least six to eight.

So we have a lot of familiarity, stability, um, with that coaching staff, which is awesome. 

Matt: Yeah, sounds like it. Well, coach, I really appreciate all the time and everything you’ve let us know about St. Mary’s, but I’m going to leave you with one question. And, uh, as a longtime head coach and former player as well, [00:30:00] you’ll have some really good insights for us.

So. If you could boil down to just one nugget, one piece of information that you, you wish every college recruit, everybody going through this process would know, what would that be?

Coach: I think I’m going to cheat a little bit. I’m going to say two things, but first, if you want to play college soccer, especially as a female, there is a place for you.

Um, you have to be realistic with the level, um, because everybody may not be the right fit for UNC, UVA, Penn State, some of those top, top programs, right? Um, but there is a place for you if you are willing to do your research, if you’re willing to be honest with yourself, um, if you’re willing to go out and watch the game, right?

Because I think there’s a lot of times where players are interested in a program and they’ve never seen that program play, so they have no idea what the actual level of those players are. Um, so that would be first piece. If you want to play college soccer, there is a place for you. If you’re willing to do the work and be realistic about the right fit.

The other piece is that the recruiting process is highly driven by you as a recruit. I think there’s this assumption that, you know, you can just play your games and coaches will just come out and find you. Um, and every now and then that might happen, but a lot of the times it’s going to be you reaching out to a coach, you expressing the interest, you inviting the coaches out to come and watch you play.[00:31:30] 

Right? And then it’s going to be right. Um, yes, coaches can follow up and things. But are you following up with coaches? Are you continuing to express your interest in a program? Are you being responsive if a coach reaches out to you through an email, um, through a text, a phone call? Because we get a lot of times where we send stuff and then we get no response.

Or we get a response like six weeks later, it says, Hey, sorry, coach. Um, you know, just notice this went to spam and didn’t see it. And, you know, we don’t know if you have interest, don’t have interest. So, um, but yeah, I think you’ve got to do your research. You’ve got to understand the right fit. Um, and the fit is much more than just the soccer program and the name of that college.

But is it the right fit academically? Is the right fit socially, size wise, geographic location, temperature, climate? Um, you know, you might be like, I’d love to go to Florida, but do you want to go to preseason in August in Florida? Maybe, maybe not, right? Ah, like, I don’t love the cold. Well, then you probably shouldn’t be looking at Vermont and New Hampshire and Massachusetts, uh, Maine and those type of northern, northern schools, right?

So, um, I think it’s really big that you find the right fit for you. Um, and what the right fit for you is not necessarily the right fit for your sibling, for your mom and dad, for your coach, for your best friend. Um, because they aren’t the ones that are going to be going to classes every day on that campus, going to practices, um, interacting with the different people, faculty, staff, students, um, athletes, teammates, all of it.

[00:33:00] So, um, those would be kind of my, I cheated, maybe that was three things in there, but, um, some things for the recruits and prospective athletes to keep in mind as they continue to go through the process, um, which I know can be challenging and confusing at times. So. For sure. 

Matt: Well, we’ll allow you to cheat this one time.

That’s it though. No more cheating coach. All right. Well, Hey, uh, really appreciate the time. Wish you the best of luck as you, as you close out your class at 24, get ready for that 24 fall season. And, uh, if you ever, if you ever get down to any events here in South, uh, Florida, down in Bradenton, you let me know and we’ll get together.

All right. Coach: Sounds good. Thank you again. I appreciate you having me on and, uh, all the best with everything moving forward. Thank you.