University of the Cumberlands Women’s Soccer – Coach Stephen Hamilton
On today’s episode, I speak with Coach Hamilton from the University of the Cumberlands Women’s Program in Kentucky. We talk about looking at international players for the experience they bring. He describes their mission statement as being family through football. Lastly, we discuss their use of video in training and games. Learn more about the University of the Cumberlands Women’s Soccer.
Matt: [00:00:00] Hi everybody. Welcome to Discover College Soccer. Today I’m lucky enough to be joined by Coach Hamilton from University of the Cumberlands. Welcome coach.
Coach: Thank you. Good to be on.
Matt: Yeah, thanks for being here. I grew up in Columbus and vacation down at Lake Cumberland a lot. So drove down I 75 and uh Okay.
Passed your Fair Town quite a few times. Uh, and as I just mentioned, saw, saw the, the great facilities you have there from. From our drive, uh, north just this past summer. So I’m looking forward to, yeah, learning more about the school and, and what you got going on there. But let’s start off first, uh, talk about recruiting.
You know, you and I are talking here j middle of June. Um, so I’m guessing, you know, you’re 20 threes are wrapped up. You’re probably, uh, working hard on those 20 fours. What, what does your normal calendar look like in terms of when you’re talking to which class and, and what does that all look like for you?
Coach: Yeah, I don’t, normal’s a tough word to use cause you’ve got your internationals that are on very different timeline than your typical American. Um, I will say for us, for the class of 24, yeah, you’re, you’re correct. For 23, we’re done for 24. We’ve signed a couple. Um, but it is not uncommon to have a late senior, so class of 23 on an on the international side, still looking.
Uh, we tend to. We don’t tend to do as well with those players because our admissions requirements are a little bit different. But yeah, the class of 24 is where we’re really kind of going hard right now.
Matt: Yeah. [00:01:30] Well, I did look at your roster and you do have quite a number of international students, so, so what is the big difference in recruiting those players versus recruiting, you know, the domestic kids and, and what kind of makes you lean one way versus another?
Coach: Yeah, that’s a good question. Um, I’d say the timeline, as we said is a, is a huge difference. They’re just on a different schedule. Uh, in terms of the, the soccer, you know, they’re, and this is a huge generalization, but their, their knowledge of the game tends to be a little bit further along than the average American.
And I think that’s simply just cuz they grow up in cultures where they watch it more. Uh, you, you certainly have some, some high, high knowledgeable American kids who are super tactical in terms of the actual recruitment. Um, the American kid. Tends to be, uh, not only earlier, but a little more knowledgeable about the process.
So things go a little smoother. The international, the recruitment of them, you’re getting into visas and, and, um, all sorts of things that you don’t have to deal with, with the international, or excuse me, the American, the Americans a little bit easier from the finances because they tend to get, um, you know, in-state help or, or federal help, which the internationals don’t get.
But yeah, those are some of the differences. There’s a lot more we could. Kinda dive into if you’d like, but yeah, those are the generals. All right. No, I think, I think that’s good for now.
Matt: We’ll, we’ll, we’ll, we’ll keep it, keep it across a bunch of different topics here, but, so if we, in terms of [00:03:00] either or, you know, what is your go-to way to find players?
How much of it is people reaching out to you versus you going out? What, what events do you like to go to? What does that look like?
Coach: It’s a little bit of both. Um, you know, we have, for the international kid, it’s more of agencies sending videos and probably sending to a, a variety of schools, kind of in a similar niche.
And so then from there you work with the agencies, you talk to the players directly. You set up Zooms and Skypes, uh, and you, and you go from there with, in terms of recruitment, we hit a lot of the bigger events that most of the, I’d say, Um, middle tier division ones, the upper nais, the upper division twos are kind of all going after that same kid.
And so for us it’s the npls, it’s the EC L events. Um, it’s kind of those national events around the country, you know, that we look at, we do some local recruiting. It’s always helpful to, to hit up locally in Kentucky. But yeah, most of the national events are where we hit. So down in your area, you know, there’s always a few, so, yeah.
Matt: Well, next time you come down for ECNL Lakewood Ranch, uh, gimme a shout. We’ll get, we’ll get together. All right. Sounds good. Yeah. Um, well, in terms of whether you’re at an event or, or looking at video or any of these things, you’re, you’re hitting the recruitment trail. What, what is that hierarchy of things that you’re looking for in a player, whether that’s on the field stuff or off the field stuff?[00:04:30]
Coach: Yeah, well the most important thing for us is the character and, and, and so off the field matters, but that’s really hard to get a sense of a kid, especially an international kid because you do a couple zooms and so you don’t really get that good of a sense of a player. The American kid, we like to see him multiple times.
Uh, if we can do, uh, an in-house visit or you know, a visit right there on the field, We can get ’em out to ID camps. You know, the more we can communicate with them and evaluate who they are, the better. Uh, you probably can’t see right above us. Our mission statement is family through football. So the most important thing for us is that family, that togetherness.
And we find that most players want that. Um, but you know, we, we would certainly shy away from a player who’s not about that team first mentality. Oh. And then, you know, in terms of on the pitch, uh, It’s kind of a really long answer. Um, but, you know, we have a, a distinct playing philosophy. And so when we, we recruit players, we recruit them to that playing philosophy.
Um, you know, no player’s gonna fit every single thing we’re looking for, but, you know, if they can fit two or three things. So for example, you know, when we have the ball, we look for players who are confident in terms of passing and receiving in tighter spaces. Uh, when we lose the ball, we look for players who have a desire and a motor to be a depress and win it right back.
So things like that, that fit [00:06:00] our philosophy of play would be what we look for.
Matt: Okay. Well, let’s talk a little bit more about the, the school itself. I’m sure there’s some folks out there not familiar. Um, so you’ve been there a number of years, you’ve had great successes. So can you tell me a little bit about, uh, what you find stands out?
What’s great about the school that maybe folks just won’t learn by going through the website?
Coach: Yeah, so here’s a few things that you may not know. One, we’re not Cumberland University in Tennessee, so University of the Cumberlands in Kentucky. Uh, we are the fastest growing school in Kentucky, the second fastest in the country.
Those stats are of last year, so I don’t know where we’re at now, but, um, we have about 23,000 now. A good chunk of that is our online community, um, but we have maybe 4,000 on campus. So, I think some of the selling points are, were were, were a top school in terms of US News and World Report. Um, academics are super strong, which sometimes, you know, you look at other schools, mid, uh, small schools like ours, um, I, not to say the the academic suffer, but sometimes that’s the stereotype, right?
And so the academics are really strong. Um, We’re located right outside the Daniel Boone National Forest. So my wife and I we’re kind of homesteaders. We really like kind of the ability to ha be surrounded by mountains and in, you know, nature and [00:07:30] so certainly wouldn’t be a good fit for a player who’s looking for the seating environment, but anyone who wants to be kind of close to a couple cities while getting away in more of the rural atmosphere, that’s us.
Matt: Okay, well, You mentioned top academics and, and you know, a lot of students transitioning into college soccer, you know, they gotta realize how to balance that, that academic part with the, with the athletics. So how do your players specifically balance their studies in their sport and what kind of support systems does the school offer to help them with that?
Coach: Yeah, you know, we have the, the tutoring, um, and the extra help that everyone else has. I think what I see for our program, and I, I’m guessing this is similar for a lot, There’s a lot of just studying on the bus rides, studying in a hotel rooms, small groups. A lot of our players tend to be similar majors, so you’ve got the medical majors, which what it looks like for them is very different than from our business, our psych.
But, um, you know, our team tends to carry as a team mid three G p a. And I think, again, all the resources are there, uh, that a lot of other universities have. But I think the difference is you have players that we recruit that are hungry academically and on the pitch, and they have really high goals, so they work hard.
We don’t really have to do a whole lot to press them in those areas, and then they support each other.
Matt: Oh, that’s fantastic. Well, In terms of in [00:09:00] season, um, can you walk me through what a quote unquote typical week might look like for, for a student athlete in terms of winter classes, meals, practice, all that kind of stuff?
Coach: Yeah, so we’re on a buy term system, so you’re looking at eight weeks of probably two classes. So let’s say you’re a morning person, your two classes might be eight to 10, something like that. Then you’re probably having some, some food at some point. Um, those classes only go Monday through Thursday. So Friday we have off.
So typical training time is early afternoon. Um, and then on Fridays we’re training more early morning. Sometimes there’s some film, sometimes there’s, uh, you know, different rehab, uh, modalities that we’re including with our athletic trainers and other. Student athletes to make sure they’re recovering appropriately as well as dealing with little niggles that, you know, they might be carrying from the game.
Um, evening, you know, we have a, this, this doesn’t have to do with women’s soccer, but at the university at a whole it does. Uh, we have a kind of a motto of one big team. So you have 20 plus sports. Uh, anything from the normal sports to maybe. Archery, women’s wrestling, et cetera. So there’s always some sort of sport on campus and whether it’s going to support another student athlete, which is huge, huge at our university, or [00:10:30] you know, catching an on-campus movie or doing an event on campus or just studying, chilling and watching some TV with your friends.
Uh, how they choose to handle that time is kind of up to them. But we are real big on. Supporting as a team, other teams and other events on campus, that kind of fits in with our mission of the family idea.
Matt: No, I love that. Well, let’s talk a little bit more a a about the soccer side of things. You know, what in terms of roster size do you feel is a good fit for you guys?
What do you, what? Is there a number you’re trying to hit each year?
Coach: No, and, and thankfully I don’t have to hit a number here. Um, I, I’ve been at other schools where I do, uh, but you know, Cumberlands is great. We do, I, I think I mentioned before we started, um, recording that we do have two teams. Yeah. Uh, but for our first team, we’ll speak to that.
Typically anywhere from 22 to 25 is a good number for us. Uh, I get a little nervous when we get into 22, especially when you look at the national tournament and how many games you have to play, uh, in a road to be the national champion. So it’d be great if we never had an injury, uh, but unfortunately, you know, we, we do on occasion like everyone else.
And so probably 23, 24, that one extra player besides the. You know, the two teams of 11 really helps. Yeah.
Matt: Well, in terms of helping with those [00:12:00] teams, what does your staff look like? Both just soccer specific and there other athletic department staff that, that kind of help round out, uh, what student athletes work with.
Coach: Yeah, so we have the support staff that I mentioned that helps with the academics. Um, and then we have my staff, uh, the three of us. We have have an athletic trainer, so that would be a fourth, a full-time athletic trainer. Um, in terms of the way we periodize and strengthen conditioning, most of that’s done on the, on the field.
Uh, we will get off the field for, uh, Preventing injuries and dealing with those kinds of things. Make sure there’s a balance between muscles that are used a lot in muscles that aren’t. Um, but yeah, we, we tend to do everything in terms of the monitoring of the athlete getting faster, stronger on the field.
And we do that through g p s units and other ways to track, uh, track that information. But I think our staff is incredible. Obviously I’m biased. Um, but yeah, I think we, we take advantage of those things. Okay.
Matt: Well, You mentioned g p s, what, what kind of technology and, and other things were you using both in training and, and game days to, to help the team?
Coach: Yeah, so, uh, we use a film company called Speedo. I, maybe I shouldn’t mention who we use. I don’t know how that works’. All right. I’m sure a lot of other coaches that, that you’ve talked to are using the same. Um, and for us, we get a, you know, where it’s located. We get a bird’s eye view of. Of training and matches.
And so [00:13:30] every training is recorded. Um, it gives us information such as distances between players. Um, you know, there’s, there’s a lot of information in and things we can use to provide immediate feedback for players. So we can have iPads on the pitch during training, so, As well as feedback later. And so, you know, that helps with our playing philosophy, knowing, you know, positionally where players are and related to other position, uh, players.
Um, yeah. And then, you know, I mentioned the GPS unit. I, I’m a huge data geek. Uh, the, the units aren’t always correct. Um, I think there, there’s nothing that’s perfect. But it gives us an idea of players and the actions they’re making. So when I say actions they’re making, you know, you might stay next, play speed, or things like that.
So the ability to, you know, cross the ball, get in the box for a cross, recover defensively if the opponents clear the ball, win the ball back, switch the point of attack, join as a group. The player who’s not moving much, you can see it. And so we can say the eye test is, Hey, you know, so and so, we need you to move more, we need you to make more actions.
And they might feel like they’re doing it, but then when you show ’em the data, you show ’em the film, it’s helpful, uh, to, to show them the expectations of where we want them and where they are and how they can bridge that gap a little bit better in training. So the matches are kind of easy [00:15:00] for them.
Matt: Oh, that’s fantastic.
Well, You know, we’re, like I said, we’re talking in June, so players went home, you know, but what did, uh, what did that spring look like for them? What kind of stuff do you guys do in the off season? What’s a typical spring season look like for your players?
Coach: Yeah. Our spring was, was unbelievably successful.
Uh, we had a good, good, uh, bunch of games. Uh, we went undefeated. I won’t mention any names, but we played a variety of division one, division two, uh, other NAI schools. So it’s, it was super successful for us in not only achieving our on the field goals, but what we did off the field. What it looks like is, is very similar to the fall, except less matches.
Uh, we played, uh, seven. I’ve heard some other n guys talk about the amount of matches you get and I, I am. Available and ready for anyone who wants to see the rules, cuz they weren’t quite quite right on the rules of the n a i. You get a lot more than people think. Uh, cuz you get 23 total and whatever you don’t use in the fall unless they’re charging tickets.
Uh, but you know, I’ll get off that topic, but what it looks like is, you know, we tend to come back, um, And start in early February. And so we’re, our first match this year was February 28th. And so we jumped right in with a, with a solid division one. And, um, you know, we’re probably training and playing a little bit less, but I’d say still going four to five [00:16:30] days a week, uh, sometimes six if we have a match within that.
And so I think the, the players sometimes enjoy it a little bit more because our spring is focused more on. The individual or their, although there is that collective as well, but the individual we’re trying to maximize their ability to grow, speed, strength, uh, fitness, as well as their technical, their tactics.
So, And it’s a little more relaxed, you know, cuz you don’t have that pressure of what happens if you lose a game in the national tournament. Um, yeah, so then you’re looking at late April, uh, when you end and then like you said, send them away for a few months and coming back in early, or sorry, late July.
Matt: So. Okay. Well coach, we’ve covered a lot of different ground, uh, talked about a lot of different things and I always like to end these with what is one. Piece of advice. One nugget, what, one thing that you wanna make sure that any player, parent, family, going through this college soccer recruiting process knows what, is there a a golden piece of advice you have for them?
Coach: Yeah. Well, I’ll give two. I’ll give one specific to us and then one general specific to us. I would say, You know, going back to the difference between the international and the American kid, we have more internationals than we probably want because we have a difficult time recruiting the American kid.
And the American kid sometimes looks at that little blue logo, um, with too much emphasis in my opinion. So we are going after the [00:18:00] same player that the middle tier division one, the upper n I, and the upper two are going after. And I would say if you’re looking at an upper n I, upper division two, a middle tier, division one, for me, they’re all, they’re all the same in terms of that competitive level.
And anyone can beat anyone on a given day. So make the visits, look at the facilities, talk to the coach. This is more general. Um, you know, a lot of times players have an idea of what they’re getting into and they haven’t really done enough research. So talk to the coach. Talk to the coach about their playing philosophy.
See if you can see, uh, you know, their game model. Uh, look at facilities. You know, I would say educate yourself on multiple universities. I. And, and then you probably have a better idea of what you’re getting into, cuz I’m sure you know the stats of a, how many players go to a school and then transfer. And so I would say, you know, maybe there’s some onus on the coaches and the university, but for me, More of it falls into ignorance of the players and the parents.
You think you’re jumping into something and you’re really jumping into something quite different. So just educate yourself. Go to ID camps, um, you know, talk to coaches as much as you can, and that would be my advice. So,
Matt: Absolutely. It’s one of the reasons I started the podcast. Try to get people, you know, an easy 20 to 30 minutes about learning some new schools they’re not aware of and broaden that horizon.
So, uh, awesome. Really appreciate it, coach. Wish you the best of luck in the fall [00:19:30] and uh, thank you. And like I said, if you’re ever down in Bradenton, gimme a shout and we’ll get together.
Coach: All right, will do. Thanks,
Matt: Matt. All right. Thank you, coach. Bye-bye. Bye.
