Prep Coaching Situation: "Tough" Coaching or Verbal Abuse?

Prediction: Nothing will happen, coach will continue to be an ass. Players will suck it up and deal with it.

 

I can't speak as a parent because I have no kids.

However, I would be part of any such mutiny as a player.

 

I would think a couple of seniors would step in and say "dude, really?"

 

Lost in OT. 2-1. Golden goal. Son stopped two penalty kicks in regulation to keep it 1-1. TWO.

We were also outshot 22-3.

Comes over to me after the game, asks what he should do about it. I said “after that game, do anything you want”.

He’s packing up for the bus. The coach comes over to him.

Son said “don’t ever disparage me like you did all week.” And got on the bus.

 

Damn! Good for him!

 

I wrote him a looooong letter yesterday and sent it to him when I knew he was on the bus for the two hour ride to the game.

About what he’s overcome, thrived, what leadership means. Included a cheesy pump up song link for him (Dreams by VH). The main theme was to block out the noise. Spend the whole game playing a mental playlist in your head that only you could hear. Listen to your center back captain but block everyone else out. Even the fans. Even me.

He was pretty loose afterward. Gave some funny quotes to a reporter from another market. “I’m usually not warmed up until I see 30 shots in a game.”

He’s sore physically today but walked away knowing he left it out there. Team is planning to meet with the coach next week to address the tone of practice.

 

Thanks for asking.

Son said the coach didn’t say anything to him during the game because offense and clearing the ball out were the problems. He said the coach didn’t talk to him on the bus afterward.

I should add that I was 10 feet away when he told this to the coach. Coach looks me at and I shrugged my shoulders as if to say “this is your problem”. It’s frustrating as I’ve run media training sessions for the team throughout the year on how to be a polished interview, handling social media, helping reporters to make their jobs easier, etc.

The coach did praise him in the paper.

 

They have at least 6 kids who can get scholarships and they were outshot 22-3? Every player on the other team
going D1?

 

Not full scholarships but moderate college interest. Two are already D1 commits the rest are D2 and high D3/NAIA. D1 and D2 get 9 or 10 scholarships so the program has to slice them up.

Our two D1 guys got 1/4 and 1/3 athletic on top of whatever academic scholarships. One is an attacker and the other is the center back. The opponent kept three guys on the attacker and our center back won all of his battles but opponent found our defensive left is the weak spot and exploited it. Lots of breakaways on that side.

In men’s soccer, scholarships are extremely tight and the few full rides often go to international players.

High school soccer is very much a weakest link sport. A good team that has few weak spots on defense and can keep possession for 9 or 10 passes can neutralize top opponents who don’t have these teams. If you have a team that can disrupt a possession and easily clear the ball, you’ll be successful. We did that most of the year. This opponent had mastered it.

In this particular tournament, most of the D1 players got knocked out early unless they were on super teams. Quite a few didn’t even make it out of sectionals.

Other team has won something like 30 straight. All of their seniors are playing past HS - one D1 but most D2/D3.

One inside baseball note. Club teams. This particular high school has its own club program where they play six months out of the year. They don’t always win those titles but these kids all play together 12 months instead of four months (ex: our roster plays on 4 different clubs). The players on this other team were airtight, seemingly never out of position, always knew where the other kid was going. It was gorgeous to watch.

 

Well... the two captains met with the coach this morning and presented their issues from the team. No AD. Just in his empty classroom. Coach said he was shocked to hear that he had come across as so negative.

Offered his resignation from the coaching position if the team thought it would be the best course.

(My take: that's a shrewd move by him. Like Belichick not calling timeout against the Seahawks.)