The one thing that I pride myself in is making players feel that they can be themselves in my coaching environment. There is no pressure, but instead a standard of what is expected. The level of professionalism along with fun somehow work out to be a great balance for players. But, this isn't about me. This is about them being able to enjoy what they love in a setting that is created for them.
One of the major things that I have noticed in our culture that is different than the top countries of this sport is the professionalism. It is, in my opinion, one of the top reasons why we are still levels behind in this sport. The recent trip with the girl's academy squad to England truly highlighted that. Not just this one, but every time that we travel to Europe. When we were at Fulham FC's beautiful training ground, we were informed that their men's u19 and u23 squads had a match against Brighton and Hove Albion. We had to be aware of this just to know who else were going to be at the training facility at the same time as us and to show respect to what they had going on that day. They set the standard for us. After I set up my warm up for the ladies, I walked back to the dressing room to escort them to the fields. On my way back, I passed both of the Fulham and the Brighton players. Every single one of them said hello to me and asked how I was. I am an absolute nobody and these players are speaking to me. While in the US, this would have been the total opposite. Most would have just walked by without saying a word. A lot of players believe that they have made it, when in fact, they have not done anything yet.
As coaches, we have a job that is much more important than just teaching the game. We must mold young minds as well. The players reflect the coach. Handshakes, eye contact, professionalism on and off the field. This goes a long way and helps players recognize how important this pillar is to their life. This has been one of my non negotiables since day one of my coaching journey. Develop young men and women who want to be great people and love the game. We are in this together
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