From a coaches perspective (not player) how easy/difficult would it be to become a D1/D2/D3 Head Coach if you coached club at a high level (ECNL, GA etc.)
Doesn't have to be just NY universities
Doesn't have to be just NY universities
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College head coaches are hardly focused at all on development, they are focused on winning. So the coaching skills required are very different. They have to deal with a lot of stuff club coaches don't, like scouting opponents, recruiting, fundraising, etc. -
It can definitely be done but, like the other person has already commented, they're somewhat different animals. The biggest thing a non-college coach is going to have to show is that they have the ability and desire to recruit because without the ability to recruit it's very difficult to put together a quality program, let alone win games. So if you can show that you have ability than you might have the opportunity to get your foot in the door. Also previously mentioned is that you need to realize that the opportunity for development is not always there during the fall season.Originally posted by Guest View Post
If you've spent any time reading threads on this message board you've seen how important the ability to manage a roster is. When you're coaching a club team with a roster of 16-18 players it's possible to get everyone at least some playing time. When your roster is 35 players it takes a lot of work to keep those players, and their parents, on board with what you're trying to do. If player management and communication aren't your thing then I suggest you try to development those skills as best as you can.
Good luck!Comment
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You will have to start from the bottom, possibly even as a volunteer assistant coach, and work your way up. A big part at the assistant level is recruiting, less so coaching. Strong organization skills and people skills. Club coaches definitely make the leap and have success. It can be a more stable career path than youth teams.
Ask around and you will probably be able to find coaches who made that transition and see if you can pick their brains.Comment
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A number of the club coaches my D has had were also working as assistant coaches at a D1 or even HCs at D3 schools. So I would say maybe its a somewhat more convergent type thing. Thinking back, that was when she was at younger age though, so the coach wasnt working with a top HS age team where maybe the travel and cost is prohibitive?
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edit: travel and time away.Originally posted by Guest View Post
I'm so used to linking travel and cost to the player side that it comes out automaticallyComment
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At the minimum, a D1 Mid major coach should have an “A” coaching license. The jump from being a club coach to a college coach is the same for a club soccer player becoming a D1 athlete. No way should a local club coach take over a D1 program without D1 coaching experience as an assistant coach with an extensive resume of results with players. That is the bottom line!Originally posted by Guest View PostComment
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There are tons of college coaches that don't give a damn about USSF coaching licenses. The majority of USSF coaching licenses are geared towards youth soccer coaching.Originally posted by Guest View PostComment
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Tons of coaches? What does that mean? How many P5 top coaches or top 30 college coaches lack the appropriate license to be a college coach.Originally posted by Guest View PostComment
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An earlier poster has it correct. The job is totally different (having done both). College games are won and lost in the living room of recruits. You can either close the deal and get good players or you can't. If you are coach that loves/excels at training and has a high tactical acumen to help teams develop, but can't close the deal on recruiting you should either be a collegiate assistant or stay in the youth ranks. I moved back to youth after coaching collegiately because I hated recruiting, love scouting and training and matches, but I wasn't able to recruit against other schools because I sometimes felt a player (who would have really helped us) would have a better fit elsewhere - and I was honest. The last thing I wanted was a good/great player that regretted his decision.
I think to really have the success, you have to recruit the best players you can and sometimes not care if it's the right thing for the player. So yeah, recruiting makes the team not the training or development (or lack) in college.Comment
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Recruiting is your #1, #2 and #3 job. Your #4 job is scouting and getting the players interested enough to want to discuss being recruited. Pay close attention to the intangibles. You will miss practices and other sessions - you become a general not a foot solider. Its a different job but I loved it. But I was honest. Player pool is big enough unless you are high end D1/D2 that if its not a good fit you can move on to plan 1B and away from 1A. I never screwed a kid just to win a game of for the good of the program but I also didn't coach at the super competitive levels.
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