Best and Worst Girls High School Soccer Coaches in RI

[Guest]

I’ve heard we have some good stories about girls HS soccer coaches, but I’ve heard more disappointing stories. Is it true more good club girls that are not playing HS soccer in RI due to coaching? This is a shame.

[Guest]

It is true and the other thing going on is that players are switching schools using the CTE as a way of finding the better coaches. The worst I have seen by far is in Portsmouth. When we played their town teams they were always competitive, with good coaching. To watch that team the last few years was unbelievable. We scored 4 goals in the first half with their formation wide open. TBH it should have been 8. They play a high line while their keeper never leaves the goal box. They play like a bunch of statues with three forwards staying high and their outside mids stay wide and never come back inside to defend.

[Guest]

It is true and the other thing going on is that players are switching schools using the CTE as a way of finding the better coaches. The worst I have seen by far is in Portsmouth. When we played their town teams they were always competitive, with good coaching. To watch that team the last few years was unbelievable. We scored 4 goals in the first half with their formation wide open. TBH it should have been 8. They play a high line while their keeper never leaves the goal box. They play like a bunch of statues with three forwards staying high and their outside mids stay wide and never come back inside to defend.

I’ve heard great things about Tiverton HS girls soccer.

[Guest]

It is true and the other thing going on is that players are switching schools using the CTE as a way of finding the better coaches. The worst I have seen by far is in Portsmouth. When we played their town teams they were always competitive, with good coaching. To watch that team the last few years was unbelievable. We scored 4 goals in the first half with their formation wide open. TBH it should have been 8. They play a high line while their keeper never leaves the goal box. They play like a bunch of statues with three forwards staying high and their outside mids stay wide and never come back inside to defend.

Some of this has to be on the players, not just the coaching. Don't any of these players know where to be and how to move on their own?

[Guest]

Some of this has to be on the players, not just the coaching. Don't any of these players know where to be and how to move on their own?

They don't select all the best players and then they don't play the best players either. The OP had it right. Worst coaching I have ever seen. The coach yelled at a player for passing it back on the kickoff. It is a joke. Already one player using CTE to leave. More will follow.

[Guest]

They don't select all the best players and then they don't play the best players either. The OP had it right. Worst coaching I have ever seen. The coach yelled at a player for passing it back on the kickoff. It is a joke. Already one player using CTE to leave. More will follow.

Is this Portsmouth? There is plenty of talent coming from PYSA and the clubs these players are part of. So what is going on with the coaching?

[Guest]

Is this Portsmouth? There is plenty of talent coming from PYSA and the clubs these players are part of. So what is going on with the coaching?

PYSA runs a very good program. The girls side has plenty of talent. The schools select coaches based on nepotism and the AD at the high school doesn't appear to care about the quality of coaching for all the girls sports. They ask for feedback, the parents say it needs to get better and then nothing changes. Glad my daughter is in college now. It is a sad situation.

[Guest]

PYSA runs a very good program. The girls side has plenty of talent. The schools select coaches based on nepotism and the AD at the high school doesn't appear to care about the quality of coaching for all the girls sports. They ask for feedback, the parents say it needs to get better and then nothing changes. Glad my daughter is in college now. It is a sad situation.

We have experienced the very same thing. Our player is a very good club player but we aren’t putting her on the PHS HS team unless they bring in a coach. There are some quality coaches on the girls side at PYSA who would be much better coaches. PHS has resources and talent it is a shame we have an AD that I can’t help but wonder is sexist as he for years has only focused on the quality of coaching for PHS Boys. The volleyball coaches and soccer coach of the girls has been an issue for years with many ignored complaints from parents.

[Guest]

PHS moving to D2, poor coaching will be hidden this year

[Guest]

Best coach is from Lasalle girls.. Non of the other come close on either side! Most are clueless and the other just talk crap all game conning people to think they know something!

[Guest]

Thanks LSA girl's coach's mom.. LSA has the most advantages of any school between catchment area, history, funding, ability to err..bend.. the rules, etc. The fact they have only won 1 out of the last 3 titles is telling (and losing to a 5th seed team missing its best player)..of course not as bad as Pilgrim losing. LSA should win the title every year except for a freak situation like a national caliber player opting to play for her local HS team..

Look it's *high school soccer* -- sure you can have better coaching but it's a different "thing" than club soccer; HS soccer coaches don't have the time or ability to develop players -- the best ones take what they have and put them in the best formation to win..and use their time to do (1) dead ball / set plays, (2) defending against dead ball /set plays, and (3) PK/shoot out -- and then let the players do their thing. Kids are playing for their friends and school - it's great from that aspect but stop expecting them to play like you would at the club level. It's also (because the refs are both fewer and worse in general) a lot more chippier and thus devolves into a more physical and less "tactical" game -- hence why coaches should focus on the set play off/def and some basic understanding of the players' mental/emotional space given they are in school, etc.

Of course, the worse coaches are either the ones who try to coach like they would a club team or have no clue in general about the mental/emotional aspect of players..

[Guest]

Thanks LSA girl's coach's mom.. LSA has the most advantages of any school between catchment area, history, funding, ability to err..bend.. the rules, etc. The fact they have only won 1 out of the last 3 titles is telling (and losing to a 5th seed team missing its best player)..of course not as bad as Pilgrim losing. LSA should win the title every year except for a freak situation like a national caliber player opting to play for her local HS team..

Look it's *high school soccer* -- sure you can have better coaching but it's a different "thing" than club soccer; HS soccer coaches don't have the time or ability to develop players -- the best ones take what they have and put them in the best formation to win..and use their time to do (1) dead ball / set plays, (2) defending against dead ball /set plays, and (3) PK/shoot out -- and then let the players do their thing. Kids are playing for their friends and school - it's great from that aspect but stop expecting them to play like you would at the club level. It's also (because the refs are both fewer and worse in general) a lot more chippier and thus devolves into a more physical and less "tactical" game -- hence why coaches should focus on the set play off/def and some basic understanding of the players' mental/emotional space given they are in school, etc.

Of course, the worse coaches are either the ones who try to coach like they would a club team or have no clue in general about the mental/emotional aspect of players..

Agree with everything… but, if PHS is dropping to D1 to hide coaching, isn’t PHS parents upset? That’s a bit embarrassing for that school with that much talent, money etc. They have good town teams and the players on those town teams many players club. They should have a coach who pushes the team to play at a high competitive level and for the love of god, not drop to D2.

[Guest]

Agree with everything… but, if PHS is dropping to D1 to hide coaching, isn’t PHS parents upset? That’s a bit embarrassing for that school with that much talent, money etc. They have good town teams and the players on those town teams many players club. They should have a coach who pushes the team to play at a high competitive level and for the love of god, not drop to D2.

Of course parents are upset. At least the ones that want/expect it to be a competitive program. There are others who just want their kid to play whether they deserve it or not. At the end of the day, Nepotism is high level in Portsmouth and the AD does not care about girls sports.

[Guest]

Of course parents are upset. At least the ones that want/expect it to be a competitive program. There are others who just want their kid to play whether they deserve it or not. At the end of the day, Nepotism is high level in Portsmouth and the AD does not care about girls sports.

2016 was a good year for PHS. They beat Lasalle. They had great players etc. They been coming up short last few years. Sad to see them go down the drain and down to D2. Was always good competition.

[Guest]

Going out on a limb but Pilgrim HS has a great girls soccer program.