Top female coaches?

[Unregistered]

It's too bad there is no bar or measure to gauge or evaluate female coaches in the area as a result the forum spits out the names of mom's turned into coaches due to lack of interest in coaching local area girls in soccer of the decades.

It's just the way things are locally & nationally, so little interest from anyone coach qualified or even a 'recognized' soccer coach who actually wants to work with the youth female soccer players. I agree there is no point in grading the area's local parents who turned into default coaches.. Not being racist, sexist etc...it's all very binary to me, black & white.

[Unregistered]

Define college level. A lot of terrible college coaches out there. A lot.

Does Legg's recent stint as an assistant at a failed Division I program make him a "college level coach"?

[Unregistered]

Hope this isn’t aimed at Sharla? She was a professional player and college level coach.

She may not be Jill Ellis, but hardly a weekend warrior mom-coach.

The problem in Oregon (specifically Portland) is the dilution of club soccer, especially in girls soccer. Too many teams calling themselves elite. Of everyone is elite- no one is elite.

Too bad Sharla went to Westside Thorns, they have terrible leadership. Director turnover and current is a dud.

Crazy how one question can end up without an answer other than bashing coaches

Carly EST & Lou united PDX

[Unregistered]

If they have little skill they play defense as the get older.

You are obviously pretty clueless... Skill is extremely needed on the defensive side as they get older. Cant have d-backs and center backs who cannot hold, distribute and settle balls.

[Unregistered]

Does Legg's recent stint as an assistant at a failed Division I program make him a "college level coach"?

With an over abundance of college programs for girls soccer resulting in an unnatural demand for coaches and players a phenomenon unseen or even encountered in traditional American sports.

This bizarre construction creates hundreds of failed college coaches but it keeps the big schools in compliance with the NCAA or NAIA.

[Unregistered]

You are obviously pretty clueless... Skill is extremely needed on the defensive side as they get older. Cant have d-backs and center backs who cannot hold, distribute and settle balls.

Skill with the ball was not enough to stay up top, goofus. Nearly all the WWC defenders were youth, HS & College forwards. On the world stage they didn't have enough skill to be relevant so they were placed in the backline due to pace and enough skill to play in the back. Do some research before you post. An ounce of understanding will save us from your ignorant posts. Appreciated.

[Unregistered]

Science disagrees with your nonsense.

Talk to any coach that has been around for a decade or more and they will tell you the early maturing players almost always fall behind later to the athletes that mature slower.

Many reasons for this, but anecdotal evidence suggests the amount of skill and work it takes to beat stronger faster opponents pays off over time as they grow physically.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/bobcook...re-pro-career/


If you want to gauge a soccer players future, watch their ball skills....doesn’t matter their size. If they master the ball, they will always perform well as they grow. Size and speed are only a fraction of the game, although important....not the biggest factor.

Size never was a factor here. What I said is kids who dominate at U10 will still be dominate at U18. I really don't need anecdotal evidence as I have lived this the past 15 years.

Enjoy soccer as its a great game and a great way for kids to grow, on and off the field if done properly and maturely. But keep it fun and it is what it is. You can see best kids at U10. Seen many families press to hard on the development window over the years. Yes you can develop but also need to be real. Don't press to hard if the athleticism isn't there. Enjoy the ride, keep it fun and don't waste your time and money...

[Unregistered]

Crazy how one question can end up without an answer other than bashing coaches

Carly EST & Lou united PDX

It's scary how low the bar is these days, unfortunate seriously.

[Unregistered]

Skill with the ball was not enough to stay up top, goofus. Nearly all the WWC defenders were youth, HS & College forwards. On the world stage they didn't have enough skill to be relevant so they were placed in the backline due to pace and enough skill to play in the back. Do some research before you post. An ounce of understanding will save us from your ignorant posts. Appreciated.

WWC? I am talking high school, upper levels of club and college. Yea i think defenders need to be skilled soccer players. Seems obvious to me.... You think the only skilled players are forwards at the younger levels? Seriously you a timbers youth coach? World stage LOL..... come on!!!

[Unregistered]

WWC? I am talking high school, upper levels of club and college. Yea i think defenders need to be skilled soccer players. Seems obvious to me.... You think the only skilled players are forwards at the younger levels? Seriously you a timbers youth coach? World stage LOL..... come on!!!

Both sides of this conversation here have a point.

1) Defense is a skill, the notion that any big fast hunk of meat can become an elite defender with minimal additional training, is nonsense. There's a reason players like N'Golo Kante or Virgil van Dijk are worth their weight in gold; they can do things that none of their peers can. Kante is simultaneously now both World Cup champion and Champions League winner; and a good case can be made for him to add Ballon d'Or to his trophy case.

2) Lots of coaches, on the other hand, seem to disagree; one hears the "work on your skills and you can move up to the front line" business all the time. And yes, pretty much every kid I know of in Timbers Academy was a forward or attacking mid in club, including those now playing on the back line with the Timbers. And can think of a few coaches, who I won't name here, who tend to let their "skill guys" loaf on defense, but will quickly bench anyone with a jersey number between 2 and 6 inclusive that doesn't hustle every minute they're on the pitch.

One sees the same bias in pointy football, although there one sees it in the difference between ball-handlers and block/tacklers. Receivers, runningbacks, D-backs, and passers (and I suppose kickers too, though nobody likes kickers) are lauded as "skill positions", a designation that excludes linebackers and down linemen. But anyone who knows anything about 'Merican football knows that the game is won or lost on the line of scrimmage. Super Bowl LV was lauded as Brady beating Mahomes, but the real star of that game was the Patriots' defense, who had Mahomes running for his life the entire game.

[Unregistered]

Both sides of this conversation here have a point.

1) Defense is a skill, the notion that any big fast hunk of meat can become an elite defender with minimal additional training, is nonsense. There's a reason players like N'Golo Kante or Virgil van Dijk are worth their weight in gold; they can do things that none of their peers can. Kante is simultaneously now both World Cup champion and Champions League winner; and a good case can be made for him to add Ballon d'Or to his trophy case.

2) Lots of coaches, on the other hand, seem to disagree; one hears the "work on your skills and you can move up to the front line" business all the time. And yes, pretty much every kid I know of in Timbers Academy was a forward or attacking mid in club, including those now playing on the back line with the Timbers. And can think of a few coaches, who I won't name here, who tend to let their "skill guys" loaf on defense, but will quickly bench anyone with a jersey number between 2 and 6 inclusive that doesn't hustle every minute they're on the pitch.

One sees the same bias in pointy football, although there one sees it in the difference between ball-handlers and block/tacklers. Receivers, runningbacks, D-backs, and passers (and I suppose kickers too, though nobody likes kickers) are lauded as "skill positions", a designation that excludes linebackers and down linemen. But anyone who knows anything about 'Merican football knows that the game is won or lost on the line of scrimmage. Super Bowl LV was lauded as Brady beating Mahomes, but the real star of that game was the Patriots' defense, who had Mahomes running for his life the entire game.

Females make it work transition from attacker to defender...pace is a commodity too rare in the women's game. No chance for guys pace is abundant...you have to be a born defender...guys don't make the switch.

[Unregistered]

Hope this isn’t aimed at Sharla? She was a professional player and college level coach.

She may not be Jill Ellis, but hardly a weekend warrior mom-coach.

The problem in Oregon (specifically Portland) is the dilution of club soccer, especially in girls soccer. Too many teams calling themselves elite. Of everyone is elite- no one is elite.

Too bad Sharla went to Westside Thorns, they have terrible leadership. Director turnover and current is a dud.

Yep. She will never last. Sad.

[Unregistered]

It’s the thorns academy.....they are worse than the top OYSA teams at most of the ages groups....seriously.

She is an upgrade for them.

[Unregistered]

It’s the thorns academy.....they are worse than the top OYSA teams at most of the ages groups....seriously.

She is an upgrade for them.

Yes Eastside Thorn is an upgrade for the Portland Thorns.

Love it!

[Unregistered]

Yes Eastside Thorn is an upgrade for the Portland Thorns.

Love it!

Still better than the Toxic House of Useless Soccer Coaches....