AAA State Champions?

[Ilovethisgame]

My son, who plays college ball, received a recruiting call from a college coach who saw him play in a college showcase tourny in Florida (Tampa Sunbowl). He never saw my son play in high school and he is a coach for a college <50 miles from our home!

Edited November 7, 2006 by Ilovethisgame

[Ilovethisgame]

Our girl's club coach played college ball for our high school coach when our high school coach was the college coach at the school our club coach played his college career.

 

If you're still with me....point is.... the girls are trained by both club and HS coaches with very similar philosophies and who have a great working relationship. It seems to work for us (Greeneville).

[BigG]

Our girl's club coach played college ball for our high school coach when our high school coach was the college coach at the school our club coach played his college career.

 

If you're still with me....point is.... the girls are trained by both club and HS coaches with very similar philosophies and who have a great working relationship. It seems to work for us (Greeneville).

Who is your club coach? I used to coach with Coach Eiskamp at Tusculum (he was also my college coach at Carson Newman).

[Ilovethisgame]

Who is your club coach? I used to coach with Coach Eiskamp at Tusculum (he was also my college coach at Carson Newman).

Walter Graham - played goalie at Carson Newman for Coach Eiskamp.

[BigG]

Walter Graham - played goalie at Carson Newman for Coach Eiskamp.

He must have been there before 1989. Name sounds familiar. Thanks for the info.

[papa-K]

Big G.... the "mediocre" comment is an over-all assesment.

 

Being a coach myself in another sport and having coached previously in a state where coaches are paid better and held to a higher standard.

 

I am curious if the state HS coaches have an association and offer clinic opportunities. My intention is not to "slam" the coaches, but rather challenge the HS soccer community to "raise the bar" regarding coaching and officiating.

 

Lucky for all, I am only a soccer parent one more season and will move my focus to volleyball.

 

It seems to me that some qualified college coaches like yourself could even earn soem extra income by teaching clinics.

 

I know as a parent, I would have no issue with raising some money for our coaches to get some continueing ed.

[BigG]

It seems to me that some qualified college coaches like yourself could even earn soem extra income by teaching clinics.

 

I know as a parent, I would have no issue with raising some money for our coaches to get some continueing ed.

Actually, along with the kids soccer camps, I do an adult camp in the summer that is for coaches or adults who want to learn the basics. Usually I get a lot of AYSO coaches who are looking to improve, and a few "late bloomer" soccer moms and dads who just play for fun, but no one ever taught them anything. It is a little more laid back than some of the bigger clinics, and not near as much stress.

 

I think there is a lot of "ego" involved, where the coach (including myself) needs to admit that there is more to learn than they know. That is a hard pill to swallow sometimes.

 

I know for me, I would love to do more with national certification, but it is so hard, since it is usually on a weekend in Nashville, and getting away (not including paying for that) is hard when you have 2 young ones at home who never see you during the week anyway.

 

One of the best things that I like to do, is to watch another coach run his/her practice. I know a fair amount of college coaches, as well as some excellent highschool coaches, who wouldn't mind you sitting on the sidelines.

 

There is also a great video called "Training sessions from around the world" that just runs through multiple european team's practices. You'll find that even the excellent teams still spend a lot of time on the basics, and not the most fancy drills.

 

Papa K, I understand what you are saying about the coaching, but I would appeal that those who do coach in highschool, really have a heart for those kids. People generally think that highschool is a "step down" from club coaching, so even getting any coach for some schools is a big deal. When a club director in Knoxville is bringing in $20,000+ just to coach, and highschool coaches are brining in $3,000, that loses the appeal as well. I also know that sometimes the best players don't make the best coaches.

[Zeek]

My daughter played in the match saturday and since she is a senior, I won't be posting anything more after today. So here's my two cents worth ( and that's about what it's worth)...

 

I have watched and been involved in both club soccer and high school soccer for many years. While it is true there are very good club coaches who possess a great deal of knowledge and skill it would also be a mistake to write off high school coaches so easily. My daughter has been blessed to have a HS school coach who simply coaches differently than her club coach. He is more than just competent and I would put him on the same level of many of our club coaches. He doesn't have the time time to "develop" players. I don't know of many HS coaches who do. But he instills confidence, attitude, respect for the game and much more.

 

At this point I will say that HS soccer has been the highlight of my daughters soccer career. She has enjoyed coming to the state finals a few times She has enjoyed playing for her HS coach every bit as much as her club coach if not more. ( doesn't mean one is better than the other, just different)...

 

I fully support the HS coaches who work so hard for little money and almost no recogniftion. They truely "do it for the kids". I like HS soccer because my daughter will take away such great memories that she will carry away with her for a lifetime.

 

AND I CONGRATUALTE BEARDEN HS AS " TRUE STATE CHAMPIONS"

Of everything posted here, I think I identify more with these words than any. My daughter also played last Saturday in Chattanooga and later told me that this season has been the most fun of her entire soccer career. Why? Because there are Bearden Bulldogs, Farragut Admirals, CCS Chargers, Notre Dame Irish and CAK Warriors. It was special to her to play for her school - with friends and in front of friends. She's with these kids everyday and has been since she was 6 years old. Club is great for building skill and learning different styles of play. But once a club tournament is over, who really remembers who won or lost? I can guarantee that every student at Bearden and CAK this year will remember who the State Champions were in 2006. For our family, there probably would have been no reason to play club if not for high school. True, my daughters probably won't play at the next level so maybe our perspective is somewhat narrow. But I bet a lot of club player parents feel the same. We enjoy both seasons as each has had both blessings and heartbreaks. Isn't that what sports are about - learning to work to be your best and to deal rightly with the outcome? It's a pity some (club coaches in particular) want to press the kids into choosing between the two.

Edited November 7, 2006 by Zeek

[kickgrass]

It's a pity some (club coaches in particular) want to press the kids into choosing between the two.

 

I haven't seen this. How can they choose between the 2, there is no club soccer for High School age girls in TN during the High school season. A club team would have to play all out of state tournaments.

[BigG]

It's pressure in the boys season. I haven't heard of any in the girls, but I know of boys' clubs that were/are thinking of playing in the spring. They could not play highschool soccer until they were done with club. The Dallas cup was a major issue.

[Soccer Gypsy]

It's pressure in the boys season. I haven't heard of any in the girls, but I know of boys' clubs that were/are thinking of playing in the spring. They could not play highschool soccer until they were done with club. The Dallas cup was a major issue.

 

 

I heard of two boys teams that were going to pursue this, but I am not sure if they will go thru with it. I don't know why the Dallas Cup would be an issue since it is a very hard tournament to get accepted to if you are from TN and not a state champ or finalist. If you look at Disney, in the boys flights not a single one is in the top flight, two are in the second flight, and two are in the third. That is three state champs and one finalist. I can't recall how many flights are in the Dallas Cup.

 

As far as the coaching issue there are poor and good coaches in club, high school, and college. Experienced ones know they need to always improve their education and coaching as a whole it is improving in TN. As far as players getting more out of club or high school depends upon the players drive to improve. As coaches you can only teach technique and tactics and it is up to the players to execute. As long as a player has a ball and is playing they should be improving. We do spend a lot of time on technique in club, but so does Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Liverpool. Tactics usually breakdown with a technical mistake, that is at every level.

 

Obviously it is not the coaching is South America that develops youth players skills. It is the fact that they are always playing, with a ball or a bag or grapefruit. The kids really get creative, the bag filled with paper, trash, and grass was my favorite. The one comparison I could draw it to would be basketball in the streets of NY. Not a whole lot of coaching going on there, but the kids have some amazing ball skills.

 

As coaches it is our job to facilitate and instill the passion to improve. Keep it fun, keep it simple, and let the game be the teacher. Hopefully they never want to leave practice and are always coming early. If that is the case, I feel I have done my job, regardless of winning or losing.

[Zeek]

I haven't seen this. How can they choose between the 2, there is no club soccer for High School age girls in TN during the High school season. A club team would have to play all out of state tournaments.

I didn't mean to imply in the same season, but I know of several instances where the club coach discouraged playing high school at all! From what I've been told, they don't like having to "un-teach" things taught by the HS coach. My point was that I think both have their place.

Edited November 7, 2006 by Zeek