It's been a year. A lot has changed from when I started, stopped, and got back in it again. Coaching again out of state has been not only a ride, but a heck of a learning experience. Bottom line it wasn't coaching in Texas- and I've documented it all and look forward to sharing it with everyone in a 2000's style weekly blog.
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APRIL 2025- THE INTERVIEW
Getting back into the grind. I’m very excited about all of it. I’m not going to proofread this too much, but keep it pretty raw. I won’t try to be wordy, but I’m sure I’ll ramble on at times, something I try to be self-aware of. Anyways, I thought it would be good for me to write it all out, a trick I learned when pursuing additional unnecessary education, no need to discuss that right now, but if you’re going to get a Master’s Degree- do it before you have kids!
Anyhow, this new job in a suburb I played soccer at when I was growing up. I wasn’t anything special at all, like in the 10th-14th best range on the team overall, so it’s not like the community is excited for me to come back or even remembers who I am (or was). I got the job from my friend I graduated high school with who is now an athletic director. In the North, the football coach doesn’t operate everything as it is in Texas which is great in some ways, but in others, makes things totally different. I’m married, my wife found a job back where I grew up and with having young kids, part of our family was pressuring us to move back. I said I’d look around, and here we are.
SIDENOTE: Are all coaching jobs based on who you know? At the start, usually. At least in my opinion, for virtually 95% of the programs. The ADs have enough of a job to tread water, an interview process is timely, and especially in 2025, it’s hard to find someone willing to coach. So when he reached out I thought:
A. Why didn’t any of the old assistants want this job?
B. Why didn’t anyone local want the job?
C. What happened to the old coach?
My athletic director was in his first year and let’s be real, priority wise, soccer is like…probably right above field hockey (northern term, yes this is a sport played mostly on the women's side) or Cross Country in importance to fill- contrary to all of us soccer people’s beliefs. Soccer doesn't bring the revenue that basketball or football does to athletic programs.
As it’s currently April, I did some homework and noticed the job had been open for about three months. It’s not like Texas where teaching is always attached to the job, club coaches can take coaching positions too- which also made the lengthy vacancy questionable. To be clear, this was one of the top 10% programs of the past 20 years. The North doesn’t grow like Texas or the other Sunbelt States, but it is an area of new growth which usually means good soccer goes hand in hand with it. I played in the area right when it started to “boom” and other high schools followed.
Anyways. I was told we could do everything virtually in the interview process until the “final round.” I am still convinced there was no one else in the “final round” of interviews with me, but of course I was too nervous to ask about it.
The actual in person interview included a small committee including the AD, the current football coach who seemed like a solid guy (he asked more questions about Texas HS Football than the job I was interviewing for); the girl’s soccer coach was in attendance as well, I already can tell I don’t like this guy. We will talk about him I assume a bit more in the coming months. Their (the girls) season is in the Spring. He’s the type of guy that seems to thrive on creating a questionably bad schedule and touts an excellent record. We all know one. Also there were two mothers of players on the team as well, they just asked a lot of questions about fundraising. I thought that was weird.
The only question I’d ask at all about the job was about the teaching job, that’s all that mattered to my wife. I figured it would be easy to sort out like in Texas. One hour later after the interview, I received a call that the job was mine- but I had then and have now a bit of suspicion to it all.
I excitedly still accepted the job and texted the guys I was still in contact with "back home" telling them I was gloriously returning to take over the team...I don't think they really cared, I know my own family seemed more concerned than excited, that's for sure.
Anyways I was back into coaching, and when I take a job, I go 110% like any of you. I had to make sure to take a break from the TXHSSOC site once the season was over. All of you could see it if you paid a little attention; a lot of retweets outside of Spring Break with the exception of recognizing how the sad death of a fellow coach- not because I directly knew him, but I had heard so many great things about him. He was the type of guy who fought for years, defied expectations, was inspirational in the sense of living days to the fullest, and I really mean that. Never heard a bad thing about him, he coached, taught, was a father, husband. All around great dude. Sad stuff. This seems like a good stopping point.
THE GOOD
As a coach who missed being on the field, being able to take another shot was very exciting. It felt no different than the first job you take; you're always excited to get started as soon as possible with "your" team. While the season structure would be different, and preparing for a Fall Season opposed to a Winter Season would leave me limited on time, I figured I would be able to sort through it all over the summer. It seemed to be a good job in a well-respected school district. While it was about twenty years ago, a school district I played in and cared very much about- it should be the perfect situation, right?
THE BAD
Right after accepting the job, I regretted not asking enough questions at the interview. I highly recommend you do the same.
A. How is the financial situation for the team (do we owe money?)
B. What are the expectations on the field from the perspective of the school, parents, community, and most important, admin?
C. As previously mentioned, what happened to the old coach? Was the departure on good terms?
I'd find out soon enough.
COMING UP IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS:
MEETING THE TEAM, PARENTS, AND THE REALITY THAT THE GLORY DAYS WERE OVER- BUT THE EXPECTATIONS WERE NOT.
HIRING A NEW STAFF.
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