Our club is not large in comparison to other clubs. We do not have the luxury of a vast population to draw out the best soccer players, so we have to teach the kids we have, and keep them involved!! I really believe that if we can all be on the same page, and know what our job is in the bigger picture, we can produce players at all levels who love the game, and also some kids who have the chance to play for our national team.

Don't worry about any lack of soccer knowledge or experience; if you want to have fun, it's likely your kids will too.

Even though it may not seem like it, they will watch and listen to everything you do and say, so make your words and actions good models for your players. You have an amazing chance to give them a positive experience and a great role model. Neither one of these choices requires a heritage of soccer skills.

Survey after survey has revealed that the true reason players sign up is to have fun. Meeting new friends or playing with their friends is up there too. Please don't drill this spirit to death. Try to satisfy their basic instinct to move in practices and games.

Respect your players, and they will respect you. Try to imagine what you would want from a coach if you were 9 or 12 years old. This coach reassures me when I make a mistake. This coach protects me from other kids. This coach makes the practices and games fun.

You are an important part of a large picture in the players' careers. I hope that you will give the players the skills they need to get to the next level of their careers whether it is u8 rec, u12 travel, the Western District Olympic Development team, the varsity team at a local high school or a college level team. The goal here is player development, so we design our program around their needs - not your need to win a trophy or put an all-star sticker on your car. I hope we can always put players in the best environment for their skills and personalities.

These are just my opinions. Take them or leave them, the last thing I would want to do is frustrate you with preaching.

If you ever want to talk shop, please call 797-2081 h, 251-6686 c., or write coachcary@verizon.net.

Good luck,
See you on the field,
Cary Wright