Interim soccer coach named
- Thread starter TU 1978
- Start date
Didn't know this happened. I like Kyle but I think the grind of recruiting and being away was hard, especially when his wife, also a college head coach (women's bball at ORU) has the same grind. I know they have 2 daughters that they adopted. Usually it's not both parents that have that college coaching grind going on.
Jim Rhein is a good coach. I would guess he'll probably bring on his brother John as an assistant (meaning WSA may lose one of their girls coaches). I don't know if Jim is a long term solution. I wouldn't be surprised if TU looked to Mike Schwartz from Tulsa SC's WPSL side or, an even better option IMO, Yolanda Thomas. She's a phenomenal teacher of the game and has connections around the country and internationally in the women's soccer game.
Jim Rhein is a good coach. I would guess he'll probably bring on his brother John as an assistant (meaning WSA may lose one of their girls coaches). I don't know if Jim is a long term solution. I wouldn't be surprised if TU looked to Mike Schwartz from Tulsa SC's WPSL side or, an even better option IMO, Yolanda Thomas. She's a phenomenal teacher of the game and has connections around the country and internationally in the women's soccer game.
We aren’t talking football or basketball. We want stability and consistency in that position. Who is going to stay 10 years or more and have success? An All-American at OSU with connections in OKC and Sweden probably isn’t that person. Especially one that was on staff once and left. I’d need to hear more why she isn’t leaving town. But agree, if you have to hire local, she merits the mention. My sense is that Dickson and the Board have a more national focus for leadership searches in general. No idea what they will do with this job. Still if she came in with a very competitive number they might listen.
I think Thomas and her husband are tied to the Tulsa area now through their involvement (and their kids' involvements locally). Of course her gig with Tulsa SC as an ECNL girls director/coach and her involvement with the WPSL side might actually pay her more than the HC gig at TU with far less of a headache. My take on her being a good candidate is simply because I know she can teach the game and she has a lot of credibility as a soccer teacher and developer on the recruiting trail.
Why? Do you know the number of female soccer players from the Tulsa metro who have gone on to SEC and Bog XII schools and have been absolute stars? BA, Union, and Owasso churn out 4-5 D1 high level players each year. None are going to TU. And they're not going that far away. You've got a few going to OSU but a lot headed to Arkansas. We can't even get the daughters of alums to come here (Malham, and he's got another star a year away too...just named the girls soccer Gatorade POY in OK as a Jr from Union).
Kids want to go to big schools in most cases and get away from their parents. And the playoff money gives them money on facilities we can’t match. The paid gap between a partial scholarship and TU is wide if the kids don’t have the grades and many of the kids you are talking about don’t. That usually isn’t the case at OSU. New coaching on the girls end could help. We shall see.
TU did sign 3 players from TSC in their 2021 class. Not sure we can or should expect more. Our problem imo has been getting the top players from TSC. Arkansas and OSU are currently better programs playing in better conferences. Need a special coach to get us to that level.
www.soccerwire.com
Tulsa women's soccer signs eight to National Letters of Intent
The University of Tulsa signed eight recruits.
www.soccerwire.com
Follow the money. Not just to the stadiums and travel conditions but the fin aid packages. There’s a reason nearly all our women make straight A’s. If you are a B student then these other schools are a more rational option, especially if you think you should be going to school for free just because you played some youth soccer really well.
I’m not sure I buy the “academic” excuse. Other schools who are superior to TU as far as academics (based on latest rankings) have no issues putting top 20 teams on the field. In fact, 8 of the top 10 ranked programs are ranked significantly above TU in the latest academic rankings. You can make the same argument for the top 25. Many are private schools as well. Could it be as simple as other programs are more committed to fielding good teams….or maybe more creative as far as financial aid?
College soccer isn’t unique as far as partial ships. In fact, other than football and basketball they are the norm. Looking at the results from those sports, I don’t see being a private school or even an academic inclined school as a detriment. Most high school kids who are really good at those sports understand they will likely receive a partial athletic ship which may be supplemented by other financial aid. It is what it is for those who don’t play the two revenue sports.
When all is said and done, TU women’s soccer should be better.
College soccer isn’t unique as far as partial ships. In fact, other than football and basketball they are the norm. Looking at the results from those sports, I don’t see being a private school or even an academic inclined school as a detriment. Most high school kids who are really good at those sports understand they will likely receive a partial athletic ship which may be supplemented by other financial aid. It is what it is for those who don’t play the two revenue sports.
When all is said and done, TU women’s soccer should be better.
Don’t disagree. I’m just speaking from experience helping guide two sets of soccer parents go through the process dealing with this issue. (I’ve talked to dozens of parents interested in TU soccer generally) . They both made it clear that the would not be sending their daughters anywhere that required out of pocket costs. If they wanted the kid to play, they were going to pay. They felt, quite rightly in one case, their daughter had enough academic achievement to merit aid in addition to the partial. TU disagreed. So did SMU. After being good enough to be offered a walk on spot at FSU and a full academic ride there, she turned it down and went to Tulane and paid nothing out of pocket despite their reputation for mining athletic parents for money. Played a couple of years and quit. The other girl was a high C student with good test scores. TU said the out of pocket would be high 4 or 5 digits yearly. She wound up at OSU and paid nothing. but that was several years ago. In my opinion, that was the right move. We had comparable players with better books. She did make all Big 12 one year I think and the. got hurt and lost her playing spot.
I don’t get the Arkansas thing. An old girlfriends daughter ran XC for one of the larger Tulsa schools. Her coach and counselors pushed Arkansas on her relentlessly until she visited. And loved it.
Another note on the academic thing. Some times that’s an excuse. Either an excuse because you lost a recruiting battle or you don’t want to burn bridges with a local high school. Example: talented player doesn’t quite fit into your system. Local Coach parents and player want her at TU. You’ve got better players for you on the radar or maybe you’ve heard about locker room or behavior problems, so you tell her academics is the obstacle
The Arkansas coaches have put in a lot of work with the TSC girls’ ECNL coaches over the last few years. They show up for games, practices, etc….and the effort has paid off. K State has been a recent addition to the TSC recruiting scene fwiw and have landed several girls.
If your Arkansas, TU, OSU or OU you need to recruit TSC, Energy, and Dallas. Maybe add a girl or two from a few other areas and call it a day.
If your Arkansas, TU, OSU or OU you need to recruit TSC, Energy, and Dallas. Maybe add a girl or two from a few other areas and call it a day.
One of the things that makes Arkansas attractive to students from the 918 area code (and why Arkansas recruits this area heavily in many sports) is that students from the 918 are granted in-state tuition at Arkansas. There are a lot of students from the Tulsa area who go because they don't want to follow all the sheep from their HS to OSU or OU but they don't have to break the bank leaving Oklahoma. TU can't compete with that if they can't meet the financial aid demands.
I saw that list. That's awful. And the TSC ECNL girls had a great weekend too. 04s played in the finals and I know the 06s made at least the semis.
