In regards to most sports, at the majority of schools in Oklahoma, the reality is that they are expected to be a great classroom teacher in the subject area they spending the majority of their day teaching. Being a highly qualified coach is often secondary, exempting the major sports that generally look for the best coach and make space for the teaching field.
Local HS Soccer
- Thread starter TU_BLA
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I don't know how most 6A schools treat the soccer coaches, Union used to stick the non-teaching types in credit recovery roles. My son's HC at Union for the 1st 3 years was big on culture, being a good person, and representing yourself and your school well. One of his big things was you are a Union soccer player everywhere you go now and there is no separating that part of your identity, so be sure to represent it with class. And he meant it. He suspended 2 of the best players on the team just before state playoffs for being at a party in pictures with alcohol that ended up on social media. He was big on character, he was big on development and he was big on how you carried yourself through adversity. He developed a culture of accountability and one of playing for your teammates, not just with them. My son's senior year, new coach came in and essentially didn't worry about any of those things which is why you had a team with among the top 2-3 talent in the state flame out in the 1st round of the playoffs last season. New coach this year, a rebuild of the values that were in place previously and you've got a top 2-3 talent team playing like they have the best talent in the state right now (validated by Coach of the Year honors and 4 east side all state players). One of those players, who was an absolute head case last year is going to be considered for Gatorade POY honors. Add to that, there were a ton of missed games last year due to player academic ineligibility and this year there haven't been any. In my eyes, that's the mark of a good coach/staff. (He's also simplified the game for the boys and if you've seen them play you know they are playing to potential this season). Give me that coach who emphasizes the importance of who they are away from the field as much as who they are on the field...and mean it.
The guys who have played for Eric Marshall at Jenks likely have the same experience and no one would doubt his success with that program.
BTW, I am doing the Skiatook @ Metro Christian girls game tonight in the 1st round of the playoffs at Metro Christian. Metro has to be one of the favorites in girls 4A. I would expect Metro to win this game fairly easily. They haven't lost since March and that was to a 5A school. They've only give up 1 goal in district play and we're talking a bunch of 4, 5, and 6-0 wins.
Simplifying the game does wonders. Way too many self appointed geniuses at the youth level of this sport.
Like that ridiculous idea of using “quality of play rankings.” Which is really just two old guys who never played looking at AI analysis of drone footage.
Like that ridiculous idea of using “quality of play rankings.” Which is really just two old guys who never played looking at AI analysis of drone footage.
My experiences through the years were with 2A-5A schools, so that's the perspective I witnessed in those smaller districts. 6A I'm sure is different based on urban vs suburban due to student population and financial resources and support.
I 100% agree with you on that being the perspective of most if not all coaches that I have known through the years. You simply can't coach poor character and the season is too long, the criticism overwhelming, and the financial reward (stipend) too small for the commitment of time. The men and women that assume those roles of leading young people I would hope that if a kid is participating in a winning or losing program the emphasis is on character and culture. Build those things and winning tends to follow.
I always liked the fact that Mike Wilson told kids who made the program after tryouts that they were part of the program as long as they wanted to be part of the program. The only way the coach was removing you from the program is if you didn't keep up your academic obligations or you didn't keep up your part to represent the program well (and even then he didn't immediately remove you but wanted you to understand that your actions have consequences and how do you learn and grow). He didn't make you try out for your spot year after year. Once you made the program you were part of it until you no longer wanted to be part by personal decision. I know BA and Jenks make their players tryout every year (or at least go through the motions).
I cannot tell you how much confidence my son took away from tryouts at Union and making the team. Those coaches didn't know him or his ability and had no preconceived notions. And then to have a coaching staff that is there to help build you up and develop you as a player. I never got the club coach hate for HS soccer, especially for my son's experience.
You can't compare a boys' side at a school like Union to everywhere. Plus, they are in an urban environment, so there is a higher probability of better players and coaches.
They play at a larger 6A school with a better coach and more talent, which is a much different environment from all other experiences.
My high school was loaded; everyone would have said our team was trash compared to our club sides. Maybe some of the guys that played for lesser teams, but the guys on the top squads would all say their combined club team would have wiped them out. The only ones that probably would have argued otherwise...Broken Arrow. We took down every single 6A squad sans them. They all sucked comparatively.
They are lucky if they get three good club players at places like Victory Christian, Metro, Cascia and Holland Hall. "Good" being very relative. Those schools get accused of recruiting because they are urban, small and mostly play rural schools that really, really, really suck.
Just one upset in the 3A/4A playoffs that I saw last night. Catoosa girls went on the road and beat Wagoner 4-1. My game was a 2-0 Metro Christian win over Skiatook. First goal came from 35 yards...Skiatook GK just absolutely butchered the play and the ball went right through her hands. 2nd goal was off a 40 yd free kick that the GK again misplayed. Skiatook actually had the better of play for most of the 1st half and the Metro coach was pretty pissed at his girls. I think they came out and didn't take the game seriously to start. Skiatook had a decent sweeper and a really good 6 and a couple fo forwards who were good technically. They couldn't really build an attack as they just didn't have enough quality throughout the 11. We did have some weird HS only calls. In FIFA, a throw in that never enters the field is a rethrow for the original team. In HS, a throw in that never enters the field of play, is a turnover and a throw in for the opposite team. I don't know how experienced my center ref was but he missed a call that would have led to a PK for Metro. Skiatook keeper bungled a cross and came out to gather but a Metro player beat her to the ball, took a touch, and then the Skiatook keeper bungled into her and basically football tackled her. ref played on. We discussed at half and he said he thought it was incidental. The other AR and myself thought the contact put the Metro player at a disadvantage and took away her chance to play the ball. Overall, the game was fine although the number of "Jesus Christ ref" and "God damn, make a call" coming the from the Metro CHRISTIAN parents was borderline stupid.
On the boys side, no upsets (although a couple of scores weren't reported on the app I use). Crooked Oak beat Bristow 6-4. My son played with a couple of the kids at Bristow including the all time leading goal scorer there (who is headed to Spain to play for an academy team there).
Tonight 5A/6A boys and girls provided the weather cooperates. Union vs BA will be interesting on the girls side. I've already been told a particular player from Union has been tasked with man-marking Hailey Green all over the field. I don't see where Union really can win the game outright unless BA makes some glaring mistakes in the back. Gracie Holmes will be the player to carry Union if they do win. She is a freaking workhorse and will play all 80 minutes barring injury and will really put pressure on BAs backline...question will be will she get help in the attack? Union boys host Bartlesville tonight. Union should win if they can finish. Don't think Bartlesville has the athleticism to hold Unions attack nor do I think they possess enough attackers to really threaten Union in the back.
On the boys side, no upsets (although a couple of scores weren't reported on the app I use). Crooked Oak beat Bristow 6-4. My son played with a couple of the kids at Bristow including the all time leading goal scorer there (who is headed to Spain to play for an academy team there).
Tonight 5A/6A boys and girls provided the weather cooperates. Union vs BA will be interesting on the girls side. I've already been told a particular player from Union has been tasked with man-marking Hailey Green all over the field. I don't see where Union really can win the game outright unless BA makes some glaring mistakes in the back. Gracie Holmes will be the player to carry Union if they do win. She is a freaking workhorse and will play all 80 minutes barring injury and will really put pressure on BAs backline...question will be will she get help in the attack? Union boys host Bartlesville tonight. Union should win if they can finish. Don't think Bartlesville has the athleticism to hold Unions attack nor do I think they possess enough attackers to really threaten Union in the back.
