Match Report V’s Montreat College

    There are some moments in life and as a coach when you wonder if you are doing the right thing. If the message that you are trying to pass on is the best message possible for the audience and players you have. Then there are the moments that take your breath away, when you know that everything you have done and said has been acknowledged, and your audience or players have done everything you have asked of them.

Match Report: UC v's Carson Newman

    As the sun climbed above the Appalachian Mountains on Saturday 25th August, the new look University of the Cumberlands Women’s Soccer team prepared for their first scrimmage of the season against a Division II Carson Newman College also going through a transitional stage after such a successful and storied history.

There is Always English Pride

    While football (soccer) is the worlds game, it was given to the world by the English. It is our national sport, and we boast the best and most exciting league in the world. While from August to May the Premier League is a showcase for worldwide soccer talent, the focus over the next few weeks will be on Euro 2012, and for myself the England team.

The Moment 'The King' Changed Football

    As I reflect on making it to and past a half century, I feel it is apt to look at one man and one moment that changed my footballing life forever. In my life I have witnessed some great events. I have seen some spectacular moments, moments that have taken my breath away, and also some unexplainable and devastating moments. In just my lifetime we have seen the rise of technology that allows us to perform tasks and function at a level most never thought possible. We have seen the world change forever with the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the rise of terrorism and the events of September 11th, 2001. The world has seen and lost some spectacular people, including the deaths of Princess Diana, Michael Jackson and Sir Bobby Robson.

Bringing Down The Berlin Wall

Thought of the week 6

    Soccer and sport can teach us much about life. When things are going well in life we rarely question it, but when things take a turn for the worse we often wonder what we have done to deserve it, or what we have done wrong that such things would happen. The same can be said in soccer. When we win we often take it for granted without focusing on the things that got us there, and when we lose we are often times overly critical or ourselves and our teammates.

The Art of Coaching

    When we think of art I am sure many of us will think of famous paintings and buildings that have provided the world with pure beauty. What many of us will probably not think of is sport, or more specifically for this blog, soccer. But surely soccer must be considered an art-form.  It is a spectacle that is watched in every corner of the globe, whether it be on a wet and windy Sunday morning on the park, or on a Saturday afternoon at Old Trafford in front of 75,000 fans. What many people may fail to differentiate between is the art and the artist. While the players provide the visuals with their skill, the artist is the man who is stood or sat over on the sidelines. The art we see in games does not just happen, it takes much practice and an incredible vision and determination by the coach to produce their magnum opus.

Paul Scholes- The Unseen Genius!

    When we think of soccer today, many would think of FC Barcelona and Lionel Messi. This is understandably so, as at the time of writing they are the most complete soccer team on the face of the earth, playing a brand of soccer most could only dream of. With this been said, when Pep Guardiola, the current manager of the Catalan club was asked who he would sign if he had the opportunity, his response may surprise a lot of people. His answer was simple and firm, Paul Scholes.

"Out of everyone at Manchester United, I would pick out Scholes – he is the best midfielder of his generation,"-Josep Guardiola

Thought of the week 5

    In sport there are many things that have a bearing on individual performance and the result of the game or event. While athletes must work rigorously on all aspects in order to prepare themselves for whatever it is they do, the most important aspect for an athlete is confidence. While we can observe and see that top professional athletes possess skill sets that often times seem miraculous, what sets them apart is the confidence they have in their skill set and not the skill set itself.

The Value of Passion

Our ability can be developed, our performance can be improved, but our passion is what truly defines us!

Thought of the week 4

    After taking a slight blog sabbatical this past week I come back with an open thought for the week. Over the past few months, whilst I have been out of college coaching I have felt far from myself, and while there are various reasons for this, not been around the coaching environment has been a huge factor. Been a part of a team environment is something very special, and without it I have just not felt like myself.