TTi Soccer 4 Questions Series - Kevin Macare

March 5th 2020

Sporting Directors Note:

Kevin has always been kind to me. He offered me a job when I needed one and guidance then and still now. He is the epitome of what I believe a Club DOC should be. He currently works with Pateadores in Southern California and is a High School coach at Laguna Hills High School. Kevin’s perspective is likely die to his Dutch heritage. Kevin purveys to his players is rooted deeply in education (Kevin is a Department Head at Laguna Hills in Southern California) and in the players having a positive and life long experience. His disposition equal to his passion and love for the game.

I clearly remember a windy afternoon in Riverside, CA coaching with Kevin. He told his players “It is bigger than this match or football, it has to be about pride in yourself and your own performance” as the group was 2-0 down at half time “the score here doesn’t matter, but give a better showing of yourselves as people, not just players”. In 15 years of coaching, I had not seen that approach enough. That half time changed how I viewed the emotional piece of the game. Im not ashamed to say I have said the same words, verbatim since, many times too many different groups. They won 4-2 in spectacular fashion.

Nether the less Kevin’s approach and identity has stuck with me through the years and I am so grateful for his opinion and the opportunity to work with him, albeit for a short period.

I believe Kevin to be the single most underrated coach in the United States.

Enjoy.

1. What are the biggest issues facing youth development across the United States?

There are most likely different challenges for different youth sports depending on their respective age as a sport in our culture today. Little League Baseball involvement has declined over the last generation so they face the challenge of reinventing the spirit that drives kids to want to play. Conversely, lacrosse is growing exponentially and they need to harness that growth with proper coaching and development. That is a tough challenge. Specific to youth soccer, you can narrow it down pretty simply by saying expectations and money. I think we now have a generation of parents who played the game, so their expectation levels are higher. Their expectation from coaches, clubs, referees, and their own kids to a degree are heightened. The naivete’ is no longer as widespread and it has forced clubs and organizations to shift the paradigm. Many have turned into salesmen instead of developers. How do they sell? Right now it seems the answer is to keep adding more levels of play to entice kids to their respective club. Academy, DPL, ECNL, Discovery. You add levels to the same size pool of players and the natural result is that the quality is watered down. Kids are skipping development levels and curriculum needs for the “opportunity” to play up when they are not prepared. So long as money remains a driving force in youth club sports, this trend wont hit a tipping point for a while. Most coaches long ago had jobs, and then coached youth sports in addition. They had a passion to share their love for the game and knowledge of said game. Today, far too many coaches only coach, so their livelihood depends on having players in their club and on their team. The motivations have changed, again, shifting the paradigm.

2. How important is winning to you as a coach and how do you best define it to youth players?

Winning for me as a coach does not carry the same weight it did when I was younger. Of course I like to win, but I am not willing to sacrifice development and the overall experience for the player to do so. Too many kids do not really know the game, they just play it. I am a big picture person, so I always try to share the big picture with my players. Work hard, listen, apply, improve every day. Walk off the field a better player than you were yesterday. If a team of players can do that, winning will come naturally. I tell players that winning is the result of sacrifice, dedication, hard work, and contributing to the team effort in whatever capacity that might be. I think our lives are shaped by experiences, not results. I ask them what they want to remember when they look back.

3. You're a teacher by trade. How does this background help you in terms of football coaching?

Being a teacher by trade has helped me break down the problems facing a team or individual players game and come up with a path to success with a structured plan. Understanding the value of an overall curriculum, the process needed for development, and the difference having a lesson plan makes have all helped shape my coaching career. I started coaching at 19 years old and teaching at 25 years old. I was using drills from my former coaches that I liked, not developing my own portfolio of drills and sessions that were a fit more my coaching style and more importantly, needed for the proper development and success of my teams. Just understanding the concept of differentiation moved mountains for me as a coach. I work everyday in the classroom finding ways to get each individual student to realize their potential, knowing that unlocking that drive is nothing cookie cutter. Bringing those tenants of teaching into football coaching has proved extremely beneficial.

4. What do you think is the most important advice you could give to a young player?

Find a way to keep the fire burning. You will never be good at something you do not love and are not willing to invest in. Set goals, short and long term and be realistic. Be honest with your parents about your desired level of involvement. Finally, always work harder to be better when you walk off the field today than you were yesterday and be grateful you have the opportunity to play a game many others will never have the chance to.

Lee Cullip