I counseled with my boss, college teammates, fellow High School Varsity Coaches and college coach friends and acquaintances regarding strategy and preparation.  I took all of their advice and combined it with my own knowledge of executive recruiting to answer all of my questions.  The result: I got the job.

Q: How does one prepare for a Head Coach interview?

Prepare a coaching book, ideally a 3 ring binder including:

-Detailed practice plans with objectives and coaching notes, draw out your drills.

-Drawn out offensive and defensive strategies

-Offensive plays drawn out

-Goals and game plan for the season including: County / State Championship, highest GPA, implement a study hall for student athletes, create a relationship with teachers to ensure grade accountability, community service project to promote teamwork off the field.

-Letters of Recommendation

-Professional resume including ALL coaching experience

Talk to your friends who are coaches and players, pick their brains, talk to parents of student athletes you have coached – ask them what concerns they have for you coaching, they will have some and stress that you want to hear them to overcome them.  Create a coaching philosophy and write it down.

Q: What is the Athletic Director looking for?

An accountable, responsible, assertive individual, who is confident, articulate, strategic, plays by the rules and values sportsmanship.  Always speak and think in the best interest of the school.  Read the school’s mission statement and be sure your coaching philosophy is in alignment with that.  The AD wants strong student-athletes and he wants a coach who will be there long-term, not one season.

Q: Who will I be going up against?

You may be going up against another Varsity Head Coach, the JV Coach, the Assistant Varsity Head Coach or a parent.  Whichever the case, do your homework on the other candidates and cater your strengths to eclipse their weaknesses.  Think strategically and be careful to NOT mention their names.  Any advertisement is good advertisement; do not waste your precious time in front of the panel by addressing your competition.  Take the high road and focus on yourself.

First round:

#1 vs. #12, #2 vs. #11, #3 vs #10, #4 vs #9, #5 vs #8, #6 vs #7

Based on the winners of those games, #1 seed plays the winner of the #6 vs #7 game.  Usually teams aim to go into playoffs being seeded #1 so that you are guaranteed an “easier” game to face off against the lowest seeded team.  This is an earned position, the #1 team has performed well all season to dominate the field and have a stronger chance of advancing.  Of course we have all witnessed the upsets in March Madness where the #15 team takes out the #2 seed at which time the debate arises, should the #1 seed play the #2 or #15 team to decide the true “Champion?”

In May 2009, our #1 seeded HS Varsity Girls’ Lacrosse team went up against the #2 seeded High School team in the county.  The #2 team was clipping at our heels all season and the regular season games were tied 1- 1, they beat us away and we beat them at home.  It was an incredible match up of talent and will and a cross town rivalry.  The CIF playoffs culminated in a Championship game of #1 vs #2, the winner would truly have earned the CIF title this year.  Our #1 team squeezed out a 6-5 win at the end of a game riddled with checks, interceptions, incredible saves, perfectly placed shots and some of the best girls lacrosse the fans, the Head Coach and I had every seen.  It was an incredible sense of accomplishment and pride for the girls, it was a true championship and they felt they had beaten the team who challenged them and pushed them the most.  I don’t think the 2009 CIF victory would have been as sweet against any other team, both teams have a great deal of respect for one another, they pushed each other to play beyond their normal capabilities and stretch their limits.

It’s important for coaches to teach their players, and for parents to teach their kids, that in order to BE the best you must BEAT the best. It’s a lesson that applies throughout life.  In academics, in business, in any area in which your goal is be the “best.”  Push and motivate yourself and your team to continuously improve your skill level, your game, and consistently challenge yourself to compete against the very best competition the field has to offer.  You may lose at first but you learn lessons to improve and better prepare for the next time.

Baseball is an amazing game. For as long as I can remember, it has been an integral part of my life. I’m reminded of all that is has done for me everyday. I have pics of myself holding a ball before I was able to sit up unassisted or pics of myself dragging a bat before I was able to walk. The game was taught to me at an early age and helped me grow as a person. With the buzz about Parkview Little League’s run at the World Series (http://www.parkviewlittleleague.com/), I’ve found myself really looking back at my days back in little league and all the game offered me throughout my life. All of the opportunities I have been blessed with were through baseball. I see the passion that they play with and the camaraderie they have and it really hits home. That’s what you’d expect when they’ve been a TEAM for over 7 years. For most of those kids that’s half of their life. That’s when I really reflect on my life and what baseball brought me.

You see back in the day (no I won’t mention the long walks to school 10 miles away in the snow as most stories seem to go when sentences start that way), we were that team. Our team had been together for years and we were finally coming into our own. The problem with us was we didn’t complete the journey as they did. What we did do, was STAY friends from that time forward. Our group of guys went onto to play Pony, High School, College, Professional, even had a guy reach the big leagues. Those times directed us along the paths that we took. Each of us still live in the same area and, of course, still remain close friends. In fact, most of us would take a friend label as a slap in the face, since we’re all more like brothers.  Having brothers like that because of a game we loved is special. I’m sure there are stories all over the world about the friendships that were created from amateur sports. You never seem to let those times go. With all of the great people that I have been blessed with in my life because of baseball, there’s a deep reflection of what these kids will face in the coming years.

Teammates possibly going to different schools, guys not making the jump to the next level, whatever the circumstances, there will come a time when the next level will not be realistic. That is something that no player who loves the game ever wants to hear. The reality of the game is a tough pill to swallow. I truly believe that is a driving factor in the minds of all the SportsForce team. We’ve all been faced with that reality whether it was the high school to college process or the AA to AAA jump in professional baseball. There are times in your life that having the insight and experience there to help you, can drive your decision making in a manner that will better suit your long term goals. I know looking back; I wish I had more information about the process by friends who had been there. I’m not saying that my career would have turned out any differently, but I know the journey could have.

I can only hope that these young ballplayers will be guided the right way. I am a firm believer that you “always have a chance, when you put the uniform on.” You just never know. I’ve played against the David Eckstein’s of the world who wouldn’t let their size be a roadblock to their long term goals. I see a lot of that in these kids. I’m actually motivated more in my life because of what they’re doing. I look back at all my brothers, even sisters that I’ve played against and truly thank them for all of the memories. I hope every player in every sport that aspires for something greater gets that opportunity. Watching these kids play the game with passion and without a care in the world is special. I know there’s a great community rallying behind their every pitch and every swing. I know I am. Win or lose, these kids have succeeded. I hope they go on with their lives and keep these friendships to reflect upon when they’re my age, but give back to the game in any way they can. That way someday, the next group will experience it all again, with all of it made possible because baseball is an amazing game…

College Coach Communication

It is a standard procedure for athletes who are going to be playing Surf Cup to send an email to their prospective school’s coach ,complete with their Surf Cup schedule, schedule for the remainder of the summer, and a video, if they have one.  The coach is allowed to respond to this initial communication at will, but is banned from talking to the athlete or their parents at the event itself.  If the coach likes what they see, they will follow up with the player.  If the coach views the athlete as a potential recruit, they might ask for transcripts for review, ask for further game video, or ask them to make a visit to the school.  It is important to note that none of the follow up will happen unless the athlete makes the effort to contact those coaches of those schools they are interested in attending.

Coach’s Presence

Everywhere you turned at the 2009 Surf Cup you ran into a different college coach, each one decked out head to toe in their school’s gear.  A stroll in between fields would seem to reveal that there were more coaches than players.  At any one time, there might have been 25 coaches watching one game.  Can you imagine the pressure?  The coach from your dream school sits there scrutinizing your every move.  If you’re not the first one to a loose ball or you miss a pass even by just a couple inches, that coach does not hesitate to furiously write some sort of comment next to your name.

The worst part?  They all sit in a neat little row armed with their easy flip, portable chairs, drawstring backpacks, and yellow notepads.  The Duke coach who is sitting directly adjacent to the Georgia coach is looking very quizzical.   The UCLA coach who sits in between the Michigan and Cal coaches is sneaking a peek of his rival’s notes.  The Syracuse coach is minding her own business but scribing what seems to be a novel on one of her players of interest.  All of this is going on while these 16-18 year old kids are trying to make a play for their team.

While it seems impossible for any one of these players to focus on the field, JP Scatterday of the U19 Mustang Ajax told me that it is easy for him to zone in.  Because the field is so big and the action is so intense, he finds it easy to stay focused and is usually surprised when he finds out the number of coaches that were watching his game.  The amount of composure these teenagers are able to display despite such overwhelming pressure is impressive.

The Action

Accompanying the perennial powerhouse club teams of Southern California (San Diego Surf, So Cal Blues, So Cal Real, West Coast FC, Irvine Strikers, So Cal United, and Slammers FC) were teams from all over the country and all over the world.  Aside from the continued dominance of the Southern California teams across the board, the Northern California teams had the next best showing.  While Southern California teams won 3 of the divisions and had a presence in 8 of the 12 finals, Northern California teams won 4 of the 5 divisions in which they had teams in the finals.  The best international showing goes to the Vancouver Whitecaps of Canada.  Their Girl’s U19 team made it to the finals of the super division while their Men’s U19 team was able to advance to the semifinals.

XKSanDiego.com

For more on this weekend’s Surf Cup including results, pictures, articles and more, visit San Diego’s one stop shop for soccer news at www.xksandiego.com.  Complete coverage of events, tournaments, and teams from around the San Diego area year round can be found at xksandiego.com.

SportsForce was able to capture some awesome footage, get plenty of quality interviews, and increase awareness of our brand throughout the soccer community.  All in all it was a great event and one that SportsForce hopes to do more with in the future.

The Albion Cup National Soccer Showcase Games extended into Monday, July 20^th and offered the top play of the entire showcase. In the Men’s U19 division, host team Albion narrowly defeated United Futbol Black in an intense meeting on Monday. The story was much of the same for the Women’s U19 as Albion White defeated the San Diego Surf White, 2-1. In the Boys U14 Puma V Elite, San Diego Surf Academy took top honors over Palos Verdes.

Albion Cup – Boys U15 PUMA VElite – Championship Game – 2009 from Sports Force on Vimeo.

Albion SC defeated the Fram CQ Vipers in the U15 Puma V Elite division, though both teams secured a trip to the USA Cup next year. For the girls Puma V Elite finals on Monday, Albion defeated PQ Premiere 1-0 in the U14 division. Close games were omnipresent in the finals and the U15 Girls were no exception as the SoCal Blues Draluck defeated Arsenal FC to take the finals.

For complete results from Monday, visit: http://www.gotsport.com/events/?eventid=4521

Opening Day at the Del Mar Races = ½ Day

With our website launch rapidly approaching, days off for the SportsForce team come few and far between. We took exception this past week for opening day at the horse races in Del Mar. With our office conveniently located very close to the track, we decided to take a half day for this Southern California tradition that has been going on for 70 years.

Testing the Soon to Launch SportsForce Site

The SportsForce team is working hard behind the scenes making sure our site will be the best experience for you when it launches. We are testing everything, making sure everything is in the right place, and most importantly, that it works!

So Cal Cup Features some of Southern CA’s best Baseball Prospects

SportsForce was at the So Cal Cup this past weekend. The event features Southern California’s Top Baseball Prospects. Director, Mike Viera, with San Gabriel Valley Baseball gave SportsForce open access to the event.  SportsForce also had the pleasure of interviewing Mike as part of the event to learn more about some of the top players in the event and what colleges were there.

“The So Cal Cup was created on bringing the best players in Southern California to compete against each other in hopes to see College Coaches and Major League Scouts see the best players we have to offer in all of Southern California. The idea worked, in our first So Cal Cup, rain and more rain, we still had a huge following by Scouts, National Crosscheckers and some staff from the Scouting Bureau. Now we are looking to get the exposure to these players by College Coaches. 2 Days 3 Games, Wood Bat, how will they perform? Are the best players from Orange County, Riverside, Los Angeles or San Diego? Let’s find out in a battle of Southern California’s best talent in the So Cal Cup II. Where the best will play in the best! You will play for the county you live in. We had 11 players get drafted in the 2004 Major League Draft that participated in our inaugural So Cal Cup I.”

Find more info on the So Cal Cup at http://baseballresource.com/socalcup/index.htm

ALBION CUP 2009 – Soccer Highlight Video from Sports Force on Vimeo.

The tournament offers both Showcase and Cup brackets for each age group with Showcase featuring elite teams. Puma also sponsored a special elite bracket, the Puma V Elite, for both Boys and Girls in the U14 and U15 divisions. The Boys in the U15 division were also competing for a chance to play in Tottenham, England at the USA Cup in 2010.

Championship Results

Men’s U19

Showcase Champions: United Futbol Black

Cup Champions: PQ Premiere

Women’s U19

Showcase Champions: Albion SC White

Cup Champions: Laguna Hills Eclipse

Boys U17

Showcase Champions: FC San Diego Gold Quinn

Cup Champions: Legends FC Black

Girls U17

Showcase Champions: SD United Futbol Black

Cup Champions: Laguna Hills Eclipse Blue

Boys U16

Showcase Champions: Central California Aztecs

Cup Champions: Folsom Galaxy

Girls U16

Showcase Champions: Laguna Hills Eclipse

Cup Champions: Fontana United

Boys U15

Puma V Elite Champions: Albion SC

Cup Champions: United Futbol Black

Girls U15

Puma V Elite Champions: SoCal Blues Draluck

Cup Champions: United FC

Boys U14

Puma V Elite Champions: San Diego Surf Academy

Cup Champions: Albion SC

Girls U14

Puma V Elite Champions: Albion White

Cup Champions: El Dorado United Eclipse

Boys U13

Showcase Champions: CV Manchester Red

Cup Champions: Aztecs FC Juarez

Girls U13

Showcase Champions: Oranje Voetball G960

Cup Champions: San Diego United Futbol

Boys U12

Showcase Champions: FC Heat

Girls U12

Showcase Champions: SoCal Infinity 97

Cup Champions: Livermore Soccer

Boys U11

Showcase Champions: FC Barcelona

Cup Champions: Vaqueros Green

Girls U11

Showcase Champions: Corona United Blue

Cup Champions: Albion SC

Boys U10

Showcase Champions: FC Man United

Cup Champions: Encinitas Express White

Girls U10

Showcase Champions: Albion SC White

Cup Champions: Carlsbad Wave FC

Boys U9

Showcase Champions: Chula Vista Rangers

Cup Champions: Chula Vista Pumas

Girls U9

Showcase Champions: El Dorado United

Boys U8

Showcase Champions: Encinitas Express White