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<p>Coming off a season coaching my son’s AYSO soccer team, I reflected back on the short season soccer in Lake Tahoe demands as snow often covers the ground for a third of the year. We volunteer coaches do our best in just a couple months to hone players’ skills, get them to operate as a team, have fun, and most importantly, cultivate their love of the game so they come back next season. Some coaches have years of experience - maybe played soccer in college - or perhaps the first game they coached this fall was the first time they ever even saw a soccer match. My experience skews toward the latter.</p><p><br>Looking back, to prep for the season, I should have studied two coaches I greatly admire, former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp and former Washington Redskins coach Joe Gibbs. These men not only led their teams to multiple championships but their legacies as coaches extend beyond their winning record; they lie in the profound respect and admiration of their players, who consistently described them as mentors, motivators, and men of great integrity.</p><p>Any parent would be proud if their son grew into a man possessing traits of Klopp and Gibbs. They showed you can be competitive and feared by the opposing team while demonstrating sportsmanship, humility and professionalism. You can be a “serious person” and a good human at the same time. Afterall, what do we want as parents? We want our kids to win, whatever their definition of winning is, through disciplined hard work, undaunted courage, and sharp thinking, while elevating those around them. We want them to enjoy the process and be able to recover from the many setbacks any worthwhile process throws at them. If a kid’s coach embodies the characteristics of Klopp, Gibbs or one of history’s great coaches, the kids are already in a winning position even if the scores on the pitch don’t reflect it.</p><p><br>The players say it all:</p><p><br>"He’s [Klopp’s] just a fantastic manager but also a fantastic human being. The energy he brings, the way he makes everyone feel—players and fans—he makes you want to give everything for him." - Virgil van Dijk, Liverpool captain, defender.</p><p><br>"What made Coach Gibbs special was his integrity. You always knew he had your back, and that trust made us play harder for him." - Darrell Green, Hall of Fame cornerback.</p><p><br>"He [Klopp] treats everyone like his family. He’s a friend to the players, but when he needs to be serious, he is. He always finds the right balance." - Mohamed Salah, Liverpool forward.</p><p><br>"Joe Gibbs was the type of coach who made you want to run through a wall for him. He had a way of making you believe in the game plan and in yourself." - John Riggins, Hall of Fame running back.</p><p><br data-mce-bogus="1"></p>

Raising Good Humans, One Soccer Season at a Time

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More logic in your decisions

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Possibility lies only in uncertainty

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First, do no harm

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Raising Good Humans, One Soccer Season at a Time

More logic in your decisions

Possibility lies only in uncertainty

First, do no harm

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